Nutrition
Health Food Pyramid Basics – Savior or Failure?

Benjamin Disraeli once remarked: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Similarly, there are three kinds of people who will find the health food pyramid an interesting topic to peruse through for reasons that I will attempt to decipher.
The first kind is the ‘hypochondriacs’… yes, those who can’t do without a routine, a clock, and a set list of tasks that must be completed for the day. And with regard to food, the ones who watch what they can’t eat and manage it effortlessly too.
Yes, the ones who would go by the book and rely on statistical analysis to stay healthy. And well, too much analysis causes paralysis sometimes… so there!
And I admire these guys just up to the point where someone says that they’re lactose intolerant… and all I’d like to do then is perform a colonoscopy with a wooden cooking spoon.
The second kinds are the ‘neither here nor there’ kind… the bulimia victims of our civilization… their life seems to consist of cycles where binging gives them great pleasure followed by depression and guilt and a sense of feeling ‘bloated’… and then of course, they treat their bodies like an Italian circus using laxatives (with suspiciously sounding names that could do with a few more vowels and a lesser number of consonants especially Ks, Qs, Zs and Xs in them). God knows what not to… of course, purge…since they’re on the highway to hell! Damned lies, I tell you!
These guys confuse me… They inhabit the same world where some people barely earn enough to make one square meal… and in other extremes, they don’t even manage that!
And the third kind is the ones who don’t seem to comprehend the idea of ‘setting limits’ when it comes to food… the ones with the double chin… for whom the one-size-fits-all is a way of life… and most definitely, were the ones who were caught with their hands in the cookie jar in their youth! And they will ‘lie’ as if their life depended on it to satiate their inner cravings for ‘more’.
These guys are my favorite (yet I don’t enjoy indulging that much)… as they’ll always be who they are… they seem to be the most happy as long as they get what they want! And God forbid if you lay your hands on their precious snacks… and all hell will break loose!
My preference lies with both extremes, yet I won’t judge the followers of the middle path as you’d truly understand ‘bulimia’ only if you experience it. It’s just that it’s such a waste of food! And maybe I’m not supposed to understand some things after all…
Regardless of whichever category you fall under, there comes a time in your life when you will have to take action to maintain optimum health… a point where you will say: This has to stop! No more! But until then… whatever makes you happy!
So, read on if you’re at that point… you’ll be the better for it (well, I’ve learned it the hard way too).
And I’m sure some of you will go off on a tangent with Moses, Pharoahs, and Isis and Osiris with the mere mention of the word ‘pyramid’, so before that happens, let’s get down to business.
Health Food Pyramid Basics
If you look at the structure, the foods mentioned at the bottom of the pyramid are the ones that you should eat the most, and the ones at the top are the ones that you should eat (or include in you daily diet) the least.
Grains – Eat at least three ounces of this food type [whole grain bread, rice, pasta, cereal and crackers) every day, and make sure that you find the word whole before the word, ‘grain’ before you eat it! [6-11 servings a day] These foods are carbohydrate and low-fat foods.
Vegetables & Fruits – Keep your preferences to dark green and orange-based veggies as well as dry beans and peas! [3-5 servings] Go easy on fruit juices and stick to fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit, while being careful in choosing a variety of fruits in your diet. [2-4 servings]
Dairy & Beans, Eggs, Lean Meat and Fish – For dairy-based products, choose low-fat or fat-free; the specified limit is about 2-3 servings daily. Find other calcium-based foods if you don’t or can’t consume dairy products. For beans, eggs, and meat-based foods choose low-fat. Grilling, Broiling or baking it are better options in this case and choose nuts, beans, fish, nuts and seeds for variety rather than just meat! The limit for this section of the pyramid is 2 to 3 servings.
Fats, Oils and Sweets – This is the section that you should watch out for! Keep the consumption level low for these foods that are based on these items. Period!
Now, these are general guidelines and so if you want a personalized plan, log on to http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx and enter your details such as age, sex, weight, height and physical activity… and voila, you’ll have a customized plan that spans all the sections of the pyramid.
And it doesn’t matter which section you belong to, you’ll find that maintaining a balanced diet isn’t tough at all!
So, what are your thoughts on the controversial Health Food Pyramid, love it or hate it?
Nutrition
Natural Peanut Butter: Better than the ‘real’ thing?

Introduction
There’s no doubt that America’s fascination for butter as a sandwich spread is well-documented, apart from being a popular choice in the Netherlands. And if this isn’t enough, you’ll agree with me when I say that January 24 every year is celebrated as National Peanut Butter Day. Obviously, the United States (along with China – surprise, surprise!!!) are the largest exporters of butter.
And for those who are positively hooked, you have the ‘cereal man,’ John H. Kellogg, to thank for his patent ‘Process of preparing Nutmeal,’ which details the method he invented for preparing ‘nut-butter’.
However, one might wonder if there is more to what makes peanut butter so appealing other than the taste itself.
Peanut Butter – Nutritional Value & Benefits
It comes in two forms such as regular and natural, of which the former is prepared with hydrogenated vegetable oil, salt, and sweeteners to enhance the flavor, which is either of the smooth or crunchy variety. At the same time, the latter is made of peanuts and oil.
But apart from its convenience of helping most people grab a quick bite, it is nutritious and thus beneficial to our health.
It contains protein, monounsaturated fats, resveratrol, dietary fiber, arginine, vitamins B3 and E, the antioxidant p-coumaric acid, folate, potassium, copper, iron, phosphorous, calcium, and magnesium. Interestingly, there is no alcohol, sodium, or caffeine, making it healthier than most other processed foods.
Even though peanut butter is high in calories, the common misconception is that one will gain weight. However, this is false, as the fats present in this butter are monounsaturated in nature.
Protection from cardiovascular disease and cancers (colorectal cancer, to be precise), regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of hypertension and muscle spasms while intriguingly enabling the proper secretion of sexual hormones.
And despite commercial peanut butter is healthy enough, the natural version has also caught on, and there are very few differences between the two.
Natural Vs. Regular Peanut Butter
The difference between the two is minimal, except that in the natural version, the contents are only made of salt and peanuts. In some cases of natural peanut butter, even the salt is taken away. One thing to remember is that natural butter must be refrigerated, as no preservatives are added.
The health benefits are almost the same, except that healthy fat (in liquid form at room temperature in natural peanut butter) is converted to its unhealthy form when produced commercially.
One very big reason why people prefer homemade to natural peanut butter is due to the salmonella outbreak that occurred in 2007 and off late in 2009 when butter-based products such as crackers, cookies, and dog treats when these products were recalled.
In Closing
There’s no doubt that peanut butter is a nutritious food that has several benefits right from athletes to dieters as well as the common man. And the best part of it all is that all you need is two tablespoons of it… and you’re satisfied!
Nutrition
Choosing the Sugar Substitute That’s Best for You

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average American adult should consume no more than 1.4 ounces of sugar per day. That adds up to 32 pounds per year which, if you’ve ever lifted a 32-pound bag of anything, is a considerable amount of food. The awful truth, though, is that the average American adult consumes 156 pounds of added sugar each year. With increasing warnings that link sugar consumption as contributing toward obesity, tooth decay, and possibly a laundry list of ailments, including heart disease, it’s no wonder so many people seek out sugar substitutes (alternative sweeteners), which contain fewer calories than refined sugar.
Alternatives to sucrose (refined sugar, table sugar) include natural and artificial sweeteners, ones that are best limited to sweetening coffee and tea, some that work well in baking, and even a few products that have been in use for centuries. Which one–if any–is right for you? Here are some popular choices:
Choosing the Sugar Substitute
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol derived from corn, beets, and other produce. It helps prevent plaque-causing bacteria from sticking to teeth, making it a good choice for sugar-free gum. While much sweeter than sugar, xylitol is only partially absorbed by the body, so it provides fewer calories than sugar. Beware: The more you eat, the more you risk gastrointestinal distress. For baking, it is recommended that you use half as much xylitol as you would sugar.
Stevia has grown enormously popular in the US in a short amount of time. This now-ubiquitous substance is extracted from a South American herb and is sold under the trade names Sweetleaf and Truvia. It is 40 times sweeter than sugar but has zero calories and will not cause a spike in blood sugar levels. It is not recommended for baking.
Sucralose, sold as Splenda, is created by chemically altering sugar molecules so the body does not metabolize it. It looks and feels like sugar, and it is ideal for adding to coffee and using it for baking.
Aspartame, sold as Equal and Nutrasweet, is popular in desserts. It denatures under heat, so do not use it for baking.
