Ha! Really? Just another day in the life of a chick who talks food all day long.

Generally, I don’t run through my daily food journal with clients … that would be quite odd. But, today, just for fun (and the fact that this came up twice the other day with clients), I felt that I would share a day of food in the life of yours truly. I will make a disclaimer that no two days are exactly alike for me because my schedule is not standard–I work out whenever I can fit it in and schedule folks differently every day–but, there are a few things that are consistent. I eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, eat about every 3-4 hours, food combine (protein + fiber, really), and make/bring 90+ % of my own food on a daily basis. Anywho … here we go! I warn you … there will be anecdotes as we go … or else, that’d be really boring!

A Day of My Food

• 7:00 AM: Alarm goes off. Time to rise n’ shine and turn off that horrid alarm … I really need to get a new alarm sound…
• 7:00-7:30 AM: Start weeding through the emails and press releases…
• 8:00 AM Breakfast!: A Perfect 10 bagel (love these! Protein packed, high in fiber, and low carb), toasted, with hummus. Funny story: my client is OBSESSED with these and was dying for me to try them. She was ordering and asked how many I wanted. I thought I said two bags. She thought I said two dozen bags! Ha-ha. My client, “ I thought that was strange. That’s a lot of bagels! I was thinking, my goodness … what is she going to do with all these bagels … ???!!!” Note to folks : eat breakfast within an hour of waking up! Key to get your metabolism going!
• 11:00 AM Snack: A hard boiled egg + a banana
• 12:00 -1:15ish PM Workout: 7 mile run + some plyometrics. Time to get serious about marathon training…
• 1:45 PM Post workout snack:  Kashi TLC bar Showered after the run and quickly ate—only had 15 minutes until the next client. And made sure to grab something, carb-based, with a touch of protein within 30 minutes after the run to replenish glycogen stores.
• 2:30 PM Lunch: 6 ounces of baked, air-chilled chicken with paprika, cumin, and chili powder + roasted carrots and asparagus. Now … I ADORE air-chilled chicken! I’ve made it for friends, swearing it tastes so much better than regular chicken with much more flavor and pizzazz. They may not always be able to tell the difference, but I hold my stance that it is by far superior to water-chilled chicken!
• 3:00-6:30 PM: Clients, emails, calls, etc. …ah Mondays….
• 5:30 PM Snack: 3/4 cups or so of green grapes + 15 walnuts. Combine people! Think protein + fiber + healthy fats to keep you feeling satiated, even out hunger hormones, and prevent blood sugar highs and lows.
• 8:00 PM Dinner: Egg-white mostly omelet (3 egg whites + 1 egg) with mushrooms and zucchini, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup blueberries. Just because it’s dinner doesn’t mean you can’t have breakfast! Plus, this follows my rule, protein and produce every 3-4 hours.
• 8:30 PM My Hankering: 1 Dove Promise milk chocolate. A girl’s always got to have a little sweet in her life! I love these. They’re pre-packaged, and one is only 44 calories. But, the most noteworthy mention is that they come with cute little sayings. Yup, I’m a sucker! But, I love sentimental stuff like that. Mine today? “Trust with your heart, not your head.” Oh, good call, Dove. Good call!

Did you eat anything noteworthy today?

After I fully realized that, “NO, we’re not there yet!” I started to do some mental pushing. My body was trained well enough. Now, I needed to train my mind.

The first thing I did was put my main goal in perspective. I’m training for a half marathon. I can do this. I’ve come thus far and it’s not that much further. I then looked at my watch and focused on just the next ten minutes. If I can get through this ten minutes, then I can do the next. I was creating mini-goals along the way til I finished this run.

During this two hour and twelve minute 13.62 mile run, I focused on each step and committed to accomplishment.  Plus, I had no other way to get back home (ha-ha), so I really had to keep on running!

As I finally got into a groove, my mind started to wander, and I began thinking about what you need to achieve a goal—whether training for a marathon or seeking to ditch those last 10 pounds—the steps to goal accomplishment don’t really differ. Thus, without further ado, below are some tips from me to you that powered me through this run and are powering me on through training. I hope they help you achieve your goal.

Top Tips for Goal Accomplishment

Keep your main goal in mind: Whether looking to lose 75 pounds, run a marathon, or dine out less—choose a goal! And better yet, once you choose your goal, keep it in the back of your  mind. Without that focus you lose drive. You push less when you don’t have an end in sight.

Respect the progress you’ve made and celebrate milestones: Be proud of all the little things you do throughout the day to help you achieve your main goal! Because it’s those little things that add up! Do what I do with my clients. Set mini-goals that amount to your one big goal and each time you hit a mini-goal, pamper yourself! For example, if you want to lose 30 pounds, and you lost 10 pounds in five weeks, hitting your 1st mini-goal, go celebrate with something special to you—a massage, new dress, bread machine, or whatever tickles your fancy. Take time out to recognize what you’ve achieved. Yet, to break that down even further, some of my clients keep calendars and mark off their “good” days with a star, heart, or sticker to keep them motivated and moving along their “healthy-me” path.

Have a partner: Share your goal with someone and then the genius part—check in with them—so you do what you say. Funny how that works. But, I’ll tell ya, without a running partner to kick my rear into high gear, I’d be WAY less likely to keep pounding the pavement … over and over … and over.

Set a deadline: Let’s face it, most of us are procrastinators, without a deadline for your main goal, you’re less likely to achieve it. Simply because you’re not truly committed. Commit! Mark a date on your calendar and please make sure it’s realistic (read below!). By the way, if your goal is weight loss—no more than one or two pounds a week folks because if it’s more, it comes back—and as fat! Um, no thank you! Keep it metabolically real.

Be realistic: If we have unrealistic expectations, then we’ll fail to meet them and guess what? We’ll be upset! And that doesn’t send you on any wave of spiraling life-changing-goodness. As I tell my clients, choose something small that you can do and from there we’ll continually make changes until you are changed for the better.

Challenge yourself: What’s life without a good challenge? How far can you go? I bet it’s farther than you think. As my fave fitness goddess, Jillian Michaels, says (right about when I’m thinking I should have opted for the monotonous ellipitcal instead of kick-ass plyometrics and weight moves), “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable” because that’s when you see change. It’s true folks. It’s true. For example, if you’re eating take out more than 40% of the week—change that! Start cooking at home! Yes—it takes time, preparation, and forethought, but that’s where YOU come in. Make it work. You’ll see changes in not only your body, but your home life too. Just watch.

Find inspiration: Inspiration drives us. Whether you want to look better, feel better, or accomplish the once before “unaccomplishable,” let inspiration guide you. Or, perhaps you have someone who inspires you to simply be better. Whatever floats your boat, use that to float you right on over to goal achieving!

What’s your goal?

We all know that veggies are your body’s best friend. They’re high in fiber; full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; and they have the miraculous ability to fill you up without a lot of calories. Basically, they help whittle your middle, so the more you can get in—the better! But, perhaps not always…

What do you think I’m going to say? … Calories still count! Pay attention to your oils, butters, spreads, sauces, and marinades because with a heavy hand the 50 calorie per cup broccoli or cup of 40 calorie green beans becomes a 250 plus calorie dish –oi vei! Therefore, when you add the “fatty veggies” with the 4 ounce chicken breast marinated in creamy goodness and 1 ½ cups of brown rice, you’ve got around a  700 calorie meal!!!

Thus, that “diet” meal has now entered large-meal territory! Isn’t that sneaky?!?! So my friends, your best bet is to roast, bake, steam, grill, or lightly sauté your veggies in a marinade you enjoy … and to measure your sauces, fats, and marinades. Because again, 2 tablespoons of an oil or fat is about 200 calories—little details to keep in mind. In fact, for oils, you may find it helpful to use a non-stick cooking spray or to buy a misto.

What’s the message here?!?

Pay attention to the small things because they matter, especially when trying to take off those last few pounds or if stuck at a plateau. Therefore, take a moment to look at what’s really going on and modify. The best way to do this is by tracking…I know…but, it’s true. Take the time to utilize an online program, such as the FABULOUS comprehensive program that I proudly work for, Eating Free.

I enforce the online tracking because that will allow you to see percentages of where your calories are coming from. A calorie is a calorie, but to make your body super efficient and to keep your metabolism up, we need to get our percentages of macronutrients in line, eat every 4 hours and get the majority of our nutrients from real whole foods.

