You Ask, I Answer: Iron & Athletes

I know women who menstruate need more iron than men and postmenopausal women.

What about male athletes?

I have seen some literature that suggests they need more iron [than men who are not athletes], but my coach said he has never heard of that.

-- Scott Julin
(Location unknown)

Athletes of all sexes and ages require higher iron intakes than the average population.

The term "athlete", by the way, refers to people who train for significant amounts of time at high intensity.

I am often surprised at the amount of people who jog for 20 minutes three days a week and think they suddenly have the nutrition requirements of an Olympic medalist!

The reason for this higher requirement (roughly equal to that of vegans and vegetarians)? Athletes -- especially long-distance runners -- experience microscopic intestinal bleeding as a result of their intense physical activity.

When A Blood Test Isn't Enough

If you're looking to get a firm grasp on your iron status, a simple blood test won't do.

Standard blood tests tend to exclusively report levels of hemoglobin, which only help detect iron-deficiency anemia.

Remember: you can have iron deficiency without anemia, a condition which causes specific symptoms and certainly needs to be treated.

Keeping in mind that approximately 75 percent of the world's population is estimated to be iron deficient, it is a good idea to ask your doctor for a more accurate test.

Next time you are due for a blood test, request to have your transferrin saturation and ferritin levels tested.

Although ferritin is useful by itself, I strongly recommend you ask for both since ferritin can lead to false positives (inflammatory states affect its levels)

If these tests show you have iron deficiency, the solution is rather simple -- include more iron in your diet.

Fortunately, dietary interventions usually lead to improved iron levels in as little as three weeks.

You Ask, I Answer: Iron Cookware

Any data out there on the amount of iron transferred into food when cooking with cast iron cook ware?

Does the act of seasoning the cast iron (coating it in oil) prevent or diminish iron's capacity to leach into food during cooking?

-- Nicole Journault
[City Unknown], Canada

One of the most thorough studies on this topic, conducted by Brittin and Nossaman, was published in 1986 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The conclusion? "Acidity, moisture content, and cooking time of food significantly affected the iron content of food cooked in iron utensils."

It is a well established fact that cooking in cast iron cookware will transfer some iron into your food, especially if the food contains high amounts of vitamin C and moisture and is stirred or turned over frequently.

In terms of figures, cooking half a cup of spaghetti sauce in an iron pot for 15 minutes increases its iron content by approximately 800 percent. Foods low in moisture and vitamin C, however, increase by anywhere from 80 to 150 percent.

Keep in mind that these figures depend on how long you cook these foods for.

The "catch 22" is that iron cookware often imparts a strong metallic taste to foods -- especially those high in vitamin C and moisture cooked for long periods of time!

Three more important points:

1) Coating the cookware in oil prevents iron's leaching capacities.

2) Iron absorption gradually decreases with each passing use.

3) Since iron cookware only increases the iron content of non-heme iron, meats are unaffected.

You Ask, I Answer: Iron Absorption

I found your post about calcium absorption from different foods really interesting.

Are there other vitamins or minerals where that happens?

-- Nancy (last name withheld)
Coral Gables, FL

Yes -- let's talk about iron!

The highest iron absorption rate occurs with beef -- of which our bodies absorb approximately 20 percent.

Poultry and pork are relatively close, averaging anywhere from 15 to 18 percent absorption.

When it comes to foods like beans and spinach, though, our bodies only take up 2 percent!

Fish falls somewhere in between -- roughly eight percent of the iron in boiled fish is absorbed, but that figure is slightly increased if you're talking about canned tuna fish.

Remember -- heme iron (found in animal products) is more absorbable than non-heme iron (from plant foods).

Here is some interesting -- and little-known -- iron trivia:

The Dietary Reference Intake for iron is 8 milligrams for adult men ages 19 - 50 and 18 milligrams for adult women in that same age group, but those figures tell very little of the real story.

Truth is, we only need anywhere from 0.5 to 2 milligrams of iron a day.

However, to absorb those amounts, we need to consume anywhere from 8 to 18 milligrams of iron in our food.

Since food labels only display the total iron in a food (rather than what is actually absorbable), the Dietary Reference Intakes take this into account.

More importantly, though, those DRIs are strictly for omnivores.

Vegetarian men ages 19 to 50 should aim for 14 milligrams a day (remember, we are talking total/food label figures here), while women of that same age should be getting 33 milligrams per day!

A vegetarian diet does not in and of itself cause anemia; vegetarians simply need to eat higher amounts of non-heme iron to supply the body with sufficient quantities of this mineral.

When 100% Isn't Really 100%

The new boxes of Total cereal proudly exclaim:

"NOW! The most calcium and Vitamin D of any leading cereal!"

(Although I couldn't find a photograph of these boxes, the slightly outdated one on the left boasts the 100% calcium claim).

A cup of this retooled version provides a day's worth of calcium (1,000 milligrams) -- too bad our bodies can only metabolize approximately 500 milligrams at a time.

In other words, that bowl of cereal actually provides, at most, half a day's worth of calcium.

Not bad by any means, but not quite what the food label says.

I am also concerned about a cereal that attempts to provide a day's worth of iron and calcium in the same serving, since high amounts of calcium (anything above 300 milligrams, per the research literature) are known to interfere with the absorption of non-heme iron.

You Ask, I Answer/Quick & Easy Recipes: Vegan Alfredo Sauce

I became vegan about two months ago.

I don't really miss many things since I find perfectly tasty substitutes, but yesterday night I found myself craving alfredo sauce (maybe it's the cold weather).

Since I have seen some vegan recipes on the blog, I wondered if you had any ideas as to how I can have alfredo sauce without dairy?

-- Shannon Gibson
St. Paul, MN

You've come to the right place, Shannon!

Although I am not vegan, I enjoy vegan cooking -- it is creative, healthy, and always offers a new experience for the tastebuds.

After several experiments, I crafted a vegan alfredo sauce I have been enjoying for approximately two years.

YIELDS: 6 servings (1 serving: 1/2 cup)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup raw cashews
1 cup water
4 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place cashews in food processor. Pulse for 20 - 30 seconds.

Add water and pulse until cashews and water are evenly mixed.

Combine rest of ingredients in food processor until blended.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving)

150 calories
1.5 grams saturated fat
380 milligrams sodium
4 grams fiber
8.5 grams protein

Good source of: B vitamins (including B12!), magnesium, copper, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, iron

Food For Thought -- Literally!

Kellogg's has just launched Live Bright -- a "brain health bar."

What leads them to make this claim? The inclusion -- through fortification, of course -- of 100 milligrams of DocosaHexaenoic Acid (DHA, the same Omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines.)

This is a perfect example of nutrient isolation gone awry.

Does DHA play a role in cognitive health? It very much appears that way.

Then again, so do vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, zinc, iron, and a variety of polyphenols and antioxidants.

In other words -- orange juice companies and blueberry farmers could, I suppose, also make brain health claims.

As could the most sugary of cereals, for that matter, as long as it is fortified with the above mentioned nutrients.

These types of health claims end up having very little meaning because they make up only portion of the total puzzle.

While DHA can help with cognitive health, so does maintaining a healthy weight, keeping blood pressure at desired levels, and limiting saturated fat intake (neuroscience research studies have shown a link between high saturated fat intake and a decline in cognitive function over time.)

Including one of these bars in a diet generally low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains -- and high in saturated fat and sodium -- isn't going to be much help.

If you're going to reach for a DHA fortified food, I would rather you pick up DHA fortified eggs, which contain a superior nutritional profile to what is, essentially, a candy bar.

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Vegan Spinach-Walnut Pesto

Here is a different spin on traditional pesto I often whip up at home.

It omits cheese (you're welcome, vegan and lactose intolerant readers), replaces pinenuts with walnuts for an Omega-3 boost, and adds some spinach for extra nutrition.

YIELDS: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 garlic cloves, whole
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/3 cup raw walnuts
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably coarse sea salt)
Pepper, to taste
1 cup water (from pasta pot)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place whole garlic cloves in food processor. Pulse until diced.
2. Place rest of ingredients (except water) in food processor.
3. Pulse; add water and pulse again.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving)

220 calories
1.5 grams saturated fat
14 grams monounsaturated (heart healthy) fat
190 milligrams sodium
4.5 grams fiber
7 grams protein
350 milligrams ALA Omega-3 fatty acids

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B vitamins

Good Source of: Vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber

Although you can obviously drizzle this over some pasta (preferrably whole wheat; be sure to include roasted red peppers for a wonderful complementary taste), I also recommend using it as a topping for seitan, tofu, or grilled chicken.

