Now THAT’S Healthy!

"Shelvic Exam"

Congrats to Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS RD, aka “Nutrition Babe”  who submitted a picture of her healthy refrigerator as part of my Sears FitStudio Shelvic Exam chat contest. These chats are held every Wednesday evening throughout November from 7:30-8:30pm CST on Twitter at #FitStudio as part of my Healthy Kitchen Makeover project.

What made Lauren’s fridge a winner? Take a peek below!

Where do I begin? Look at all of the yellow arrows of goodness!

Produce: Lauren has plenty starting from the bottom up. I like to see those crispers jammed packed with fruits and veggies. It’s hard to make half your plate fruits and veggies unless you have plenty in the fridge.

Dairy: From Greek yogurt, to low-fat milk, to cottage and cheese wedges, Lauren has plenty of calcium rich-dairy to build healthy bones. She even has an almond beverage as a change of pace – not super high in protein but it does have at least 30% DV of calcium, depending on the product.

Eggs: Lauren has both egg replacers and the real deal. Both are healthy but I always recommend whole eggs for their nutrients such as choline (good for brain health) and Lutien ( a nutrient that’s great for the eyes).

Others: She also has calcium fortified 100% orange juice, low sodium chicken broth, fun snack packs of hummus and some jarred white fish for a quick source of great protein.

What’s NOT there! Lauren still could have had some goodies in there from chocolate, a few cans of soda, and so on and I would have still awarded her 1st prize. But there is no doubt that Lauren has her eye on the prize -not just the lovely Yoga Mat she won courtesy of Sears and yours truly – but more importantly, her health!  Take one look at Lauren’s photo here on the Nutrition Babes website and you can see she is one RD who practices what she preaches! Great job, Lauren – congrats!!

Join me this Wednesday at 7:30pm CST on Twitter for more great Kitchen Makeover information and terrific prizes from Sears and the Guyatitian!

The Slice Is Right

America has a love affair with pizza. We consume about 100 acres of it daily, 350 slices per second, and every man, woman and child eats about 23 pounds of pizza yearly.

Jeff Ruby, Chicago Magazine senior editor, deputy dining editor and co-author of the book Everyone Loves Pizza, says, “There’s something about pizza that transcends age and race and sex and all borders. Apart from some pockets of Naples, we’re more nuts about it than anyone on earth.” Andrea Giancoli, RD, MPH, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, agrees. “Soft dough, pizza sauce, a cornucopia of flavors and toppings, and that unique mouth feel — there’s no other food quite like it,” she says.

But pizza has gotten a bad rap. Thought to be fattening because of carb-laden dough, fatty meats and cheeses, and portion sizes (who can eat just one slice?), nutritious is not a word often associated with pizza. However, the basics of pizza are healthy. Tomato sauce is rich in the heart disease and cancer-fighting plant chemical, lycopene. Pizza is also one of the few dishes that incorporate all of the major food groups: dairy, grain, meat, veggies and fruit (tomatoes are fruits!). The truth is that pizza can fit into your diet without wrecking your waistline (it’s included on the new plate icon just released by the USDA). Follow these five sound strategies to make your next slice more nutritious and diet-friendly.

Eat Less

It’s best to stick to one or two slices (as difficult as that may be). If you order an entire pie, make it into several meals, Giancoli suggests. Better yet, have a salad on the side to help fill you up.

Skim Off the Top

Instead of making meats and cheeses the main attractions, ask for sparse toppings. Also, you’ll save hundreds of calories if you ask for 50 percent less mozzarella. Or swap mozzarella for a very flavorful cheese, such as feta, and you won’t need as much, Giancoli suggests.

Skim Off the Bottom

If you want to fill up without filling out, choose a thin, wafer-like crust and moderately-sized slices. Stay away from deep dish or cheese-filled crusts. For example, a slice equivalent to 1/8 of a 12-inch thin crust pizza contains about 164 calories in the crust alone. A thick crust slice bumps you up to 203 calories for the same size. Whole wheat dough is a healthier option because it provides fiber and other nutrients only found in whole grains. But it doesn’t necessarily translate into being lower in calories. Portion size still rules here.

Choose Skinny Proteins

Try adding grilled chicken, shrimp or Canadian bacon to your pie, which are lower in calories and saturated fat than pepperoni and sausage. But if you must have your pepperoni, ask for half the usual portion.

Veg Out

Stack your pie with extra tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, spinach, broccoli and eggplant for a nutritious hit, loads of flavor and belly-filling fiber. You just had your pie and ate it, too. Bada bing!

Author David Grotto is a FitStudio advisory board member, registered dietitian and the founder and president of Nutrition Housecall. He is the author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life and 101 Optimal Life Foods. He served as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association for more than six years.

10 Best Superfoods for Men

You’ve heard that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach — so is the way to a healthier body. In light of June being Men’s Health Month, here’s a list of 10 superfoods he should eat daily.

1. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, and the plant substance known as lycopene — great for heart and prostate health.

2. Broccoli is rich in natural cancer-fighting chemicals and loaded with heart-healthy, immunity-building nutrients such as vitamins A, C and folate — a B vitamin found to protect against heart disease. Preparation tip: Steam broccoli to help preserve vital antioxidants.

3. Salmon — whether smoked, canned, fresh-caught or frozen — is an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which help reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol.

4. Berries are “berry” good sources of nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium and anthocyanins, which are known to fight heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Rich in fiber and low in calories, berries taste great in salads or over breakfast cereal. Pick a color, any color!

5. Soy may boost prostate and bone health, research reveals. The Food and Drug Administration has also approved a claim that products made from soybeans, including meat substitutes and beverages, help improve heart health.

6. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that boosts heart health. It also enhances the absorption of lycopene (found in tomatoes), which may be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease and prostate cancer.

7. Nuts contain fiber, healthy fats and plant nutrients called phytosterols, which are known to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. In a study featured in the medical journal Circulation, researchers found that eating a handful of almonds (about 1 ounce) daily reduced LDL by about three percent.

8. Green tea packs a group of antioxidants called polyphenols. These compounds may decrease plaque formation in the arteries and help fight prostate cancer cells.

9. Red wine contains a super antioxidant called resveratrol, found in the skins and seeds of grapes. Experts claim resveratrol assists in reducing LDL cholesterol and also helps in keeping the inside lining of the arteries that feed the heart more resistant to atherosclerosis, a.k.a. hardening of the arteries. Enjoy up to two 5-ounce servings a day, the American Heart Association suggests.

10. Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, whole-grain breads and cereals may enhance immunity, reduce cholesterol and protect against a variety of cancers. The 2010 dietary guidelines recommend adult men consume six to eight one-ounce servings daily, with at least half of the grains being whole.

Food should be your primary source of nutrients, but most guys don’t eat an optimal diet every day. Your backup plan: take a multivitamin. Choose one designed for men’s needs. It should pack eleven milligrams of zinc and 600 IUs of vitamin D, two important players in prostate health. Since guys don’t menstruate, don’t worry about iron.

For more tailored advice on proper diet and supplementation, see a registered dietitian. All men may not be created equal — but they all have the potential to be super!

Author David Grotto is a FitStudio advisory board member, registered dietitian and the founder and president of Nutrition Housecall. He is the author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life and 101 Optimal Life Foods. He served as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association for more than six years.

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