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Saturday
5/18/2013

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Welcome to Food Picker!

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Nutrition Q&A Newsletter

Hello Everyone!

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released their Diabetes Fact Sheet with some alarming new statistics.

Almost 26 million Americans have diabetes.

In 2010, 1.9 million were diagnosed with diabetes (that's approximately 5,200 people diagnosed a day).

An estimated 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes (about 35% of all adults over the age of 20).

You can read more about the CDC's diabetes statistics by visiting: CDC Diabetes Fact Sheet

Thank you for your efforts!

Christine Carlson, MS, RD, BC-ADM, CDE
FOODPICKER.org, Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator

We'd like to recognize the following FOODPICKER.org Contributors!

FOODPICKER.org Contributors:

Katie Leech, Lindsay L'vova, and Valerie Root

This week's question for your nutrition blog:

From: Craig T. (e-mail not disclosed for privacy)
To: diabetes@foodpicker.org
Date: 5/18/2013
Subject: pizza & diabetes?

Friday nights my family & I have dinner at our favorite pizza restaurant. Now that I've been diagnosed with diabetes I don't know what to order. Could you help me with what (if anything) I can order?

After you answer a question on your blog please e-mail nutrition@foodpicker.org with the link (so we know that you posted). The deadline is every Sunday at midnight. We will post several responses in our next newsletter!

Example: Christine's Blog

Last week's question:

From: Jennifer C. (e-mail not disclosed for privacy)
To: diabetes@foodpicker.org
Date: 5/18/2013
Subject: almonds & diabetes?

I have diabetes and love snacking on nuts (particularly smoked/flavored almonds). Are nuts ok to snack on and if so, are there certain types I should look for?

Below are a number of responses to the above question:

Lauren Siegfried, RD (Registered Dietitian)
Answer: Nuts can be a great snack, as long as you watch your portion size. They are calorie dense and high in fat, but also a good source of protein, fiber, and monounsaturated fat. This type of fat is often referred to as the ‘healthier’ fat as it can help raise HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad cholesterol). Types of nuts that are a rich source of monounsaturated fat include almonds, walnuts and pistachios... (click for entire response)

Mandy Seay, RD, LD (Registered Dietitian)
Answer: The key concept with nuts is substitution. Substitute nuts in the place of other foods. For example – add 1 oz of nuts at least 5 times a week and subtract a food comparable in calories, preferably one containing saturated fat like cheese or butter. For a general guide, here are servings equal 5 grams of fat and 45 calories (which is equivalent to 1 fat serving)... (click for entire response)

Amy Gilman, Dietetic Intern
Answer: The perfect portion of almonds provides a good snack because it helps sustain energy levels, provides important nutrients and can satisfy cravings for sweet, savory, creamy or crunchy. An ounce of nuts (about 20 almonds) provides almost 200 calories so it is important to measure the amount of nuts and put them in a container or Ziploc bag to travel with. Never eat handfuls of nuts from the package, you are asking for trouble by doing this... (click for entire response)

Katie Leech, Dietetic Intern
Answer: Nuts contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids which provide benefits to the heart, but also make nuts high in calories. As with most foods, the key is moderation!! When eaten in moderation nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts are a good source of protein which can increase satiety and prevent you from becoming hungry too soon. The most important thing to consider when choosing nuts as a snack is the serving size, a little bit goes a long way... (click for entire response)

Michelle Rauch, Dietetic Intern
Answer: Nuts are naturally cholesterol free and contain only a trace of natural sodium (unless salt is added during roasting). Since nuts contain protein, "healthy fat" (monounsaturated or MUFAs), and fiber, they can be very satisfying... (click for entire response)

Dipti Namjoshi, MS
Answer: Remember all nuts are high in calories so eating them in moderation is the key. Also, incorporate unsalted, dry roasted nuts to avoid the excess salt, sugar (honey) and oil that is present to flavor them to avoid added calories from these other ingredients... (click for entire response)

Shannon Stout, Graduate Nutrition Student
Answer: You need to watch the portion sizes. A little trick I like is to go ahead and portion out what you’re going to eat in advance. Plastic containers or baggies work great... (click for entire response)

Iris Pacheco, Graduate Nutrition Student
Answer: Replacing saturated fats with the good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) like almonds have been linked with decreasing LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL levels (good cholesterol). It is all about replacing saturated fat with the good fats... (click for entire response)

Gina Maggio, BA
Answer: Also, compared to other nuts, almonds in particular have a higher amount of fiber (20-24 whole almonds contain about 3g fiber). A recent study conducted by the University of Toronto proved that nuts may be an essential way to manage diabetes. More specifically, they may improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes... (click for entire response)

Jasmina Popovski, Nutrition Student
Answer: Numerous research has shown that nuts prevent from heart diseases and can significantly lower cholesterol. The best is to consume them raw, dry roasted, without added salt or sugar... (click for entire response)

Iliana Roldan, Nutrition Student
Answer: Almonds are a great snack choice as they are a great source of vitamin E, vitamins and minerals as well as phytochemicals and healthy monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that consuming small amounts of nuts regularly has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease. Plus antioxidants contained in the skin of whole almonds may play a role in reducing oxidative stress as well as LDL cholesterol... (click for entire response)

Jennifer Wyckoff, Nutrition Student
Answer: You do want to be careful when eating any type of nuts because like all fats, they do contain a good amount of calories. Every monounsaturated fat contains 9 calories per gram. To maintain your body weight, eat small snack portions of nuts. Also try to choose almonds and peanuts that are unsalted or have no sugar added... (click for entire response)

Still interested in volunteering as a Nutrition Editor at FOODPICKER.org?

If you have not yet gotten started but still want to contribute, contact us and we will send you further instructions.

E-mail Christine at nutrition@foodpicker.org to get started.

Project Instructions

Blogging Instructions

We Answer Diabetes Questions!

E-mail your questions to: diabetes@foodpicker.org

Our volunteers will answer your questions in our upcoming newsletters!

Visit the Contributors link to learn more about our volunteers.

FOODPICKER^® is a program designed to help people with diabetes make better food choices. Our hope is that people consider the foods they consume and how they can burn them off with exercise for good health. We embrace the guidelines put forth by the American Diabetes Association as well as the American Dietetic & American Heart Associations. This website is completely free and brought to you by volunteers in the health care field.