You Ask, I Answer: Healthier Comfort Foods

As it becomes colder, I tend to crave high-calorie comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, creamy soups, and cakes.

Can you suggest some nutritious ways of making them?

-- Sarah S.
Buffalo, NY

Absolutely. The key is to recreate these dishes in healthier, lower-calorie ways.

When it comes to mac and cheese, try whole wheat pasta. The higher fiber content will help you feel fuller faster.

If you find the change too sudden, make your dish half whole wheat pasta and half regular pasta.

When making the cheese sauce, use 1% milk, rather than whole. Also, cut the amount of butter asked for in the recipe by half.

To give the sauce extra thickness, add some cornstarch.

I also suggest using reduced-fat cheddar cheese (I highly recommend the Cabot brand) and then sprinkling some parmesan cheese at the end for extra taste that doesn't add too many calories.

When all is said and done, you will have saved yourself hundreds of calories and quite a bit of saturated fat. Best part? Your tastebuds will be just as pleased.

For homemade mashed potatoes, leave the skins on. Again, this provides a boost of fiber.

Then, replace the butter and milk in the recipe with olive oil (replace the suggested amount of butter with half as much olive oil.)

I have also made some delicious mashed potatoes by substituting whole milk with either 1% milk, plain soy milk, or unsweetened soy milk.

For creamy, lower-calorie soups, I suggest using corn starch or stale French bread as a thickener.

Using stale bread in this context is quite foreign to people in the United States, but very common in many European countries.

This will give soups hearty volume without tacking on saturated fat or an abundance of calories.

Another tip? Try a touch of Silk soy creamer (in its original flavor.)

And so we come to cake.

The best advice I can give you there is never to have an entire cake (or even half of one) sitting in your kitchen counter. It's too easy to cut a tiny slice, followed by another, and another, and another.

When it comes to choices, though, opt for a lower-calorie cake like angel's food cake first.

Top it off with the fresh fruit of your choice and up to 4 tablespoons of Reddi Whip (that adds, at most, 30 calories and 1 gram of sugar) and you have a slice of cake -- with fixins! -- that clocks in at less than 250 calories!

Hope this helps.

Red, White, and Blue -- And Good For You

With patriotic spirits soaring over the past few days, I thought it would be perfect timing to discuss U.S. Mills' cereal and instant oatmeal products -- easy and very tasty ways to increase your whole grain and fiber intake.

Three quarters of a cup of Uncle Sam's original cereal offers 10 grams of fiber (all derived from the ingredients, not added on for fortification), 7 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of sugar in a 190 calorie package.

I do wish, however, that this cereal included ground flaxseed (as opposed to whole) for even more of a nutrition boost.

In any case, throw in some sliced bananas, add your milk of choice (dairy, soy, rice, etc.) and you have a filling, wholesome breakfast.

Their instant oatmeal with non-genetically modified soymilk, meanwhile, makes for a wonderfully convenient vegan breakfast.

Simply add water and enjoy...

160 calories
50 milligrams of sodium (that's 220 fewer milligrams than the same amount of Quaker instant flavored oatmeal)
5 grams of fiber
6 grams -- a mere teaspoon and a half -- of added sugar (50% less than Quaker flavored oatmeals)
7 grams of protein

... per packet.

You Ask, I Answer/In The News: Vitamin D requirements

I read today that the recommended amount of vitamin D has doubled due to a new study.

I thought most people get enough of it.

How much vitamin D do we get from dairy as compared to being out in the sun?

--Hemi
Via the blog

The issue of Vitamin D requirements being too low has been a hot topic in the nutrition field for years.

According to current recommendations, children and adults up to the age of 50 should get at least 200 International Units, adults 50 to 71 years of age should aim for 400 IUs, and anyone above the age of 71 should be taking in 600.

The new guidelines you are referring to bump up the 200 IUs figure to 400 IUs.

Even so, many researchers think everyone should aim for 1,000 IUs a day!

The best source of Vitamin D is the sun, but this can get complicated.

After all, we get this vitamin from exposure to UVB rays, which are not as powerful in winter months and have a harder time getting through on cloud-covered days.

Additionally, the massive use of moisturizers and creams that block out UVB rays prevents many people from absorbing a good deal of "solar powered" vitamin D.

Some fortified foods (i.e.: cereals, soy milks, and dairy milk) provide vitamin D, while others (tuna, salmon, and... ugh, cod liver oil) do so naturally.

Despite this, it can be very difficult to meet the Vitamin D recommended intakes without some sort of supplementation.

For example, a cup of fortified dairy milk provides a quarter of a day's worth of Vitamin D (using 400 IUs as the goal).

Not bad, but unless you're planning on downing four glasses of milk a day, you will come up short.

Keep in mind, too, that many dairy products (like yogurt, cottage cheese, and ice cream) are NOT fortified with vitamin D.

Going back to the sun, the general recommendation is that 30 minutes of exposure to sunlight twice a week provides sufficient levels vitamin D.

Interestingly, research studies earlier this year concluded that individuals living in countries near the equator tend to have higher vitamin D levels than their counterparts to the North and South.

Quick & Health(ier) Recipes: Vegan Peanut Butter Pie

Standard peanut butter pie recipes call for generous amounts of cream cheese and frozen whipped topping, resulting in rather decadent nutrition values.

You're usually looking at 455 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat (40% of a day's worth!) and 30 grams (almost 8 teaspoons) of added sugar per slice.

As much as I love a decadent dessert, wouldn't it be nice to savor a rich, silky slice of pie that doesn't pack quite a stomach blow?

Well, feast your eyes on the following recipe for a vegan peanut butter pie which cuts back on calories, sugar, and saturated fat -- but certainly not on taste.

Before anyone scrunches up their nose and declares it "gross," you should know that peanut butter pie lovers are shocked when I tell them the slice of pie they are raving about doesn't contain a single drop of cream cheese or Cool Whip!

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER PIE
Yields: 1 pie (8 slices)

INGREDIENTS

1 16-ounce package of silken tofu
3/4 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
2 Tablespoons soymilk (unsweetened or plain is best)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Add ingredients to food processor and blend until smooth.

Scoop onto 9" pie shell (bonus points if it's oat-based or 100% whole wheat!) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per slice)

335 calories
2.5 grams saturated fat
12 grams sugar
11 grams protein

That's 120 less calories, two thirds less saturated fat, and half the sugar of a standard recipe.

Better yet -- the peanut butter is a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Enjoy!

You Ask, I Answer: Carrageenan

Here is another food label question for you.

The soy milk I drink (Silk unsweetened) has carrageenan listed as an ingredient. What is that?

Someone I work with told me it causes cancer.

-- Miriam Scorfi
Chicago, IL

Carrageenan is an extract from a red seaweed species native to the coast of Ireland.

It does not add to -- or detract from -- the nutrient content of a given food, but is primarily used to thicken and emulsify.

In your soy milk's case, carrageenan is used to give it a creamy mouthfeel (this is why an iced latté made with Silk unsweetened soymilk has a much creamier texture than one with non-fat cow's milk).

Mind you, it is not simply vegan alternatives to milk that contain this extract.

It is found in condensed milk as well as in some ice creams, yogurts, baked goods, and toothpastes.

Let's now talk about your coworker's alarming cancer claim.

He or she must be referring to a literature review of 45 studies penned by Dr. Joanne Tobacman (assistant professor of clinical internal medicine at the University of Iowa at the time) that was published in the October 2001 issue of the Environmental Health Perspectives journal.

Dr. Tobacman concluded that carrageenan was not entirely safe and could cause gastrointestinal disorders (as well as increase risk for stomach cancers), since applied heat during preparation -- as well stomach acid during digestion -- can degrade it into a substance known as poligeenan.

However, two years later, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives concluded that carrageenan was safe for consumption.

