Q&A: Cream and Sugar Kickstart Alternatives

I received this great question from one of my readers:

Morning Routine:

I realize 9 times out of 10, I start my day with about 2 tablespoons of refined sugar and about 4 ounces of fatty cream.  I'm talking about my morning coffee of course.

I'm sure a lot of people will tell you, "There is no way I'm giving up my morning coffee and I don't want to drink it black either."
 

So with that, What are some healthy alternatives to the Cream and Sugar kickstart?

I LOVE this question. Love, love love! I am a firm believer in nixing the white stuff in your diet.

Let's talk natural alternatives. 

Agave nectar: Sweeter than honey, but a more neutral taste.  Available in liquid form. Agave will easily dissolve in cold drinks (iced coffee, anyone?)  Agave nectar is extracted from the Blue Agave Cactus. Raw agave syrup has a low glycemic index and is absorbed into the body much slower than sugar. It eliminates the highs and lows experienced with eating refined sugar.   
60 calories per 1 Tbs.

Honey: Honey in coffee? Sounds weird, but it's delicious! It's sweeter than sugar and available in liquid (which is what I use) and crystal form. Derived from the nectar of flowers gathered by bees. Very romantic, no? Anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. 
64 calories per 1 Tbs.

Molasses: I LOVE molasses - but not in my coffee. Good to know it's out there, though. It's unrefined/unprocessed and make sure to use the unsulfured stuff.  
58 calories per 1 Tbs.

Sucanat:   It is dehydrated, unprocessed sugar cane juice in the form of fine, ground golden-brown crystals. It's better for baking and will dissolve quicker. Since it maintains its innate molasses, Sucanat has been proven to possess the most nutritional content of any sweetener from the sugar cane plant. The molasses adds a certain richness and also contains significant amounts of iron and calcium. Sucanat possesses far fewer calories than white sugar.  
45 calories per 1 Tbs.

Turbinado: You've seen me use this in my B. Bread Recipe. It comes in coarse ground crystals, which require a good stir in your morning coffee to get it all to dissolve.  When making Turbinado, the juice from the sugar cane plant is extracted, heated and then turned into crystals. This type of sugar does not preserve much of its original molasses content, although it is often used in recipes as a substitute for brown sugar. Like Sucanat, Turbinado also contains far fewer calories than white sugar.  
45 calories per 1 Tbs.


Sugar is easy.  Creamer is a little more difficult...

Cream or creamers can have anywhere from 40-90 calories. In addition, some contain saturated fat and/or trans fat. Yikes!

Skim milk is the obvious best choice at only 10 calories per 2 tablespoons, but making the jump from full-fat to skim can be jarring.  Ease your way down starting with 2%, then 1% and finally down to skim.  Give your tastebuds time to re-adjust!


If you still turn your nose up to the thought of adding skim milk, there are a few other options:

Fat-Free Evaporated Milk:  Obviously this is a more processed choice and definitely not natural, but if you are looking for a creamier alternative, try this.   
25 calories per 2 Tbs.

Soy Creamer: Once again, more processed.  It has less fat and calories than your typical whole milk creamer, but some preservatives, stabilizers, and a little added sugar. BUT it's Vegetarian!  
30 calories per 2 Tbs.

  

Coconut Milk:  Go with unsweetened. Preservatives and stabilizers in this too. TONS of health benefits adding a little coconut into the diet. Source of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Also, vegetarian.
15 calories per 2 Tbs.

So there you go!  A few options to try out and see which one tastes best to you! TASTE TEST! :)

Let's Talk Marathon Nutrition

With all the hype and excitement around the Boston Marathon on Mondy, how could I not join in on the fun?!

You've picked your Marathon...  Check!
You've found a training plan...    Check!
You're eating the right foods...    

STOP RIGHT THERE!

Proper nutrition is essential!

Eating right will help get you across the finish line.

How many calories do I need in a day?

The three main factors involved in calculating how many calories your body needs per day are:

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
• Physical Activity
• Thermic Effect of Food

Let's break it down...

BMR

BMR is the amount of energy your body needs to function at rest.  This accounts for about 60 to 70 percent of the calories you burn in one day.

The Harris-Benedict Formula will help you calculate that number!

Adult Males:
66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Adult Females:
655 + ( 4.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Physical Activity

Physical Activity consumes the next highest amount of calories.

Check out the Daily Mile and have them calculate your calories burned for you!

Thermic Effect of Food

Did you know your body uses energy to digest the foods you consume?

Add up the number of calories you consume in a day and multiple this number by 10%.

Note: If you are unsure how many calories you consume in a day, simply add together your BMR plus your physical activity caloric expenditure.

