The Stats on new 'stas (Pastas that is)

My friend Lauren requested that I write a blog about all the new pasta and grain products on the market. In the future, I plan to give my two cents on gluten-free diets (so look for that blog to come). One of the reasons there are so many new pasta products on the market is because of exceptional marketing strategies by food manufacturers and the media hyping up gluten-free diets.

Quick background: Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Note: gluten is not naturally found in oats, but many people on a gluten free diet avoid oats because of potential cross-contamination.

People who need to avoid gluten are those with Celiac disease (more info: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/) or people who have been told by their doctor to avoid gluten or wheat because of an intolerance. To give you some sort of reality, it is estimated that up to 1% of the population may have celiac disease (which is high, but the media would have you believe it is much higher).  However, a lot of people have gone on gluten-free diets because they have seen reports that eating gluten-free will resolve any problems they may have (ADHD, autism, stomach pains, learning disabilities, etc) or because it is a great weight loss method. There is limited research showing the benefit of a gluten-free diet on children or adults who do not have a gluten allergy or intolerance. However, if a person does actually have celiac disease, they probably will see an improvement of symptoms by going gluten-free:
"The data indicate that ADHD-like symptomatology is markedly overrepresented among untreated CD [Celiac Disease] patients and that a gluten-free diet may improve symptoms significantly within a short period of time" (2).

If you don't believe that gluten-free won't benefit people without celiac, I would first advise doing your own research through reputable sources (ie: not just typing in a search engine or looking at media sources- use PubMed and other research databases to look at research through peer-reviewed scientific journals) and talk to your doctor before going on this diet for a long period of time. As far as weight loss, you might actually GAIN weight if you go on a gluten free diet, and miss out on very important nutrients. But anyway, my blog on this topic will come in the future, right now I need to focus on the new products on the market:

A general rule of thumb is to always look for a pasta or grain product that is a WHOLE GRAIN. So, if you are going to buy rice pasta, make sure that it is brown rice pasta and contains at least 4 grams of fiber per serving. It is simple to determine whether a pasta or grain product is good for you, here are the steps:

1. Look at the ingredients. Make sure the #1 ingredient is a whole grain (whole grain wheat, whole grain oats,  quinoa, barley, etc.). Then, make sure there are no additives or strange ingredients you have never heard of in the mix. Whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, whole grain rye, whole grain triticale, whole grain oats, soy beans, whole grain millet, whole grain barley, whole grain brown rice, oat bran, and flaxseed are all good!
2. Check out the fiber content (I recommend >4 grams/serving).
3. Look at the serving size and make sure that the amount you eat won't add up to a couple hundred calories.

Do not be afraid of wheat unless you have a valid reason to be. Most people have survived on eating wheat, and it is not until recently that every disease and possible problem has been blamed on wheat. Whole grain wheat contains fiber, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and iron, magnesium, and selenium, making whole grain wheat a very nutritious food!


When buying pasta or grain products, I recommend the following:

• Quinoa
• Barley
• Whole grain pasta
• Wild Rice
• Super Pastas (high in fiber, protein, Omega-3's)
• Whole grain/Multigrain (Wheat) Pastas- or anything made of whole grains with high fiber, protein, and lots of vitamins/minerals without fake ingredients

REFERENCES:
1) http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/
2) Niederhofer H, Pittschieler K.; A Preliminary Investigation of ADHD symptoms in Persons With Celiac Disease; Journal of Attention Disorders, 2006 Nov;10(2):200-4
3) http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm111487.htm
4) http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains.html

Ch ch ch CHIA!!!!!!!!

My Jar of Chia Seeds

    If you are into nutrition, frequent Whole Foods, or have read the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall (from Lancaster County), you probably have heard of Chia Seeds and how they are the definition of a "superfood." McDougall discusses how the Tarahumara barefoot runners of Mexico (which inspired the rage surrounding Vibram 5 finger shoes) run ultramarathons almost on a daily basis like it's nothing at all, and McDougall attributes their energy to eating Chia seeds. In the book, he compares chia to a "'smoothie of wild salmon, spinach and human growth hormones." 


(Side note: I definitely recommend reading "Born to Run" as it is a fantastic book for people who enjoy running, or are just interested in superhumans: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen (Link to book on Amazon))