You Ask, I Answer: Tea & Iron Absorption

The macrobiotic way of eating includes hojicha and kukicha (2 different kinds of teas) as a main beverage usually around meals, [so in light of your posting about tea affecting iron absorption,] is this a problem?

Are there studies as to which types of tea have high amounts of phytates or iron inhibitors?

-- "gd"
Via the blog

The issue of phytates and tannins in tea reducing iron absorption is only problematic for people with borderline iron consumption and/or whose only sources of iron are of the non-heme variety.

After all, it is only that kind of iron --found in plants, eggs, and dairy -- which tea binds (heme iron, found in meat, actually helps absorb non-heme iron.)

If the two teas you mention are recommended as accompaniments to meals, it will certainly cause a higher reduction of iron absorption than if they are consumed between meals.

I recommend playing it safe and separating "tea time" and "meal time" by at least 45 minutes.

I want to make it clear that total tea consumption does not affect non-heme iron absorption; it is the TIMING of the consumption that matters.

Remember, too, that vitamin C aids in the absorption of non-heme iron.

So, squeezing a wedge of lemon into tea, or including potent sources of vitamin C in our meal (i.e.: tomatoes, red bell peppers, kale, and broccoli, to name a few) can help counteract some of tea's iron-blocking properties.

Although all teas contain phytates and tannins and affect non-heme iron absorption, black tea contains the highest levels of these inhibitors, while herbal varieties contain lower amounts.

Numbers Game: Answer

Having a cup of tea with a meal decreases the body's absorption of non-heme iron (the only type of iron provided by plant-based foods, dairy products, and eggs) contained in that meal by roughly 60 percent.

Yikes!

This is particularly important for vegetarians as well as anyone diagnosed with anemia, as a meal moderately high in iron can lose quite a bit of that punch if you're accompanying it with tea (thanks to substances known as phytates).

If you're a tea lover, the safest bet is to drink it an hour before or after a vegetarian meal, so as to not inhibit absorption.

If you're interested in increasing non-heme iron absorption during a meal, be sure to include vitamin C (meat also aids in the absorption of non-heme iron, but this is a moot point for vegetarians and vegans.)

A cup of orange juice, for instance, increases absorption by approximately 80 percent!

Tea isn't the only inhibitor, by the way.

All foods containing phytates (mainly whole grains, coffee, and berries) decrease non-heme iron absorption rates.

Numbers Game: Consumption Vs. Absorption

Having a cup of tea with a meal decreases the body's absorption of non-heme iron (the only type of iron provided by plant-based foods, dairy products, and eggs) contained in that meal by roughly ___________ percent.

a) 25
b) 39
c) 47
d) 60

Leave your guess in the "comments" section and come back on Thursday for the answer.

You Ask, I Answer: Oxalates

I know that spinach is not considered a good source of iron because it contains oxalates, which bind iron during digestion so your small intestine cannot absorb it.

I have heard, though, that cooking spinach will decrease the amount of oxalates.

Is this rumor true?

-- Christine (last name unknown)
Via the blog

The rumor is true, but irrelevant.

Yes, boiling reduces oxalate levels in food. However, this reduction is minimal, and it also leeches out vital water-soluble nutrients.

By the way, oxalates also bind the calcium in spinach, so if you're looking to get that mineral from a green vegetable, broccoli is a smarter bet.

You Ask, I Answer: Wheatgrass

I really liked your video on supplements. So many of them are just empty hype. I completely agree with you.

What are your thoughts on wheatgrass? One of my cousins swears by it.

He says it's the easiest way to get a bunch of vitamins and minerals.

-- Name withheld
New York, NY

Wheatgrass juice, the end result of pulping the young shoots of sprouted wheatberries, sure sounds like a magic green potion.

Depending on who you listen to, it clears acne, helps detoxify the colon, has "living enzymes" (ugh!), and even cures cancer and heart disease.