When tracking (for healthy adults), we’re shooting for about 45-50% carbs (coming mostly from whole grains, fruits, and veggies); 25% fat (coming from healthy sources, such as olive and canola oils, nuts, avocado, and fatty fish); and 20-30% lean protein (coming from turkey, chicken, fish, flank steak, pork tenderloin, basically, round and “loin” cuts of meat, nonfat dairy, lentils/beans, and tofu). These percentages help keep your metabolism boosted. But, you still must remember the basics—eating every 4 hours—not only to boost your metabolic rate, but more importantly, to keep from eating too much later—and to get your needed amount of protein in to keep on lean muscle mass, keep you satisfied, and fuel you for success).

Extra Success Tips!

And for more success, work with a registered dietitian! They will keep you accountable, provide you with a personalized plan, and get you where you need to be faster! Um … and who doesn’t like that!?!

Lastly, be cautious with the exercise calories. For example, just because the counter said you burned 500 calories, stick with the calorie level your dietitian decided for you. Burning 500 calories doesn’t mean you can eat 500 more calories. If we start thinking like that, it’ll be VERY difficult to lose, or rather impossible. Exercise definitely helps keep you on track, boosts your metabolism, and provides tons of other health benefits, but if your nutrition isn’t underway, you won’t get the results you want. Weight loss is at a minimum 80% nutrition.

Wanted—Focus

Please realize that nothing happens over night! Weight loss takes time. So, along the way, focus on all the healthy changes you’ve made! Remember, it’s not just about the scale, but how you FEEL, how much more REAL foods you eat, the number of meals you eat at home, the mindful eating that has occurred and the inches shed—there are SO many more reasons why you’re doing this than the scale. Remember your motivation and keep at it—you’re changing your life, which is a pretty powerful thing. Give yourself credit. I insist!

How do you stay MINDFUL when it comes to the little extras?

One question I was asked: “It’s easy to make excuses when you’re juggling work and family responsibilities. How can you make time for your resolutions in a hectic schedule?”

I told Everyday Health readers exactly what I tell my clients who come in with the same story, and who succeed with these tools of the trade. Take advantage and make these tips work for you!

Making Time for Health = a MUST!

“When things get busy, you have to be sure to make time for your workouts and food. Think of working out as an appointment. Once it’s in your book, you’re less likely to skip it. Therefore, write it in your planner or type it in your Blackberry or iPhone. Food gets the same treatment. Sometimes things get so hectic that you may forget lunch or snacks, so by the time dinner rolls around you’re ravenous and overdoing it. Don’t let this happen to you. Set reminders to eat in your phone or calendar so you don’t let it slide by because of emails, calls, or whatever comes at you. You need to take time to eat!

When you’ve had a successful day eating well and exercising, check it off in your calendar. The more checks you have, the more motivated you’ll become. Therefore, despite your busy schedule you’ll keep powering through until eventually it becomes the norm. Here, you’ve entered a healthy lifestyle. Staying on track is all about dedication. Do what you need to do to make it happen and don’t lose sight of your goals!”

Remember, it takes time and tackling some behavioral patterns at first, but as these are overcome and changes become constant, results are seen—you’ll feel better and overtime start to shed pounds. But most importantly, lifestyle changes are made, which leads to lasting healthier ways.

Check out the full article here. And see what other fab RDs and health gurus had to say.

What do you do to fit exercise and good nutrition in?

P.S. Head on over to the Green Grapes Nutrition Page and write your healthy new year change to be entered to win my favorite Attune Foods product—Granola Munch!!! The winner will be chosen randomly via a random number generator and notified this Friday, the 14th. If you win, you’ll get all three flavors (Maple Nut, Apple Cinnamon, and Chocolate) of the delicious Munch! A perfect sweet-treat topper to Greek yogurt!

