Fed Up with Food Fear-Mongering

If you haven’t heard lately that carbohydrates and sugar are deadly poisons, consider yourself lucky. As a registered dietitian who stays immersed in both research and popular diet/food trends, a day does not go by that I don’t see single foods or nutrients being demonized and falsely labeled as evil, disease-causing, or even toxic. 

That’s right, eating a slice of bread will now KILL YOU (or at least eat through half of your brain) according to numerous supposed health and fitness authorities—including doctors, registered dietitians, personal trainers, and nutritionists—as well as your run-of-the-mill diet gurus, countless bloggers-turned-nutrition-experts, and, of course, big and small media outlets, reporters, and writers. And, if that single dietary constituent somehow doesn’t kill you outright, you can be sure it will hold you hostage, force you to eat it to the exclusion of all other foods, mercilessly addict you, make you obese, and THEN kill you.

Vilifying individual foods or nutrients in the name of feigned health promotion, or food fear-mongering as I call it, is a big, big problem. It does NOT make people healthier, nor does it promote the healthy relationship with food that is so crucial for long-term success with dietary health and weight control. For reasons I will discuss in a minute, I believe that food fear-mongering makes people much less healthy in body and mind, more likely to engage repeatedly in cyclical dieting and other unhealthy eating behaviors, and far less likely to be able to derive pleasure and enjoyment from eating.

But first, let’s make sure we're clear about a couple things. As a dietitian I’m well-aware of diet and weight-related diseases. I understand that limiting certain foods and nutrients (trans fat, excess added sugars, for example) and emphasizing others (fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, for example) all the while taking into account the context of an entire diet and lifestyle can play a huge role in positive health outcomes. I agree that there are better and worse food choices when it comes to our eating habits, but I also realize that diet and health are never black and white, don’t exist in a vacuum, and are not nearly as simplistic as the gurus and "experts" who tell us that fructose is POISON (context and dose-dependence be damned) would have you believe. 

I mention this because the last thing I want is people taking from this post that I think loads of sugar is good for you or that I’m a staunch advocate for eating wheat by the bushelful every day--that's just not the case. But what I do hope will be taken from this post is that consuming sugar or wheat or ice cream or pretty much ANY FOOD (barring you don't have an allergy or intolerance) once in a while will not have a significant negative impact on your health, if done in moderation, let alone be the sole cause of your death!

So let’s do a quick recap: sure, there are health problems related to overconsuming just about any food. Sure, we’d be better off with much fewer sugary treats and junk processed foods and much more whole, unprocessed real foods, all in moderation. Sure, there are probably plenty of people who could lay off some of the wheat or sugar in their diet, lose weight (as a result of creating a caloric deficit), and feel much better as a result. But deeming wheat a “dietary poison” and blaming it for all our ills...WHY??

Alright, before we go any further, I want to show you some of the food fear-mongering I see and hear on a daily basis. I’ve compiled a list of actual, recent examples—from popular diet book quotes to tweets to conversations to news media headlines (the names of misinforming "experts" have not been spared, identities of misinformed laypeople have)—that will hopefully bring you up to speed on the food fear-mongering hysteria that is going on. I must warn you, it is obscene—pure theater at times—and there is death. So. Much. Death (and carnage)!

“Does eating grains destroy your brain? More from Dr. David Perlmutter on his new book, Grain Brain.” (followed by link to promotional website for Dr. David Perlmutter’s new book) 

Tweet by Professor Tim Noakes (@proftimnoakes, exercise science professor, author, and paleo-diet proponent).

“Does eating bread, pasta, or potatoes make you feel better if you’re in a bad mood? You might be a sugar addict! #thesugardetox to the rescue.” 

Tweet by Brooke Alpert (@bnutritious, Registered Dietitian and author of The Sugar Detox).

You might have also just been hungry, but what do I know? In any case, the resolution to this problem—buy the book of course!

“Brain attack from grains!” (followed by link to promotional website for Dr. David Perlmutter’s new book). 

Tweet by William Davis (@williamdavismd, cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly).

Is this real life?

