With the recent recall on eggs, I suddenly had many clients asking me “is it still okay to eat eggs?”  The answer is yes – but only certain types of eggs.

John Robbins, a writer for the Huffington Post wrote a thorough summary of the correlation of how the egg industry operates and the risk of Salmonella.

The categories of how hens are treated are as follows: 

• Battery Cage – how the vast majority of hens are stored in cramped close cages where they are practically on top of one another. 

• Cage Free- although far greater than battery cage, cage-free hens are still in cramped conditions with large numbers of hens in a small space.

• Free Range – the hens are free to roam the farm and are only kept inside at night.

• Organic – the hens are fed only organic feed, free of GMO (genetically modified) products.  Hens fed organic feed may still be in cages.

What is the best way to still enjoy eggs and protect yourself from Salmonella?

The bottom line is that Battery Cage eggs carry a much higher risk of Salmonella due to the living conditions of the hens.

Free-range and organic eggs carry a minimal risk of Salmonella.

Bottom Line:  Purchase eggs that are both free-range and organic.  Make sure to cook your eggs, and avoid foods made with raw eggs.

A week ago June Pagan, one of the Chef’s I work, with alerted me to a class action suit against companies that manufacture extra-virgin olive oil.

Olive oil is high in omega 3 or anti-inflammatory fats and the one that I highly recommend so hearing this news was quite disturbing.

A study at UC Davis Olive Center revealed that 69% of imported olive oil and 10% of California olive oil failed to meet IOC/USDA standards and were either adulterated or had poor quality due to being mixed with cheaper refined oils.

This means that the oil you are using could be mixed with omega 6 or pro-inflammatory oils, negating the health benefits of the olive oil.

The companies named were Bertolli, Filippo Berio, Carapelli, Star, Colavita, Mezzetta, Pompeian, Rachael Ray, Mazolla and Safeway Select.

Ten retailers and supermarkets, including Bristol Farms, Gelson's Markets, Vons/Pavilions, Ralphs, Stater Brothers, Albertson's, Target, Walmart, Kmart and Nob Hill Foods were named is in the lawsuit as well.

Lead counsel Daniel J. Callahan. “These companies placed corporate profiteering over their integrity and the integrity of their product and have been knowingly misleading and defrauding California consumers for years.”

Organic Authority quotes tips from Linda Sikorski, head buyer for Market Hall Foods in Oakland:

1. Check the label. Does it say “extra-virgin” olive oil? Is there a harvest or milling date, in addition to the best-use date? Is the harvest date within 12 months? Extra-virgin oil is “best used” within 18 months. Make sure the oil is purchased well in advance of the best-used date.
2. What about the bottle? Is the bottle’s color dark, which reduces light exposure? Is it on the top shelf, exposed to direct light? Light dramatically shortens shelf life, so look for signs that indicate the bottle has been on the shelf too long (for example, dust).
3.  Look for the COOC seal, which assures the olive oil is extra-virgin, grown in California and from the most recent harvest.
4. Know your retailer. Buy from retailers who know their producers, growers and importers. Ask for a taste. Many specialty retailers are generous with sampling, as they want you to know what you’re buying.
5. Verify when buying online. Check for the harvest date, and always buy from the most recent harvest. Ask before you complete your purchase.

Since hearing the news I visited Whole Foods and found a good quality olive oil named Columela, an extra virgin cold-pressed oil.  Unbeknownst to me it the highest rated extra virgin olive oil by Cooks Illustrated, a service that rates many food items and appliances.  Look in your cabinet and see what you are using.  If it is one of the above companies I suggest you take it back to your store and buy something with the suggestions above.  Your health depends on it.

I must have been asked about quinoa at least 5 times in the last week so time to write a blog.

The most common misconception is that quinoa is high in protein.  Clients have asked me if they can substitute quinoa for their other protein sources.  The marketers of quinoa have blown the small additional amount of protein out of proportion.