Before I go on, allow me to say "shame on you!" to anyone who advertises a food, beverage, or supplement as a cure for any disease, much less cancer.

It's absolutely despicable to toy with people's emotions and hopes like that.

Anyhow, I'm sure someone, somewhere, also claims wheatgrass gives you a foot massage after a long day at the office.

Wheatgrass advocates point out its high chlorophyll content as a major "plus" in the nutrition department.

Since chlorophyll resembles hemoglobin, so the wheatgrass PR goes, this juice is a great way to "rebalance the blood."

I have no clue what rebalancing the blood means, or why we even need that, but chlorophyll has absolutely no effect on human health. If we were plants, a nice chlorophyll shake would certainly work wonders!

Chlorophyll may share some molecular similarities with hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs to other tissues), but it does NOT transform into it, nor does it have any effect -- positve or negative -- on our blood.

And the ridiculous claim keep on coming, folks!

"Wheatgrass has what is called the grass-juice factor, which has been shown to keep herbivorous animals alive indefinitely."

The grass-juice factor? What PR intern came up with that "catch phrase"?

And as for keeping herbivorous animals alive indefinitely -- can someone tell me where I can find one of these timeless creatures subsisting on grass juice?

"Wheatgrass juice is great for constipation and keeping the bowels open. It is high in magnesium."

Apart from the fact that keeping the bowels open doesn't sound very pleasant, wheatgrass is not high in magnesium. It contains absolutely negligible amounts.

If you seek magnesium, reach for nuts, seeds, fish, and whole grains.

The only nutrients wheatgrass offers are protein (at a practically nonexistent 0.5 grams for a 1 ounce serving), some vitamin C (7% of the Daily Value in a 1 ounce shot), and iron (10% in that same shot).

I have absolutely no ideae where some of these wheatgrass companies get their statistics about their product offering vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), C, D, and K, along with potassium and calcium.

"Wheatgrass helps the body rid itself of toxins."

No. The liver and kidneys take care of that.

Simply put, there is nothing about wheatgrass that can't be found in other fruits and vegetables.

While there is no harm in having it, perceiving it as some kind of miracle beverage is completely inaccurate.

Spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard, and Granny Smith apples are much more nutritious green foods. In fact, the actual wheatberries are much more nutritious than the shoots.

Remember, no one food or beverage meets all nutrition requirements or holds the powerful secret to longevity and agelessness.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is a big old fraud.

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Light & Crunchy Salad

I made up this recipe last night based on ingredients I came across in my refrigerator and pantry.

The result -- a perfect summer salad chock full of taste and nutrition.

It makes for a great barbecue side dish!

The following recipe serves 4:

SALAD INGREDIENTS

8 cups mesclun mix
1 avocado, sliced
1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (preferably low-sodium)
½ cup red onions, diced
1 cup red pepper, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
¼ cilantro, chiffoned

DRESSING (Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette) INGREDIENTS:

4TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1.5 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP oregano
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix salad ingredients in large bowl.
Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
Toss.
Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

363 calories
25 grams fat (19 grams monounsaturated, 1.5 grams saturated, 4.5 grams polyunsaturated)
200 milligrams sodium
12 grams fiber
8 grams protein

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron, fiber, folate vitamin B6, manganese

Good Source of: potassium, phosphorus, magnesium

You Ask, I Answer: Health Consequences of Master Cleanse

Amidst all my warnful cries, my coworker and two friends, like martyrs, trudged their way through Stanley Burrough's ten day "cleanse".

One friend reported to me on day 9 that she almost fainted on the subway, and had to get off only to ensue in dry heaving on the platform.

I naturally suggested she eat something, to which she declined. [She instead] went home to rest.

She said she has 50+ bruises all over her body. I asked if she thought it had anything to do with the cleanse, and possibly being malnourished.

What are your thoughts regarding this bruising issue, iron deficiencies, etc?

-- Brooke Green
Brooklyn, NY

Oy.

I can't say I'm too surprised that your co-worker felt nauseous and weak after subsisting on nothing but water, maple syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne peppers for 9 consecutive days. Who wouldn't?

Of course, the people who profit from the Master cleanse (none of which have any nutrition credentials, of course) claim that fainting is normal, simply a consequence of your body going through the "detox" process.