“Whole grains are the worst possible foods you could put in your mouth” 

Tweet by Jimmy Moore (@livinlowcarbman, Atkins/Paleo/low-carb diet advocate*, author of Cholesterol Clarity). 

That's funny, I could think of a few worse foods, Jimmy, and I bet you could, too, if you didn't have an extreme low-carb image to sell. 

“Freed from the tyranny of wheat and freed from snacking, cravings, and needless tummy fat!” (followed by link to Wheat Belly testimonial)

Tweet by William Davis (@williamdavismd, cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly).

The tyranny of wheat! Lol! Move over Stalin and Mussolini, Wheat is after your spot in history!

“How Grains are Killing You Slowly” 

Blog post headline by "Wellness Mama" (wife, mom, and "real food crusader"), recently promoted on Twitter by a low-carb-advocating Registered Dietitian.

Fear-inducing and completely nonsensical.

“4 Common Foods That KILL 15 Million People Per Year” 

Blog post headline by Kris Gunnars (personal trainer, student, and “authority” nutrition blogger).

In this post, Gunnars inferred from his reference that sugar, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and vegetables oils are directly causing the 15 million deaths (since the top two causes of death worldwide are lifestyle and diet-related). Really?!

“Things as simple as carbohydrates are devastating for the brain and...things like Alzheimer’s are preventable” (followed by link to Robb Wolf’s (author of The Paleo Solution) Paleo Solutions podcast) 

Tweet by Professor Tim Noakes (@proftimnoakes, exercise science professor, author, and paleo-diet proponent).

“Wheat incites violence! ‘An hour-long prison riot involving up to 50 inmates was triggered by a disagreement...’ ” (followed by link to an article about a sandwich-provoked prison riot)

Tweet by William Davis (@williamdavismd, cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly).

I sure hope Doc Davis was trying to be funny with this one!

" 'Sugars and trans fat are the KILLERS and can create poor heart health. Inflammation is a ticket to poor heart health.' --@SinatraMD"
Tweeted by Dietitian Cassie (@dietitiancassie, Registered Dietitian and purveyor of dietary supplements, low-carb advocate). Quote by Dr. Sinatra (@SinatraMD, author of The Great Cholesterol Myth, and BIG-TIME dietary supplement salesman).
It's all in the dose, though that's never mentioned. Call me optimistic but I don't think anyone's going to drop dead on the spot from either "killer" substance. 

“ ‘Gluten represents the greatest and most under-recognized health threat to humanity...’ David Perlmutter, Grain Brain” 

Tweeted by Tom Nikkola (@tomnikkola, personal trainer, Vice President of Business Development for a dietary supplement manufacturing company, and low-carb proponent).

As a pal of mine so eloquently said a while back, that's the kind of statement that gets you a book deal. And indeed it did.

“Right. Eat more grains and sugar. Enjoy killing people with your advice.” 

Message I got in response to my Butter Coffee blog post.

I could almost smell this man's fear of grains and sugar through my computer. Sad, really.

“Gluten is our generations tobacco.” 

Quote from David Perlmutter in his book, Grain Brain.

Another classic alarmist authority quote--sensationalism at its best.

“Sugar is addictive and ‘the most dangerous drug of the times’ ” 

News headline from The Telegraph quoting Paul van der Velpen, a Dutch health official.

Is that so? Any heroin, meth, cocaine, or alcohol abusers and their families want to weigh in on this one?

"Thanks @Dietitiancassie 4 teaching me this months ago! '@Drudge_Report: Sugar is most dangerous drug of the times...' " (followed by link to The Telegraph article mentioned above)
Tweet by Identity Withheld. 
Clearly showing how easily these fearful messages are absorbed by laypeople. 

“She dodged the dietary poisons, lost 69 lbs!” (followed by link to Wheat Belly testimonial) 

Tweet by William Davis (@williamdavismd, cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly).

The "dietary poisons" obviously being wheat in this case. Sigh.

*Note: I point out whether someone is a "low-carb advocate" not because I have any issue with eating low or lower-carb--if that's what you like, go for it--but rather because my observations indicate that many of these food fear-mongering messages seem to be coming from those whose views are decidedly "anti-carb."   