Time is needed to instill healthier eating patterns and change behaviors, and dedication is needed because in the weight loss game you’re in it for the long haul. It seems frustrating, but it’s important to remember that the added pounds didn’t just appear overnight, so it’ll take some time to see the number on the scale go down. If you’re losing ½ pound to two pounds per week, then you’re on track! If you’re losing more, than the weight lost is likely due to losing water weight and/or is not sustainable. And if you’ve chosen to go on a diet that’s not sustainable, such as one that has you cutting out major food groups or foods that you truly enjoy, you’ll be more likely to rebel and go off your diet later. Feeling deprived and as if you’re “on a diet,” will mentally have you anxious for the day when you can get off your diet and enjoy foods again. Then, you’re back at square one.

With this in mind, the first thing you need to do to be successful in weight loss efforts is to recognize that you’re in it for the long haul. It’s a marathon. There is no successful short-term solution—no matter what the ads or products say.

Once you recognize and accept this fact there are a few key things to do to stay focused:

Eat breakfast: Eat breakfast within the first hour of waking up to get your metabolism metabolizing and to set your day off right. Include a high-fiber food, such as whole grains, fruits, or veggies, and a source of protein to help fill you up, powering you on through your day. Good options include almond butter on a whole-wheat English muffin with a cup of fruit or nonfat Greek yogurt mixed with chopped walnuts, berries, and some whole-grain cereal.

Snack: If you’re going longer than five hours without a meal, you need a snack. The snack will keep your metabolism humming along efficiently, but most importantly, it will prevent you from eating too much later. If you get to this starving phase, you’ll overeat. So—don’t get there. Great examples of snacks are an apple with one tablespoon of peanut butter, hummus and veggie sticks, string cheese and an orange, turkey slices with mustard on ½ an English muffin, or smoked salmon on a few whole wheat crackers. If you’re watching your waistline, keep snacks to around 200 calories and be sure to include a fruit, veggie, or whole grain and a source of protein.

Track: Many who successfully lose weight track what they eat. They write down the time, portion, food, and often, the calories of what they’re eating. Sometimes the act of having to write down what they eat prevents them from eating that extra cookie or those chips, while other times it enables people to see what’s truly going on, allowing a closer look into why they’re not losing as much as they believe they should be. Either way, tracking helps keep you honest and on the road to success. You’re being held accountable, which studies show is key for losing weight and keeping it off.

Exercise: Exercise helps keep you mentally focused and on track towards living a healthier lifestyle. Despite popular belief, you can lose weight simply through good nutrition, but getting in a good sweat most days of the week helps speed your progress and keeps you working toward your goals. Plus, it’s one of the best forms of preventive medicine for your body—right along with proper nutrition.

Find Motivation: Don’t get discouraged! Remember what motivated you and go back to that place. Post an inspirational picture or quote in your bathroom, dresser, or kitchen; check off the days where you’ve succeeded in eating more produce, going to the gym, or have just been good. Think about what motivates you and go there!

Ultimately, losing weight and keeping it off is about consistently adopting a healthier lifestyle that works for you—and remembering that it takes time and dedication, but that you can do it. Remember, small changes lead to big successes!

What are your tips to stay on the healthy track?

Personally, change is a little challenging for me, but I believe in its ultimate goodness. Because change is what pushes, challenges, and transforms. Take a moment and think about it—when was the last time you experienced change? Maybe you took time out of your usual work-driven week to meet up with a friend for coffee or lunch. Perhaps you encountered a minor conflict with a colleague. Or, maybe you started reading a new book. Whether positive or negative, these changes to your typical daily grind make you learn about you and keep things, or rather life, interesting. After all, who wants to wake up and expect the exact same thing that occurred yesterday—forever? I suspect not much personal growth would happen there … plus … how boring!

The Change Challenge

Now, take a moment longer and think—when was the last time you chose to make a change for your health? Whether you’re a triathlete or a couch potato, there is something you can do for you. Happiness. Stress. Nutrition. Exercise. Sleep. Even—oral hygiene (do you floss?). I bet that there’s something in this health mix you can do to change it up.

I’m stressing the change so much because when things become mechanical, there’s a tendency to forget about other things that can help you on your health journey. And if you never stop to think about what changes you should make, it just won’t happen and your journey will stop shorter than it should.

Let There be Change!

If you need to ramp up the happiness factor, think about what’s blocking your happy channel. Perhaps you need to make more time for friends and family or just you! If you need to change your bedtime to get more sleep, what change do you need to make to do that? If you need to eat more veggies, how will you change your day or food prep style to fit them in? If you’re stuck on the same old treadmill and weight routine you’ve been doing for months, girl—you need to change it up!