Mind you, JECFA originally came to that conclusion in 1998, but reopened the case after reading Dr. Tobacman's paper.

One sticking point was that when the dosage of carrageenan fed to rats in the literature Dr. Tobacman reviewed was converted to an equivalent measurement for humans, it was an outrageously high figure that would be impossible to consume on a daily basis.

The report downright concludes that "in long-term bioassays, carrageenan has not been found to be carcinogenic, and there is no credible evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect or tumor-promoting effect on the colon in rodents."

Some scientists have also theorized that the intestinal bacteria of rats (different from that of humans) may have been a significant factor in the degradation of carrageenan witnessed in the literature reviewed by Dr. Tobacman.

By the way, JECFA is made up of toxicologists and other scientists from 10 different countries (including Norway, Japan, Australia, and the United States.)

When carrageenan is used in its unadulterated form, it is perfectly safe. Therefore, I don't perceive a glass of Silk soymilk -- or a splash of it in your cereal -- to be a health hazard. There are far more important things to worry about.

I suggest your co-worker look up the word "hyperbole" in the dictionary.

You Ask, I Answer: Dairy

What are your thoughts on milk?

Specifically about the fact that the dairy industry has convinced millions of people, thanks to a very expensive campaign, that milk is the best source of calcium and vitamin D?

There are other ways to get calcium, including broccoli and other greens, so why does milk always show up as the best source?

Humans are also the only species to drink milk as adults. Don't you find that odd? Doesn't the fact that millions of people are allergic to milk mean that it's unhealthy?

Also, I read that there is an addictive component in milk (I think casein?) that keeps people coming back for more, including babies.

Am I healthy if I don't drink milk? What if I do?

-- (Name withheld)
Brooklyn, NY

Quite a lot of questions. Let's take them piece by piece.

My thoughts on a milk? It is a beverage that, depending on the variety, can be a healthy or not-so-healthy choice.

A glass of skim or low fat milk with your breakfast? Great source of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin, and protein.

An extra large latte with half and half? All you're really getting is a boatload of calories and saturated fat (half and half contains very little protein and calcium.)

Is the milk lobby a powerful presence in Washington? You betcha. Why else do you think the "dairy" group in the food pyramid is now called the "milk" group.

That is one change I am very unhappy about, as it takes away attention from other healthy options like yogurt, and cottage cheese.

That said, dairy products truly are a good source of calcium. Not only is the quantity of said mineral rather high, it is also among the most absorbable.

As for vitamin D -- it is not naturally present in milk, but is rather there as a result of fortification. Cereals, orange juice, and soy drinks are also fortified with just as much Vitamin D, so I do not consider dairy to be the "go to" food for the sunshine vitamin.

Besides, a glass of milk provides approximately one tenth of the daily Vitamin D requirement, so the best way to get the sunshine vitamin is to soak up about 20 minutes of sunlight a day and, in my opinion, pop a supplement.

Can you get sufficient calcium without dairy? Absolutely. Nowadays, with calcium-fortified juices and soy products, there is no reason for the word "vegan" to mean "calcium deprived."

There are also a variety of non-dairy foods that naturally contain calcium: tofu, tempeh, and soybeans among them.

Keep in mind that some leafy green vegetables (spinach, beet greens, and rhubarb) contain oxalates, which bind to calcium and greatly reduce its absorption.

If you're looking to get some calcium from vegetables, opt for collard greens, bok choy, and kale.

Seaweed also happens to be a great non-dairy source of calcium.

As for the argument that humans are the only species to drink milk as adults (and therefore some sort of natural aberration), it's one of those leaps of logic that makes absolutely no sense to me.

Other animals don't have the choice to drink milk as adults.

After a certain time, their mother's milk supply is gone, and they certainly don't have supermarkets to shop at, or other species to cuddle up to and start suckling from.

The "humans are the only animals to drink milk as adults" argument isn't even true.

I can tell you from personal experience that if I pour cow's milk into a bowl, my cat will happily drink it without any prodding on my part.

