The Junk Food Nutritionist

I will be honest. I have not always been a good eater. Even after I became interested in nutrition, my diet was not as good as it is today.  Fifteen years ago (or more!), I decided to become a dietitian & started learning about nutrition...I switched from eating one processed breakfast to another, though. I cut back on processed toaster pastries & replaced them with cereal. Less calories & sugar means it's healthier, right? At least, that's what I thought.  I still eat cereal on occasion, because it is convenient. But, now, I look for something with nuts & seeds for protein. Other protein choices at breakfast include cottage cheese, yogurt, and tofu. Several brands of frozen waffles & pancakes offer higher-protein versions. Occasionally, I will eat eggs or vegetarian sausages. (I don't eat meat, but meat is another protein choice.) For lunch, I often ate peanut butter on bread, carrots, & applesauce. That's four food groups--protein, grains, veg...

Every day it seems that there are new diet products on the market. Are the chemicals used in them safe? Artificial and natural no and low calorie sweeteners which are often added to these products are considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).   Similar agencies have also approved these sweeteners for use in other countries.  That said, there are still possible side effects, just like medications recognized as safe may result in side effects. Let’s explore these sweeteners and their potential health risks, starting with the oldest first.

The term "junk food" was not something I remember defining in school and it wasn’t on the CDR exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  So, I asked other dietitians how they define it.  Most of them said they didn’t like the term “junk food” and didn’t even use it. Julie Seale, RD , explains, “ This places moral qualities on foods, which can then lead to feelings of deprivation, guilt and potentially binge eating. Instead, I think of those less nutritious foods as ‘sometimes’ foods.”   Jenny Jackson, RD , also referred to them as “less nutritious foods.” She added, “ These foods can be different for different people [due to medical conditions]. There are also foods that are made in manners which are more ethical which makes them more acceptable and desirable for some people, and that is a decision for each person to make based on their own values.” Jenny brings up two good points. First off, without going deep into medical nutriti...

I spent the past month writing a series trying to determine whether or not certain snack foods were junk foods. It made me ask myself, “What is junk food?” The thing is, we all define it differently. 

On Thursday, I posted a look at my food intake to show how I get enough protein even though I’m a vegetarian. But I don't always eat animal protein. Here’s what I ate on another day, following a vegan diet…. I started off with a nutrient dense, high calorie, high protein breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Breakfast: 2 slices bread, toasted (130 Calories, 5 g protein) 2 Tablespoons peanut butter (190 Calories, 7 g protein) 2 Tablespoons chocolate nut butter (200 Calories, 2 g protein) 2 clementines (80 Calories, 2 g protein) 1/2 cup coconut milk (20 Calories, 0 g protein) 1/2 cup coffee (0 Calories, 0 g protein) Total for meal: 620 Calories, 19 g protein

A lot of times vegetarians don't get enough protein. Certainly, there are some who don't. I've heard of vegetarians who just eat white pasta or just eat potato chips. But, if you eat a variety of foods, you can get enough protein on a plant-based diet. I will show you a day of eating in my life as a vegetarian and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.   First, I want to remind you that the portions I've listed below are only there so I can show you how much protein is in what amount of the product. I don't usually go around measuring my food and you don't need to either. Also, those portion sizes may not be the size you eat and that's okay. I'm not presenting this as a strict meal plan for you to follow. I'm just trying to show you it's possible to get enough protein. So, what is "enough protein"?  Well, that will depend on your body. RDNs usually use a minimum of 0.8 grams protein per kilogram body weight. People with certain c...

Yesterday, we discussed things to think about before deciding to avoid added sugar for your New Year's Resolution. Today, I present a sample meal plan taken from my own life. Breakfast: Banana and oatmeal cooked in milk, vanilla, ground flaxseed and cinnamon Tip: Flavored oatmeal packets contain sugar, but you can easily and quickly make your own flavored oatmeal by adding extracts, spices, fruit, etc.) Another Breakfast Idea: I have been making no-sugar-added scones for years without any sugar substitues! It's flour, baking powder, butter, and your choice of mix-ins. The scone pictured above was made with cinnamon and raisins, but you can use other dried fruits, other spices, nuts, extracts, flavored oils, cacao nibs, anything.

Losing weight without trying sounds great, right? For many overweight and obese individuals, it sounds great. But, for me, an already healthy-weight nutritionist, it means something’s wrong.  What it means for me is that I’m not nourishing my body . The good news is that I know why I’m losing weight. My dietetic internship keeps me busy and broke. Here’s a look at yesterday’s food intake: