Sanna Delmonico, MS, RDS, CHES
Sanna Delmonico, MS, RDS, CHES
Article Archive
Nearly 1 in 4 Americans say they began drinking more during the pandemic to cope with stress. The irony is that, while alcohol can temporarily relieve stress, in the long run it can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Here’s a look at how eating habits have changed, what we can expect moving forward, and how we can support our health.
What’s the story on complete and incomplete proteins? Do I need to combine plant proteins to get enough? These are important questions, given our current obsession with protein, and the answer may surprise you. In short, thinking about protein as complete or incomplete is an idea that many nutrition scientists believe we should do away with.
Have you ever made a recommendation to a client, then discovered the client heard something completely different? Or she took part of what you suggested and ignored the rest? Like the time I advised my client about the healthfulness of berries and later found out he had given up all other fruit. That was a nutrition misfire. Maybe it was the client’s all-or-nothing thinking, or maybe I hadn’t been clear enough. After all, there is subtlety in food and nutrition, and getting the message right is a challenge.
Question
I am eating less red meat and more plant-based meals. Am I missing out on iron?
Answer
Red meat is a great source of iron, zinc and other trace minerals. So are other animal foods, including poultry and seafood. Iron is an essential mineral that is part of hemoglobin in blood and myoglobin in muscle, the proteins that transport oxygen through the body.
Question
What are ancient grains, and why are they “ancient”? Are they more nutritious than regular grains?
Answer
Ancient grains have not been hybridized or modified in hundreds of years. Farro, spelt, emmer, einkorn and khorasan, for example, are varieties of wheat that have remained unchanged from ancient times.
Question
I have been trying to eat more salmon for the omega-3 fatty acids. What’s better nutritionally, wild or farmed fish?
Question
I like the flavor of nutritional yeast flakes on steamed vegetables. What makes this yeast nutritional? Does it provide health benefits?
QUESTION
I keep hearing about people getting E. coli from lettuce. I thought E. coli came from beef. Can you explain what E. coli is and why lettuce is a problem?
QUESTION: I keep hearing about people getting E. coli from lettuce. I thought E. coli came from beef. Can you explain what E. coli is and why lettuce is a problem?
QUESTION: Now that I have results from my DNA test, can I use them to figure out which weight loss diet would work best for me?
QUESTION: I know white sugar isn’t good for me, but what about other sugars? Are alternative sugars like honey and agave syrup any healthier?
ANSWER: Too much added sugar is linked to increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which is why the American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for women and 38 g (9 teaspoons) per day for men (AHA 2018).
QUESTION: I know white sugar isn’t good for me, but what about other sugars? Are alternative sugars like honey and agave syrup any healthier?
ANSWER: Too much added sugar is linked to increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which is why the American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for women and 38 g (9 teaspoons) per day for men (AHA 2018).
Have you ever made a recommendation to a client, then discovered the client heard something completely different? Or she took part of what you suggested and ignored the rest? These can be chalked up as nutrition misfires.
QUESTION: What are lectins, and why are people saying they are so harmful to health? Should I really give up eating beans?
Question: I have a sensitivity or allergy to tomatoes. My mouth and esophagus get itchy and sore when I eat them. Is there any way to make tomatoes less irritating? Is there a good substitute for tomatoes in recipes?
Answer: You may suffer from oral allergy syndrome (OAS), a relatively common reaction to plant foods, including tomatoes. People who have pollen allergies are more likely to have OAS (Asero 2013) because they react to similar proteins in vegetables, fruits and/or nuts.
Question: I cook for the week on Sunday. I might bake a chicken, make a big batch of quinoa and steam vegetables so I can make lunch and dinner quickly during the week. But I find I am eating the exact same foods every day. Is this okay for overall nutrition? Could I be missing nutrients?
Question: I have heard that drinking apple cider vinegar is good for weight loss. Is that true, or is it too good to be true?
Answer: Apple cider vinegar has a cure-all reputation for helping with weight loss, cholesterol,
diabetes, acne, digestive problems and other issues. The truth is somewhat less impressive, but apple
cider vinegar does have proven health benefits.
Question: What are the most nutritious eggs? There are so many kinds in the supermarket—brown, white, omega-3, free-range. Are there any differences?
Answer: Egg nutrients include protein, fat, vitamin A and choline. Eggs do have cholesterol, but cholesterol in food has little impact on cholesterol in your blood.
Do different eggs have different nutrition profiles? First of all, there is no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs. Different breeds of chickens simply lay eggs of different colors, from white to brown to green.
Question: I bought tahini to make hummus, and now I have most of the jar left. Are tahini and sesame seeds nutritious, and what else can I use them for?