No. Fainting is a consequence of your body not getting enough nourishment, plain and simple. If anyone tells you otherwise, run away. Fast.

What's truly disturbing about the Master Cleanse and similar "regimens" is that many people with a variety of health problems (i.e.: hypoglycemia, diabetes) go on it without ever consulting a physician or dietitian, thereby exacerbating their conditions.

Even people in perfectly good health, for whatever reason, think that those four foods will perform some sort of magic on their internal organs.

In any case, as I have explained before, the Master Cleanse is deficient in almost every nutrient, and the weight loss incurred from it is due to loss of water and muscle mass.

Losing muscle mass and consuming such few calories results in metabolism slowing down, thereby making true weight loss even harder.

There is absolutely nothing about the Master Cleanse that I find even remotely healthy, valid, or sane, and I can't believe millions of people are being deluded by such quackery.

However, as I have been learning with this blog, people will hold on to unsubstantiated nutrition ideas no matter how much evidence or reasoning you attempt to provide.

As for her bruising, I don't attribute it to the cleanse because iron-deficiency symptoms do not show up after 9 days of low iron consumption.

If her iron intake has been low for several months, it very well may be coincidental timing.

In any case, she should definitely get some bloodwork. The sooner, the better.

Over in Oprah Land....

Time to see what Oprah's blog reveals about her ongoing 21-day vegan diet (remember, she's also shunning sugar, gluten, alcohol, and caffeine).

Last Friday, Oprah stopped by Tom Cruise's Telluride home, where she was met with a "ribs and chicken" (marinated in some sort of Scientology-friendly sauce, I'm sure) lunch.

Granted, this was no vegan-friendly meal, so Oprah opted for salad, corn on the cob (no butter, of course) and kale.

Which brings me to a very important point. Well-balanced vegan mealplans need to be researched and planned.

I believe a vegan lifestyle can be healthy, but it must be looked into carefully prior to taking the plunge.

If anyone reading this is considering going vegan, be my guest -- but speak with a Registered Dietitian or, at the very least, read educational materials (preferably written by RDs) on how to meet your nutrient needs with meat and dairy alternatives.

Becoming familiar with vegan alternatives and always being prepared (i.e.: carrying a source of protein like nuts or seeds in your bag in a small Ziploc bag) sets you up for success.

Otherwise -- especially when attending an event at a non-vegan's house who is not familiar with your "diet," -- you run the risk of piling up on side dishes.

Oprah's lunch offers very little protein, zinc, iron, and fat. Nibbling on corn and greens is simply not nutritious -- or filling!

The next day -- Saturday -- Oprah is in Vegas and begins her entry with the following:

"Tal [the vegan chef 'assigned' to Oprah and her team] has Fed-Exed food to Vegas, so we have egg-less omelets for breakfast and lasagna for the plane ride home."

Alright, I cry foul. Come on -- anyone can do a 21 day vegan/sugar/wheat/alcohol/caffeine cleanse if a vegan chef Fed-Exes them meals!

I would have liked to see Oprah "keep it real" and traverse the meat-laden obstacle that is Las Vegas.

In that same posting, Oprah proudly mentions abstaining from having a celebratory glass of champagne.

I still don't understand how the shunning of alcohol (or gluten or sugar, for that matter) relates to becoming a more spiritually aware being.

Besides, any dietary plan that has you obsessing over certain foods and beverages (the "I would like a drink but I am on this clease so as good as that would be I am just going to have seltzer and lime" sentiment has appeared a few times already) needs to be examined more closely.

Sure, alcohol can be a source of empty calories, so although two drinks a day is not a good idea, not allow yourself one drink two days out of the week?

The next day, a pooped Oprah mentions the vegan chef dropping off gluten and wheat-free waffles at her house just in time for breakfast. Oh goodie, how convenient!

It frustrates me to think that viewers of Oprah's show will blindly follow a similar diet, oblivious of some very necessary nutrients they may miss out on.

Additionally, this idea that wheat and gluten are evil is misleading and completely subjective; it is only a problem for someone with a gluten allergy or celiac disease.

