Topic of the Week: Food Fight
By Hanniel Puell
All of us are eager to improve our nutrition intake and strive to eat “cleaner.” However, the more nutritious choice isn’t always the obvious one. We are going to weigh in on some common foods in a head to head fight to see which one may have a better nutrition benefit for you.
The Battle: Bison vs. Beef Bison, or Buffalo, may be linked to fewer coronary woes than industrial beef. A 2013 study in Nutrition Research found that consuming bison 6 days a week for 7 weeks resulted in less of a rise in blood triglycerides, inflammation and other heart disease risk factors in volunteers than consuming beef (McDaniel et al. 2013.) The likelihood of this decrease can be due to pasture-raised fed rather than grain-based diet in a feedlot. Animals that are pasture-fed provide less saturated fat and more omega-3 fats resulting to bison a more heart-healthy red meat option.
The Battle: Apples vs. Pears Both of these fruit are great sources of anti-oxidants however pears provide 50% more dietary fiber compared to other medium sized foods. Studies suggest that higher intakes of fiber can help slash the risk for several types of cancer, potentially by helping eliminating toxins from the body. By promoting satiety and reducing overeating, a high-fiber diet is also thought to play a key role weight-loss and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.
The Battle: Almonds vs. Walnuts A Harvard School of Public Health study found that despite their higher calories count, buts are associated with lower weight gain. Walnuts harbor higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids however almonds reign supreme in a number of other nutritional elements, including protein, fiber, Vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium and phosphorus. This makes almonds a more nutrient dense option. Daily almond consumption has also shown to help with inflammation associated with chronic diseases like diabetes and heart diseases.
The Battle: Kale vs. Spinach Looks like Popeye got it wrong. Compared to spinach, jaunty kale contains nearly twice as much immunity-boosting vitamin A and four times as much of the antioxidant vitamin C. Kale also provides 70% more bone-strengthening vitamin K and three times as much lutein and zeaxanthin, an antioxidant duo shown to bolster eye health.
The Battle: Whole-Wheat Bread vs. Sprouted Bread Research shows that sprouted breads, such as Ezekiel, brought smaller spike in blood sugar in volunteers than the whole-grain breads that were tested. This could help fight against conditions associated with poor blood sugar control like diabetes and obesity. Sprouted breads are often richer in protein and fiber and are also thought to make foods easier to digest.
The Battle: Quinoa vs. Brown Rice Compared to humble brown rice, quinoa provides more generous doses of protein, fiber, energy-boosting iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and folate. Need we say more? A rare grain, quinoa contains a full complement of amino acids, making it a valuable protein source for building muscle. What’s more, quinoa takes about half the time to cook making it a go-to grain everyone who are on a rush or tired from a long day.
The Battle: Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt Greek yogurt provides about twice as much protein as regular yogurt making it an especially satiating snack with muscle-building benefits. A recent University of Missouri study found that health women who noshed on high-protein yogurt for an afternoon snack felt less hungry and waited longer before seeking our more food than eating lower protein yogurt. A lot of the sweets are removed during the straining process which gives Greek yogurt ½ the calories less in sugar compared to regular yogurts. One advantage that regular yogurts have is their higher content of calcium compared to Greek yogurts.
Final Battle: Frozen Fruits/Vegetables vs. Canned Fruits/Vegetable One of the obvious reasons why frozen is better over canned are free from sodium and added sugar. Rapid freezing shortly after harvest helps to lock in vital nutrients, some of which the canning process can degrade.
Note = information provided is for educational purposes only.
For more information about how you can become a STAR program participant, contact Hanniel Puell, who leads the STAR Program at Progressive Physical Therapy in Santa Clarita at 661-254-0077 or at [email protected].
For more information about Progressive Physical Therapy, click here
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photo courtesy of Richie Girardin