Whew...now that we’ve got those out of the way...

If you’re still with me and not engulfed in a fit of laughter, let’s move on and talk about what I believe to be the top two reasons food fear-mongering is so prevalent:

1. A sensationalistic message sells--we've known this forever. 

Even more profitable? A feigned revelation about the dangers of a certain food spread by an alarmist “authority” in the field. As evidenced by the examples above, many of the extreme food fear-mongering messages come from people with something to sell you—in the nutrition field, that usually equates to a book, a diet/service, or dietary supplements.

2. People need something simplistic to blame for their weight or health problems. 

Instead of realizing that most diet-related chronic diseases result from a combination of repeated suboptimal nutrition and lifestyle choices and caloric excess over time, it is far easier to point the finger at one food entity, slap on the blame, and then attempt to abstain from that food completely. It is unfortunate but many people just CANNOT grasp, let alone utilize, the concept of moderation with eating, and by putting unnecessary limits on their diets, they can stay on the straight and narrow, though usually not for long. 

I don’t fault individuals for this: moderation and balance with diet is not easy to come by as I've explained before. Indeed, I feel that demonizing single foods is actually a symptom of our culture’s desperation and desire to get healthier. At the same time, however, the food blame game is another embarrassingly obvious example of how we seem to be continually grasping for eating truths and absolutes in a society devoid of a food culture, yet overflowing with food.

This makes people all too vulnerable to food fear-mongering messages, and with no shortage of these terrifying warnings, an extremely harmful situation arises. 

So why is food fear-mongering so damaging?

1. Food phobias are created.

An authority figure saying that sugar is poisonous exploits people’s ignorance about diet, human physiology, and the long-term development of chronic disease and teaches them to fear food—this is no joke! I have seen the effects time and time again in my practice—people who are actually AFRAID to eat! They have listened to the simplistic, horrifying messages that x, y, or z food will maim you, induce mold growth on your upper lip, liquefy your insides after a bout of burning inflammation, and ON and ON and ON and have frantically boiled down their diet to a few fanatical food options. Then they wonder why they are tired all the time, sick, depressed, obsessed with food, and aren't getting any real pleasure from eating. Their dietary restrictions are totally unnecessary, but have been put in place because of false fears implanted by alarmist authorities trying to make a buck. This angers me to no end!

2. Food fear-mongering creates VAST confusion. 

How do I know this? Because I get asked the silliest things all the time, by well-meaning people who really think they’ve got things figured out with nutrition, but have really been duped by fear-mongerers. A few real examples:  

I was recently asked with disbelief: “Do you STILL eat grains?” I apparently missed the boat—eating grains was SO pre-Wheat Belly!

Since I do eat grains in moderation, I was once accused of “trusting in corn and wheat” (In Wheat I Trust???) and also informed that my stomach is a “gluten bomb” as a result.

Discussing the health benefits of legumes with someone a few weeks back incited this response: “Legumes = lectins = leaky gut = leaky brain. I’ll get my carbs and protein elsewhere.” This was a completely nonsensical, obviously fearful response. (Side note: the presence of lectins and phytates in whole grains and legumes is often used by low-carb proponents to deter consumption of these very healthy foods. I wrote about the lectin excuse here).  

Someone confidently and proudly told me the other day, “I rarely eat fruit due to the high sugar content.” She surely got Robert Lustig's "fructose is poison" memo.

I love playing dumb when I encounter self-made nutritionists so I can see what advice they have for me, and sure enough, I got schooled with this gem a couple weeks ago: “Nuts are dangerously inflammatory and should be avoided AT ALL COSTS.”

These instances make me want to laugh, cry, and pull my hair out all at once. And the worse part of this immeasurable confusion? Once this degree of food fear and brainwashing is ingrained, I’ve had little success helping people like this back to reality.   

