Fiber is the Future

Plant sterols are compounds found in plant foods that when consumed as part of the human diet, can help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Previously, added plant sterols in our food supply were limited to margarines, butter spreads and salad dressings – a useful way to get the health producing properties for sure, but often with the costly addition of added fat grams and calories.

Now, a line of packaged snack foods from Corazonas offers a more enticing way to get your plant sterols. Corazonas makes plant sterol containing potato chips, tortilla chips and oatmeal squares.

I sampled the Black Bean and Cheese tortilla chips – compliments of samples provided by Corazonas. The chips were tangy and tasty, with the 140 calories and 7 grams of fat you would expect from a one ounce (14 chip) tortilla chip serving. What sets these chips apart however, are the 3 grams of dietary fiber (from whole grain corn flour and acacia gum) and 0.4 g of plant sterols per serving.

Regarding plant sterol package labeling, the FDA allows for the health claim, “Foods containing at least 0.65 gram per of vegetable oil sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of least 1.3 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

While these chips and similar products certainly don’t take the place of other heart-healthy components of a well-balanced diet, they do represent a unique approach to adding more plant sterols in your diet. If you’re going to eat chips, they might as well be doing something for you!

And, as Corazonas puts it – loud and proud on the front of their packages – plant sterols certainly are, “Proven to help lower cholesterol”. Check out Corazonas’ online store finder to learn where you can buy these snacks in your area, or purchase directly from their online store.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently endorsed the new National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) recommendation to begin screening children for high cholesterol as early as age 9.

While the importance of early detection of cardiovascular disease – the number one killer of Americans – cannot be understated, these recommendations do not come without controversy. Some raise concern that the majority of the experts on the expert panel are closely aligned with drug companies, who of course stand to benefit with an increasing pool of people needing their products.

This is not the first time a body has recommended early cholesterol screening, although it is by far the earliest age at which screening has been proposed. Previously, in 2007, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended “Screening for Lipid Disorders” commence at age 20.

What does this mean from a dietary standpoint? It is well-established that a diet high in fiber – and in particular, soluble fiber – helps to lower blood cholesterol levels and associated cardiovascular disease risk. Soluble fiber is found in most fiber-containing foods, and in particular, oat bran, nuts, beans, seeds, barley, peas and certain fruits and vegetables.

Bottom line? Increasing your fiber from naturally-occurring sources – no matter your age – can only help your health!

You hear about it all the time: the Mediterranean Diet. With an emphasis on plants, lean proteins, olive oil, nuts and seeds, the Mediterranean Diet has been linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease and longer lifespans.

But how do you incorporate the Mediterranean principles into your Western lifestyle? A new book has set out to help you do just that: The Mediterranean Diet for Dummies Cookbook by Registered Dietitians Wendy Jo Peterson and Meri Rafetto has just been published – and it’s a one stop shop for all of your Mediterranean diet needs!

Filled with tons of helpful tidbits on incorporating more plants and healthy fats, this book has it all: from the latest evidence-based knowledge about the health benefits, to useful recipes and cooking tips.

Here’s a delicious recipe from the book, incorporating the high fiber fava bean (10 grams of fiber per cup!):

Fava Beans in Tomato Sauce
by Wendy Jo Peterson, MS, RD, CSSD

• Sautee one cup chop onion and garlic in a skillet
• Add one 14.5 oz can of rinsed and drained fava beans and one 14.5 oz can no added salt stewed tomatoes
• Add 2 Tbs fresh chopped parsley
• Simmer for 5 minutes or until tomato liquid evaporates
• Sprinkle with feta cheese & enjoy!

To learn more about the Mediterranean Diet, check out the Cheat Sheet created by the authors and click here.

Judge Richard Posner of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago, IL recently dismissed a case brought by an individual claiming that the fiber in foods like General Mills’ Fiber One™ and Kellogg’s Fiber Plus™ products should have to be labeled as processed fibers.

At the heart of the complaint was that these snack products, who often advertise “35% of daily fiber needs per bar” should have to disclose that the fiber is derived from inulin, as opposed to naturally occurring dietary sources of fiber.

The judge concluded that fiber food manufacturers are protected under federal law from not having to disclose that the fiber contained in their products comes from inulin and are not required to differentiate between functional and intact fibers.

While it doesn’t appear that inulin is indeed harmful – although it may cause GI disruption when consumed in high amounts – it does remain to be seen whether the health benefits of inulin and other functional fibers mirror those of naturally occurring, or intact fibers.

It’s not a new question, but it’s back in the news: are potatoes less healthy than other vegetables? The devil is in the details, and in this case, the details are about preparation methods.

The USDA – the government agency that runs the National School Lunch Program – recently proposed limiting “starchy vegetables” to no more than one cup per week. The intent is to increase the variety of and exposure to other vegetables in kids’ lunch, and based on the reality that many potato products are highly processed, fried in fat or contain too much salt.

So, why all of a sudden the push to limit the potato? Not surprisingly, one USDA study found that 75% of the vegetables in kids’ school lunches are of the starchy variety. But will taking away french fries and tater tots dramatically increase broccoli and spinach intake?

One group that thinks not is the National Potato Council, whose advocacy website on this very topic, www.potatoesinschools.com points out that potatoes are high in vitamin C, potassium, and when baked, grilled or broiled, can be a very nutritious addition to a well-balanced school lunch.

It does look like potatoes have gotten a bit of a reprieve, as this week the Senate moved to block the USDA’s proposal to adopt the 1 cup starchy vegetable limit beginning in 2012. The Senate amendment seeks to prevent, “any maximum limits on the serving of vegetables in school meal programs.” The House responded and criticized the Senate’s stance.

At this point, it does appear that the jury is still out on whether potatoes will continue to pervade school lunch trays of the future…