Nutrition bars are convenient but whole foods still best

I was recently talking to a couple of new patients interested in eating healthier, feeling more energetic and taking off a few pounds. Both had the issue of little time and a constant eating on the run situation. (We moms tend to have the lack of time problem as well.) As with most people, I first discussed the need to eat small amounts every few hours to avoid a binge once the starving signals do kick in. The obvious response to me was, "what am I supposed to eat since I'm always on the go?" I mentioned a bunch of different ideas, including nutrition bars, and they were on their way. (Bellybars were a favorite to throw in my carry-on when I was pregnant and had to fly for work.) The next week when I got their food diaries back, a slew of nutrition and energy bars showed up on their logs, sometimes twice a day!
Whoa, Nelly. While eating nutrition bars is certainly acceptable as a few-times-a-week fill in, one for every snack will leave a gaping hole in a well-rounded diet. Study after study shows that foods, especially whole plant foods, contain nutrients that work together to promote good health and just cannot be accounted for with the fortification in an energy bar. I had to remind my patients that nature makes some pretty convenient foods: apples, bananas, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines. Adding a cheese stick and a bag of nuts makes that snack well-balanced (carbs, protein and healthy fat) and chock full of natural nutrients. It took a tiny bit more planning for them than grabbing a prepackaged energy bar but the benefits make it well worth it. Luckily the next week I saw a lot more whole foods on their food records and just an occasional bar here and there. Next time I'll clarify the frequency for my snack suggestions!

Fresh, Whole Foods Challenge Menu

OK, I did it. I really had to focus on the foods that I ate and at times had to stop myself and reach for something "fresh." I definitely had to pay attention and think about what I was eating, beyond what I normally think (given my love of food and health, I think about what I eat all the time in terms of balancing foods and what I and my family may be missing). But, yesterday I had a different focus and I ended up eating very healthy. Here are the foods I ate and the nutrition results for the Fresh, Whole Foods Challenge from yesterday's blog --
Breakfast

• oats and skim milk -fresh
• orange juice
• egg - fresh
• grapes - fresh

Snack

• raw almonds (fresh) and dark chocolate chips

Lunch

• light tuna in water and two pieces whole wheat bread
• spinach salad (fresh) with feta, onions (fresh), pressed garlic (fresh), oil and vinegar

Snack

• apple (fresh)

Dinner

• lentils with stewed tomatoes and pressed garlic (fresh)
• chicken breast, all natural (fresh) made with onions (fresh) olive oil and basil (fresh)
• steamed brown rice (fresh)
• skim milk

Out of 23 foods and beverages (I did not count oils/dressings), I ate 16 fresh, whole foods (based on the definition from yesterday's blog). So, about 70% of my food intake was fresh. Here is the analysis of what I ate --2150 calories, 44% carbs, 20% protein, 35% fat (44% of it was monounsaturated fat - the healthy kind), fiber 34 g (the recommended intake is 25 g). All in all, I did really well. Also, my analysis shows that I met or exceeded most nutrients. There were a few that fell below the recommended value but that is OK, because I will make up for those nutrients throughout the week.

Now, challenge yourself and see how you do -- remember, strive for at least half of your food intake to be fresh.

Eating Fresh, Whole Foods Challenge

We need to eat fresh, whole foods -- I know, they are not convenient and they go bad if you do not eat them in time. However, it is important to teach our families and ourselves how to eat fresh, whole foods vs. relying heavily on processed foods (which typically have several of the good nutrients stripped out as well as added ingredients that we do not need). For example, new research shows that as produce ripens there is an increase in powerful antioxidants from the break down of chlorophyll, which could be beneficial for health. These are compounds that are found in the whole fruit. By only eating processed foods that are enriched or fortified to make up for the stripped-out nutrients, you can miss out on eating a set of nutrients that need to work together in the whole food to protect your health. There are several nutrients that come in bundles and work together, such as vitamin A and the carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin that take care of our eyesight; or vitamin E and the tocopherols that work together as antioxidants.
Teach yourself and your families to rely on fresh, whole foods and only use processed foods occasionally. This does not mean you should give up your canned fruits and veggies. Although, these are somewhat processed, they are an easy and convenient way to reach the desired 5-10 fruits and veggies a day. Just make sure you are also including fresh, whole foods in your daily diet. And, based on the new study, make sure your produce is ripe. Try this today, count how many processed foods you and your kids eat vs. the number of fresh, whole foods. Try to make sure that at least half of your food intake is fresh and whole. I am going to join you in doing this -- I will write down everything that I eat today and run a nutrient analysis on my foods and will report back tomorrow. I will post what I ate, count the number that were fresh and whole, plus add the nutrition information for my day's menu.
There is no formal definition of "fresh, whole foods," so, for the sake of this challenge, we will include minimally processed whole grains, natural dairy and meats as fresh as well as whole fruits and vegetables. If you are like me, you may be concerned with pesticide contamination or added hormones and antibiotics, if so, make sure to choose the all natural, and organic varieties.