The Health Benefits of Eating Oatmeal

Q:  January is National Oatmeal Month.  What are the benefits of adding oatmeal to your diet?

A:  Each month the Whole Grains Council recognizes a staple of the worlds’ grains.  January is Oatmeal’s month because more oatmeal is purchased in January than any other month of the year.  The main reasons for this behavior are fewer fruits and vegetables are in season and people create a new year’s resolution to eat healthier.

Eating oatmeal has many health benefits.  Below are some of the many benefits or potential benefits:

•        Helps lower LDL "bad" cholesterol and may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

•        May help lower blood pressure.

•        May help reduce your risk of type II diabetes due to the soluble fiber helping control blood sugar.

•        Oats are high in beta-glucans, a starch that stimulates the immune system.

•        Early introduction of oats in children's diets may help reduce the risk of asthma.

•        Higher in protein and healthy fats, but lower in carbohydrates compared to other grains.

•        Contain anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.

•        Other grains have their bran and germ removed.  Oats almost never have the bran and germ removed; meaning the whole grain is present.  Australian researchers found oatmeal rated #1 among breakfast foods for making you feel full and rated #3 for making you feeling satisfied.

Even though January is National Oatmeal Month, it is important to remember the many health benefits of including oats and oatmeal in a balanced diet year-round. 

The following websites were used as a reference in answering the question:

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/oatmeal-month/

http://sites.udel.edu/chs-udfoodlab/2016/01/11/january-oats/

http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/oats-january-grain-of-the-month

Cool and Warm Season Vegetables

Q:

Do some vegetables grow better in cool weather?  If so, does the cooler weather limit their nutritional value?

A:

Vegetables generally fall into two categories:  cool season and warm season.  As the names imply, cool season vegetables have adapted to cool climates and grow best in temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm season vegetables have adapted to warmer climates and must be planted when night temperatures stay above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since cool season vegetables grow best in cooler temperatures, the vegetable’s appearance, nutritional value, and flavor are at their peak when their growing season remains below 70 degrees.  When temperatures rise about 70 degrees in late spring and summer, the vegetables start producing seed stalk and they develop a woody/bitter flavor.

Here in Minnesota, we have the opportunity to grow cool season vegetables in the spring and in the fall.  Cool season vegetables tend to be leafy or root vegetables and include cabbage, carrots, broccoli, spinach, onions, radishes, lettuce and turnips.  Some cool season vegetables can tolerate some frost and will continue to grow even when temperatures are in the low 40’s, which allows some vegetables to be harvested into  October.

The following websites were used as references in answering the question:

http://igrow.org/up/resources/06-1018-2012.pdf

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/vegetables/planting-vegetables-midsummer-fall-harvest/

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Exercise and Brain Health

Q:

Does strength training have any impact on the brain?

A:

Past research has found regular exercise to be a good way to help protect your brain from the normal deterioration that occurs due to aging.  Normal deterioration includes memory loss and the decline of cognitive abilities.  The exercise that is most often researched is walking and aerobic activity and very little research has been done on strength training.

A recent study that focused on strength training has found that regular strength training does provide benefits to the brain.  As we age, lesions form in the white matter of the brain.  White matter is the material that connects the various regions of the brain.  Studies have found older people tend to have more lesions and, the more lesions there are, the worse your cognitive abilities are.

Similar to how strength training increases or maintains muscle mass, researchers wondered if strength training could have the added benefit of maintaining the brain’s white matter.  The study found that women who strength train twice a week had less shrinkage and damage to the white matter.  The study also found that the number of lesions had increased at a slower rate.

The study did not attempt to measure changes in cognitive ability, but researchers hope to study that issue soon.  It is not entirely clear why exercise, including strength training, helps the brain, but it does have benefits and further research is needed. 

The following websites were used as references in answering the question:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/lifting-weights-twice-a-week-may-aid-the-brain/

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110

Nutritional Benefits of Eating Fish

Q:

What are the nutritional benefits derived from eating fish?