3. Food fear-mongering messages are terribly counter-productive to creating health.

Because alarmist messages attract attention, people who are not educated in the science of nutrition and are actively looking for that one causative reason for their lack of health will easily take these messages at face value, not question them, or even realize that they should question them. They believe what these health authorities tell them and start to completely shun wheat or sugar or whatever the fearful food of the year may be. Eliminating a food or nutrient may provide a short-term benefit to their health in some way, but more likely than not, the avoidance tactic will not last, and old behaviors will return, leading again to a suboptimal health status. No progress is made as a result of food fear-mongering messages. No real, sustainable, healthy eating behaviors are developed. Time is wasted. Money is often wasted. Consequently, YES, PEOPLE ARE HARMED.

Final thoughts:

Promulgating these vastly oversimplified food fear-mongering messages (most of which lack support in the overall body of research evidence) as universal diet recommendations is not only incredibly irresponsible but also completely absurd.

I’m fed up with it. I see the devastating effects food fear-mongering has on individuals as well as how it contributes to our defective, unhealthy culture of eating. 

If you feel the same way I do, I challenge you to speak up when you see food fear-mongering happening. Make it clear that you DO NOT appreciate simplistic, fearful, out-of-context dietary messages and put a voice to your thoughts about how damaging they are. 

Food isn’t toxic. What IS toxic are fear-inducing, one-dimensional dietary messages being spread in the name of profit.

A Bite Here and There: What's the Big Deal?

Does it seem like you are gaining weight but not really eating much more than usual? Do you float through the day without at least some idea of what, where, and when you will eat? 

Without even registering on your food intake radar, those small, quick-to-be-consumed-and-then-completely-forgotten nibbles and tastes that tend to “happen” throughout any given day may be subtly sabotaging your weight loss or maintenance goals. Though seemingly insignificant alone, when added together, these random bites can total up to an unwanted energy surplus. So if your weight continues its mysterious upward creep, it’s worth it to employ your detective skills. 

Use the following example to see just how easy it is to consume more calories than you need in only a few tiny tastes. If you can relate, you may be suffering from A-Bite-Here-And-There-Syndrome (ABHTS). Don't worry, two treatment options are available (see last paragraph)!

Remember, it takes an excess of roughly 3,500 calories to gain a pound of fat. This means that even one hundred extra calories a day could lead to a 10-pound gain in a year! Also, don't forget that a caloric excess (and subsequent weight gain) can occur EVEN IF you are only eating the healthiest "real foods" possible. 

Ready to investigate? Read on: 

1^st bite: A dribble of milk remains in the carton. You might as well finish it, right?

Extra calories: 25

2^nd bite: There's only a smidgen of peanut butter left in the jar after breakfast—hardly enough to justify returning to the fridge! 

Extra calories: 50

3^rd bite: The coffee is a bit strong-tasting today at work so you add some half & half. Adding cream is the only way you will be able to stand the taste, and you NEED your morning caffeine!

Extra calories: 20

4^th bite: You take what must be the smallest sliver of the leftover birthday cake in the break room—probably the smallest piece in comparison to everyone else’s portions. That makes it ok, right?

Extra calories: 80

5^th bite: Whoops! You forgot to ask Jimmy John to leave the mayo off your sub sandwich this noon.

Extra calories: 195

6^th bite: Two mints, please. (Jimmy added too many onions!)

Extra calories: 20

7^th bite: You grab a small chocolate from your co-worker’s candy jar—hey, you need the energy to get your report done this afternoon!

Extra calories: 25

8^th bite: You snitch a second chocolate from the candy jar. You finished the report—a little celebrating is in order, no?

Extra calories: 25

9^th bite: The office crew has gotten together after work. You nibble mindlessly on the peanuts your server brought to the table.

Extra calories: 105

10^th bite: Woohoo--free sample day at the grocery store! A tiny piece of marinated steak on a toothpick couldn’t possibly be the cause of the increasing numbers on the bathroom scale.

Extra calories: 55

11^th bite: You’re trying out a new recipe. You have to taste as you cook to get the seasonings just right.

Extra calories: 60

12^th bite: Your new kale salad recipe tasted great, and there’s only about ¼ cup leftover. Hardly seems worth the effort to package it up and create another dirty dish to clean tomorrow. It was too good to just toss, so...you eat it.

