Gretchen Scalpi, RD, CDE

I often encourage my clients to try new foods, especially alternatives to the grain products we typically eat.  One of my favorite grain alternatives has become buckwheat, not only because of it’s health benefits, but because of its versatility.  Have you tried buckwheat yet?

Buckwheat flour is commonly added to commercial pancake mix, and this is how most people even know of its existence.  However, buckwheat is much more than just an addition to a breakfast pancakes.  In its lesser known forms, there are a lot health and nutritional benefits that could make buckwheat a wonderful addition to a “whole foods” diet.

Contrary to its name, buckwheat is not a form of wheat at all.  Although it is sometimes referred to as a whole grain, it is, in fact a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb.

Whole buckwheat is a very nutritious food. The protein in buckwheat contains the eight essential amino acids. Buckwheat is also rich in many B vitamins as well as phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese, and has Alpha-Linolenic Acid, which is one of the two essential fatty acids we must have in our diets.

In addition to its nutritional value, there are some a few health benefits that make this food worth your consideration:

• Buckwheat is a high fiber food. 1 cup of cooked buckwheat groats contains over 4 grams of dietary fiber.
• Because it is high in fiber and has a low glycemic load, it is a good carbohydrate choice for diabetes.
• Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• Buckwheat is is a gluten-free alternative to grains, which makes it a healthful grain alternative for people with celiac disease or wheat sensitivity.

I find buckwheat products in the health food aisle of the grocery store, so you won’t need to search far to find it.   Here’s a quick primer on the various forms of buckwheat readily available:

Buckwheat Groats: hulled grains of buckwheat, triangular in shape and resembles other grains. Buckwheat groats are used whole in hot cereals and soups. The seeds from buckwheat can be used to make flour after being removed from the husk.

Buckwheat Groats

Buckwheat Kasha:   kasha, or roasted hulled buckwheat kernels, may be sold whole or cracked.  You may find it ground into coarse, medium, or fine consistencies. The variety you use will depend on the consistency you need for the dish you are preparing.

Buckwheat groats and the roasted version, kasha are usually cooked in a manner similar to cooking rice. Either can be used to make hot cereal, added to soups or casseroles, or used as a side dish.

Buckwheat Kasha

Buckwheat Flour:  buckwheat flour can be used alone or mixed with other types of flours to make pancakes, breads, and muffins. 

Buckwheat Soba:  thin noodles made from buckwheat flour and typically served with a sauce.

So on your next trip to the grocery store, I hope you will look for buckwheat and give it a try.  The Birkett Mills is the World’s largest manufacturer of buckwheat products, and their products are what I find in the grocery store. They are located in New York in the heart of the Finger Lakes. Next time, I’ll give you some recipe ideas for this wonderful food!

I am often asked what kind of snacks can be part of a healthy diet.  Ideally, a snack should have some nutritional value without an excess of calories.  Chosen carefully, snacks can help keep blood sugar stable throughout the day, control appetite, and  prevent excessive hunger.

I’ve noticed that many people rely on the 100 Calorie packs of crackers, cookies or salty snacks.    The prepackaged snacks may be useful for calorie control: that is, if you stick to one pack!  In many cases what you are getting is a refined flour product that’s short on nutrition or satisfaction. 

A better plan might be to make your own snack.  Here’s a few easy ideas:

4 oz. carrots with 2 Tb. hummus = 95 calories

A medium apple and low fat cheese stick = 120 calories

Two clementines = 80 calories

You get the idea.  If you are looking for a crunchy snack like the 100 calorie packs, trying making your own, using a variety of whole grain cereal, dried fruit and nuts. Experiment with different combinations until you find a mix that you like. Here’s a high fiber  snack mix that’s only 145 calories per 1/2 cup. Ten minutes of your time and you have 9 portions ready to go!

Cereal Snack Mix: Makes 9 servings

1 cup Fiber One- Original
1 cup Kashi Go Lean – Original
1 cup Cheerios – Original
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix well and measure 1/2 cup portions into sandwich bags.

145 Calories, 4 gm Protein, 22 gm Carbohydrate, 4 gm Fiber

Every weekend I try to cook ahead for the coming week.  I do this because like so many other people, I work all week and don’t have much time for cooking.  When clients tell me they have no time to cook, I understand: really I do!  But most tell me they want to eat healthier too.  So the solution?  Well, what about making one or two items on the weekend that you can enjoy during the week?

After my trip to the grocery store on weekends, I usually spend an hour or two making a few preparations for the coming week.  It might be something as simple as cutting up raw vegetables for a quick salad, or starting a pot of chili for a dinner meal during the week.  This preparation makes it much easier to get a quick dinner ready after working all day.

