A Dietitian’s Stance on Supplements
Post by Paula Jahn, Dietitian and Co-owner at Nourish Northwest
I was going to write a blog post on my most frequently asked questions as a registered dietitian. The worth of dietary supplements is probably at the top of that list. So, I decided to devote an entire post to this topic. There are varying views on this within the health profession and even within the field of dietetics. This is my opinion based on what I know from research and what fits into my philosophy of food and nutrition. And like most things in the world of nutrition, my answer to the supplement question is ever-changing and lands somewhere in the gray.
Besides being a potential waste of money, below are the main reasons I advise against vitamin and mineral supplements for most people (exceptions always apply).
Supplements are not regulated. Unlike medications, there is no governing body that oversees the production of dietary supplements. A corrupt company could very well put sugar (or worse) in a pill, slap a health claim on the bottle and sell that product at the local drug store. There are some companies that choose to go through a voluntary verification process to ensure the quality, purity, and potency of their product. The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention is a private company that tests products and verifies them. I tell clients who take supplements to look for USP on the label.
Scientific research is limited. Rigorous clinical trials have been conducted on many vitamins and mineral supplements. While some studies show a link between certain supplements and health outcomes (e.g.,vitamin D and calcium for bone health), most studies are inconclusive at best or even show a harmful effect. A study conducted in 2008 was stopped short when researchers discovered that vitamin E and selenium actually increased the risk of prostate cancer in men. Similarly, the CARET study was stopped ahead of schedule in January 1996 because participants who were randomly assigned to receive vitamin A supplements were found to have a 28% increase in incidence of lung cancer, a 17% increase in incidence of death and a higher rate of cardiovascular disease mortality compared with participants in the placebo group.
Gives license to continue unhealthful eating habits. This isn’t always the case, but some people are looking for a magic pill for health and resist making significant changes in lifestyle. We know that the foundation of health is a balanced diet full of plants (fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes) and physical activity. There is not a pill or a combination of pills that comes close to the power of those two things.
While I’m not against a person taking a multi-vitamin as a sort of “insurance policy,” I do think that most people can get adequate nutrients from food. When vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants are obtained through food, there is the added benefit of fiber and other nutrients that accompany the whole food. There is a mysterious synergy that exists when nutrients are absorbed together in their natural form; I don’t think that manufacturers will ever be able to mimic that magic.
Recipe: Spring Barley Risotto
Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-Owner, Nourish Northwest
Finally some spring veggies are coming into season! We love our winter veggies as well, but have to say that we are getting pretty sick of squash, beets and sweet potatoes around here. Packed full of mint, asparagus and leeks, this lovely risotto highlights some of the new fresh flavors of the season. And the use of barley rather than traditional arborio rice adds a fiber and nutrient boost. Enjoy the recipe and the season!
Spring Barley RisottoYield: 4 servings Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup pearled barley 2 leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced 2 ½ cups water Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 14 1/2 ounces vegetable broth 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut on bias into 2-inch pieces 1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, defrosted 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves, plus small leaves for garnish
Directions
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From Birth to Birthday: 6 Things I Learned About Feeding a Baby
Post by Paula Jahn, Dietitian and Co-owner at Nourish Northwest
Before I had my son, I had certain ideals about what feeding a baby would look like. Some of them came easily, like making my own baby food. Others were a lesson in letting go. I will preface this by saying that we are fortunate to have had minimal feeding issues. Breast feeding came easily and my son accepts most foods (at least so far). Below is a list of the main things I learned about feeding an infant.
1. Breast milk is more amazing than I ever knew. Well, at least intellectually. Before I became a mother, I was a proponent of breast feeding. As a dietitian, I am acutely aware of the health benefits. I had positive breast feeding role models in my life in my mom and sister. I witness many committed friends with struggles work with lactation consultants and find joy and fulfillment in it. What didn’t really hit me about breast feeding until I experienced it is this: One day, when he was almost 6 months, I looked at my son’s glorious baby thigh chunk and thought, “Wow, nothing has entered his body except what I produced from mine.” He went from a scrawny, wriggling newborn to THIS:
2. A good pump is essential. Being away from the baby isn’t easy, especially in the early months. While I am fortunate to own a business and can take my son to work most of the time, there are days when that is not practical. When I was away, much of my anxieties surrounded feeding. Will it affect my supply? Will he accept a bottle when I’m gone? (He did go on bottle strike around 3 months, which really added to the stress). What happens if I can’t get a chance to pump? Answer: Engorgement and embarrassing let-down in public. I can’t imagine getting through that time without a near-medical grade pump.
