Tag Archives: Diet

Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation Program

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Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation Program

Inspire Healthy Kids is not only about focusing on what we feed our kids.  There is so much more to it.  And a lot of that “more to it” lies in how we treat ourselves.  As parents, and particularly as mommies, we are primary role models.  How we eat, our lifestyle, and our attitudes all affect kids’ health and diets.  In Australia, as elsewhere in the developed world, obesity is rapidly on the rise among adults and children alike.  To respond to this trend, diet and exercise regime gimmicks have flooded the market.  One of those is Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT) program.  But if we as parents are following this are we presenting healthy models to our kids?

My good friend Kylie Ryan recently referred me to a blog post by a friend of hers reviewing the 12WBT program.  (And any friend of Kylie’s is a friend of mine! Kylie is a huge positive force for good so please check out her site.)

So, what is Michelle Bridges’ 12WBT?  It’s a diet and exercise program based on the principle that if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.  Programs like this one take this to the extreme, by encouraging extreme dieting and lots of exercise.  Participants are told to restrict caloric intake to 1200 calories a day.  Anything less than this is considered starvation – 1200 is the minimum you need to survive.  The problem with consuming this kind of restricted diet for a long period of time is that your body goes into “starvation mode.”  If your body ideally requires, say, 2000 calories a day to maintain body weight, and you only consume 1200, plus you begin exercising and therefore burning more calories, you are in essence starving yourself!

When your body goes into starvation mode the instant you start consuming extra calories, your body immediately stores them away for future use, in case the starvation scenario recurs or gets worse.  This is a natural biological survival mechanism.  This mechanism is how humans survived throughout our long history of “feast and famine” cycles and seasons.  Unfortunately, dieters actually stimulate this survival mechanism in themselves, which leads to them ultimately gaining more weight after the diet finishes.

“THE RESEARCH SHOWS OVER AND OVER THAT ANY KIND OF DIETING INCREASES YOUR PROPENSITY FOR GAINING WEIGHT, BECOMING OBESE, DEVELOPING AN EATING DISORDER, BECOMING PREOCCUPIED WITH FOOD AND EATING WHEN YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY.” BRIDGET JANE THOMPSON, NUTRITIONIST, DIETICIAN & PSYCHOLOGY OF EATING COACH

In her post on this subject, Bianca Aiono lists numerous reasons women might be suffering from carrying too much weight:

  • Polycistic ovaries,
  • Insulin & Leptin resistance,
  • Adrenal fatigue
  • Underactive Thyroid
  • High stress & Cortisol levels
  • Disordered eating
  • Low self esteem
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Food Intolerances
  • Chronic Inflammation

And none of those are addressed by dieting, certainly not by a crash diet program like Michelle Bridges advocates.

The worst part is that when we as role models for our kids engage in unhealthy dieting behaviors, we are teaching our kids to do the same.  The best way to get our kids to eat a healthy, balanced diet is to eat a healthy, balanced diet ourselves.  And the Michelle Bridges 12WBT is not a healthy, balanced diet.

Other criticisms of a program like this is that it takes over your life.  As mothers, we need to dedicate time to our kids and our families.  Of course it is important to focus on ourselves and our health!  But it shouldn’t be so all-consuming that it takes away from our kids.  We want to inspire healthy kids, not ignore them!

To make matters worse, programs like Michelle Bridges’ 12WBT can lead to development of eating disorders or can at least really screw up women’s relationships with food.  As a woman myself, I know how looking at yourself in the mirror loads an extra 10kg of weight on you that nobody else actually sees.  The long term impacts of something like this can be drastic.  For instance, what happens if a woman falls pregnant?  If she diets like this during the pregnancy in an effort not to gain too much weight, the baby will suffer as well.  And what about if she does this program for the very long term – say, 5 sessions in a row?  Long-term exposure to a famine-like state can have long term impacts on the baby.  Babies whose mothers had previously been exposed to famine are more likely to not only have a decreased birth weight, but also to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.  (See, e.g., David Barker, The Malnourished Baby and Infant Relationship with Type 2 Diabetes, Br Med Bull (2001) 60 (1): 69-88.doi: 10.1093/bmb/60.1.69)

Of course, a program like the Michelle Bridges 12WBT does have its benefits.  It gives women a community, group support, and a financial impetus to do something about the extra weight they’re carrying.  But women can easily find those same supports via healthier regimens.

Studies show that a healthy vegan diet does wonders for both adults and children in terms of all diabetes and heart disease risk factors, including weight loss.  And the vegan community is strong, passionate, and supportive.  If women are looking for other women to connect with as a support on a weight loss quest, this is a great way to go.  Eating a healthy vegan diet may be a much slower way to lose weight, but it is a sustainable lifestyle change that can be carried on indefinitely.  It also has a lot of other health benefits due to the higher intake of fiber and other nutrients.

Another positive option is to hire a mind coach and a nutritionist to help you learn how to eat a healthier diet.  A mind coach like my friend Kylie Ryan can help you to view yourself more positively and determine root causes of unhealthy dietary habits, like binge eating, searching out junk foods, and emotional eating.  A nutritionist can teach you what foods are healthy for your body, given your lifestyle, budget, and sensitivities.

And of course there is the exercise aspect of the 12WBT.  Exercise is really important!  Hire a personal trainer to learn how to use equipment and get exercises personalized to you.  Or join a gym with group classes.  My gym, Goodlife Health Clubs, is amazing – they offer shorter term fitness challenges, small group training, large group classes, and even exercise classes for kids!  I love the classes because I’ve made lots of friends there, which leads to accountability: If I skip a class, my friends will inquire as to why not.

In order to inspire healthy kids, we first have to inspire a health us.  As parents we need to model good behaviors and choose holistic ways to improve our health.  The Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation program is not a healthy model of good dietary and weight loss behavior.

 

Quinoa & Lentil Salad Vegan Recipe

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Quinoa & Lentil Salad Vegan Recipe

Recently, I’ve been posting about the important health benefits of fiber in kids’ diets.  I’ve also gone through a top ten list (part 1 & part 2) of the best high fiber foods to try on your kids.  But having a good recipe or two helps, so here’s one I made this week for my family: Quinoa & Lentil Salad!

Sadly, much of the processed food kids eat today is very low in fiber.  Refined carbohydrates, like white flour and white rice, have the fiber-rich outer casing of the grain removed.  And of course, animal products don’t contain any fiber at all.  Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs, are lacking in fiber.  Kids who eat lots of these foods are likely to not be getting enough fiber and can end up developing other health issues.  Constipation is the health issue most likely to arise first, and should be taken as a major warning sign.  Unfortunately, other more life threatening diseases such as heart disease and cancer are also linked to low fiber intake.  It is very easy to increase fiber intake if you have a few good recipes!

One of my favorite ways to increase fiber intake is to use juice pulp left over from juicing fruits and vegetables.  There are many ways to use this leftover pulp!  One of the most popular ways to use leftover fruit pulp is in muffins or cupcakes.  I also use vegetable pulp to make crunchy crackers we all love to snack on.

But the best way to get more fiber in your kids’ diets is just to give them fiber-rich foods as part of their daily diet.  That’s why I made this Quinoa & Lentil Salad.  My kids are both happy to eat it (my 2 year old likes to pick out all the lentils and eat them first).  It also keeps well in the refrigerator and is easy to pack in a container and take to school.  Unlike leafy salads, it won’t get soggy or gross, so make a big batch and it can easily be lunch for a few days!