Let’s break it down to see how it pans out:

                                                                        Calories             Carbs              Protein       Fat

Brown Rice, 1 cup cooked                          195               45 grams        5 grams        2 gms  

Quinoa, 1 cup cooked                                   222               39 grams        8 grams       3.5 gms

Quinoa has 3 more grams of protein than brown rice.  Significant?  Hardly.  Both are good sources of whole grains/fiber and gluten-free, but the protein difference is insignificant considering 1 large egg or ¼ cup of cottage cheese contain 8 grams of protein each.

These two sources of whole grains are preferred over pasta, white rice, and other starchy carbohydrates since they are high in fiber and have a lower glycemic index but are not considered substitutes for protein and contain a fair amount of carbohydrate so have small amounts and balance it with your favorite protein source.

Omegas 3’s have made it into the mainstream of lifestyle importance.  Until about four years ago I recommended omega 3’s to only those with heart disease.  Research exploded exponentially linking increased intake of omega 3’s to lowered risk of not only heart disease, but other types of inflammation such as arthritis, insulin resistance, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, hormonal disorders, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition, the fish oil/flax seed combination is helpful for symptoms associated with PMS, menopause, and hormone stabilization in general.  ADD and ADHD can also be helped.

How can one simple thing help so many medical problems?  Feeding your body starts with adequate food for your brain.  Since a large percentage of your brain is fat, feeding and lubricating the brain with enough fat can restore the rest of the systems in your body to balance.

The 3 Omegas

There are 3 types of omega 3 fats:  ALA, DHA and EPA. 

Ground Flax Seed

ALA is found in the highest concentration in ground flax seed.  One tablespoon per day meets your needs.  I like Spectrum brand since it has a nice taste.  Put it on your morning yogurt or cottage cheese.  The flax seed has to be ground in order to obtain the ALA.  Otherwise, it goes through your system as fiber.

Fish Oil

Fish oil contains the remaining 2 omega 3’s:  DHA and EPA.  What type of fish oil is best?  Many times the brand of a supplement is not all that significant.  However, with fish oil it IS important.  Proper storage and quality brands are important for freshness, avoiding rancidity and avoidance of PCB’s.  Several brands were sued in the last few months due to PCB’s.

The brand of fish oil I usually recommend is Carlson.  A recent study showed higher amounts of omega 3’s greatly lowered many health risks.  Therefore, having at least 1000 mg. of both DHA and EPA is recommended.

Since a typical gel capsule contains only 200-300 mg. of each it requires taking at least 5 capsules per day.  One teaspoon of the Carlson Lemon Fish oil contains 800 mg. of EPA and 500 mg. of DHA.  Taking one tablespoon is sufficient for the day.  It tastes like lemon oil and has the highest level of absorption.

One tablespoon per day each of ground flax seed and fish oil and less risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s?  It’s a slam dunk to me.

We spoke for a few moments and she reminded me of one of the things that helps an individual with being successfully nutritious:  planning and organizing your food.

Many times a day I hear “if I could just get organized I would be okay.”  Surprisingly, when you get in the mindset of organizing your food, things fall into place.

Plan your Week- Start with Breakfast

Making a list once a week of what you need for most of your meals is the first step.  If you eat yogurt or cottage cheese with nuts and fruit for breakfast, or eggs with fruit, make sure you have enough of those items to last the week.  If you are on the run, make be sure you have some sliced cheese and a fruit and you’re good to go.

On to Lunch

For lunch, Jeffrey’s Chicken Salad is a good one for lunches and easy to make with baked or leftover chicken.  A container of the chicken salad and a fruit works well for an easy lunch.  CORE (clean out the refrigerator) salad is also a good lunch time item – put whatever leftover veggies, fruit, protein (chicken, meat, fish, hard-boiled eggs and cheese) over lettuce with some lemon, olive oil and vinegar.

Healthy Snacks?

For snacks, Trader Joes sells 1 ounce bags of nuts and sliced hard cheeses.  Have one of these and some fruit and it will last you till dinner.  My clients know I like the Mauk Family Farms Wheat Free Crusts – very satiating and provide that crunch we desire without having to fall into the temptation of processed carbohydrates.

Weekend Cooking for Dinners?