3. Experiencing simple food through the eyes of a baby is enlightening. In some ways, having a baby has obliterated my efforts to eat mindfully; in other ways it has enhanced them. I love watching his face as he tries a new food. I often eat with him, and imagine I am tasting the food for the first time. In the last year, I have really appreciated the sweetness of carrots and squash, the zest of ginger, and the tartness of apples.
4. Some pediatricians give poor advice. From my own experience and from what I hear from other moms, many doctors are not giving the best, up-to-date feeding advice. Ours told me to start rice cereal and other solids at our 4-month check up (when my son was not even 4 months yet). The World Health Organization says: “Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers. As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health.” The American Academy of Pediatrics agrees: Solid foods should be introduced around 6 months of age. Besides being out of date, that advice lacks creativity. We can do better than rice cereal.
5. Dogmatic feeding methods are unrealistic. Before I delved in to solids, I researched baby led weaning (BLW), which was a new approach for me. Much of the philosophy resonates with me. I like the idea of allowing my baby to explore his food in its real form. His first food was steamed delicata squash, cut up into sticks, just like the BLW folks say. For me, it became apparent that BLW all the time is unrealistic. After all, I love pureed vegetables, eaten with a (gasp) spoon. Pureed soups, mashed gingered sweet potatoes?! How could I deprive anyone of those? It turns out that a combination of purees and finger foods have worked for us since the beginning. My baby could pick up and easily eat bananas, mango, avocado, cooked apple and pears, steamed sweet potato and squash. Early on, I would puree oatmeal, beans, lentils, peas, carrots, beets, brown rice. Gradually, more texture became acceptable and now I seldom need the blender.
6. Sometimes, it’s not organic. When the only thing your baby’s body has ever encountered is breast milk (from a mother who eats a lot of nutritious food), it is difficult to not be hyper-vigilant about introducing solids. For the first few months, I was careful to provide only whole, organic, homemade food—seasoned with spices, but not salt. Then I turn around, and a well-meaning friend or relative slips him a bite of a cookie or a hunk of cheese. The fact is, other people will feed my child. Gradually, I started to relinquish some control. I am still conscientious, but occasionally it’s processed, salted and maybe even has some sugar added. As my son nears his first birthday, I am confident that he had a fun, nutritious and varied introduction to solid food. I am excited to continue to explore the world of food with him as he enters toddlerhood.
Meal Preparation Technique: The Bowl
Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-owner, Nourish Northwest
One of the many things we do as Registered Dietitians is meal planning. So many of our clients come to us with the same barrier to healthy eating: not enough time. At an initial nutrition assessment we spend a lot of time with our clients, learning about their schedule and lifestyle, nutrient needs and food preferences. With that information in hand, we can develop weekly meals plans, quick recipes and grocery lists, so the only tasks they are left with is grocery shopping and food preparation. Having us take care of all of the planning cuts a significant amount of time out of that major barrier and ensures a heathy, dietitian approved diet.
When I first started doing meal planning for clients, my mistake was providing recipes that were still a little time consuming. I have come to realize that when a client wants a quick recipe, they mean QUICK. Many people really need a recipe that can be prepared in 15 minutes or less, which has led me to start introducing my clients to the concept of the bowl.
I have always personally loved the idea of a one dish meal. It seems as though restaurants are embracing this concept and it is now a growing trend. We are located right across the street from The Whole Bowl, whose extremely simple model of serving only one menu option leads to a daily lunchtime line out the door and down the street. Their menu: a rice and bean bowl with avocado, salsa, olive, sour cream, cheese, cilantro and their very own Tali Sauce. It’s tasty, it’s balanced and it’s quick. Other restaurants that provide more bowl options are Harlow , The Bye and Bye , Canteen, and the Sweet Hereafter.
While we love all of these places and feel extremely blessed that we can eat so healthfully when eating out, there are some major problems relying on them for your meals: accessibility and cost. There’s a good chance that you may not live in close proximity to one of these restaurants and if you do, you would burn a hole in your wallet by relying on them for every meal. Again, we love these restaurants, but you could spend $6-$11 on one bowl, whereas if you made it at home, it would cost about that much for an entire week.
So take the bowl idea to your own kitchen. The catch? You need to set aside about an hour one night for food prep but then you have your dinners for a week ready to go. Sundays are my personal day of choice, because if you get into the busy work week without doing it, you may miss your chance.
The idea is simple. You pick a grain, a protein, a vegetable (or vegetables) and a sauce. Prepare them all and store in separate containers. When you get home from work, all you do is assemble. Below is a list to get you started, but it is certainly not limited to those choices.