Extra calories: 110

The grand total “extra bites” for the day: 770 calories.

That slow and insidious weight gain you have been noticing over the past year now starts to make sense. It may be time to (1) shut your pie hole and/or (2) start tracking your food intake, Sherlock! ;-)

{Recipe} hearty banana bread

Yeah, yeah, I know everybody has a banana bread recipe. But not everybody can say their banana bread is both delicious AND boasts several healthy perks. Just don't try to count this towards your daily fruit servings--it IS still a treat, so enjoy as such.  ;)

Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf; 12 slices

Ingredients
1 cup 100% whole-wheat flour
1 cup white bread flour
1 1/2 cups unprocessed wheat bran, divided
2 T ground flaxseeds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup organic nonfat plain Greek yogurt
4 T organic butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 large organic eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. 

Mix 1 cup of wheat bran into the yogurt and let sit at least 15 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine the flours, remaining 1/2 cup wheat bran, flaxseed, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; stir well. 

Mix together butter, sugar, mashed bananas, and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir in yogurt and wheat bran mixture.   

Add banana mixture to flour mixture, mixing until completely blended.

Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 65 minutes. Cover top of bread with aluminum foil and bake for additional 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of bread comes out clean. 

Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan and let cool completely. 

Nutrition
This banana bread is nutritionally superior to standard recipes because it contains a blend of 100% whole wheat and white flours (versus all white flour), and it has added wheat bran which provides a ton of insoluble fiber and "bulks up" the bread (helping to make it much more filling/satisfying than standard slices--a must-have feature as I was developing this recipe!). 

Additionally, the Greek yogurt, which I added for extra moisture, provides a nice boost of protein to the bread, which is definitely missing in standard loaves. The ground flaxseeds provide some nice plant omega-3s, lignans, and both soluble and insoluble fiber, along with a little more texture.    

Each slice contains ~245 calories.

Pro Tips

You can easily freeze the loaf or partial loaf (after you've enjoyed a couple slices) to bring out again in a week or so if you wish. Just wrap the remaining loaf tightly with aluminum foil, place in a large sealable plastic bag, and pop in the freezer. 

What Happens When the “Experts” Get Confused about Calories (and Why This is Bad News for You)

Nutrition “experts” who shun calories are all the rage these days, and understandably so: the message they propagate is favorable to many ears. Within their anti-calorie message is a utopia where calories don’t matter for health or weight control and thus there is no need to pay attention to them.

Gosh, who wouldn’t want to get that memo? Can’t you hear the collective sigh of relief among those trying to live healthier, eat better, or lose weight—whew, one less thing to worry about!

In reality though?

Calories do matter.

It’s truly remarkable how the word calorie is such a dirty word for some. After all, we all need calories to live. We all benefit from the energy they provide us. Additionally, when done correctly, “counting calories” (a highly simplistic term for being aware of your caloric needs and monitoring your caloric intake), certainly can be very advantageous both for making healthier food choices and for weight management. Calories aren’t something to fear or hate—just the opposite—they are a tool to help us eat better, more wisely, and regain control of our health.

Realizing how beneficial calories actually are and how best to put them to work for us makes it all the more puzzling as to why one nutrition “expert” recently pronounced her hatred for calories. That’s right, hatred. Ok, I get it (kind of)—we all fear things we don’t understand, but “hating calories” and disparaging their value doesn’t make one a nutrition martyr who helps people live healthier lives, it just exposes an unfortunate lack of understanding.

And even if you don’t like them, guess what?

Calories still matter.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the points the anti-calorie club attempts to make, along with why those points are severely flawed:

Anti-calorie crusaders would have you believe:

“People who count calories think that weight control is simply a matter of balancing calories in and out.”

Actually:

Qualified nutrition professionals, along with most people who have ever attempted weight loss, know it's not that easy and don’t promote this simplistic view. Nutrition experts are keenly aware that weight management is not simply a result of calories in and out—weight control is a highly complex beast influenced by BOTH the quality and quantity of calories, among MANY other factors.