For dinner, making 2 entrees on the weekend you can heat up during the week and adding a salad is easy for those that work full time.  After working all day, the last thing I want to do is come home and make a full dinner.  Having these entrée items to choose from can prevent an on the way home unhealthy takeout.

At first it takes more forethought and getting into a new routine.  After a few weeks, you’ll be on autopilot and wonder why you ever had a hard time with your food.  An ounce of planning prevention provides low stress nutritious living.

This past week The British Medical Journal published a review of different studies looking at the outcome of women taking calcium supplements.  They were looking at the risk of fractures, bone density, etc. 

Surprisingly, they discovered women taking calcium supplements had an increased risk of heart disease, or more specifically heart attacks.  In addition, they did not seem to be of any benefit.

This study did not address calcium coming from foods, just supplements.

Bottom line:  get your calcium from food – organic yogurt, cheese, cottage/ricotta cheese and milk.  Calcium-containing foods are much better absorbed than supplements, and the best part is - a happier stomach.

In dinner and party conversations you may hear “I’m now vegetarian” or “I decided to become vegan.”  Is being vegan or vegetarian really healthier?

I see many vegetarians in my practice.  Although I am not vegetarian I respect those that are and see it as my job to help them be responsible about being vegetarian.

This week’s LA Times Article by Jeannine Stein was a great representation of what can happen with vegetarianism gone wrong.  The article Vegan But not Always Healthy showed a family who defaulted to snack foods and ate very little protein on a regular basis.

What does it mean to be a responsible vegetarian?  Being diligent about getting your protein and other nutritional needs met so your health is not compromised is responsible vegetarianism. 

I am not a fan of fake or processed food.  Many vegetarians default to packaged soy and other protein sources.  These foods contain multiple ingredients and are far from healthy.

How can you be a healthy responsible vegetarian?

• Get your protein needs met – consume organic eggs, grass-fed or European cheese, nuts/seeds, nut butters, beans, cottage or ricotta cheese and plain yogurt.  A combination of these foods can easily meet your needs, which vary depending on your age, size and activity level

• Consume calcium rich foods - this can be easy to do if you are eating cottage/ricotta cheese or plain yogurt as they are high in calcium

• Consider omega 3 supplements.  The three omega 3’s – ALA, DHA and EPA and essential to lowering inflammation in the body and assisting with hormone balance.  They also feed the brain so the rest of the body functions well.  ALA can be easily met with 1 tablespoon per day of ground flax seed.  DHA and EPA can be found in fish oil supplements.  If you prefer not to include these, there are vegetarian DHA supplements

• Eat your veggies (1 dark green leafy and 1 orange/yellow/red per day)

• Consume 3 servings of fruit per day

• Make sure to get your healthy fats – avocados, nuts/seeds, olive and walnut oil

• Avoid processed foods in packages with multiple ingredients

If you are vegan, it requires even more diligence and a consult with an R.D. could help prevent any vitamin or mineral deficiencies that can arise if your nutritional needs are not met.

Health is not about being vegetarian or not vegetarian.  Health is consuming whole real foods that your great-grandmother would recognize.  Foods that don’t have a label or less than 5 ingredients are the healthiest.

So the next time you’re at a dinner, maybe say “I’m a flexitarian.”  People will wonder what you’re up to.

How do you know if you have diabetes? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has clear-cut guidelines. However, I find these guidelines are not known or acknowledged by many health care professionals.

There is a blood test called the glycosylated hemoglobin A1C. Basically, this is a fancy word showing what your blood sugar has been averaging over the previous 3 months.

Laboratories across the United States have differing normal values, but the average normal for A1C is 4.0-6.0. Once you go above 6 you are technically diabetic, not pre-diabetic. It is like you are pregnant or not, not just pre-pregnant or a little pregnant.

Another way to diagnose whether you are diabetic is to look at your blood sugars 2 hours after eating a meal. If your values register over 126 on more than 2 occasions the ADA guidelines state you are diabetic.

I look at my patient’s fasting blood sugar levels as well. A fasting blood sugar in the 100-115 range could indicate diabetes or that one is on the verge of diabetes. Because these values fall into normal range your physician may not alert you to your level.

