Health News
- Healthy Eating In Black And White: Part Two
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might be surprised to know that an important health-promoting antioxidant called anthocyanin also provides a dark purple/black pigment to a wide variety of foods. Like the foods described earlier this week, many nutrient-dense...
- Nutrition Rich Cookies?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Have you heard about the new ?nutrition-rich? cookies called WhoNu?, as in ?who knew delicious could be so nutritious?? Each 3-cookie serving contains 3 grams of fiber, as much calcium and vitamin D as a glass of milk, and as...
- Where?s The Fiber?
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom If you seem to be finding fiber in every product you look at, you?re right! Fiber is being added to all kinds of foods ? from yogurts, to juices, fruit chews, cookies, cottage cheese, and white bread. Even whole grains get an...
- What Colors Are Your Fruits And Vegetables?
What Colors Are Your Fruits and Vegetables? by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom One key to good health is a ?colorful plate.? Colorful fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamins and minerals, as well as ?phytochemicals.? That?s a fancy word for plant nutrients...
- Vitamin D: Should You Soak Up The Sun To Get This Vital Nutrient?
Yesterday we discussed UVA sun rays and the aging effects they cause. Though UVA can also be responsible for skin cancer, UVB is the part of sunlight primarily responsible. (Think UVA, ?A? for ?aging?; UVB, ?B? for ?bad.?) However, UVB light, which is...
Health News
Eat Food, Not Nutrients
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
We?re all in a state of what I call ?nutrient overload.? We?re always reading about a food of the week linked to reducing disease risk for illnesses ranging from diabetes and heart disease to stroke and cancer.
Despite the promotion of individual nutrients as important nutritional keys to healthy eating, most studies continue to support the consumption of a healthy diet, which includes a variety of foods as nature intended. Lean proteins (both plant and animal sources, including dairy), an abundance of colorful fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich starches, and water for hydration are the basics of a healthy diet. And these same foods, studies show, promote health benefits for all body systems, including digestive, brain, cardiac, and immune systems.
I am always concerned when people explain their eating habits to me based on individual nutrients. ?I eat oranges for vitamin C, and I?m looking for a food with vitamin A ? so I added some carrots. Now I?m looking for more vitamin B6.? Real food contains overlapping nutrients and serves double or triple duty.
My best advice for healthy eating is to enjoy a variety of foods. And if you take special medications or have a chronic illness (or are at high risk for one), you might require a vitamin or mineral supplement to meet your personal needs; food might not be enough to support this. Check with your doctor to make sure your overall nutrient needs are met.
- Healthy Eating In Black And White: Part Two
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom You might be surprised to know that an important health-promoting antioxidant called anthocyanin also provides a dark purple/black pigment to a wide variety of foods. Like the foods described earlier this week, many nutrient-dense...
- Nutrition Rich Cookies?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Have you heard about the new ?nutrition-rich? cookies called WhoNu?, as in ?who knew delicious could be so nutritious?? Each 3-cookie serving contains 3 grams of fiber, as much calcium and vitamin D as a glass of milk, and as...
- Where?s The Fiber?
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom If you seem to be finding fiber in every product you look at, you?re right! Fiber is being added to all kinds of foods ? from yogurts, to juices, fruit chews, cookies, cottage cheese, and white bread. Even whole grains get an...
- What Colors Are Your Fruits And Vegetables?
What Colors Are Your Fruits and Vegetables? by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom One key to good health is a ?colorful plate.? Colorful fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamins and minerals, as well as ?phytochemicals.? That?s a fancy word for plant nutrients...
- Vitamin D: Should You Soak Up The Sun To Get This Vital Nutrient?
Yesterday we discussed UVA sun rays and the aging effects they cause. Though UVA can also be responsible for skin cancer, UVB is the part of sunlight primarily responsible. (Think UVA, ?A? for ?aging?; UVB, ?B? for ?bad.?) However, UVB light, which is...