Here are just a couple well-known examples of the other factors (besides just calories in and out) affecting our success or lack thereof with lifelong weight control:

-Figuring out how to eat less in our culture of cheap and abundant calories: how do we cope with our biological drive to eat more when there is such an overabundance of enticing, ready-to-eat food present? (One solution here is to be more accountable for what we ingest. Conveniently, “counting calories,” or monitoring caloric intake, is a very effective means to create accountability.)

-Our need to feel more satisfied on fewer calories: we know that whole, fiber-rich, protein-adequate, and healthy fat-containing calories fill us up, while highly-processed food products, refined carbohydrates, and low-fat foods do less for satiation.

There are many more factors affecting weight management (other than just calories in and out) of which nutrition experts are well-aware, so don’t let the calorie-hating crowd trick you into believing otherwise.

And still, it remains as true as ever that if you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. That’s right. You can gain weight eating a lot of healthy calories or a lot of crap calories or any combination of the two. Indeed, even if you are eating the healthiest foods on the planet—if your body only needs 2,200 calories per day to maintain its weight and you’re eating 3,800 calories per day, you will gain!

Bottom line: We know that weight management is highly complex and influenced by innumerable factors. Nevertheless, the quantitatively consistent makeup of calories does contribute to weight gain or loss.

Anti-calorie crusaders would have you believe:

“Calorie counting = restricting calories.”

Actually:

Monitoring caloric intake has much less to do with restricting and much more to do with making the most out of each and every calorie you ingest while staying within the caloric needs for whatever your goals are (loss, maintenance, or gain). This means planning to get your calories from the most nutrient-dense and filling foods to both improve your overall health and help keep you feeling full. Monitoring caloric intake is also extremely helpful to make sure you are eating ENOUGH calories, moderating your portions, and maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

Bottom line: Monitoring your caloric intake is a healthy behavior with many advantages and is not synonymous with starvation, "dieting," or restrictions.  

Anti-calorie crusaders would have you believe:

“If you count calories, you must be eating a low-fat diet.”

Actually:

No. You can and should eat a good deal of healthy fat for optimal health and weight management, and by monitoring your food and caloric intake, you learn to create a better balance of the three macronutrients: fat, carbohydrates, and protein. People that I have worked with consistently enjoy eating more healthy fats when they monitor their caloric intake (while still losing weight) than they ever thought possible. 

Bottom line: If you truly understand how calories affect weight, you know that you can eat quite a bit of fat and not “get fat” so long as you stay within your caloric intake needs. 

Anti-calorie crusaders would have you believe:

“If you are someone who counts calories, you believe all calories are created equal.”

Actually:

Let’s repeat. Any educated and reputable nutrition professional knows that the nutritional QUALITY of all calorie sources is not equal. Can we stop with the feigned revelations from notoriety-seeking nutrition “experts” telling us that 300 calories from a donut isn’t the same as 300 calories from broccoli? This is so obvious it's absurd, yet the so-called nutrition experts keep tossing it up as a revelation.  

Additionally, the physical composition and properties of the foods we eat (the "packages" within which calories are delivered) can be very different: some foods encourage overeating while some protect against it (think of how easily a processed fast-food hamburger goes down your hatch compared to a plate full of whole, raw carrots).

  

We also know that how the body processes calories from carbohydrate, protein, and fat isn’t “equal.” Does anyone with an ounce of common sense believe that the body metabolizes a sugary soda the same way it does a handful of peanuts?  

Bottom line: Um, duh? All calories aren’t equal qualitatively—we’ve known that all along.

Anti-calorie crusaders would have you believe:

“Counting calories is not sustainable, leaves you feeling deprived, dissatisfied, and hungry.”

Actually:

Knowing how many calories your body needs daily to run efficiently, keep your weight stable, and fill you up does exactly the opposite—it helps create awareness about which foods are the most satisfying and nutrient-dense, and thus, the best choices for satiety and happiness with food. 

As for not being sustainable? Keeping track of your caloric intake is one well-recognized characteristic of people who have been the most successful at maintaining their weight loss long-term, according to the National Weight Control Registry. I have seen the same sustainable results in people I work with and even in myself (I have been monitoring my caloric intake for more than 12 years, maintaining my weight within a range of about 3 pounds—obviously so not sustainable!).

Bottom line: What else can I say? The idea that monitoring calories isn’t sustainable and leaves you dissatisfied and hungry is just bogus, plain and simple.

Finally, why do I care so much?

Because disseminating the “calories don’t matter” message is extremely misleading and dangerous to an already epidemically-overweight population. Calories DO matter—quantity and quality—and the more that people understand and utilize them to their advantage, the healthier they will be.

For another take on this very topic, I encourage you to check out "Blatant Misunderstandings and Oversimplifications: Calorie Edition" by Jake Johnson--an outstanding read with thorough breakdown. 

*Because calories matter so much, stay tuned for more on this topic!

Recommended reading:

Why Calories Count by Armi Legge

http://impruvism.com/why-calories-count/

Is a Calorie a Calorie by Malden Nesheim and Marion Nestle

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/is-a-calorie-a-calorie.html

Calories, Points, and Dots by Dr. David Katz

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/07/08/consider-the-quality-and-quantity-of-calories

Study of diets shows what truly counts: calories by Shari Roan

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/26/science/sci-diet26

The Challenges of Change: 3 Reasons Why We Struggle to Create Health

Have you recently decided to eat better, exercise more, and (with any luck) lose weight, but find yourself slipping into old, comfortable ruts as the puppet strings of life once again start tugging? If you are already struggling to get to the gym once a week (let alone your intended six days), you might consider: Did I bite off more than I can chew here? Was my goal of swapping out all candy for kale a bit too ambitious? Was attempting to lose weight even though I’m barely keeping afloat in other areas of my life just setting myself up for failure? If your boat of health is losing steam more quickly than you had hoped, you are not alone—research shows some 36% of us don’t maintain healthy changes beyond the first month. 

So now what? Why is it so difficult to change our eating and exercise habits? And how can we ever be successful with lifestyle change? Let me share with you three common circumstances I often encounter as a dietitian that may shed some light on the difficulty of change and help you finally make changes that will last. 

1. Enthusiasm or a sense of obligation is masquerading as readiness. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and possibility of a new way of eating or exercise program, but we need to be honest with ourselves—are we truly ready to begin altering our daily routines or are we just caught up in the newness of it all? Weight loss takes time, focus, and hard work. Another crucial component that will dictate our ultimate success or failure with change is lesser known: it is an often imperceptible and complex decision we make—an inherent resolve that switches on like a light in a dark room. It is that moment in which we decide: “I can’t live this way any longer, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to change.” Have you reached this point? If so, you'll know it. Haven’t got there just yet? Then identifying motivators for wanting to live a happier, longer life can help nudge you closer to the threshold. Did your doctor recently tell you have high cholesterol and does that knowledge and all it corresponds with gnaw at you? Having a compromised health status can be a huge motivator for lifelong change. Or maybe you can't stand how you feel anymore and just want to be comfortable in your own skin again. Whatever your motivation, tap it and remember this driving force when times get tough.

2. Success is at the mercy of the ever-elusive “willpower.” If you have been waiting for a bolt of lightning to strike you and jumpstart your willpower, you will likely be waiting a long time. “Willpower,” or lack thereof, is all too often the most convenient thing to blame when we fail to follow through on our health or weight loss goals. To make things happen, continual, conscious efforts, usually in the form of baby steps, must be made to eventually reach an improved state of health and well-being. This might mean devising an alternate route home from work so you aren’t lured into the fast-food drive-thru lane. Or, it might mean talking with a dietitian to learn which foods will help keep you feeling full and which foods aren't as helpful for satiety. Only by gaining knowledge, planning, goal-setting, and practicing will the necessary skills be cultivated. Once these strategies become second nature, long-term success will be yours. 

