No-Bake Almond-Oat Energy Bites
Makes 24 1-inch balls
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups rolled oats (regular or quick-cooking)
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tbsp raw sunflower seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup almond butter
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp barley malt syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Grind 1/2 cup oats and 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds in food processor until powdery. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside.
2. Combine remaining 2 cups oats, remaining 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds and cinnamon in large bowl. Stir in almond butter, honey, barley malt syrup and vanilla until soft dough forms.
3. Moisten hands, and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Coat balls in oat-pumpkin seed powder. Place in freezer 20 minutes to set, then serve or store in the fridge.
Nutrition (per ball): Calories 148, protein 5g, Total fat 6g, Saturated fat 1g, Carbs 21g, Fiber 2g
Source: www.vegetariantimes.com
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Hello !
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we look forward to spending time with family and friends, giving thanks, and of course some delicious seasonal food. But while it's wonderful to enjoy this holiday fare, just be careful not to over-do it. It can be so easy to take in close to a week's worth of saturated fat in one large Thanksgiving meal; make sure your gravy boat is more of a dingy than a yacht!
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| Fruits and Veggies to Fight Breast Cancer |
The recommendation from our government is to consume five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables, but few people manage to reach this 5-a-day minimum. Fruits and vegetables are full of healthful vitamins, minerals and fiber and can displace unhealthful junk food in the diet, which makes them great for weight management! New research is now showing there is even more reason to up the produce.
In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the authors report that total vegetable consumption was associated with a decreased risk of estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-negative breast cancer. In addition, there was some evidence of inverse associations with breast cancer risk overall for cruciferous vegetable intake (such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage,and bok choy) and for carrot intake.
The authors examined the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and breast cancer risk among 51,928 women aged 21-69 years at enrollment in 1995 in the Black Women's Health Study. Their breast cancer rates and fruit and vegetable intake were followed for 12 years after enrollment.
Bottom Line: With all the positive health benefits with adequate fruit and vegetable intake, what are you waiting for?
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| B Vitamin Energy Shot | |
 Surely you have seen the B vitamin energy shots at the checkout counter at almost every store. They promise hours of energy without the "crash" associated with sugar and caffeine highs. But how effective, and safe, are they?
There are eight B vitamins generally known as thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5), pyridoxine (B-6), biotin (B-7), folic acid (folate or B-9), and cyanocobalamin (B-12). Like most vitamins, B vitamins are essential - your body needs them but cannot make them; you must get them from your diet and occasionally from supplements.
Consumer Labs, an independent supplement testing facility, found that there were problems with the quality of 4 out of 18 Vitamin B energy supplements selected for review.
Here are a few of the results they found:
5-Hour Energy (Berry) contained only 75.5% of its claimed folic acid, although it did contain its claimed amounts of niacin, B-6, and B-12. The amounts of B-6 and B-12 in this product are many times higher than the RDAs for these ingredients, although not exceeding Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) for safety. For young adults, the RDA for B-6 is 1.3 mg and for B-12 is 2.4 mcg, while the suggested serving (one bottle) provides 40 mg of B-6 (3,100% of the RDA) and 500 mcg of B-12 (20,800% of the RDA).
5-Hour Energy lists among its ingredients an "energy blend" that includes caffeine. The label notes that the amount of caffeine is comparable to that in a cup of "leading premium coffee." ConsumerLab.com found the 2 fluid ounce bottle to contain 207 mg of caffeine. However, this is 15% higher than what you would get from a "short" cup (8 fluid ounces) of a premium coffee such as Starbucks, which Starbucks claims to have 180 mg of caffeine (Starbucks.com 2010).
Stacker 2 6-Hour Power Shot contained just 40.4% of its claimed folic acid. It provided the same high levels of B-6 (40 mg) and B-12 (500 mcg) as 5-Hour Energy. Also, like 5-Hour Energy, 6-Hour Power Shot also lists among its ingredients an "energy blend" that includes caffeine. The label notes that the amount of caffeine is comparable to that in a cup of "brewed coffee." ConsumerLab.com found the 2 fluid ounce bottle to contain 156 mg of caffeine. However, this is 64% higher than what you would get from a cup (8 fluid ounces) of brewed coffee based on measurements by the USDA of coffee brewed at home and from fast food restaurants (USDA National Nutrient Database 2010).
Unlike 5-Hour Energy which directs the user not to exceed 2 bottles per day, 6-Hour Power Shot only cautions not to exceed 1 shot every six hours -- which means taking as much as four bottles per day. Be aware that taking 3 or 4 bottles of 6-Hour Power can result in exceeding the UL for several B vitamins (niacin, vitamin B-6, and folic acid), creating a risk of toxicity. Intake exceeding 1,000 mg of folic acid, for example, may increase the risk of precancerous tumors becoming malignant. If 6-Hour Power contained the amount of folic acid that it claimed, 3 to 4 bottles would provide 1,200 mg to 1,600 mg of folic acid, exceeding the UL. Therefore, it would be prudent to limit intake of 6-Hour Power to under 2.5 bottles per day. Bottom Line: B vitamins are needed for energy, but cannot provide a health "boost" of energy as claimed by the manufacturers of these shots. Excluding those with metabolic disorders and restrictions, it should be very easy to consume enough B vitamins to sustain energy throughout the day. If you find yourself slumping in the afternoon, it's likely you have a common affliction...called lack of sleep. Skip the energy shots and invest in a new pillow. |
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About Sensible Nutrition
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How is YOUR metabolism?
 Ever wonder if your metabolism is what is keeping you from reaching your weight goals? Let a Sensible Nutrition RD measure YOUR metabolism and tell you the truth! Call 781-741-5483 or send an email to nutritionist@sensiblenutrition.com to schedule your appointment.
About Sensible Nutrition
Sensible Nutrition (www.sensiblenutrition.com) is a consulting firm established in 1994 that provides nutrition and fitness services to individuals, universities, corporate wellness programs and nonprofit groups. SN's client list includes The United States Coast Guard, Blue Cross Blue Shield, EMC, Putnam Investments, Corcoran Jennison, Harvard Business School, Boston Ballet and Children's Hospital. For more information about our corporate wellness services, please check us out at www.wellnessworkdays.com.
SN services: One-to-one counseling, fitness counseling and training, group lectures, metabolism measures and more! Let the Sensible Nutrition staff develop a nutrition program to help you finally reach your health and weight goals!Gift Certificates are available!
Debra Wein, MS, RD, LDN, SN President and Co-Founder writes a regular nutrition column for the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Performance Journal, has been quoted in Family Circle, Shape, Self, Men's Health, Allure and Prevention and has appeared on Fox 25, Channel 56 and Channel 5 news.
Contact us at www.sensiblenutrition.com or 781-741-5483. |
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