This is a perfect example of something applicable to a small percent of the population being heralded as "general nutrition advice"

Allow me to repeat my plea. Oprah, enough with the fad dieting. You're a smart, accomplished woman with an immense fan base.

Next time you want to tackle nutrition, why not invite a panel of Registered Dietitians to share information, debunk myths, and give people practical information they can apply to their daily lives?

Checking in with Oprah

I recently told you about Oprah's 21-day vegan cleanse (which, apart from obviously shunning all animal-derived foods, also bans sugar, gluten, alcohol, and caffeine).

The talk show queen is blogging on her site and updating everyone on her progress.

Day 1 was fairly easy to traverse.

You certainly can't knock it as an unhealthy eating pattern.

That day alone includes standouts like oatmeal, blueberries, strawberries, wild rice, a baked potato, and olive oil.

As wonderfully whole as all those foods are, I have some concerns.

Despite providing sufficient calories (roughly 1,600), fiber, and protein, the total amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium do not meet requirements.

Additionally, such a heavy reliance on nuts (they are eaten at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and as a snack) really drives up the Omega-6 fatty acid content.

This is slightly troublesome because, apart from some walnuts at breakfast and olive oil as salad dressing, Omega-3 intake isn't that high.

Remember, the Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio plays an important role in our health.

I would personally add flaxseed to breakfast and replace the pinenuts in the dinner salad with nori (or some other sort of seaweed, naturally rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.)

By the next day, things get interesting -- and a little unrealistic. Oprah and her exec producers (also doing this diet with her) get their very own vegan chef!

And, alas, I'm back to my original gripes with this entire "cleanse."

When you start banning multiple food groups and not allowing yourself to have gluten (the most bizarre part of this plan; there is no reason to give up gluten unless you have an intolerance to it) or sugar, you'll find that unless you are very experienced around a kitchen and alternative ingredients -- or hire a personal chef -- it is not easy to maintain a dietary lifestyle that is interesting, practical, healthy, and balanced.

For Oprah and her colleagues to go the personal chef route is a bit of a copout. They should attempt to do this on the average income of an adult in the United States.

Take this example -- on day two, Oprah and her fellow cleansers wake up to strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes.

Do you think that on a random Wednesday morning you'll find yourself concocting such a recipe in your kitchen at 7 AM? I doubt it.

A successful eating plan is not only nutritious and tasty, it also has to be convenient. What's so wrong about some whole or sprouted grain toast with peanut butter?

Or a bowl of whole grain cereal (slightly sweetened, say a measly 3 grams of sugar per serving) with soymilk and raisins?

In yesterday's blog entry, Oprah hints at another problem with these overly strict regimens (let me make something very clear: it is one thing to be vegan, but a whole other thing to be a vegan who abstains from sugar, coffee, alcohol, and gluten) -- they can render you defenseless outside the four walls of your home.

Oprah mentions flying to Las Vegas later this week and being slightly nervous about her choices.

I hope she prepares herself for an eye-opening experience.

Forget vegan-friendly, Vegas is barely vegetarian-friendly.

Even something as standard and semi fast food-ish as a veggie burger is hard to come by. The only place where I felt healthy cooking was a priority was the spa at the Venetian Hotel.

Otherwise, bring your own snacks!

I found today's entry to be cause for concern:

"I hit a wall today. Literally had to stand in my closet and bound the walls, the cabinets, the floor for a few minutes and take some deep breaths."

A well-planned, balanced, practical eating plan should not have you feeling like this on day four.

This is why I very much oppose overnight radical shifts. Not only is there no physiological benefit to banning things left and right from one day to the next, it also conjures up issues of self-flagellation and unnecessary deprivation that often accompany a lot of weight loss plans.

It particularly upsets me because it sends very erroneous messages: healthy eating is a chore, it involves giving up pleasures, it pushes your body to the limit.

Nonsense!

The path to healthy eating and smart choices is not always going to be smooth and easy -- it is perfectly common and understandable to have the occassional setback -- and extreme approaches such as this "cleanse" certainly don't help.

It's a shame that someone as influential and looked up to as Oprah isn't using her show as a platform to show that wellness and health can be achieved without personal chefs, swearing off foods, or feeling like the world is caving in on you.

Anyhow, Oprah has two more weeks to go. I'll be sure to follow her progress and keep you all in the loop.