Human allergies with milk have nothing to do with its status as "healthy" or "unhealthy" food. Many people are allergic to peanuts and shrimp, two very healthy foods.

As for there being an addictive substance in milk, I haven't seen that mentioned anywhere in the literature. The reason why babies "keep coming back for more" is because their mothers are feeding it to them.

I firmly stand in the middle of this issue. I believe a perfectly healthy diet can be milk-free just as I believe that milk can be a nutritious beverage.

Personally, I am partial to organic milk from grass-fed cows.

For the record, I have no issues with pasteurized milk. I don't see any reason to start seeking out raw milk (remember, we don't need digestive enzymes from food, so the fact that these enzymes are killed when milk is pasteurized means nothing.)

What I find horribly messed up is that the milk from a cow that eats nothing but grass and is not pumped up with any Franken-hormones (the ONLY milk available at one point in time) is now a "luxury" high-cost product. Ugh.

You Ask, I Answer: Dairy Alternatives/Rice Milk

I found recently that cows milk and I don't get on, which is a pity since I love cheese.

Anyway, I've been avoiding cheese while I try to lose weight.

I have also switched from cow's milk to rice milk, but I'm not sure if rice milk has more fat or calories, and I'm finding the labeling on my cartons a little confusing.

Is rice milk okay, or should I be looking to other alternatives? (I'm not a big fan of the soy milk flavor).

-- Ryan Nelson
Brighton, England

Lactose intolerance can occur in varying degrees.

Being unable to digest cow’s milk does not necessarily mean cheese and yogurts should also be off-limits.

A slice of hard cheese – such as Swiss – offers a tenth of the lactose in a glass of milk. The active cultures in some yogurts, meanwhile, can also help avoid digestive problems.

Let’s assume, though, that your intolerance to lactose is such that even the tiniest amount in any dairy product offsets problems.

In that case, I don’t consider rice milk an equal alternative to cow’s milk.

Whereas soy milk is a good source of protein and is often fortified with calcium and vitamin D, the same does not hold for rice milk.

Consider the following:

A cup (8 fluid ounces) of skim milk contains 91 calories, 8.7 grams of protein, and 30% of the daily calcium requirement.

A cup of reduced-fat (2%) milk adds up to 123 calories, 8.1 grams of protein, and 28.5% of a day’s calcium needs.

A cup of rice milk? 120 calories, 1 gram of protein, and just 2% of the daily calcium requirement.

In your case, I would recommend Lactaid products (which I believe are sold under the name Milkaid in the UK) – whether it’s actual Lactaid milk or having a Lactaid pill prior to consuming dairy.

You Ask, I Answer: Vegan Child's Nutrition

I have a picky eater at home, an 8-year-old I adopted last year from another country.

She is still very suspicious of new foods, and I have taken to sneaking supplements into her diet wherever I can.

She's vegan and I'm vegetarian; I open up iron supplement capsules and sprinkle small amounts of iron into her food; same with B-complex capsules and multi-vitamin caps. I

She gets plenty of protein and fiber, since she's happy to eat tempeh, beans, quinoa, peanut butter and lots of vegetables and fruits.

I'm mostly concerned with her iron, B-complex, calcium and Omega-3 intake.

The last two I can handle with flax oil, wakame powder and various calcium supplements.

Actually, I still think she could be getting more calcium if she'd drink milk, but she won't.

-- Jennifer Armstrong
Saratoga Springs, NY

Although I understand your concerns regarding your child’s nutrition, I believe she is doing just fine based on the eating patterns you describe above.

First of all, I am impressed that an 8 year old appreciates the taste of quinoa and tempeh – nutritious foods that many adults shun, or downright don't even know about.

Most people with children your age are concerned about the increasing consumption of Doritos, Oreos, and soda!

Alright, let's discuss the specific nutrients you inquired about.

As far as iron is concerned, there is no absolutely need to provide capsules.