3. The bigger picture needs evaluating. If there are just too many seemingly impossible obstacles standing in the way of your good intentions to improve your diet and be more physically active, take pause. It is worth it to ask yourself “What is and isn’t working in my life right now?” Often, other large-scale changes need to be made before health and nutrition can be considered your top priority. Wanting to improve your eating habits and lose weight is terrific, but if the other two-thirds of your life is lacking or unfulfilling, you will fall short of your objectives again and again. What to do?  Start by assessing the current state of your being: you may need to quit an unsatisfying job, learn how to say no to the demands of family and friends, seek help for depression or low self-esteem, or try to fix a relationship that has been strained for too long. Whatever may be necessary, don’t compromise—this is your one and only life, after all! Start removing these roadblocks first. After making progress and regaining confidence in other areas of your life, you might find that fitting in a workout most days of the week is remarkably simple and even enjoyable. 

Anyone even considering taking on the challenge of living healthier deserves commendation; changing ingrained lifestyle-related health habits is one of life’s most difficult tasks to undertake. So, assess your readiness, learn, plan, and practice, and make sure it really is the right time in the larger scheme of your life, then go for your goals! The end results truly justify the means.

{Recipe} relishing summer salad

As summer winds to a close, this surprisingly flavorful (yet simple) salad makes use of some of summer's best offerings. It also serves as a reminder of how easy it is to turn a few whole veggies into a scrumptious masterpiece. Don't plan to have leftovers--my husband and I gobbled this up in one sitting.  

Recipe

Yield: makes about 4 servings

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, sliced 4 times (keeping rings intact)
3 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen, thawed)
1 ripe tomato, cut into segments
2 small hot chile peppers or 1 jalapeno, minced 
Abundant fresh thyme leaves
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T brown mustard
3/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper


Directions
Heat grill. Spray onion and zucchini slices with a light coating of cooking spray. Grill onion & zucchini slices for about 10-15 minutes, or just until starting to soften and develop grill marks, turning halfway through (if your grill is closed for the season, you can also just broil the sliced veggies).  

Cut grilled onion and zucchini into bite-size pieces and place in large mixing bowl. Add corn, tomato, hot peppers, and thyme.

In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk together and pour over vegetable mixture. Gently toss to coat veggies. 

Nutrition
It is well-known that vegetables are one of the best sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This salad is full of mostly non-starchy vegetables (all except for the corn), which provide a lot of nutritional value for a small calorie price tag. Additionally, the herb thyme is also full of antioxidants and has even been shown to have anti-microbial properties. Coating the veggies with an extra-virgin olive oil-based dressing provides you with abundant monounsaturated fatty acids--one of the healthiest types of fats you can consume. 

Each serving contains ~165 calories.

Pro Tips
I love dishes with HEAT, which is why you will frequently see hot hot hot (!) peppers in my recipes. I wasn't really a fan of really hot and spicy foods until I started experimenting with and cooking different cultural cuisines and found out how much a little fire in food can add to the eating experience. So if you are on the fence about adding heat, I'd encourage you to try including more hotness in your recipes, a little at a time. And if you still can't stand the heat, don't get out of the kitchen--but feel free to omit the peppers. ;)

{Recipe} best turkey burger

You'll have to take my word for it until you try them. But I'm certain you'll agree, these are darn tasty turkey burgers. 

Recipe

Yield: makes 8 large burgers

Ingredients
Approximately 38.4 oz 93/7 lean ground turkey
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced or chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp coarse ground pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 large organic eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup cooked wild or brown rice

Directions
Saute onion and jalapenos in 1 tsp olive oil just until onions are turning translucent and softening. (If you don't want to dirty up a saute pan, it also works very well to microwave onion & jalapenos for about a minute or just until they are getting soft!)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Shape into 8 burgers. 

Spray grill or large skillet with cooking spray. Grill or cook on stove-top until cooked through. 

Nutrition
These burgers are packed with filling protein and full of flavor. Nutrient-rich brown or wild rice is a healthier substitute for the usual lackluster bread crumbs. 

Each burger contains ~260 calories.

Pro Tips
It should go without saying--the Best Turkey Burger doesn't need a bun. ;-) So skip those worthless processed carbohydrates! Enjoy with a green salad, steamed broccoli or asparagus. You can also serve over cooked farro or quinoa if you prefer. Conveniently, Best Turkey Burgers taste even better as leftovers. ;)

Having a great grill-master is also key to a good burger ;)