Here’s a sample of one of things I made ahead this past weekend:  a simple, delicious, comfort food that takes very little time:  Red Lentil Soup.

There’s plenty to love about lentils because of their superior nutritional value. They are rich in protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates. Lentils are also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins and folic acid.

A one pound bag of dried red lentils costs about $1.60, and with enough in a pound to make about 3 batches of this soup, it’s very economical.  I find the red lentils in the same grocery aisle as the rice and pasta.  This recipes takes about 10 minutes to put together,  30 minutes to simmer and you are done!  Six servings of delicious soup to have for lunch or dinner.

Red Lentil Soup – Makes 6 servings

• 2 Tb. Olive Oil
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 Tb. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 cup red lentils
• 3 tb. uncooked brown rice
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp. coarse salt (or to taste)

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and carrots, cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.  Add tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, lentils, rice, water and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.

1 Serving provides:  187 calories, 10 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 11 grams fiber, 410 mg. sodium, 0 mg. cholesterol

Sugar Levels in Yogurt

Thanks to my coach and mentor Chere Bork for this guest post!  This helps to clear up the confusion about the sugar content found in yogurt:

After my tv segment on cold and flu fighting foods, I had a great question from a reader. They wanted to know about the yogurt levels in sugar. Here’s my reponse:

You are correct. Yogurt does contain sugar and some yogurts contain so much they should be in the candy and dessert aisle rather than the dairy case!

YoCrunch contains 14 grams of sugar per serving.  YoCrunch contains natural sugars from the milk of yogurt and the added fruit. This sugar comes from lactose which is the natural form of carbohydrate found in milk and also some sugar from the whole pieces of fruit found in the yogurt. A bit of real sugar is also added. I’ve attached a YoCrunch Label- Greek Exotics for you to see.

Plain yogurt typically provides 8 to 12 grams from lactose without any added sugars. YoCrunch is higher due to the added pieces of pomegranate, blueberries or raspberries.

There are so many nutrition benefits of eating YoCrunch yogurt, like Calcium (1 serving is like drinking 8 ounces of milk), protein (12 grams is double that of normal yogurt which has 6 grams) and probiotics which help your immune system.

As a RD I feel there are so many nutritional benefits of eating this yogurt I am not concerned about 14 grams of sugar. And, I have seen many yogurts that are over 25 grams!

Chere believes life is easy and we make it hard. She empowers people as a National Speaker, Media Spokesperson and Wellcoach® faculty member with the 5 key ingredients for savory living – purpose, energy, balance, happiness and health. Learn more here.

When I think of convenience food, things like frozen pizza, TV dinners and Hot Pockets come to mind.  I’m not a big fan of most these, because they tend to be highly processed, high in sodium and short on nutrition.  As a quick and easy meal once in a while, maybe, but as a regular item on my menu, no thanks.

I started thinking about why so many people have come to rely on convenience food as a staple, and the answer seems pretty clear.  The perception is they don’t have the time it takes to prepare healthy foods.  Now,  I know there many healthy foods that require time to make, but I decided to come up with a short list of  foods that are convenient, (i.e. requiring little to no preparation) and worthy of your consideration.  Each item has great nutritional value, and could make your efforts to eat healthier just a little bit easier!

The symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can happen unexpectedly and are hard to ignore.  Sudden nausea, cold clammy skin, rapid heartbeat, weakness, inability to concentrate, or trembling gets one’s attention pretty quickly.  Low blood sugar can happen to anyone, but people with diabetes or pre-diabetes are particularly vulnerable to this situation.   Several common scenarios that can bring on the  symptoms of hypoglycemia  include:

• going for extended periods of time without eating
• a change in mealtime schedule or delayed meal time
• taking diabetes medications or insulin without eating adequate amounts of food
• improperly dosed much insulin or medication
• consuming concentrated amounts of sugar, followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar
• illness
• vigorous exercise

Someone who has had episodes of hypoglycemia will tell you how very unpleasant the experience is.  The symptoms can create a feeling of panic,  as well as urgency to get out of the situation as quickly as possible. Avoid the tendency to “over treat” hypoglycemia, by consuming too much sugar, too quickly.  While it is important to treat low blood sugar quickly, a stepwise approach called the “Rule of 15″ can correct a low blood sugar effectively  in most cases.

Step 1.  Check your blood glucose using a glucose meter.  A reading of less than 70 mg/dl usually indicates the need to treat a low.

Step 2.  Consume 15 grams of carbohydrate, wait about 15 minutes, then recheck your blood glucose level again. If your blood glucose is still low, consume another 15 grams of carbohydrate, then recheck 15 minutes later. Since blood glucose levels may begin to drop again about 40–60 minutes after treatment, it is a good idea to recheck your blood glucose approximately one hour after treating a low.