Finding the change you need will push you further on your journey to better health, and will give you a goal to work towards. Always a good thing. Then, once you’ve met that goal, choose another change and knock it out of the park! Remember, this is a journey, and recognizing changes along the way that you need to make keeps you true to you, challenges your body and mind, and motivates you to take things to the next level.

Let’s hear it for change!

What change will you make?

During my health and food segment-watching rampage, I saw a fabulous piece on brain-promoting foods by fellow Dietitian, Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD. In this segment, Tanya gives awesome legit info on exactly why you should be enjoying spinach, salmon, olive oil, coffee, dark chocolate, spices, apples, and blueberries. All DELISH!

So, take a moment and press play. Then, get on the brain-food bandwagon and start adding these healthy eats to your foodie repertoire, that is, if they’re not already there. For example, swap lettuce for spinach on your sandwich or in your salads every once in a while, bake wild salmon with lemon slices and a dash of salt and pepper for a zesty punch, make sautés with a touch of evoo, savor a square of rich dark chocolate as a daily treat (perhaps with that neuron-promoting coffee ), add blueberries and cinnamon to oatmeal or quinoa for a hearty healthful breakfast, and embrace that daily apple—enjoy as a snack, with your sandwich, or bake one with a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon for a fiber-filled, nutrient-packed sweet!

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How do you incorporate these super brain foods into your day?

Anywho, without further delay—Ms. Laura Elizabeth Hunter! Enjoy! See you next week!

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There are many ways that you can describe me. I’ll give you two easy ones; I have an aspiring career in the fields of public health & nutrition, as well as what we shall describe as “vivacious enthusiasm” for one of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) teams’, The Washington Capitals. I’m a pretty big fan of the sport of hockey in general and I first started to love and “rock the red” during my undergrad years at American University, located in Washington, DC. I didn’t think I would be praising any team BUT the Caps for victoriously exhibiting the art of “nutritious refueling” by drinking carb-packed beer out of the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, dreams of that post died with the Cap’s gut-wrenching 1^st round Stanley Cup play-offs elimination to the Montreal Canadiens.

In the end, the NHL’s top honors this season went to The Chicago Blackhawks after a 4:3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in game 6 of the final series of the play-offs. While I eventually jumped on the Hawk’s bandwagon during finals & jammed to their goal-scoring theme song, Chelsea Dagger, as the team hoisted the cup, my thoughts on their victory are best described as bittersweet. Fortunately, I found some “Comfort Food for the Capital’s Soul” in my own line of study.

http://twitpic.com/1vfs8d

The Blackhawk’s had super D-fender on their side.

Of course, I’m referring to an already well known all star in the game of nutrition; Vitamin D.

Recently, I came across a statement put out by the executive director of the the Vitamin D Council , Dr. John Jacob Cannell, citing the Chicago Blackhawks as “The First Vitamin D team in Modern Professional Sports History,”which was released slightly before the Blackhawk’s won the Stanley Cup. Linked to the article was a review of research by Cannell explaining the relationship between having adequate Vitamin D levels and enhanced athletic performance. Apparently, the Blackhawks’ team doctors exhibited stellar use of nutrition detective work and diagnostics after supplementing players with 5,000 IU***(International Units) of Vitamin D per day after blood tests revealed that the entire team was deficient in the crucial micronutrient. Whether or not an individual is deficient in the blood is determined by the amount of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the major circulating form of vitamin D. Symptoms of deficiency are now thought by some researchers to manifest at blood levels below 50 ng/dL , while  sufficient blood levels were once thought to be between 10-40 ng/dL.

According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, “The Institute of Medicine’s recommended intake of vitamin D is 200 IU up to age 50, 400 IU between the ages of 51 and 70, and 600 IU after age 70. [This] recommendation is under review and will likely increase, since strong evidence shows optimal intakes are much higher, at least 1,000-2,000 IU for those over age 2.” For the Blackhawks, 5,000 IU was chosen as the appropriate amount of supplementation because they were deficient and research suggests that consuming up to this level is optimal for promoting health and increasing athletic performance.

Great work, Blackhawks, for being on the cutting edge of nutrition and scientific research!

