However, the study goes on to say to be sure and eat chocolate in moderation.  Just because it has some benefits to your health, it still has an extremely high fat and caloric content.

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Almonds and other tree nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, high in fiber,  and have been shown to lower “bad” cholesterol levels (LDL). Recent research has also shown that consuming tree nuts everyday results in a lower body weight, lower  body mass index (BMI) and smaller waist circumference (WC).   A higher BMI and WC are associated with a greater risk for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The moral of this nut is to consume 1.5 ounces or 3 tablespoons of tree nuts per day. The benefit is so great that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) issued a health claim for nuts and health disease in 2003. This newest research further emphasizes the importance of including tree nuts into your daily food intake to reduce body weight, abdominal obesity, and health issues associated with these risk factors.

Go eat your nuts everyday! I particularly like almonds, but cashews, pecans, pine nuts, macadamias, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, and pistachios will work as well.

-Larissa Brophy, MS, RD, LD

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In the latest study of fish oil, researchers from South Korea looked at 14 different trials, with over 20,000 different patients.  These patients all had cardiovascular disease and had taken fish oil supplements for at least the past year.  The patients all showed no positive effects from the fish oil, with their risk of heart attacks, stroke, cardiovascular disease or any other heart problem the same as before.

Fish oil supplements are some of the most popular in the United States with almost three-quarters of a Billion dollars being sold in 2009, according to Forbes Magazine.

To find out more about the effects of fish oil in your diet, click here.  However, at the end of the day, nothing will replace a healthy, balanced diet.

Source (Archives of Internal Medicine Study)

With rates of obesity and diabetes at epidemic levels, you’d think it would be enough to simply tell people what they need to do. But the messages about how to eat healthfully — buy local, eat seasonally, shun industrial meat — can be overwhelming and unrealistic for both low-income and time-stressed, middle-class families. Moreover, much of today’s dietary advice ignores a fundamental truth: Most Americans seek out fast and processed foods, not for the price, but for the convenience and the taste. A recent study in the journal Population Health Management revealed that households earning $60,000 a year ate the most fast food. Households bringing in $80,000 were actually more likely to “have it their way” than those with $30,000.

Until now, mainstream “solutions” to the obesity crisis, and to the broader problem of how to forge a healthier American diet, have focused on making fresh food more affordable and accessible. But as I saw last year while reporting a book on what people eat, and why they eat it, in Huntington, W.Va., many Americans do have access to, and can afford, better food. They just choose not to eat it. Or rather, they choose not to take the time to shop for it, to plan and cook their meals, when they can hit the drive-through or have a pizza delivered or pop a Stouffer’s entrée into the microwave.

Does this mean the battle is lost? On the contrary. A new and growing group of studies point to a third way to persuade Americans to make small but essential changes to their diets and lifestyles. Based on behavior-change theories — a kind of grassroots behavioral economics for public health — these strategies address a range of personal, cultural and environmental factors that affect what people eat. America on the Move, a Denver-based nonprofit, has shown that if overweight and obese people add 2,000 extra steps to their daily routine or cut out 100 calories a day, they can effectively prevent weight gain. In Kentucky, a program called Healthy, Well-Thee and Wise is tracking its multiyear effort to help Appalachian women make realistic changes, such as baking their pork chops instead of frying them, that lead to healthier lifestyles.

Sadly, this approach doesn’t appeal to our culture’s love of quick fixes, the kind of dramatic overhauls that make hits of reality TV shows such as “The Biggest Loser.” But they are simpler and less expensive than plans to pass new regulations or plunk Wal-Marts in the inner cities. Plus, they are about what’s realistic, given the nature of the problem we face. They help Americans to understand not only how to eat well but also how to incorporate a healthy diet into their own lives.

Which breakfast would hold you longer and help you feel more satisfied? Well, if you selected that bigger one then you may be on your way to successful and sustainable weight loss regimen since research consistently supports the utilization of low energy density intake for weight loss. At The Rite Bite, the dietitians could not agree more with this philosophy.