THE BASIC BOWL
Grain
Quinoa
Brown Rice
Polenta
Soba Noodles
Protein Source
Chickpeas
Hummus
Nuts/Seeds
Lentils
Black Beans
Chicken
Soy Curls
Egg
Tuna
Veggie
Raw Spinach
Steamed Kale
Baked Sweet Potato
Roasted Broccoli/Cauliflower
Roasted Brussels
Shredded Carrots/Cabbage
Shredded/Roasted Beets
Sauce
Tahini
Vinaigrette
Salsa
Guacamole
BBQ Sauce
Cashew Cream
Romesco Sauce
Curry Sauce
Tamari
Still a little stumped? Below I created 2 bowls using the chart above. Both are yummy and healthy! Enjoy! We are considering having an upcoming cooking class on bowls, let us know if you are interested: info@nourishnorthwest.com.
The Mexican Bowl
Ingredients
4 slices prepared polenta
1/3 can black beans
1 cup spinach
Salsa
Slices of Avocado
Preparation
Bake polenta according to package directions. While polenta is cooking, warm black beans in a small saucepan. Once beans are warmed through, stir in spinach until wilted (1-2 minutes).
In a bowl, layer polenta rounds, black bean spinach mixture, salsa and avocado.
The BBQ soy curl bowl
Ingredients
1 cup soy curls
1 cup quinoa
½ cup prepared bbq sauce (I like Annie’s brand)
½ cup shredded cabbage
½ cup shredded carrots
Dressing:
½ cup veganaise
2 Tbsp soy milk
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
Preparation
Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Soak soy curls in warm water for 15 minutes to reconstitute them. Meanwhile, mix together dressing ingredients. Toss cabbage and carrots with dressing.
Heat bbq sauce in a small skillet. Drain soy curls and add to bbq sauce.
In a bowl, layer quinoa, soy curls and cabbage/carrot mixture.
Discovering New Foods: Sorghum
Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Co-Owner, Nourish Northwest
Here at Nourish Northwest, we cook A LOT. Whether we are doing a private cooking lesson with a client, testing recipes for cooking classes, or making our own lunches, it seems as though we are always in the kitchen. Luckily, both Paula and I love to cook and feel so fortunate that we have found a way to make this such a big part of our day. However, we often end up repeating the same recipes over and over and can sometimes find it difficult to gather inspiration for something new.
Awhile back, Paula wrote a blog post on this same topic when we had purchased some new foods at Bob’s Red Mill. We left the big red barn with bags of grains that we had never cooked with before, excited and eager to try them out. But, we got a little busy, went back to our old routines and found these grains still sitting in their bags, months later. We decided it was time to give one of them a try.
Sorghum is a gluten free grain that is a staple in African and Indian diets. The first I heard its mention in America was on the label of a gluten free beer. It is very high in fiber and has a dense chewy texture, much like that of wheat berries or farro. It works very well in salads, pilafs and soups. It can also be popped, just like popcorn!
We decided to make a sorghum salad recipe that we found on thekitchn. We adapted it by leaving the squash out and stuffing it into red bell pepper halves, baking it and topping it with a romesco sauce! It turned out delicious and full of flavor! We will definitely be incorporating this grain into more of our recipes, especially since we have so many gluten free clients. It’s great to have a new option and I encourage you to try it sooner than we did!
Spiced Butternut Squash and Sorghum Salad with Raisins & Pepitas
from thekitchn.com
For the salad:
2 cups uncooked sorghum
4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
2 cups water
3/4 cup pepitas
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise and de-seeded
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup raisins
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 small shallot, finely minced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
To cook the sorghum, combine the sorghum, vegetable stock and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 60 minutes, or until the grains are tender and have just begun to splay open. When finished cooking, drain away any remaining liquid.
While the sorghum cooks, roast the pepitas and the squash. Heat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pepitas for 5 to 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Set aside 1/2 cup of pepitas for the salad, reserving the remaining 1/4 cup for the topping.
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Lay squash out onto one large baking sheets and drizzle with enough oil to fully coat the flesh. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast until tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then gently slice away the softened skin and cut each squash half into 1-inch cubes.
To assemble the salad, spoon the warm sorghum into a large serving bowl. Add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon and salt and stir until spices are fully integrated into the grain mixture. Spoon the squash, 1/2 cup of the pepitas, parsley and raisins over the sorghum and stir well to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sherry vinegar, orange juice, honey, and shallot. Pour over the warm grain salad and toss well.
Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm, with the remaining 1/4 cup of pepitas scattered on top.
Recipe Notes
- For this recipe, I cook the grains using part vegetable broth and part water. You could certainly use all broth or all water — I just like the little bit of extra flavor that partial broth imparts.
- While the sorghum may seem tender enough at 50 minutes of cook time, the grains will actually absorb spices and dressing better if you cook them until they are slightly splayed open — about 60 minutes. If you pull them at 50 minutes, the dressing will just pool at the bottom of the bowl instead of soaking into the grains for flavor.