You Ask, I Answer: Fasts/"Detox" Cleanses

I’m getting into a rather heated argument here at work with my coworker who swears by Stanley Burrough's Master Cleanse.

He says it provides mental clarity and gets him "back on track" whilst cleaning out his system.

Admittedly, I've tried it before and went off after the 5th day due to headaches, extreme bitchiness, etc, etc. I also felt like my tooth enamel was being eroded due to all the citric acid.

I've read your blog entry on the topic, and was hoping you could go into more detail regarding liquid cleanses/fasts.

When are they healthy? When are they not?

Does cayenne pepper actually bind to the toxins/whatnot in your intestines and do anything beneficial?

Does the master cleanse actually make your body go into a starvation mode? What are the side effects of this?

Why is this "cleanse" still such a hot topic?! Why hasn’t it successfully been filed under crap to never try?

Are there any REAL physiological benefits?? What about juice fasts??

-- Brooke Green
Brooklyn, NY

Great questions! Let’s take them one at a time.

Fasts – of any kind – are not healthy in general.

This is especially true if they fall below 1,200 calories, are all liquid, restrict you to a handful of foods or only one food group, or simply do not enable you to get enough nutrients.

There is no logical reason, from a health standpoint, to go on a fast of any kind.

Even if someone were on a steady diet of Doritos, ice cream, and soda for months and suddenly wanted to “start fresh”, all they would have to do is replace those foods with healthier ones.

There is no need to stop eating or have only liquids in order to “cleanse” the body.

When you consider that these fasts are deficient in practically every nutrient, it is ironic that it is often “health conscious” people who go on them.

Cayenne pepper does not “bind” to toxins or perform any sort of miracle. If anyone tells you otherwise, direct them to the nearest bank so they can deposit a big, fat reality check.

I suspect your co-worker isn't experiencing the benefits of a "cleanse," but rather the power of the placebo effect.

We already have built-in “detoxing” organs, the kidneys and liver. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t urinate (one significant way in which we excrete, among other things, toxins).

If you want to keep things moving through the digestive system and take away some stress from those organs, getting sufficient insoluble fiber and hydration are two important steps you can take.

Many cleanses – including the Master Cleanse – cause your body to go into starvation mode.

When you are on these "plans", the majority of weight lost comes from water and muscle (so yes, you lose weight, but it is not permanent; even worse, your metabolism slows down, thereby slowing down your body's calorie-burning rate.)

The Master Cleanse always pops up as a "trendy" diet because people are thrilled with the idea of a quick fix. Also, scare tactics work.

Many cleanse companies tell stories of “years of fecal matter” being stuck to your intestinal walls. Get rid of these, they say, and lose ten pounds in just days!

Creative, but untrue.

However, these “facts” often fester in people's minds, enticing them to fork over money for these silly “fixes.”

Juice fasts are just as unhealthy and useless. You are talking about no protein, no fat, no calcium, no zinc, etc.

Remember, the different “food groups” offer specific nutrients. Fruits contain many vitamins, but they lack protein, heart-healthy fats, calcium, iron, etc, etc.

Additionally, high intakes of fructose -- the natural sugar in fruit -- are linked with intestinal distress in many people. NOT fun.

With that said, I fully and wholeheartedly recommend the Andy Bellatti cleanse.

No pills, no powders, no counting carbs. Simply purge all ridiculous and unhealthy weight-loss tactics out of your mind. It's a very refreshing experience!

On Behalf of Shrimp

Last Summer I blogged about my disappointment at an episode of Bravo's Top Chef competition reality show in which contestants' only guideline for creating a heart-healthy dish was making it "low in cholesterol."

This led to the usage of meats low in cholesterol but high in saturated fat.

Ironically, saturated fat is more detrimental to blood cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol.

One contestant was specifically chastised for using lobster -- a higher-cholesterol food containing Omega-3 fatty acids and almost no saturated fat -- while others were praised for using red meats lower in cholesterol but chock full of saturated fat.

I just finished watching this week's episode of Top Chef (currently in its fourth season) and am experiencing a major case of déjà vu.

This time around, the seven remaining contestants were asked to create healthy meals for Chicago's police officers, who often turn to unhealthy fast food dishes for lunch.