Vitamin D levels are determined by food intake (good sources include: fortified milk, eggs, & mushrooms; oily fish), sun exposure, and supplements. Cannell cites that athletes are at particular risk for deficiency due to prolonged amounts of time spent indoor arenas. It doesn’t take a genius to come to the conclusion that ice and sunlight don’t mix, thus making Vitamin D deficiency particularly a concern for hockey players (just think of Capitals’ star defenseman Mike Green and & that Geico commercial …he was on the ice the WHOLE TIME).

Vitamins D has been traditionally viewed as calcium’s tag-team partner in the process of bone mineralization. It is now seen as being a power player in promoting health beyond the bones. New lines of evidence that suggest that vitamin D plays a role as an anti-carcinogen, aids the body in fighting infections, stimulates wound healing, bolsters the immune system, hinders cognitive degeneration, and promotes cardiovascular health. These are all things you want to run smoothly, especially when your job description includes hooking, slashing, body-checking, penalty kills, and (my personal favorite) dropping the gloves & fisticuffs (hey, it’s in the name…).

Going into D—Deeper

Let’s get further into the why the Blackhawk’s newly acquired man on D-fense was possibly so critical to this season’s victory.

Cannell has reviewed much of the new lines of evidence suggesting that maintenance of the suggested vitamin D levels is crucial for enhancing athletic performance and keeping players on top of their game. In short, this is due to Vitamin D’s reported ability to:

-Increase speed

-Improve balance

-Improve a reaction time

-Increase both muscle mass & strength

-Promote the treatment & prevention of chronic neuromuscular injuries

I myself have never hit the ice in a hockey game (the results would be terrifying), but my panel of hockey expertise agreed with me that these are all crucial to the sport that requires incredible amounts of endurance, precision, power, and agility. Cannell credits Vitamin D’s role in athletic performance due to the fact that it acts as a natural steroid hormone (no, not THOSE steroids) in the body, known as a secosteroid, which functions similarly to the sex hormone testosterone in the body in terms of promoting wrought muscle mass, raging manliness, and the bane of feminine existence (but I have to give both +’s & –’s to both “steroid hormones.”)

In conclusion

I am impressed by the Chicago Blackhawks’ supposed use of an unconventional approach to improving athletic performance based on evidence that the team was deficient in a vitamin that is both critical to health as well as athletic performance. Do I think it’s the only reason the Blackhawk’s success this season? Absolutely not; but I study public health and nutrition, so this is the only one I can actually understand. Cannell states himself that athletic performance depends on “innate ability, training, and dedication,” and I’m pretty sure both players and coaches of the NHL more or less have that covered. But the discussed benefits of having good vitamin D levels might just give a hockey team that extra boost in regard to charging the net, turning a goalie into a brick wall, improving the efficiency of shots on goal, boosting bone crunching & blood spillage, amping up the power-play, and OF COURSE STRIKING FEAR IN THE HEART OF THE OPPONENT!

Did I forget to mention riotous playoff beards & mullet growth?…oh that too;)

Just for fun: If you had to pick one of the following foods to get all of your Vitamin D from, which would it be? Cod liver oil, mushrooms, or salmon???

Check out The ODS’s Fact Sheet OR Harvard’s Nutrition Source for more info on Vitamin D

***Please note that even though the Blackhawks took 5,000 IU of Vitamin D, I am not implying that you should lace up your skates and do the same. We have safety issues to consider here! In extremely high doses, hundreds of thousands of IUs or more, Vitamin D can be toxic. You must talk with your doctor before increasing consumption of Vitamin D.” For the average adult, new research suggests that optimal intake is much higher than the DRIs. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, “taking up to 2,000 IU per day as a supplement is safe. Some people may need 3,000 or 4,000 IU per day for adequate blood levels, particularly if they have darker skin, spend winters at higher latitudes (such as the northern U.S.), or have little exposure to direct sunlight. If you fall into one of these groups, ask your doctor to order a vitamin D blood test.”***