Agave Nectar, made from the same plant that gives us tequila, contains more calories than refined sugar, but it is much sweeter, so less is needed. Agave nectar has a high fructose content, which may make it a greater obesity risk than table sugar.
Sugar Substitutes
When researching a sugar substitute, keep in mind that the manufacturers themselves have funded some published studies on the subject, while competitors have published others. Even government studies are not free from corporate influence; food lobbyists influence those who legislate food safety. If we are to be truly certain that we are making the safest choice in a sweetener, there is only one way to go.
The Best Sugar Substitute
The best way to cut down on sugar in your diet is to cut down on sugar simply. Our bodies are not meant to be as sedentary as the average American’s has become over the past few decades. We don’t get the endorphin rush from working our muscles toiling in fields of grain or hunting down our entrees that our forbearers did. One reason we consume more sugar is to stimulate our brain’s pleasure centers, and this contributes toward a downward spiral of poor health.
When we try to fool our bodies that we are eating sugar, we aren’t doing them much good in the long run, regardless of whether we use substitutes for weight loss or to enjoy a varied diet within the limitations imposed by disease or health risk.
Rather than mimic unhealthy eating choices, we should adopt healthy choices. When you are thirsty, drink water; make soda an occasional treat. If you’re feeling low in energy, exercise: Walk with a loved one, take barefoot running, or hike in the woods. The benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise extend to every aspect of life.
Nutrition
Celiac Children and their Nourishment: What Parents Should Look Out For

Parenting is tough. Period. Trust me, in this day and age, with so many pressures; it isn’t easy at all. Teaching two kids to increase their scores (a privilege that I’ve enjoyed for some time) will take you down a road that only tells you how much responsibility the parents have to shoulder apart from the payments, work-life balance, and so on and so forth.
Kids are wilting under pressure, too – the competition they have to deal with is far more than most of us had to cope with when we were their age.
Now imagine what the situation might be if a child is sick. What would the parents have to do to ensure things don’t get out of hand?
A lot, you think.
While the common cold or the flu might cause parents to be concerned, children with celiac disease would have their parents on edge, thanks to the million precautions that must be taken regarding food, and their kids are not necessarily prone to make mature choices.
Welcome to the World of Celiac Children
Adults are not the only people who suffer from celiac disease kids too. It’s bad enough that the only way to live a healthy life is by avoiding foods that contain gluten, and this gets worse as there are several situations in which you’ll have to sacrifice your desire to eat as a child.
It’s not easy for adults to pass up on food, so imagine how difficult it might be for celiac children…
Statistically, the number of children suffering from celiac disease might not be many – about 1 in 300 but that doesn’t make the condition any less significant for each and every child going through a life of abstinence.
For those of you who don’t know what celiac disease is, it is when the immune system causes damage to the inner lining of the small intestine due to the presence of gluten. Further complications can and often do occur not unless the patient remains on a gluten-free diet for life. There is no accepted celiac treatment.
And with kids finding it harder to express themselves, you can imagine how difficult it becomes for parents who have celiac children to keep track of their diet – God forbid, if anything could happen.
If your child has been diagnosed with celiac disease, just remember that it will take some time for the small intestine to heal, and from there on, a gluten-free diet will help the child experience normalcy when it comes to their health.
Precautions for Celiac Children
As with any disease diagnosed by a doctor, it is a good idea to get a second opinion on whether your child has celiac disease. Once this is confirmed, you’ll no doubt have to take some precautions:
Precaution #1: A gluten-free diet for the entire family
You just can’t have gluten-based foods around the house and expect your child not to touch them. If your child needs to be on a gluten-free diet, then the whole family will have to cooperate and choose the same. Case closed!
Precaution #2: Instruct the child to say ‘no’ to gluten-based foods
While you might be able to monitor your child’s diet at home, there are circumstances in which you can’t. Instruct your child to say ‘no’ when offered these foods at their friends’ homes, school, or birthday parties. It’s probably a good idea to explain what they’re dealing with at length. But for heaven’s sake, don’t stop them from going out.
Precaution #3: They’re not sickly; they just have different preferences
The inability to eat foods like everyone else can mean the child feels isolated and sickly. Ensure they don’t feel this way by telling them they’re different from other kids. Because they are.
In Closing
It’s tough to handle celiac children but trust me, when you see them happy, it lights up your life.
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