This quinoa & lentil salad contains not one, not two, but three high fiber ingredients.  Quinoa, lentils, and artichoke hearts all feature in this delicious salad.  One one-cup serving of quinoa & lentil salad will give your kids more than half their daily fiber requirements! And it’s vegan and gluten free, too!

quinoa salad

Quinoa & Lentil Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 cup uncooked brown lentils, rinsed
  • 8 large artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 1 large English or 2 smaller Lebanese cucumbers, chopped (peeling optional)
  • 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, chopped (I omitted these because my hubby cannot eat them, but added them into the salad when I served to the kids & myself.)
  • 1/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used dill, basil, and tarragon in equal amounts, but use whichever herbs you like best or have on hand.)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
  • pinch himalayan pink salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the quinoa with 4 cups of water, per package instructions, until all water is absorbed.  Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork.
  2. Boil lentils until soft but not mushy (approx. 25-30 minutes).
  3. If using fresh artichokes (as I did), quarter & steam your artichoke hearts.  If using jarred/preserved hearts that are ready to eat, simply quarter them.
  4. Allow quinoa, lentils, and artichokes to cool.
  5. Combine quinoa, lentils, artichokes, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and mix.
  6. Mix herbs, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt to make dressing.
  7. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.  Serve immediately while salad is slightly warm or place in fridge and allow to sit.  Keeps for 3-4 days.

Variations

  • For a non-vegan version, replace the salt with some finely crumbled feta cheese or some finely grated parmesan.
  • For a vegan alternative, omit the salt and add in some finely chopped olives (black, green, or kalamata are all fine).
  • Vary the vegetables!  Consider adding some other veggies or fungi, such as mushrooms, finely diced red onion, capsicum (bell pepper), wilted or fresh baby spinach, or baked pumpkin cubes.
  • Mix up the herbs.  Changing the herb mixture will greatly alter the flavor of the dish.  Quinoa, lentils, and atichokes all have mild flavors, so the flavor of this dish is pretty much controlled by the herbs in it.

This quinoa & lentil salad is pretty much a complete meal in itself.  Most of the major nutrients are featured in it.  Jazz it up by mixing in some baby kale or baby chard and you’ll be certain to have hit all the high points.  It is not only a high fiber dish, but a high protein one, too!  Quinoa is pretty much a complete protein in itself, but lentils are also very high in protein.  Other essential nutrients like iron and vitamin C also play a major role.

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we have!

Fiber: 10 Great Sources (Part 2)

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Fiber: 10 Great Sources (Part 2)

Last month I posted about the benefits of kids eating a high fiber diet.  I followed this up with the first half of a top 10 list of foods high in fiber, inspired by a list published this month in Today’s Dietician. Here are the next 5 in alphabetical order, with plenty of cooking and prep ideas on how to get your kids to eat them.

Dates

Worried you won’t get fiber into your kids no matter how you push the veggies?  Don’t worry any more! Dates, those super sweet chewy fruits of the date palm, are also really high in fiber!  Just ONE medjool date contains 6% of the daily amount of fiber you need.  Of course, dates are really high in sugar, but the naturally occurring fruit sugars in dates have a low glycemic index, which means they won’t make kids’ blood sugar spike.  Dates contain a wealth of beneficial antioxidants, including phenolic acids and carotenoids, as well as vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and copper!*  This means that eating dates is not only a great sweet alternative to candy, but they can also help protect the stomach, liver, and nerves, stimulate the immune system, and protect against cancer and inflammation!**

Getting kids to eat dates is as easy as pie, literally.  Add them to any traditionally sweet recipe, such as muffins, oatmeal, or oatmeal cookies.  Chop them up and add them to salads or even some cooked dishes.  Of course you can always send them to school with kids as a sweet snack!  And guess what? You can use dates to make healthy alternatives to traditionally unhealthy sweet treats, like my favorite – gluten free brownies!

Lentils (and Beans)

Most people are aware of beans as a good source of fiber, but little lentils pack a huge fiber punch, too.  With over 15 grams of fiber in one cup of boiled lentils, one serving will give your kids almost all the fiber they need for the day!  Regularly eating lentils and/or beans lowers pretty much all of the symptoms and risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.***  Lentils are also incredibly high in protein, with 18 grams per cup. They also contain abundant healthful phytochemicals, iron, thiamin, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, and copper.

Lentil stew is a delicious way to get kids to eat the little guys.  But there is no need to stop there – my favorite way to eat lentils is in a cold salad for lunch, with chopped tomatoes, scallions, and perhaps a bit of feta cheese.  They are also a great addition to an Asian noodle or rice bowl.

Potatoes

Surprised to see potatoes on a list of healthy foods?  Potatoes are often demonized as being starchy and having low nutritional value, but the hype is misleading.  Potatoes, like other vegetables, contain a wealth of healthy nutrients – including fiber!  One large russet potato (eaten with the skin) provides 6.9 grams of fiber, making it (along with beans) one of the most inexpensive sources of dietary fiber.  Russet potatoes are also very high in vitamin C and potassium, a very good source of vitamin B6, manganese, magnesium, and niacin, and a good source of folate, thiamin, pantothenic acid, iron, copper, and phosphorus.  Didn’t know your everyday potato contained so many benefits, did you?!  And if you want even more, choose a yellow or purple potato variety to take advantage of the antioxidants they contain that reduce inflammation and DNA damage!****

Try to get your kids to eat potatoes with the skin on, as that is where most of the fiber is.  I bake potatoes with spices and seasoning on the outside, making the skin the tastiest part of the potato.  You can also make lots of dishes using potatoes with the skin on, such as potato and leek or cauliflower and potato soups; potato kugel; potato latkes; home fries; or even mashed potatoes or skordalia.  Try using purple or blue potato varieties if that will get your kids interested!  Potatoes are so versatile the possibilities are endless and their bland flavor makes it possible to sneak them into all sorts of dishes.  Finally, if all else fails, slice whole potatoes into strips and turn them into French fries – make them crispy in the oven by soaking them first in ice water and you won’t need to deep fry!

Quinoa

Quinoa has gotten a lot of press as a superfood in the past few years and it is well deserved!  One cup of cooked quinoa contains 5.2 grams of fiber, which is more than brown rice!  It is also a good source of protein because although it doesn’t have the most protein out of all whole grains, the proteins it contains come in the right amounts of each amino acid, making it a complete protein.  It is also gluten free, and boasts of many nutrients, including magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.

Rinse quinoa, then cook it as you would rice (although it cooks much faster than rice).  I often substitute quinoa for rice in dishes.  It can also be used in stews.  It also makes a good cold salad that can be sent to school for lunch.  Try pairing quinoa in salad with mango, feta cheese, and some veggies for a salty-sweet salad that will appeal to picky taste buds.

Raspberries

I always think of berries as a decadent treat.  My kids love any kind of berry as a treat or snack and of all the berries, raspberries are really high in fiber.  One cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber!  That’s twice the amount in blueberries or strawberries!  They are also high in vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin K.  They are also full of antioxidants and can help reduce risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.*****

Raspberries on their own make a great snack for school or as dessert with lunch.  My kids love them in their cereal or on top of yogurt.  Mix them into desserts, oatmeal, or parfaits.  Or drizzle a tiny bit of dark chocolate on top of them for a healthy, decadent dessert.  Hopefully these treats will be an easy sell for your kids!

Conclusion

I hope you have found this guide to high fiber foods informative and helpful!  With so many ideas for high fiber foods and so many ways to prepare them, surely you can find something that will appeal to even the most picky kids.

Sources:

*Tang ZX, Shi LE, Aleid SM. Date fruit: chemical composition, nutritional and medicinal values, products. J Sci Food Agric. 2013;93(10):2351-2361.

**Vayalil PK. Date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera Linn): an emerging medicinal food. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2012;52(3):249-271.

***Jenkins DJA, Kendall CWC, Augustin LSA, et al. Effect of legumes as part of a low glycemic index diet on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(21):1653-1660.

****Kaspar KL, Park JS, Brown CR, Mathison BD, Navarre DA, Chew BP. Pigmented potato consumption alters oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in men. J Nutr. 2011;141(1):108-111.

*****Kosmala M, Zdunczyk Z, Juskiewicz J, et al. Chemical composition of defatted strawberry and raspberry seeds and the effect of these dietary ingredients on polyphenol metabolites, intestinal function, and selected serum parameters in rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2015;63(11):2989-2996.

Fiber: 10 Great Sources (Part 1)

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Fiber: 10 Great Sources (Part 1)

Last month I posted about the benefits of kids eating a high fiber diet.  This month the magazine Today’s Dietician came out with a list of their top ten foods high in fiber.  This list is great because it’s chosen by dietitians for dietitians.  It’s not just a list of foods that are highest in fiber – it’s a list of high fiber foods that are also overall really nutritious.  Here are the first 5 in alphabetical order, with 5 more to come soon.

Almonds

Did you know that of all the nuts in the USDA database, almonds are the highest in fiber?  (Incidentally, this is also why homemade almond milk needs to be strained.)  Just one 23 nut snack provides 3 grams of fiber.   But not only are almonds the nuts highest in fiber, they are also the nuts with the highest calcium and Vitamin E.

Almonds also have the benefit of reducing heart disease.  They lower bad LDL cholesterol while maintaining levels of good HDL cholesterol.*  If your children are overweight and you are looking to help them lose some weight, including almonds in their diet may also help them lose weight faster.**  And if your kids have diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition, eating almonds in a meal that otherwise causes blood sugar to spike can help moderate blood glucose levels so they don’t rise so much or so quickly.***

My kids eat a lot of almonds.  They have some great snack cups that I fill with almonds for a snack when we go out.  I also often keep a small bag of raw almonds on the counter – when my kids come begging for a snack while I’m preparing dinner, a few almonds keep them happy but don’t fill them up so much that they can’t eat their meal.  I also mix chopped or slivered almonds into a lot of the foods I prepare.  I add them to muffins and cakes, muesli and cereal, plus yogurt and salads.  Finally, I always keep an abundance of almond meal on hand that I can mix into cakes, cookies, and muffins.  You can even make entire recipes that substitute almonds for flour for a gluten free, high fiber treat!

Artichokes

Fresh artichokes can be a bit of a pain to prepare, but if you do they are worth it.  Just one medium sized artichoke has 10.3 grams of fiber, making it one of the highest fiber vegetables out there.  In addition to fiber, artichokes also boast high levels of Vitamin C, magnesium, and – especially good for pregnant mums – folate.  Artichokes were also the highest ranked vegetable for antioxidants in a 2006 study and were in the top 10 out of the more than 1100 foods examined.****

When I make fresh artichokes, I like to steam or boil them and then make a hollandaise sauce.  Kids can have fun pulling off the leaves, dipping them, and then sucking the meat off each leaf.  (Of course they may need some assistance when they get to the choke, depending on their age and familiarity.)  Personally, I find fresh artichokes can sometimes be a bit high maintenance, so you can cut corners by buying canned or jarred artichoke hearts.  Add them to all sorts of dishes, like quiches and salads, for a big fiber boost.

Avocados

When I first learned that avocados are a good source of fiber, I was really surprised.  After all, they are so smooth and creamy!  1 cup of sliced avocado contains 10 grams of fiber.  Avocados are really a superfood, as they contain lots of Vitamins C, E, K, and B6, in addition to folate, potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene, and lutein!

Avocados are also really high in healthy fats.  Over 65% of the fat in avocados are monounsaturated fats, which are good for heart health, with over 10% of their fat polyunsaturated.  Avocados are rivaled only by olives for their heart-healthy fat content.  But another benefit of this type of fat is that it helps the body dissolve and integrate fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K, as well as helping the body absorbing phytochemicals.

Avocados are one of the first foods I feed my babies.  With their neutral flavor and smooth texture when mashed, they go over well as one of a baby’s first foods.  They especially love a 50-50 mix of avocado and banana we call “avonana.”  Older kids will enjoy avocados mashed and used as spread on sandwiches in place of butter or mayonnaise.  Of course avocados are amazing sliced into salads.  You can add them to any green salad, but my favorite is diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, and sliced hearts of palm dressed with olive oil and lime.  Avocados are also great blended into a dressing for almost any salad you want to have a creamy dressing.  You can also cook avocados.  Cut an avocado in half  or quarters, brush with grapeseed oil and season and stick them on the grill.  If that’s too grown-up for your pint sized crew, they may have more fun with an avocado cut in half and the hole in the middle filled with something – try salsa or an egg.

Cloud Ear Fungus

I don’t like eating fungus myself, but mushrooms and their ilk are so nutritious I definitely feed them to my family.  My kids and husband just love mushrooms.  For a fungus fiber boost, try giving your kids cloud ear fungus.  A one cup serving contains 3/4 of the fiber your older kids need for the whole day!  Not only that, but they are also good sources of manganese, selenium, and riboflavin.  Animal trials of cloud ear fungus also show that it is better than aspirin for preventing atherosclerosis and heart disease by reducing plaque buildup.*****

Never heard of cloud ear fungus and don’t know how to make it kid friendly?  It is common in Asian cooking, so look for it in Asian supermarkets.  Add it to Asian dishes – try adding it to soups (we love egg drop and miso soups) or stir fries.  It has a crunchy texture and absorbs the flavors of the foods it’s cooked with, which makes it a versatile addition to other foods.  Experiment with adding it to less traditional dishes like pastas with sauce or various soups.

Collard Greens

As a Southern gal, I’m very familiar with collard greens, but many people today have not heard from them.  Not only are they a nutritious powerhouse like kale, but they contain 3 times as much fiber as kale!  They also have 3 times as much calcium as kale and double the amount of protein, iron, and riboflavin.  In fact, one cup of boiled and chopped collard greens contain 30% of the recommended daily value for fiber.  They also have 3 times the daily recommended value of vitamin A.   Furthermore, collard greens, like kale, bind to bile acids, which reduces risk of heart disease and cancer, which is particularly potent when they are steamed.******  They also contain amazing antioxidants called phenolic compounds, which further protect against cancer and heart disease, as well as the phytochemical sulforaphane, which may reduce the risk of stomach, breast, and skin cancers.*******

To prepare collard greens, first wash them well and remove the tough inner stems.  Then, slice, chop, or chiffonade the leaves.  There are as many ways to prepare collard greens as you can imagine!  Traditional southern collard greens are sauteed with onion, then simmered slowly in stock, before being served with hot sauce.  Try adding them to any soups or stews (unlike more wimpy leaves like spinach, they won’t fall apart into a gunky mess).  If you are simply sautéing them, try blanching or steaming them first to soften up the tough leaves – then add them to any stir fry, sauté them with other veggies, or just serve them on their own as a side dish.  You can even make collard greens into a salad!  Like kale, the leaves are tough and need to marinate first, so dress your salad in advance with olive oil, salt, and any other dressing you’d like, then leave it overnight in the fridge to cure.

I hope you enjoy learning about these fantastic fiber-full foods!  The wide variety of high-fiber foods and the huge range of preparation methods should make it easier to get your kids to have some!  If you want to recall some of the benefits of fiber in a kid’s diet, just click here!

*Berryman CE, West SG, Fleming JA, Bordi PL, Kris-Etherton PM. Effects of daily almond consumption on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal adiposity in healthy adults with elevated LDL-cholesterol: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015;4(1)e000993.

**Abazarfard Z, Salehi M, Keshavarzi S. The effect of almonds on anthropometric measurements and lipid profile in overweight and obese females in a weight reduction program: a randomized controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci. 2014;19(5):457-464.

***Josse AR, Kendall CW, Augustin LS, Ellis PR, Jenkins DJ. Almonds and postprandial glycemia—a dose-response study. Metabolism. 2007;56(3):400-404.

****Halvorsen BL, Carlsen MH, Phillips KM, et al. Content of redox-active compounds (ie, antioxidants) in foods consumed in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;84(1):95-135.

*****Fan YM, Xu MY, Wang LY, et al. The effect of edible black tree fungus (Auricuaria auricula) on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. Chin Med J (Engl). 1989;102(2):100-105.

******Kahlon TS, Chiu MC, Chapman MH. Steam cooking significantly improves in vitro bile acid binding of collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, green bell pepper, and cabbage. Nutr Res. 2008;28(6):351-357.

*******Cartea ME, Francisco M, Soengas P, Velasco P. Phenolic compounds in Brassica vegetables. Molecules. 2011;16(1):251-280.

Nutrients Found in Fruits & Vegetables (You May Never Have Heard of!)

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Nutrients Found in Fruits & Vegetables (You May Never Have Heard of!)

cropped-DSCF1189.jpg

Fruits and vegetables are an essential source of vitamins and minerals.  Today, much ado is made about individual vitamins and minerals.  But there are many more beneficial nutrients in fruits and vegetables than just the Vitamin C and Vitamin A we hear about a lot in the media. Here are some of the beneficial nutrients your kids get in the fruits and vegetables they eat that you might never have heard of.

Flavanoids

IMG_2365Flavanoids are what give fruits and vegetables the vibrant colors in their skins.  There are many types of flavanoids, some of which are covered in more detail below.  Different flavanoids have been shown to confer different benefits, but flavanoids in general are powerful antioxidants that can help improve help by reducing inflammation and even stopping the growth of cancer cells.

Bioflavanoids

Bioflavanoids are found in citrus fruits and they have the benefit of extending the value of vitamin C in the body.  This is a main reason why eating fresh fruits and vegetables is so beneficial – just taking a supplement with a single vitamin or mineral misses out on benefits like bioflavanoids.  Bioflavanoids lower cholesterol levels.  They also support joint collagen in cases of arthritis.

Quercetin

Quercetin is an important antioxidant that is especially good at reducing LDL cholesterol oxidation.  It also helps the body cope with allergens as well as lung and breathing problems.  Quercetin is found in apples, onions, and citrus fruits.

Beta-Glucan

Beta-glucan supports the body’s white blood cells, which stabilizes and balances the immune system.  It is found in mushrooms.

Anthocyanins

Midnight black grapes

Anthocyanins are the most common flavanoid antioxidant, 9 times more common than any other flavanoid.  They are most commonly found in fruits with really strong colors, such as berries, red grapes, red cabbage, eggplants, and blood oranges.  Anthocyanins reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, fight cancer cells, and can even improve cognitive function.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is used in many dietary supplements because of its immunity-boosting properties and its promotion of T-cell production.  It is also abundantly found in tea.  It also reduces the risk of colon and breast cancer.

Ellagic Acid

Berries in Jean Talon Montreal Market

Ellagic acid is an antioxidant and is also anti-carcinogenic, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract.  It also reduces cancer growth because it inhibits cell production of ATP.  Ellagic acid is found in walnuts, pomegranates, raspberries, and strawberries.

Beta-Carotene

IMG_2524

Beta-carotene is the most well-known of the carotenoids and one you have probably heard of.  Most people have heard that the beta-carotenes found in orange foods like carrots are good for eyesight.  This is because it is converted into Vitamin A in the liver.  But did you know it also decreases the amount of cholesterol in the liver?

Proanthocyanidins

Rose hips

One of my favorite supplements is grape seed extract, which contains antioxidants that can cross the blood-brain barrier to help heal the cells in your brain.  Proanthocyanidins, which used to be known as “condensed tannins,” are a flavanoid antioxidant found most potently in grape seeds and pine bark, but also appearing in apples, berries, barley, sorghum, rose hips, and rhubarb.  In addition to their powerful antioxidant properties, they also extend the life span of Vitamin C by 400% as well as increasing the amount of Vitamin E found in blood vessels.

Lycopene

Before making this soup, I toss all the tomatoes I need to use up in a big tub of water and wash them as I go.

Lycopenes have recently gained some fame for their ability to decrease the risk of prostate cancer.   They also help protect against heart disease.  Lycopenes are found most commonly in tomatoes, which has given ketchup and pasta sauce manufacturers cause to celebrate good sales as well as good health.  (Of course, fresh, raw vegetables are the best source of these nutrients!)

Flavones

IMG_2601

Flavones are another kind of flavanoid, responsible for the yellow coloring in foods like capsicum (bell pepper), yellow summer squash, and apricots.  They are incredibly powerful and have been shown to have the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of other flavanoids, as well as fighting allergies and cancers.  They also have neuroprotective properties, helping to keep brains functioning even better.  They also counteract stress-related diseases and can reduce the complications of diabetes.

Isoflavones

IMG_2498

Isoflavones may have helped get soy a bit of a bad reputation because of their tendency to mock estrogen.  However, isoflavones can help protect against hormone-related conditions in both men and women, including breast cancer and prostate cancer.  They also help increase bone density, reduce cholesterol, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Lutein

 

IMG_2426

Lutein is another nutrient that’s really good for you.  Lutein, which is found in blueberries and squashes, is important for healthy eyesight (and therefore very important for pregnant mums and growing kids to consume).  Not only that, but it’s also good for your heart, as it helps to prevent coronary artery disease.

Conclusion

This is by no means an exhaustive list of nutrients.  However, these are some nutrients you may never have heard of.  The benefits of eating a broad variety of plant and vegetable foods cannot be understated.  These secretive little nutrients should give you even more motivation to get your kids to eat their veggies!

Fiber is Fantastic!

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Fiber is Fantastic!

When we think about “fiber” and “staying regular,” we often default to thinking about those old ads for products like Metamucil.  We think of it as the kind of thing only old people have to deal with.  But I go on mommy forums and I see other mums posting all the time about how their kids, from infants on up, are constipated.  The most common pieces of advice I see are to give kids grape juice or sugar water to drink.  Wait, what?!  What those kids really need is a good dose of fiber.

How Fiber Prevents Constipation

My kids are never constipated.  Once, when I was a new mum, I thought my baby was constipated, until I realized that some newborns just don’t poo every day like adults do (or should).  Since then, we have never had a problem with constipation, which is probably because my kids eat lots and lots of fiber.