Your overall dietary pattern and intake is more important than elimination or avoidance of certain foods. Check out this press release from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

-Larissa Brophy, MS, RD, LD

Unsuccessful attempts were reported when the participant tried popular (fad) diets, liquid diets, nonprescription weight loss pills, and diet foods or products. Another national mail panel survey reported that eating fruits and vegetables, healthy snacks, limiting carbohydrates (what kind?), controlling portions, and doing different types of exercising were strongly associated with 10% weight loss. Additionally, the National Weight Control Registry identifies that restricting types of foods, limiting quantity of food and counting calories lead to successful weight loss. Consider these tips the next time you want to lose a few pounds.

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To pre-empt dialysis, family members were tested to find out if they could be a living donor for Dave.  In February of 2001 we received exciting news.  Dave’s older sister Joan was a perfect match!  Needless to say we were all elated and on July 10, Joan donated one of her kidneys to Dave.  Dave and Joan recuperated well, and we all knew many prayers were answered that day as we watched the formation of a double rainbow from the hospital window.

The Gift of Life touched our family again when my father-in-law received a kidney transplant at age 68.  Since a living donor was not possible for Dad, he was placed on the organ donation waiting list.  After almost 2 years of dialysis, Dad received his second chance at life in June 2003.  More recently, another family member was touched by the Gift of Life when Dave’s cousin received a kidney donation from her best friend.  Our thoughts and prayers continue for a cousin who is currently on the waiting list.

To “give back”, the family works to educate and increase awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation.  In honor of donate life month, Lifeline of Ohio will be hosting their annual candlelight vigil of hope, remembrance, and celebration at the Lifeline of Ohio’s Memorial Park (770 Kinnear Road, Columbus) on Thursday, April 26 at 7:30pm.  It is a special event reminding all of us that we can make a difference in the lives of those in need.  If you would like to learn more about being a living donor, and/or would like to register to be an organ and tissue donor, please visit http://donatelife.net/register-now/.  There is no greater gift than the Gift of Life!  Are you interested in giving back?

-Anne L. Hague, PhD, MS, RD, LD, RDH, CLT

Del Monte Foods, has had well over $1 Billion in sales for the past 8 years, with such products as refridgerated pineapples, melons, berries and papaya’s.

Fresh Del Monte, however, did not get the full amount they were asking for; an astronomical, $66-$270 Million.

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To view the list of ingredients, I visited the refrigerator shelving in the produce section of our local grocery store.  The not so “natural” ingredients for some of the different fruit products include calcium chloride, potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate.  Maybe these preservatives have something to do with why the list of ingredients is not posted on their website?  It does however, explain why the Fruit Natural cups have a shelf-life of 15-21 months.  A shelf-life of nearly 2 years is not what anyone would expect for “fresh” fruit.

I also wonder how many consumers may read the list of ingredients since the front of the package indicates the fruit is “in 100% juice.”  Does this communicate a false sense of freshness?  Is there also a false sense of freshness given the product is sold next to real natural fruit in the produce section?  If this is an effective marketing strategy, will other companies start shelving their single serving fruit cocktail cups and applesauce in the same section?

Who thought shopping for fruit could get so complicated?  A good rule of thumb is to purchase fresh produce (no food label necessary), but if you decide to purchase fruit with a food label be sure to read the fine print!

-Anne L. Hague, PhD, MS, RD, LD, RDH, CLT

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Remember when a total cholesterol reading of under 200 was the standard for judging cardiovascular health? Today, of course, we know that it’s the components of cholesterol (LDL, HDL, the size of those cholesterol particles, and triglycerides) that are much more predictive of heart health. Well, our understanding of total weight and its effects upon your heart has evolved in similar fashion. It’s not your total weight but the characteristics of that weight—how much is fat and where it’s deposited—that matter most.