Putting It All Together

BMR + Physical Activity + Thermic Effect of Food 

=
Total Daily Calories

Nutrient Ratio

Now that you have calculate your total daily calories, it's time to break that down into the ratio of macronutrients needed for optimum performance:

• Carbohydrates: 65%
• Protein: 15%
• Fats: 20%

Next, let's find out how many grams of each macronutrient you need.

Remember:

• 1 gram of Carbohydrate = 4 calories
• 1 gram of Protein = 4 calories
• 1 gram of Fat = 9 calories

For example)

Bobby here is training for a marathon.  He is consuming 3,000 calories a day.

He will need:

• Carbohydrates: 3,000 x .65 = 1,950 cal / 4g = 488 g
• Protein: 3,000 x .15 = 450 cal / 4g = 113 g
• Fats: 3,000 x .20 = 600 cal / 9g = 67 g

 Breaking it down into grams makes it easy to find your total by label reading!

How to Fuel

It's important to get a good balance of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, healthy fats and protein.

Complex Carbohydrates are Best!

Think oatmeal, whole wheat breads and pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, high fiber breakfast cereals and beans and lentils.

Go Lean When It Comes to Protein!

Think chicken and turkey breast, tuna, tilapia, 90% lean ground beef, egg whites, beans and low-fat dairy.

Get Your Fats and Oils from Vegetables!

Think olive oil, canola oil, flax seed oil, nuts and avocados.

Foods to Avoid

Limit high fat foods.  Fat takes longer to digest and can leave you feeling sluggish and nauseated.

Coffee and Alcohol in moderation due to their dehydrating effects.

Careful with sugary foods before exercise.  Blood sugar will rise and then drop quickly causing light-headedness and quicker glycogen depletion.

Also, be conscious of portion size.  Eating too much can make for an uncomfortable run.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You are well of your way to a successful marathon completion!

Use online food calculators to look up nutritional information, create weekly meal plans to help you stay on track and focus on your personalized nutrient ratio!

See you at the finish line!

Ten Super Foods You Should Eat

As I was completing my required reading for the week, I stumbled across this and thought I would share.

1.  Cantaloupe

A quarter of a delicious melon supplies almost as much Vitamin A and C as most people need in an entire day.


2.  Sweet Potatoes

A nutritional All-Star - one of the best vegetables you can eat.  They're loaded with Carotenoids, Vitamin C, Potassium, and Fiber.  Mix in unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness.


3.  Fat-Free (Skim) or Low-Fat Milk (1% not 2%)

Excellent source of Calcium, Vitamins, and Protein with little or no artery-clogging fat and cholesterol. (Soy milk can have just as many nutrients - if the company adds them.)

4.  Salmon or other fatty fish

The Omega-3 Fatty Acids in fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, swordfish, and rainbow trout, can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks.


5.  Oranges

Great tasting and rich in Vitamin C, Folic Acid, and Fiber.

6.  Broccoli

Lots of Vitamin C, Carotenoids, and Folic Acid.


7.  Whole-Grain Bread

It's higher in Fiber and about a dozen Vitamins and Minerals than enriched white bread or "wheat bread."


8.  100% Bran Cereal

A half-cup serving provides about one-third the Fiber you need for an entire day - to maintain regularity, as well as reduce the risk of diverticulosis and heart disease.

9.  Beans

Inexpensive, low in fat, and rich in Protein, Iron, Folic Acid, and Fiber.  Choose garbanzo, pinto, black, navy, kidney or lentils.  Eat them as a side dish or snack, in a tortilla with salsa, or in soup.

10.  Spinach or Kale

Loaded with Vitamin C, Carotenoids, Calcium, and Fiber.  Steam 'em and eat 'em.

Brought to you by my Sports and Exercise Nutrition text.

Nutritional Factoids

As I am reading my CAM (Complimentary Alternative Medicine) text, I encountered an eye-popping, jaw-dropping statistic.

Did you know...

A recent USDA survey found that a typical American consumed  
four orders of french fries each week.

Yikes!!


Using a large order of McDonald's french fries as an example, this means each week the typical American will consume in french fries alone 2,000 calories, 880 of those being from fat.  That's an entire day's worth of food!  So, 52 weeks in a year times 2,000 calories equals 104,000 calories - An equivalent of 30 pounds of body fat! 

It's no wonder we have an obesity epidemic in this county.

Oh, and have you seen this gem?

Can you tell the difference between the oatmeal and this?

Yeah, didn't think so.

Both 260 calories, minimal fiber, low in protein, and high in sugar.  Actually, the oatmeal has more added- sugar, sodium and cholesterol than the snickers.  The snickers bar at least sneaks in some healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Pretty sick, huh?

*Sigh*

It's like putting diesel fuel into a sports car.  You just wouldn't do it.  It is so important to educate yourself about what you put in your body. 

Well, off for more reading and educating myself, in the hopes of one day educating others.  Even if it is just one nutritional factoid at a time. :)