Obtain a copy of your blood results and look at your values over time so you have control over your health and knowledge of what is happening in your body.

A diagnosis of diabetes is not a death sentence. If your A1C goes over 6, altering your diet and exercise program can quickly put you back into the normal range. However, your lifestyle will need to be maintained. Diabetes requires daily management.

Knowing your values and the definitions gives you awareness of your health. Hopefully if you hear your health-care professional state "you have diabetes" it will not come as a surprise.

As part of a nutrition consult one of the questions I ask clients is “what are your favorite foods?”  Invariably many will state “I love cheese but I know I’m not supposed to eat it.”  Cheese has a bad rap in America – too much fat, makes you constipated, only have the low fat kind.  The list goes on and on.

For the record I love cheese and eat it almost daily.  The more the better – fresh ricotta, Emmentaler, Gouda (especially goat Gouda) are some of my favorites.  Where did America get the idea that cheese is a bad food?  The French eat it every day and don’t have a problem with it.

In the 80’s it was widespread that one was to avoid fat at all costs to be healthy.  As a result many low fat foods emerged on the market including many types of low fat or nonfat cheese.  Unfortunately this left over mentality and altered food products have not gone away, perpetuating the idea that one is “sinning” if enjoying cheese.

Cheese contains fat and protein and calcium.  Many need a dietary calcium source which cheese provides.  Eating 2 ounces of cheese a day (2 nice sized chunks) can be a great snack along with a piece of fruit.

Cheese does contain saturated fat.  However, studies show the real villain is trans fat, which increases heart disease by at least 35%.  Trans fat is in processed packaged foods, a far cry from great cheese.  Consuming 10% of your diet as saturated fat will not break your health bank and provides pleasure and satisfaction with your food.

In addition, if you choose European cheese or cheese that comes from grass-fed cows it contains higher levels of omega 3 fats which is good for your health.

If you like cheese, eat some daily.  Have a reasonable portion and savor the taste of the real thing.  Just like processed food, the low or nonfat cheeses have been altered in some way and in my opinion are not worth the bite.  Having a little bit of France every day might not be such a bad thing.

Arriving at the airport I remembered my faux pas but thought I would consider it an opportunity for growth and connecting with the real world of food.  I managed to pick up a string cheese prior to departure.

When the airline food arrived it was a turkey dog wrapped in a roll containing high fructose corn syrup among other delicate additives.  There was a salad, which looked like days old, and a packet of carrots.  I ate the carrots, my purchased string cheese and pulled a few nuts out of my bag finishing with the banana.  Not too bad for thrown together meal.

Arriving in the airport for our connecting flight I perused the airport food court- McDonald’s, Ben and Jerry’s, Dunkin Donuts and a Greenleaf’s counter.  I opted for the Greenleaf’s counter trying to figure out how to find some type of nutritious looking food with protein to sustain me till my final destination.

They had a “salad bar” or at least something that resembled the concept.  For $4.59 you could purchase a bed of greens and then have the counter employees add food items to your salad.  The items ranged from 75 cents to almost two dollars. 

I chose grilled chicken, Parmesan cheese and a hard-boiled egg.   The veggies looked sad and the rest of the accoutrements I could not stomach.  Various dressings existed in squeeze bottles.  The employees added everything, as this was not truly a salad bar.

I watched them adding close to a half a cup of dressing and opted to have olive oil and vinegar on the side.  Adding a bottle of water to my bill I sat down to eat.

The chicken was barely edible so I ate a few pieces and then mostly lettuce, the egg and some cheese.  Walking to the gate I felt physically satisfied but wanting to fill my stomach with the food of home.  A Fage yogurt with nuts and fruit sounded marvelous.

 I survived the airport culinary experience or lack thereof.  Next time I probably won’t forget my travel food.  However, it did not really matter since I was soon to reach my final destination.  The experience left me the opportunity to blog.

 Perhaps a key item to remember on the list before departing your house…do you have your food?  Though I ventured out I survived with using some knowledge and not succumbing to a fast food holiday.  Poor planning or forgetful thinking does not need to lead to a binge on the belly.