     Yes, Chia Seeds are from the same plant as our beloved Chia Pet. There are many types of Chia, but only the Salvia hispanica (most common) and Salvia columbariae are consumed by humans because others are too fibrous or too hard to harvest by man. Chia is very high in omega 3 fatty acids as well as fiber, protein, calcium, magnesium, and the seeds contain more antioxidants than many berries.
    The research on chia seed consumption shows that regular consumption  may help regulate blood glucose levels (good for diabetics), reduce the risk of heart disease, and may help lower blood pressure. The high levels of fiber and antioxidants in Chia are probably the reason why people experience these benefits.
    One cool thing about Chia seeds is that they form a gel when exposed to water, in fact, if you let 1 tbsp of chia soak in about 1/4 cup of water for 30 minutes, it will become a solid gel. This can be explained by the soluble fiber found in the seeds, which is why it is beneficial at regulating blood glucose and lowering blood cholesterol.
    In summary, Chia seeds are a complete protein source, contain high levels of omega 3's (about 60% of their oil is Omega 3 compared to 10% in canola oil), and have an excellent makeup of vitamins and minerals including potassium, iron, magnesium, B vitamins, and as much calcium as a glass of milk (in 1 tbsp)!
    Personally, I add a tablespoon of chia seeds to my oatmeal or oatbran in the morning, and sprinkle in smoothies along with some flax. Other people prefer to make a gelled drink with just water and chia, I think it's not very appetizing and doubt most non-health fanatics would be keen on this consumption method. You can find Chia in bulk bins at Whole Foods (and sometimes Wegmans), or buy in bags on the internet or at health food stores. I definitely recommend adding Chia to your diet since it is such an easy way to add all of the nutrients most Americans don't get enough of.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF CHIA SEEDS:

Nutrient	Units	1 oz 28.35g
Proximates
Water	g	1.39
Energy	kcal	139
Protein	g	4.43
Total lipid (fat)	g	8.72
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	12.43
Fiber, total dietary	g	10.7
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	179
Phosphorus, P	mg	269
Potassium, K	mg	45
Sodium, Na	mg	5
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.99
Copper, Cu	mg	0.053
Manganese, Mn	mg	0.614
Vitamins
Vitamin B-12	mcg	0.00
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.900
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.600
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	6.615
18:2 undifferentiated	g	1.640
18:3 undifferentiated	g	4.975
Cholesterol	mg	0

                                                                                Source: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl

References:
1. http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20071115/salba_071115/
2. Ayerza Jr. R, Coates W: Effect of Dietary α-Linolenic Fatty Acid Derived from Chia when Fed as Ground Seed, Whole Seed and Oil on Lipid Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Rat Plasma. Ann Nutr Metab 2007;51:27-34.
3. © 2001 Whole Foods Magazine and Richard A. Passwater, Ph.D. http://www.drpasswater.com/nutrition_library/Scheer_Chia.html

The TRUvia about STEVIA

My first experience with Stevia was when I was a freshman or sophomore in college and volunteered at the Green Festival in Washington, DC. There, many vendors were giving out free samples of this herb-based sweetener and others were sampling teas sweetened with it. I was intrigued and thought it tasted pretty good, but soon forgot about it since it wasn't being marketed heavily at the time. 


Fast forward five+ years and now Stevia is everywhere (also goes by the names: Truvia, Sun Crystals, Rebiana, Zevia, PureVia, Sweet Leaf, and others). About four years ago the FDA approved highly purified rebaudioside A as safe and suitable for use in food and beverages. Stevia is being advertised as a sugar substitute (100-300x sweeter than sugar) that is all natural, zero calories, and healthy. The product has been consumed in South America for centuries and many food manufacturers in Japan have been using the product in beverages and foods like pickles since the 1970s. In the US, the sweetener has been sold in health food and natural medicine stores in supplement form (not approved by the FDA), many of which claim to aid in weight loss, treat heartburn, obesity, hypertension, and may aid in glucose tolerance (so targeted toward diabetics).


Prior to the FDA approving the product as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe), there was some debate as to whether the sweetener was safe because of possible negative effects on reproduction, cancer, and energy metabolism. However, in the past few years enough research has been done to conclude that the purified product is safe in the average quantities consumed, and there is no need to be concerned. 


Most recent studies have had similar conclusions: "The conclusion is that Stevia and stevioside are safe when used as a sweetener. It is suited for both diabetics, and PKU patients, as well as for obese persons intending to lose weight by avoiding sugar supplements in the diet. No allergic reactions to it seem to exist." (2)
"This paper summarizes the information used to conclude that high purity rebaudioside A (rebiana) produced to food-grade specifications and according to Good Manufacturing Practices is safe for human consumption under its intended conditions of use as a general purpose sweetener." (3)


My recommendation: Use Stevia as a zero-calorie sweetener if you like the taste and are opposed to other non-caloric sweetening agents. Just don't over-use.... try not to consume more than 3 packs/day (although the upper limit for safety is MUCH higher).






References:
1. Food and Drug Administration (1995, rev 1996, 2005). Import Alert #45-06: "Automatic Detention of Stevia Leaves, Extract of Stevia Leaves, and Food Containing Stevia"
2. Geuns, J.M.C., 2003. Molecules of interest: Stevioside. Phytochemistry 64, 913-921.
3.  Carakostas, M.C.; Curry, L.L.; Boileau, A.C.; Brusick, D.J.  Overview: the history, technical function and safety of rebaudioside A, a naturally occurring steviol glycoside, for use in food and beverages.  Food Chem. Toxicol.  (in press, 2008).
4. http://www.stevia.com/