An omnivorous 8 year old should get 10 milligrams of iron a day; since your daughter is vegan – and therefore consuming solely non-heme sources – I would place her requirement at 15 milligrams.

Note that between the ages of 9 and 12, this requirement will lessen to approximately 12 milligrams.

Considering the iron amounts in these vegan foods, you’ll see why iron pills are basically a waste of money:

Quinoa (1 cup): 6.2 milligrams
Soybeans (1/2 cup): 4 milligrams
Lentils (1/2 cup): 3.2 milligrams
Kidney beans, chickpeas, black eyed peas (1/2 cup): 2.5 milligrams (average)

And don’t forget enriched and fortified grains.

Half a cup of fortified oatmeal provides 6.5 milligrams of iron, and a cup of enriched cereal (say, Cheerios) provides 9 milligrams!

In terms of calcium, she currently needs 800 milligrams a day, but this will jump to 1,300 from age 9 to 18!

Again, though, no need for supplementation.

It does take more planning than an omnivorous diet, but it can be done.

Check out these values:

Calcium-fortified orange juice (1 cup): 300 milligrams
Soy yogurt (1 cup): 300 milligrams
Soymilk (1 cup): 300 milligrams
Tofu (4 oz.): 260 milligrams
Collard greens (1/2 cup): 175 mg
Almonds (1 oz): 80 mg

Although Vitamin B12 is often cited as an issue in vegan diets, fortification has made this former problem a lot easier to manage.

Many popular cereals are fortified with vitamin B12.

Let's go back to the Cheerios example -- 1 cup provides a third of a day’s needs.

A cup of some (fortified) soymilks, meanwhile, contains 40 percent of a day’s worth of B12!

Wakame – a kelp – is also a great source. It’s one of the few seaweeds that contains human-active B12 (as opposed to the analog type, which is useless in our bodies).

In the event that B12 needs can not be met through food, I do recommend supplementation. Make sure it is specifically a B12 supplement and not a multivitamin containing B12 (vitamin C, vitamin E, and iron can impede absorption).

Omega-3 fatty acids are the most difficult to get from a vegan diet, since walnuts and flaxseeds only contain alpha linoleic acid (they do not contribute EPA and DHA, the two essential fatty acids found in fish).

However, Omega-3 supplements made from algae are vegan and contain EPA and DHA!

While we're on the topic of supplementation, I think everyone -- carnivore, vegan, and everywhere in between -- should supplement their diet with vitamin D.

One last thing – don’t get discouraged by your daughter’s adverse reactions to new foods.

Research has determined that it takes approximately eight to ten tries for a new food to be accepted by a young child.

The key is slow integration.

For instance, let’s say your daughter enjoys baby carrots but the first time she tried celery she wasn’t too keen on it.

Rather than outright swap carrots for celery pieces overnight, throw in four or five chopped bits of celery next time you pack some baby carrots in her lunch box.

This subtle addition of a new flavor will be less intimidating to her and less of a shock to her palate.

Do this another five or six times. The results might surprise you!

You Ask, I Answer: Cow Or Soy Milk?

When it comes to milk, is soy milk better for kids than regular cow's milk?

-- Anonymous
Via the blog

I don't consider either "better" than other. This ultimately depends on personal preference and a few other factors.

I don’t have a problem with children drinking skim or low-fat milk, provided that they aren’t lactose intolerant, of course.

What disappoints me is that so many schools offer chocolate milk to children (and label it a "healthy" alternative simply because it contains calcium).

A single cup contains a tablespoon of added sugar. It's fine as a treat, but I don't find it to be the optimal beverage to accompany a meal on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, the majority of milk in the United States -- chocolate or not -- in the United States is produced by cows that chow on corn all day long and are injected with antibiotics and growth hormones.

Milk in and of itself is a nutritious beverage, though, providing high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, phosphorus, and potassium.

I would highly recommend opting for organic, grass-fed varieties.

Soy milk is a perfectly fine alternative.

Most varieties are fortified with vitamin D and provide a good amount of calcium, protein, and potassium.

I would be more concerned with what they're eating along with that cold glass of (dairy or soy) milk.

*UPDATE* Thank you to reader "gd" for pointing out that vanilla and chocolate flavored soy milks also contain quite a bit of added sugar.

I erroneously assumed everyone reads minds and would telepathically infer I was only referring to regular soy milk in this post.

So, if you are opting for soy milk, I suggest going for plain or unsweetened varieties.

In The News: What The TV Food and Health Experts Eat

The February 2008 issue of Out Magazine has a short feature detailing what Work Out's Jackie Warner, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Ted Allen, and Food Network's Sandra Lee eat (per their 2-day food diaries).

Coleen De Vol, a nutrition consultant -- though not a registered dietitian -- comments.

Jackie, she of the eight-pack and blonde 'do, starts her day off with a protein shake made of whey, flaxseed oil, amino acids, miracle greens, and frozen berries.

Day 1 has a mid-morning snack of oatmeal (I am assuming unsweetened), while Day 2 includes an apple and one slice of lean turkey meat.

While the protein shake includes fiber and fruits, I don't think the amino acids are necessary, particularly since she is eating a balanced diet with complete proteins.

I would also add some solid food to accompany it, since liquid calories do not satiate as well as "real" food.

Jackie's lunch and dinner include whole grains like quinoa, plenty of vegetables like broccoli, and healthy proteins like salmon and tuna. Perfect!

Incredibly, the nutrition consultant claims Jackie needs more protein in her diet due to her heavy workouts. I disagree -- she is getting more than enough for her body weight, even taking into account her level of physical activity.

I do concur with the consultant that Jackie needs more calcium in her diet. And, while the consultant also notes that Jackie's eating regimen seems rigid, it does include great-tasting healthy food. If she doesn't feel deprived, all seems OK to me.

Ted Allen, meanwhile, starts off his day with coffee, orange juice, and refined carbohydrates.

While I don't agree with the consultant's notion that Ted's breakfast is too acidic (there is no mention of him having any medical conditions that would render this problematic), I do agree that his meals are lacking fiber (one day is very heavy on full-fat dairy and protein and completely free of whole grains and legumes).

Sandra Lee, meanwhile, is chastised for enjoying a vanilla soy latte. The consultant claims "the highly processed form of soy Sandy is drinking every morning is a common allergen." I don't find anything wrong with enjoying a half cup of soy milk in your coffee every day.

The consultant also claims that soymilk is usually genetically modified, which I do not think is an accurate statements. Popular mainstream brands like Silk are made from non genetically-modified soybeans, for example.

Sandra's diet is alarmingly low on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In fact, Day 1 only includes two vegetables -- the tomatoes and onions she throws into a pasta dish. Day 2, meanwhile, includes French fries for lunch AND dinner -- and it's the only vegetable she's eating!

I always find it fascinating to know what others eat, particularly people in the culinary and nutrition fields.

Sadly, I feel like this article once again polarizes "foodies" vs. "healthy eaters."

You Ask, I Answer: Starbucks Drinks

I drink tall soy chai lattes. How do they compare to the coffee drinks?
-- Jacqueline

A tall soy chai latte contains very little fat (just 2% of the saturated fat we are allowed a day) and will set you back 210 calories.

Most of these calories come from the 36 grams (9 teaspoons) of sugar. Unfortunately, Starbucks only uses vanilla-flavored soymilk for their products (if they used plain soymilk, you would save yourself a teaspoon of added sugar).

If you were to get a tall black tea soy latte, you would save 70 calories and 14 grams (3 ½ teaspoons) of sugar.

A daily soy chai latte is a sugar overload, in my opinion. However, if you thoroughly enjoy this drink two times a week, I wouldn’t be overly concerned.

On your soy chai latte days, though, be more aware of your sugar consumption (i.e.: replace a pastry with whole wheat toast, and skip dessert after your meals).