There are two kinds of fiber, both of which are essential to “staying regular.”  Soluble fiber retains water, which helps make stool softer and easier to pass.  (Think of the term “water soluble,” which means it dissolves in water.)  Insoluble fiber doesn’t absorb water, but it does add bulk to waste matter.  The more waste matter there is, the faster it passes through the gut.  When waste goes through the gut slowly and sits there for a long time, it gives that uncomfortable and well-known feeling of being constipated.  Erk!

How Fiber Works

The benefits of fiber don’t just stop at easing or preventing constipation, however.  Fiber does all sorts of great things for our bodies.  It is most well-known for helping ease digestive issues of all sorts.  I always think of it like this: Fiber doesn’t break down in our bodies.  This means it stays intact as it passes through our gut.  I imagine it as a kind of bristle brush passing through the intestines.  As it goes, it brushes up against the walls and cleans out all that gunk that builds up.  (If you want to know what builds up and you have a strong stomach, feel free to look at these cringe-worthy pictures.)  By cleaning out backed-up waste, fiber helps us avoid constipation, as well as other gut-related diseases.

When Do Kids Need Fiber?

Exclusively breast or formula feeding infants don’t need additional fiber in their diets.  After six months, however, babies need fiber in their diets.  And babies who are fed healthy, plant-based foods should get plenty.  Many babies at young ages do need some of that fiber broken down by cooking processes to avoid them getting upset stomachs, as their digestive tracts are still developing.  My babies got pureed steamed peas and broccoli, but what they loved the most was getting stewed fruit: apples, pears, peaches – whatever we had handy and in season!  Infants and children old enough to eat raw fruits and vegetables should be eating lots of those foods, which should supply them with plenty of fiber.

Unfortunately, processed foods today are often really low in fiber.  White bread and white rice have the fibrous outer layers of the grain removed, while animal products do not have any fiber in them.  Kids can go the whole day without getting much fiber at all.  From bacon and eggs with milk for breakfast to ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch to mac’n’cheese with hot dogs for dinner, kids can easily go the whole day without getting the fiber they need for good health.

While there are fiber supplements that can be administered, one of the main benefits of consuming high-fiber food is that fiber comes with other nutrients.  Foods high in fiber tend to be really high in nutrition.  A supplement won’t be able to give your kids the same complete nutrition that eating fruits and vegetables will.

Other Benefits of Eating Fiber

In fact, did you know that for every 10 grams of fiber you eat, your risk of death from all causes decreases by 10%?*  Don’t we all want our kids to lead healthier lives and to decrease their risks from all diseases?  Gosh, getting them to eat more fiber certainly seems like a great way to do that!

As I mentioned above, consuming dietary fiber significantly reduces constipation and prevents it from forming in the first place.*  Not only that, eating plenty of fiber reduces risk of breast cancer (which is probably of more interest to mommies than babies)** and even stroke.***  Many kids today suffer from all sorts of allergies and inflammations, which can also be reduced by increasing fiber intake.****  Heart disease is more of risk to children than ever before and a vegan diet has been shown to help dramatically, which is perhaps why the American Heart Association recommends eating more fiber.  Fiber can also help kids lose weight, which is possibly why the American Diabetes Association recommends eating more of it, in addition to fiber’s ability to help control blood glucose levels.

Fiber really sounds like the magic super nutrient we should all be eating and feeding our kids.  Just take some fiber supplements and we’ll all live healthfully ever after!  Well…. No. Not quite.  As I mentioned above, it is really the confluence of all those things that make up the foods that contain fiber.  It’s not just the fiber, it’s the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that are contributing to the benefits of a high fiber diet.  That’s why it’s best to get fiber from natural whole foods rather than a supplement or a food to which fiber has been added at the end.

How Much Fiber Should Kids Eat?

Just because fiber is good for kids doesn’t mean you should load them up on super high-fiber foods and supplements.  Too little is no good but too much can also hurt.  Too much fiber can once again cause digestive issues like constipation, cramping, or even diarrhea. Still, you would be surprised at how much fiber really is the recommendation: I find it unlikely that kids are eating too much fiber!

Here are the American Heart Association daily fiber intake recommendations for kids:

  • Babies 1-3 years old: 19 grams
  • Children 4-8 years old: 25 grams
  • Girls 9-13 years old: 26 grams
  • Boys 9-13 years old: 31 grams
  • Girls 14-18 years old: 26 grams
  • Boys 14-18 years old: 38 grams

Adults should continue to follow the 14-18 year old recommendations.

Conclusion

Fiber tends to be really overlooked as an essential part of children’s nutrition. Yet it gives kids the same health benefits it gives adults, and more! If we can give kids a healthy start and foundation, they will grow up to be healthier adults.  Get your kids eating more high fiber foods and soon they’ll be feeling the benefits of a healthier digestive tract.

*Yang J, Wang HP, Zhou L, Xu CF. Effect of dietary fiber on constipation: a meta analysis. World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(48):7378-7383.

**Dong JY, He K, Wang P, and Qin LQ. Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011;94(3):900-905.

***Chen GC, Lv DB, Pang Z, Dong JY, Liu QF. Dietary fiber intake and stroke risk: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013;67(1):96-100.

****Jiao J, Xu JY, Zhang W, Han S, Qin LQ. Effect of dietary fiber on circulating C-reactive protein in overweight and obese adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2015;66(1):114-119.

Emotional Hunger: What Is It?

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Emotional Hunger: What Is It?

Earlier this week, I posted about using mindfulness as a tool to teach kids how to take control of their eating habits.  One of the most critical things kids (and all of us) can learn from being more mindful when we eat is to be aware of our hunger.  Some hunger comes because our bodies need fuel, but not all of it.  Some hunger is instead emotional hunger.

What is Emotional Hunger?

Emotional hunger is the hunger we feel when we are experiencing a certain mood or situation.  The emotional triggers are different for each person.  I know a lot of people who eat nonstop when they are stressed.  I, on the other hand, cannot even think about food when I’m stressed.  But stress and anxiety are not the only triggers that make people suddenly want to eat.  Some people eat when they’re happy or when they’re sad.  Some people eat when they’re in a relaxed mood, others when they are under pressure.

Often we eat simply because we are reminded of a food.  No matter what our mood is, we start to salivate when we walk past a chocolate or pizza shop.  Just smelling food can make our bodies respond as if we are about to eat.  Not only smells, but memories or reminders can also spur us to eat.  Thinking fondly of a family member who has just called can bring to mind memories about shared meals.  Remembering with pride a certain achievement can also recall the foods we used to celebrate it.

Being in a situation similar to one we’ve experienced many times can also trigger us to want certain foods.  I know a lot of people who insist on having chicken soup the moment they come down with a cold, whether they are hungry or not.  When my stomach is upset, I reach for dry crackers and ginger ale, even if I really don’t want to consume anything.

All of these moods and memories that spark our interest in eating are forms of emotional hunger.  We are hungry not because we need to eat but because something else internal to our mind has made us think we need to eat.  Emotional hunger is hunger driven by our emotions and our psychological needs rather than our physical needs.

Kids Also Experience Emotional Hunger

As adults, we may be tempted to think of emotional hunger as an adult experience.  Kids, who surely have less emotional baggage to carry around, should not be so susceptible, right? Right? Wrong.  In fact, there is an entire emotional eating scale adapted specifically for children and adolescents!*

Emotional Hunger Begins Young

It makes perfect sense that even very young children should associate food with soothing emotions.  Beginning at birth, babies are offered food as a soothing mechanism and feeding times are often an opportunity for intense parent-baby bonding.  Food is immediately associated with being a way to improve mood and overall feeling.  Having had two babies of my own, I can freely admit to many times having offered the breast to my babies to stop them from crying and to soothe their distress – even when I knew they weren’t hungry.

Actively eating as a result of emotional hunger can be observed in children as young as 2 years old.**  It has also been extensively tested in preschool children*** as well as in adolescents.****  There is no doubt that children use food to stimulate or still their emotional states just as adults do.

The Dangers of Emotional Eating and Emotional Hunger

The main danger of emotional eating and emotional hunger in children is that it is clearly associated with obesity.  Emotional eating leads to a greater body mass index (BMI) and a less healthy diet, which results in less healthy kids.***  If we want to inspire healthy kids, we need to deal with emotional hunger in a constructive way.

How to Identify Emotional Hunger

If your child(ren) is/are already displaying emotional eating habits, it is time to teach them how to identify emotional hunger and to separate it from physical hunger.  Mindfulness techniques can really help.  Mindfulness encourages children to assess their emotional state prior to eating.  However, there are some key identifiers that make it easier for a child to answer whether they are experiencing emotional or physical hunger. Use these lists as your guide, from Doris Wild Helmering and Dianne Hales Think Thin, Be Thin (New York: Broadway Books, 2004): 77 and Brian Wansink’s Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think (Australia: Hay House, 2010): 153.

Physical Hunger

  • Builds gradually
  • Strikes below the neck (e.g., growling stomach)
  • Occurs several hours after a meal
  • Goes away when full
  • Eating leads to feeling of satisfaction

Emotional Hunger

  • Develops suddenly
  • Above the neck (e.g., a “taste” for ice cream)
  • Unrelated to time
  • Persists despite fullness
  • Eating leads to guilt and shame

Conclusion

Emotional hunger can plague anyone, from very young toddlers through to the elderly.  Eating just because we want to assuage our emotions can lead to overeating, unhealthy eating, and weight gain.  Unfortunately, kids can establish these habits and patterns very young.  Stay tuned for my next post: I will tell you all about how to prevent and counter emotional hunger.

*Tanofsky-Kraff, M., Theim, K. R., Yanovski, S. Z., Bassett, A. M., Burns, N. P., Ranzenhofer, L. M., Glasofer, D. R. and Yanovski, J. A. (2007), Validation of the emotional eating scale adapted for use in children and adolescents (EES-C). Int. J. Eat. Disord., 40: 232–240. doi: 10.1002/eat.20362

**Farrow C, Blissett J, Stability and continuity of parentally reported feeding practices and child eating behaviours from 2-5 years of age. Appetite 2012;58:151–6.

***Blissett J, Haycraft E, Farrow C. Inducing preschool children’s emotional eating: relations with parental feeding practices. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;92:359–65.

****Braet C, Van Strien T. Assessment of emotional, externally induced and restrained eating behaviour in nine to twelve-year-old obese and non-obese children. Behav Res Ther 1997;35:863–73.

Mindfulness: Using Awareness to Eat Healthy

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Mindfulness: Using Awareness to Eat Healthy

It seems like buzzwords like mindfulness, meditation, and awareness are becoming more commonly accepted.  When I was younger, these concepts raised images of gurus, hippies, and quacks.  Today, the health benefits of meditation are undisputed, and mindfulness and living in the present are becoming lifestyles in their own right.  This made me wonder: Could mindfulness be used to teach our kids to eat more healthfully?

Mindless Eating

A lot of the food we eat, we eat mindlessly.  I am guilty party numero uno in this regard: I see mealtimes as my “time out” from the stress of being a full-time wife and mother, so whenever I can snatch a moment to sit at the table and eat, I grab a good book and read.  Of course there are many manifestations of this: some people eat while they watch television, some while they read, and even some while they’re driving.  Our kids are no exception.  If they’re not eating in front of the boob tube, they’re likely to be eating on the go or while horsing around with their friends.  Even in the hour-long child minding my kids attend while I go to the gym, the carers put the TV on while the kids eat their snacks.

The problem with eating mindlessly is that we don’t tend to think about what we are eating, or how much.  On the one hand this is a really bad thing because it often leads us to eat too much of the wrong foods.  We end up eating an extra dozen handfuls of popcorn, an extra bread roll, or an extra helping of pasta.  On the other hand, we can turn this to our advantage.  If our kids are eating mindlessly, they will end up eating more healthy stuff, like salad, veggies, and fresh fruit.  It is up to us as their parents to replace the cookie jar with a bowl of fresh fruit and to relegate the serving bowl of pasta to the sideboard while a big bowl of salad takes pride of place on the table.

Using mindless eating as a trick to get kids to eat more healthfully only works when our children are eating at home.  But as kids grow up, head off to school, and take on more and more activities, the number of opportunities we have to trick them into eating healthfully decreases.  This is when we need to educate our kids in the skills they need to make good eating decisions.

Applying Mindfulness to Eating

Mindfulness goes beyond simply living in the moment.  When it comes to eating, it is actually all-encompassing.  Often, we taste the first and last few bites of a meal, but the intervening majority of flavor is lost on us.  We frequently eat and cannot remember how much we consumed.  We habitually underestimate how much and how many we have eaten.  We don’t even know if we are hungry or full.  We don’t pay attention.  And the majority of us overeat as a result.  And that includes our kids.

By applying a mindfulness approach, we bring our focus back fully onto our food.  We pay attention to all those details, including:

  • How fast or slow am I eating?
  • How long does it take me to eat this meal/snack?
  • What is the texture of the food?
  • How does the food taste?
  • How does eating this food make me feel?
  • What memories, feelings, or emotions do I associate with this food?
  • Am I hungry, not hungry, or full?
  • Do I want to take each bite?
  • What will be the consequences of eating this food?

Teaching Your Kids Mindful Eating

Getting kids to slow down and savor their food may seem a daunting task, but it is a skill that can be taught.  Try this simple exercise with your kids and repeat it as frequently as possible until the act of being mindful and aware becomes familiar and a matter of course.

Have your child take a few raisins, some sunflower seeds, a cracker, a stick of celery, or another small snack the first time you try this, but you can also try this at the dinner table as a family.  Begin by asking your child to describe how they are feeling.  Are they hungry or full? Heavy or light? Relaxed or anxious?  What is their mood, and does it affect their desire to eat?  What do they think will be the consequences of their eating this snack?  (Will it give them energy, make them gain weight, or make them feel more or less hungry?)  Have your child pick up the food in his/her hand.  Ask them to describe it in intimate detail.  Is it heavy or light?  Is it wrinkled or smooth?  How does it feel sitting on their skin? Comfortable or uncomfortable?  What color is it?  What texture?  Have your child bring the food up to their nose and inhale.  What does it smell like?  Is the smell strong or weak?  Does this smell remind them of any thing, person, or experience?  Have them place the snack in their mouth or take a bite of it.  Before they chew have them assess how it feels in their mouth.  Is it dry or wet? Warm or cold? Does the texture feel different on their tongue than it did in their hand?  Does the food have a taste even before they begin to chew?  Does it feel heavy on their tongue or light?  Is it melting or solid?  Ask them to chew but not yet swallow.  What does the food taste like?  Is it sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or umami?  Does it remind them of anything?  Does it affect their emotions at all?  What is the texture of the food?  Is it chewy or crunchy? Hard or soft?  How does the texture change the longer they chew it?  How does the flavor change?  Tell your child to swallow.  As they do so, have them focus on the feeling of the food sliding down their throat.  Have them imagine it sliding down into their stomach.  Now ask them how they feel.  Do they feel more or less hungry?  How is their emotional state?  Do they feel satisfied? Guilty?  Repeat with the remaining snack.