Steep 3.  If you’ve had to treat the low blood sugar twice,  it’s probably a good idea to have a more substantial snack, that includes a source of protein, as well as carbohydrate:  Example:  cheese & crackers.

The “rule of 15” is an accepted method for treating hypoglycemia, but if you have specific instructions from your diabetes team to do otherwise,  follow those guidelines instead.

Here are several examples of items containing 15 grams of carbohydrate:

• 4 glucose tablets
• 1 dose of glucose gel -1 small tube is one dose
• 1/2 cup of orange juice or regular soda (not sugar-free)
• 1 tablespoon of sugar or 5 small sugar cubes
• 6–8 LifeSavers

Hypoglycemia can occur unexpectedly, so stay prepared by carrying a carbohydrate source with you at all times!

With the beginning of the new year, many of you are looking at ways to improve your eating habits, or perhaps get back to exercise.  One way to get going with a healthy eating and exercise plan is to use a virtual source. Many people have had good success using their computer or mobil devices as a means to stay on track.  Using the program on a daily basis helps with accountability and motivation.  If you are a self-starter and have thought about virtual programs before, I would  recommend taking a look at  Cyberbit360, a virtual fitness and health center. It’s a new and innovative fitness training and nutrition system that you can use  on your computer or mobile device (iPhone, iPads, and Android). The basic program allows you to plan fitness routines and meal based on your specific goals.  The fitness training emphasizes improving multiple fitness components at the same time (strength, flexibility, endurance).  The nutrition system includes healthy menu plans written by RD’s, which you can adapt to your specific weight goals.  For a very reasonable price you can add to the basic program and receive  personal training and nutrition information on-line with trusted advice from certified personal trainers and registered dietitians.  Check it out: it may be just what you’re looking for to kick-start your healthy new year!

If you like hot cereal at breakfast and find yourself reaching for an instant oatmeal packet, I invite you to consider a different possibility. Cooking a whole grain for breakfast has the benefit of more fiber, better nutritional value, and little to no processing.

Oatmeal aficionados will tell you that the wonderful, nutty flavor and texture of steel cut oats will change your mind about oatmeal packets forever. I have to agree. Some people are reluctant to try this form of oatmeal because of the extra time (30 minutes or more) it takes to make this kind of cereal in the morning.

Want to learn how to make this heartier version of oatmeal without spending a lot of time? Watch this video and see how you can you can make this quickly and easily. The best part of this method is that you will have several servings of oatmeal, enough to have for a few days! Once it’s made all you will need in to do in the morning is microwave a portion for about 2 minutes. It really doesn’t get much easier than that!

Like most other people, I really like to bake and give away cookies at Christmas.  A favorite of mine is the delicious molasses cookie.  I’ve tried many recipes over the years and recently I found this one posted in Eating Well .  Same great cookie, but made over reducing the butter in the recipe.  Try it and I think you will see just how good these are.

Yummy Molasses Crackles

Preparation

1. Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and molasses. Mix well.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and ginger in another large bowl until well blended. Stir in crystallized ginger.
3. Blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture a cup at a time, mixing well, until it is all incorporated. Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
5. Place the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and then roll in the sugar. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake the cookies, in batches, until they crackle on top, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Per cookie: 79 calories; 1 g fat ( 1 g sat , 0 g mono ); 9 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 106 mg sodium; 43 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (other)

Every day thousands of people learn that they have pre-diabetes.  That knowledge can make people react in different ways.  One person may feel panic or worry about what to do next and another may be very nonchalant and feel “it’s not really that bad!”   While people react to such news in a variety of ways, I prefer to think of the diagnosis as an opportunity to set things right again.

What is pre-diabetes?  It’s defined as a state that is between having normal blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at-risk for developing type 2 Diabetes.

Instead of panic, or worse yet, ignoring the situation entirely, quick action is what really counts.  The good news is that if you begin to make positive lifestyle changes right away, you may be able to reverse the pre-diabetes and prevent diabetes altogether!  The more you understand the condition and what works to reverse it, the easier it will be to work on targeted lifestyle changes.

Be selective about where you get your pre-diabetes information.  While there are literally thousands of sources out there ready to give you advice, look for information that comes from established, reputable organizations or credentialed professionals such as the American Diabetes Association or a Certified Diabetes Educator.

Successfully treating pre-diabetes includes a well thought out wellness and lifestyle plan, with tangible goals that you work on one goal at a time. So what’s the most important thing to do first?  Decide to tackle the problem quickly. Pre-diabetes is often reversible, so use this opportunity to rid yourself of this condition.

Starting in January, I will be holding a six-week teleclass all about pre-diabetes,  how to treat it,  and how to prevent diabetes.  To find out how you can participate go to http://www.nutritionxpert.com/prediabetesteleclass.htm