A:

Beyond adding variety to the normal protein options of chicken, pork, or red meat, fish is a great alternative that provides the additional benefits of being low in saturated fats, lower in calories, and an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Saturated fats found in meat and high-fat dairy products may increase your risk to cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.  Substituting an unsaturated fat may reduce the risk of these conditions.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that are essential for human health.  Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to have many benefits including:  reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes,  lowering cholesterol, reducing the symptoms of arthritis, depression, and ADHD to name a few.

Finally, substituting a low calorie protein in place of a high calorie protein helps in weight management/loss.

It is recommended that you eat fish twice a week and that the portion size should be about 4 oz. (size of a deck of cards).   The following fish are high in Omega-3 fatty acids:  Anchovies, Herring, Salmon, Lake Trout and Tuna.

The following website was used as a reference in answering the question:

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet

Fasting

Q:

Does fasting result in weight loss?

A:

Fasting for weight loss will lead to a short term reduction in weight.  However, the long term health negatives greatly outweigh the short term benefits.  The negatives include:

•The initial weight loss is due to a loss of water and not a reduction in body fat.

•Fasting triggers your body into conservation mode.  A reduction in calories results in your body burning calories more slowly.

•When the fast ends and you return to your normal diet, a slower metabolism with your normal diet will result in fat gain.

•The natural aging process results in a loss of muscle mass.  Loss of muscle mass with a slower metabolism from fasting will result in long term fat gain.

Experts agree that fasting is not an effective way to lose weight.  A better option is a long term approach consisting of a healthy diet and exercise (including strength training).  This approach will lead to a caloric deficit due to burning more calories vs. reducing the caloric intake.  This approach leads to a change in body composition (e.g. reduction in body fat and gains in muscles mass).

The following website was used as a reference in answering the question:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-myth-truth-fasting-effective-weight-loss?page=2

Are Sugary Drinks Getting a Bad Rap?

Q:

A recent study suggested the lack of exercise as the largest contributor to the obesity epidemic and that diet, specifically consumption of soda and other sugary drinks, had minimal impact on obesity.  Are sugary drinks getting a bad rap?

A:

A recent study did suggest that diets high in sugar are not to blame for the skyrocketing obesity rates and indicated the lack of exercise as the main reason for obesity.  The study has received a lot of press because the study was funded by Coca Cola.

There is some debate about which is more important, diet or exercise, in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  There is also debate on the impact of sugary drinks on health as consumption of sugary drinks is also linked to other unhealthy habits (sedentary lifestyle, high fast food consumption, etc).  However, numerous studies have shown a link between poor health and sugary drink consumption:

•        Adding one can of soda every day to your diet, and not cutting back on calories elsewhere, can result in an additional five pounds in body weight by the end of a year.

•        Regular consumption of sugary drinks increases your chances of Type II Diabetes by 26%.

•        A two-decade long study found men who averaged a sugary drink per day increased their risk of heart attacks or dying of a heart attack by 20% compared to men who rarely consumed sugary drinks.

•        Sugary drinks are the top calorie source in children’s and teens’ diets (226 calories per day).

•        Sugary drinks are a major contributor to tooth decay.

•        Sugary drinks consumption has a negative impact on bone density.

The following websites were used as references in answering the question:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/coca-cola-funds-scientists-who-shift-blame-for-obesity-away-from-bad-diets/

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/soft-drinks-and-disease/

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sugary-drinks-fact-sheet/

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/sugary-drinks/

Eating Spicy Vegetables

Q:

Why are hot, spicy vegetables a healthy and nutritious choice?

A:

People that like to spice up their meals with hot, spicy vegetables are generally adding the heat to enhance flavor, but studies have also found these vegetables to have many health benefits:

•        Hot peppers contain a flavorless and odorless antioxidant called capsaicin.  Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidation, which in turns help prevent a variety of diseases.  An American Chemical Society study found capsaicin helps reduce the accumulation of cholesterol in the body.

•        Eating a spicy dish can temporarily boost your metabolism by up to eight percent.

•        A Canadian study found men that ate spicy appetizers consumed 200 fewer calories than their peers because spicy foods improve your chance of being satisfied. According to The New York Times, hot peppers may also help treat symptoms of the common cold.

 The following website was used as a reference in answering the question:

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-spicy-food-7569.html