The Results of Mindfulness

Mindfulness and awareness may or may not motivate your child to make more healthy food choices away from home.  They still might not choose to order salad when all their friends order greasy pizza.  But mindfulness can help them be more aware of their bodies and their emotions as they eat.  By nurturing mindfulness related to eating, you will make it impossible for them to continue to eat mindlessly.  Whether they want to or not, they will suddenly find themselves “zoning in” when eating instead of “zoning out.”  Unwittingly, they will begin to be aware of how much they are eating, how fast they are eating, and how they feel about the food they are eating.  It will make them stop and think twice before heading to the snack machines – asking themselves if they are really hungry right now.

Mindful eating can really help kids to make better food choices.  It can also help them to lose weight or to stay at a healthy weight.  It will also help them confront their emotions surrounding food.  If eating certain foods makes them feel sluggish or guilty, their awareness of this can help them choose to avoid those foods in the future.

Another benefit of mindful eating is that it gives kids a sense of consequences.  The judgment center of kids’ brains doesn’t fully develop until their early 20’s.  But by making consequences very clear and by teaching kids to consider the consequences of their eating habits, we introduce them to a useful skill that can be applied across the board in their lives.

Good for Relationships

Teaching kids the skills of mindfulness when eating can also be good for your relationship with them.  In effect, teaching mindfulness is a form of granting stewardship.  Instead of micromanaging and trying to control all of your child’s eating habits, you are teaching them the skills they need to make good food choices.  Handing over the control to your kids, at least when they are out of the house, gives them a sense of power and control.

Power and control are essential for any human being.  None of us likes the feeling of being powerless, and that includes even very young children.  Anyone who has had a baby spit their food or formula out at them or refuse a particular type of food has run into this head on.  If we want to inspire healthy kids, we cannot just focus on the last two words.  Of course we want healthy kids, but we also want inspired kids!

Mindfulness is one tool of many that we as parents can deploy to teach our kids to make good food choices.  By teaching them this skill, we can also give them the gift of being able to say to them that we trust them to make good decisions on their own.  Being granted power, control, and stewardship over their own eating habits can be hugely empowering for kids of all ages.  This does not mean they are without guidance!  This means we provide them the guidance, the help, and the aid they need to learn how to make good decisions without wresting the control away from them.

Happy Mindful Eating!

I hope this tutorial on teaching mindful eating proves helpful.  In fact, it is the kind of timeless wisdom we can all benefit from, no matter what our age.  Mindfulness can stop us from reaching into the office candy dish when we don’t really want another chocolate, and it can stop us from going back for seconds when we are no longer hungry.  But unlike conventional diets, mindfulness does not deprive anyone of the foods they want.  It simply makes us more alert to our behaviors and empowers us to make good decisions.  For an adult, this can be hugely liberating and for a child it is even more inspirational and empowering.

For anyone interested in using mindfulness and emotional awareness as the keys to resolving weight or food issues, I strongly encourage you to contact my good friend and personal inspiration, Kylie Ryan.  And no, she didn’t pay me to say that.  I just think she’s awesome and good at what she does, and I know you will, too.

Mercury: Fish to Avoid

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Mercury: Fish to Avoid

How much mercury does this fish have?

Fish can be a part of a healthy diet (but are by no means essential to a healthy diet, so vegan friends keep on vegging out!).  Unfortunately, many popular fish are high in mercury.  Mercury is a heavy metal that we do not need in our systems to survive.  In fact, there is no safe amount of mercury that we know of.  As parents, we have an obligation to protect our children as much as possible.  One way to do this is to avoid feeding kids fish high in mercury.  Pregnant women also need to avoid mercury as much as possible, as mercury can cross the placental barrier.

Fish as a Source of Mercury

Preparing fish

While some mercury is naturally discharged into the environment, much mercury is added to the environment by human industry.  Industries often discharge large amounts of waste products into our water sources.  Elemental or inorganic mercury is discharged by industry into our oceans and is transformed by bacteria into methylmercury.  This methylmercury then accumulates in the aquatic food chain.  Thus, small animals eat the bacteria, bigger animals eat them, and as you move up the food chain more and more methylmercury accumulates in the fish. Pregnant women who eat this fish, or children whose parents feed them this fish, are at higher risk. (Read more here.)

Which Fish to Eat?

Grilled fish

Not all fish accumulate methylmercury equally.  Just as not all mammals eat the same things, not all fish eat the same things.  If the methylmercury processing bacteria aren’t in the food chain (or are less in the food chain), then the bigger fish will contain less mercury.

Unfortunately, overfishing has also done a lot of damage to the aquatic environment.  Some fish are being so overfished their populations are declining dangerously.  This isn’t a health or diet issue, but it is an environmental issue.  Because this is a nutrition blog, I’ll still list fish with dangerously low levels or with bad environmental fishing practices, but I will include the caveat of stars for those who wish to avoid them.

This list is from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

LEAST MERCURY

Enjoy these fish:
Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder*
Haddock (Atlantic)*
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)**
Salmon (Fresh)**
Sardine
Scallop*
Shad (American)
Shrimp*
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting

MODERATE MERCURY

Eat six servings or less per month:
Bass (Striped, Black)
Carp
Cod (Alaskan)*
Croaker (White Pacific)
Halibut (Atlantic)*
Halibut (Pacific)
Jacksmelt
(Silverside)
Lobster
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish*
Perch (Freshwater)
Sablefish
Skate*
Snapper*
Tuna (Canned
chunk light)
Tuna (Skipjack)*
Weakfish (Sea Trout)

HIGH MERCURY

Eat three servings or less per month:
Bluefish
Grouper*
Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf)
Sea Bass (Chilean)*
Tuna (Canned Albacore)
Tuna (Yellowfin)*

HIGHEST MERCURY

Avoid eating:
Mackerel (King)
Marlin*
Orange Roughy*
Shark*
Swordfish*
Tilefish*
Tuna (Bigeye, Ahi)*

* Fish in Trouble! These fish are perilously low in numbers or are caught using environmentally destructive methods. To learn more, see the Monterey Bay Aquariumand the The Safina Center (formerly Blue Ocean Institute), both of which provide guides to fish to enjoy or avoid on the basis of environmental factors.

** Farmed Salmon may contain PCB’s, chemicals with serious long-term health effects.

Mercury: Dangerous for Kids’ Health

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Mercury: Dangerous for Kids’ Health

There are so many ways we try to protect our children.  We hold their hands when they cross the street, we watch them as they play on the playground, and we buckle them into their car seats.  But how careful are we about how they eat?  One way we can protect our kids is to reduce their exposure to serious known toxins.  Exposure to toxic chemicals can affect children in very serious ways, as they are still growing and developing.* One of the most common toxic exposures is to a metal called mercury.

What is Mercury?

Mercury is a heavy metal that is naturally occurring in the environment.  In fact, it is so heavy that just one quarter cup of mercury at room temperature weighs nearly one kilogram!  (Just over two tablespoons weighs one pound.)  It is a silvery color that you may have seen in thermometers.  Even though mercury occurs naturally in the environment, it can also be propagated by certain industries and causes serious environmental and health consequences.

How Is Mercury Taken In?

Mercury is pernicious in that it can be taken in in many ways.  It can be inhaled, consumed, and absorbed through the skin.  It can also cross placental barriers and be prenatally absorbed by a fetus.  It is important to begin protecting your child from mercury exposure as soon as they are conceived.