The chefs had complete freedom to make whatever dish struck their fancy as long as it contained one whole grain, one lean protein, one fruit, and one vegetable.

Great so far.

Then, on the heels of host Padma Lakshmi talking about this country's battle with obesity and diabetes, they threw in an additional seemingly random rule about dishes being "low carb" and "low sugar."

Huh? A low-carb dish that must include whole grains?

Adding to the "tacked on" feeling of that rule is the fact that when it came to judging, carbohydrate content was not an issue (and it shouldn't be; high fiber is more important than low carb in my book).

I digress.

Spaztic contestant Andrew D'Ambrosi -- who made a poorly reviewed salmon maki roll substituting raw parsnips and pinenuts for rice -- spent a large portion of this episode obnoxiously bragging about the 2 years he spent studying nutrition.

In one scene, he is seen recommending to a fellow "cheftestant" that she not use shrimp since they are high in cholesterol and, therefore, do not fulfill the "healthy" requirement of the challenge.

Andrew, back to nutrition school for you!

Let's put this to rest once and for all. Shrimp are healthy.

Yes, they are higher in cholesterol than other aquatic animals, but dietary cholesterol is less related to blood cholesterol than saturated fat.

Here's the better news -- three ounces of shrimp only provide 0.2 grams of saturated fat. That's a mere 1% of the recommended daily maximum limit.

It also doesn't hurt that those three ounces pack in 18 grams of protein, 300 milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids, 48% of the selenium requirement, 21% of the Vitamin B12 requirement, and 15% of a day's worth of iron... all in an 84 calorie package!

I am not calling for shrimp to be a daily staple, but don't cast them aside because of their cholesterol profile.

Maybe next time I'll post a Chris Crocker inspired "Leave shrimp alone!" video...

The Cleanse That Makes No Sense

I have recently come across a number of people asking me about -- or telling me they were on -- the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet, so I figured, "why not blog about it?"

If you thought I was put off by proponents of food combining, you ain't seen nothing yet.

It all begins with The Master Cleanser, published in 1976 by Stanley Burroughs, which should appear in the dictionary next to the word "hogwash".

Make that unhealthy hogwash.

It simply consists of consuming nothing but an atrocious-sounding concoction of freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup (oh, I’m sorry, Grade B maple syrup) and cayenne pepper six to twelve times a day for at least ten days.

That’s right, the real hardcore cleansers are on this for up to 40 days!

Oh, I forgot to mention that sometimes “laxative teas” are recommended, as is starting your morning off with a 32 ounce glass of lukewarm water with sea salt in it.

Yum! What a wonderful event to look forward as you drift off to Slumber Land each night.

Forget “Master Cleanse,” the real name should be “The Masochist Cleanse.”

Seriously, why anyone would willingly drink this blows my mind.

In any case, proponents claims that this is the only way for your body to "detox" by releasing toxins stored in fat cells.

The cleanse, they say, and particularly the cayenne pepper, "physically loosens" the impacted toxins in your colon that have been stuck to your intestinal walls for weeks, months, even years!

Gasp! Shock! Eyeroll.

Clearly, the proponents have never read about that wonderful machine known as the human body.

After all, the kidneys and liver are the main detoxifying organs.

The kidneys are responsible for the production of urine, which is basically the lump sum of all the waste and leftover junk from metabolic processes.

There is no need to do any further detoxing.

If anything, the best way to keep everything moving through your body is by consuming sufficient amounts of fiber and staying hydrated.

This is, in essence, a very low calorie (and very disgusting tasting) die that adds up to roughly 1,000 calories a day.

Proponents claim these three ingredients provide all the nutritional requirements.

Really? The three ingredients offer no protein, monounsaturated fats, Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6 fatty acids, fiber, folate, B6, or B12, approximately two percent of the daily value of vitamins A, E, and K, and a measly quarter of a day's worth of potassium, iron, and calcium.

The only nutrient obtained at or above the daily requirement is manganese.

Like with all other very low calorie diets, you can expect to gain the weight back when you begin ingesting solid food and consuming more than 1,000 calories.

File this one under "unhealthy liquid fasts that should be banished from mainstream culture."