Bagels September 26, 2008

This morning I am sitting in Panera Bread surfing the net and feeling very happy. I have just enjoyed my favorite bagel, the pink ribbon bagel, and great cup of coffee. Normally bagels bring fear to the heart of the average dieter, and they probably should because they are high calorie.

But what if you love bagels, like I do?

I don’t want to go the rest of my life without bagels! Pink ribbon bagels only come out once a year to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. I must admit that I look forward to them. =) So I need to figure out how I can splurge on this delectable treat and still stay on tract with my healthy eating goals.

This is something we all need to continue to examine. What less-healthy foods do I want to fit into my diet?

First of all, I don’t eat bagels (yummy, big bagels) all the time. I consider them a treat. And if I am going to eat a bagel, I want it to be a good one. So I won’t waste my calories on a grocery store bagel, only the good ones from Panera or my very favorite, Einstein’s.

Secondly, I want to think about the choices I have made that surround this decision to eat a bagel. Have I eaten mostly high fiber, whole grains the rest of the week? Have I been mindful of my calories? Exercised regularly? Splurged another time this week?

One less-healthy choice, surrounded by a lot of healthy choices, is not a big deal and shouldn’t prevent me from reaching my nutrition goals.

I think a once a week splurge is an acceptable event in a healthy diet. It’s just when once a week turns into several times a week that there is a problem. Remember that healthy eating is a series of decisions. It’s not about being on a diet or off a diet. It’s about the decision you are going to make right now for a healthier body, regardless of what you just did.

A bad eating decision isn’t so bad if it’s thoughtfully planned out. And as soon as it is over, it’s time to get right back to discipline and planned-eating. The bagel I just ate should not send me on a downward spiral to careless eating for the rest of the day. If anything, it should move me to be more conscious, but not in a negative way. I don’t need to feel guilty about my bagel choice because it is one decision amidst many to be a healthier person.

So what’s the moral of the story?

Planned splurges are definitely part of a healthy diet. So relax, enjoy that favorite food, and plan to make your next decision a healthy one.

New Splenda Research September 25, 2008

A new piece of research has hit the media this week highlighting some possible negative effects of Splenda (aka sucralose). These effects are: “Reduces the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50%, increases the pH level in the intestines, contributes to increases in body weight, and affects the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the body in such a way that crucial health-related drugs could be rejected.”

Here’s some thing to keep in mind before changing your use of Splenda or your hatred of artificial sweeteners is intensified.

- This is just one study. Practice is never changed by one study. One study can definately tip us off to some important things to think about and where further research is needed.

- The subjects of this study were rats, not humans. Rats are a typical subject group and the FDA also tested on rats in their studies. I still say they are rats.

- This study was funded by the Sugar Association. Hmmmm. You always have to say that when you find out who funded a huge project against a competetor. This is not to say that the research is bogus. In fact, the researchers have already made a public statement saying the funders had nothing to do with the results.

Adverse effects of sucralose were found at a level of 1.1-11 mg/kg of body weight. The FDA recommends a safe level of sucralose at 5 mg/kg of body weight.

So what do we do now? I still stand by the fact that artificial sweeteners are generally safe to consume. However, I always respect those who choose to avoid them altogether. I think each person should make their own decision until more valid research is available. I think this study can lead us to think that maybe too much is not good. I encourage you to look at just how much artificial sweetener you are getting in your diet. We shouldn’t use Splenda in everything, but most dietitians have felt that way from the beginning. Yes, switching to a diet soda is a good choice calorie-wise. But if you are now drinking several diet sodas a day, we have another problem to address from a healthy-eating perspetive.