What Exposes My Kids to Mercury?

Some children are exposed to extra mercury because they or their families are associated with certain employment that uses mercury.  Ironically, the health care sector used to be a major route of exposure, through use of mercury in instruments and cleaning supplies, but fortunately this is no longer common practice.  Mercury is still used heavily in the mining industry (especially gold mining), power plants, crematoria, and the charcoal industry.  If you or your child is not exposed to these industries, then your child’s exposure to mercury is likely to be environmental: food, air, water, and soil.  Let’s look at the main routes of exposure in turn.

Mercury Exposure in Food

This is the most common way children are exposed to mercury and one of the most easily preventable.**  Mercury accumulates in the seafood food chain.  This means that top seafood predators, such as tuna fish, are highest in mercury.  By knowing what fish are highest in mercury and which are lowest, you can ensure that your child is eating fish with low levels of mercury.

Be aware that fruits and vegetables grown in mercury heavy soil or in a mercury poisoned atmosphere are also themselves high in mercury.  Today, fertilizers no longer contain mercury as they used to, so most people in developed countries do not need to worry.  However, if your produce is being grown next to a power plant, a plant that produces mercury cell batteries, a gold mine (you wish, right?), a cemetery, or a crematorium, you should be aware that the mercury levels in your produce might be high.

Some preservatives also contain mercury.  This is a good reason to try to buy things fresh and prepare your own food as much as possible.   In many foods, even foods purporting to be all natural or pure, the only additional ingredient is a preservative.

Mercury has also been detected in certain foods that are the byproducts of mercury producing practices.  The most notable one is high fructose corn syrup.***  High fructose corn syrup is found is so many foods today that it is almost ubiquitous.  Aside from the fact that it is incredibly unhealthy in general, it is also a source of toxicity.

Mercury Exposure in Soil

Kids play outside (or at least mine do – and I hope yours do, too).  But because kids are digging in the dirt, getting filthy, and putting their hands in their mouths, they are also exposed to anything the soil contains, including mercury.  Environmental mercury can accumulate in soil just from being deposited from the air.  Soil can also contain mercury from decomposing wastes, as well as from fertilizers containing mercury (which fortunately is less common today – but used to be used more).****

Other Sources of Mercury Exposure

Some mercury exposure is due to the customs of certain cultures.  If you do not participate in these cultural practices, then you do not need to worry about these things.

Significant exposure can come from certain ayurvedic medicine.  Yes I know ayurvedic medicine is supposed to be healthy, but certain medicines and practices contain mercury and it can be really dangerous.*****  Other religions like Santeria or Espritismo also involve mercury in their rituals.******

Another significant cultural exposure to mercury comes in the form of skin lightening cosmetics, creams, lotions, and other products.  In some cultures, especially Asian cultures, light skin is seen as highly desirable and there is temptation to use products to lighten skin tone.  However, many of these products contain mercury, which can be very dangerous.*******

What Harm Does Mercury Cause?

In children, mercury poisoning generally manifests in the form of acrodynia, or “pink disease.”  It is called pink diseases because children’s hands, feet, cheeks, and lips turn pink and painful.  They can also begin to lose their hair, teeth, and nails.********   Other symptoms of mercury poisoning include confused vision, hearing, and speech, and a lack of coordination.

Mercury poisoning is very serious.  Mercury kills neurons in certain parts of the brain, which makes it especially dangerous for babies in utero.  It crosses both the placental and blood brain barriers and is not efficiently excreted, so it can accumulate in the unborn baby.  These babies are born with neurological problems that resemble cerebral palsy, spasticity, and other reflex, visual, and convulsive problems.  All pregnant women, for the sake of their unborn babies, should not risk mercury exposure.

How Much Mercury is too Much?

There is no known safe level of mercury to consume.  Let me repeat that.  There is NO safe amount of mercury to consume.

In other words, any mercury is too much mercury.

To protect your children, reduce their mercury intake as much as possible.

How Can I Protect My Kids From too Much Mercury?

There are certain things you can do to reduce your children’s exposure to mercury:

  • If you feed your children fish, ensure you are feeding them low mercury fish.
  • Reduce your kids’ intake of mercury containing food additives like preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.
  • Avoid keeping mercury containing products like mercury thermometers and fluorescent light bulbs in your house.  If you do keep these items in your home, ensure they are kept safe and not in danger of breaking.  If a mercury containing item does break, safely clean up the spill, keeping your kids far away at all times.  (If you are pregnant and one of these items breaks, please leave the area immediately and do not inhale in that area.   You should contact an approved toxic spill company to clean up the toxins and test the air, as airborne mercury is highly toxic.)
  • Do not use ayurvedic or other ritualistic remedies that may contain mercury.
  • Do not expose yourself or your children to skin lightening creams, lotions, etc.

(You many notice that not vaccinating is not on this list.  There is no scientific link between the trace amounts of mercury contained in vaccines and autism.**********  In fact, elemental liquid mercury injected is less harmful than mercury in its other forms taken in through food, skin, or air exposure.***********)

Conclusion

I hope this information is useful.  I will follow up soon with more information on what fish and seafood are safest and most dangerous to consume, as well as more information about how children are exposed to mercury through seafood consumption.

*Jarosinska D, Gee D. Children’s environmental health and the precautionary principle.Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2007;210:541–6.

*Selevan SG, Kimmel CA, Mendola P, Pronczuk-Garbino J. Children’s health and the environment – a global perspective. WHO press; Geneva: 2005. Windows of susceptibility to environmental exposures in children; pp. 17–26.

*Weiss B. Vulnerability of children and the developing brain to neurotoxic hazards.Environ Health Perspect. 2000;108(Suppl 3):375–81.

**Al-Saleh IA. Health implications of mercury exposure in children. Int J Environ Healthc.2009;3:22–57

***Dufault R, LeBlanc B, Schnoll R, Cornett C, Schweitzer L, Wallinga D, et al. Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environ Health.2009;8:2.

****United Nations Environment Programme-Chemicals . Global Mercury Assessment.Geneva: 2002. Available at: http://www.unep.org/gc/gc22/Document/UNEP-GC22-INF3.pdf.

*****Dargan PI, Gawarammana IB, Archer JRH, House IM, Shaw D, Wood DM. Heavy metal poisoning from ayurvedic traditional medicines: an emerging problem? Int J Environ Healthc. 2008;2:463–74.

******U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . Task force on ritualistic uses of mercury-EPA/540-R-01-005. Washington, DC: 2002.

*******Al-Saleh I, Al-Doush I. Mercury content in skin-lightening creams and potential hazards to the health of Saudi women. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1997;51:123–30.

*******Hursh JB, Clarkson TW, Miles EF, Goldsmith LA. Percutaneous absorption of mercury vapor by man. Arch Environ Health. 1989;44:120–7.

********Palmer RB, Godwin DA, McKinney PE. Transdermal kinetics of a mercurous chloride beauty cream: an in vitro human skin analysis. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2000;38:701–7.

*********Bjørklund G (1995). “Mercury and Acrodynia” (PDF).Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine 10 (3 & 4): 145–146.

**********Doja A, Roberts W (2006). “Immunizations and autism: a review of the literature”. Can J Neurol Sci 33 (4): 341–6.

***********Clarkson TW, Magos L (2006). “The toxicology of mercury and its chemical compounds”. Crit Rev Toxicol 36 (8): 609–62.