Laura is extremely thankful to Corinne for giving her the opportunity to guest post on Green Grapes Blogs, one of her favorite nutrition blogs! Laura entered the blogosphere herself last year as a guest-blogger for Elite Nutrition DC. She is a 2009 graduate of Washington, DC’s American University and returned home to New York’s Capital Region this year to pursue a Masters in Public Health & Dietetic Studies. Laura would like to focus her studies on food toxicology and safety, but she also has a personal interest in sports & performance nutrition. She is a passionate advocate for the National Eating Disorder’s Association and shared her story and insights on improving body image for the first time this year as a featured speaker for events in honor of 2010’s NEDA’s Awareness Week. Aside from promoting health & watching hockey games (interchangeable, right? lol), Laura loves spending time with her friends, family, flashcards, and the occasional glass of red wine. She is an avid art, opera, shopping, fitness, food, history, and travel enthusiast.

If you have any questions or comments, you can reach Laura at lauraelizabeth.hunter@gmail.com

Women’s Health (one of my most beloved mags) contributor Dr. Keri Peterson discusses which in fact plays a larger role in these health conditions. Just watch the below video  from the Today Show for the 411. I saw this segment the other day and just had to share. It’s a goodie!

Did you know

I learned this along with some other tantalizing tid-bits while interviewing Registered Dietitian Casey Lewis, who just so happens to be the Health and Nutrition Manager for Welch’s—the ultimate grape LoViN company.

Welch’s proves its grape adoration with the fact that they produced the world’s FIRST pasteurized juice—earning the title of Original Super Juice in 1869. Yet, this title wasn’t necessarily what Welch’s founder, Dr. Thomas Barmwell Welch, was hankering for. He was simply trying to make an “unfermented (nonalcoholic) sacramental wine” for communion service at his church. Guess he got more than he was praying for! And today, Welch’s–the world’s leading marketer of Concord and Niagara based grape products—is owned by over 1,200 family famers who make up the National Grape Cooperative.

Hence, when granted the chance to interview a fellow grape lover and Dietitian, I just had to snag the ultimate 411 on my favorite natural fruit wonder—the grape.

What’s one or two of the most exciting health benefits Welch’s researchers have recently found regarding grapes?

Beyond protecting heart health and providing you with protective antioxidants, Concord grape juice may help keep your arteries flexible. A new study has shown Concord grape juice to have a beneficial impact on nocturnal blood pressure, which reflects overall cardiovascular health. Under optimal circumstances, blood pressure will dip down at night, giving the heart and vessels a rest. And this nightly drop is referred to as nocturnal dipping. Clinical evidence suggests that those who are “non-dippers” are at an increased risk for cardiovascular health (FASCINATING! … If you ask me!). Additionally, a study in the British Journal of Medicine has shown that Concord grape juice may help support healthy brain function in  certain population groups, especially older adults with early memory decline. 

Tell me a little about the red versus green grape controversy. Healthwise, do you think red or green grapes are better for you?

Grapes in every color are a great way to increase fruit consumption and can be a part of an overall healthful diet. Dark purple and red grapes do tend to contain higher levels of plant nutrients known as polyphenols. Specifically, green grapes lack the the polyphenols known as anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are found in the skins of certain grapes, giving the fruit its beautiful red/purple hue. To add to that, seeded grapes (like Concord and Niagra grapes) tend to have higher polyphenol levels than unseeded grapes. The reason is that seedless grapes have minimal proanthocyanidins, a class of polyphenols most abundant in seeds.

As a soon-to-be Registered Dietitian, I get many questions and comments about people avoiding grapes because they’re “high carb” or “full of sugar.” As the Welch’s Dietitian, what do you think is the biggest misconception people have about grapes or grape juice and what do you say to them?

When it comes to grape juice, it’s essential to stress that not all sugar containing beverages are created equal. 100% grape juice contains sugar, but as is with all 100% juice, it is naturally sweet and does not contain any added sugar. Welch’s 100% grape juice is not an empty-calorie beverage—you get healthy promoting plant nutrients and the essential nutrient vitamin C. Moderate consumption of 100% juice in amounts that meet current intake recommendations has not been associated with overweight in children or adolescents. 100% juice can contribute several key nutrients to the diet and is a convenient way to add color and variety to the table.

What’s your favorite way to eat grapes?

And do you prefer red or green?

Note: NO offense will be taken

*Please note that Welch’s did not compensate me in any manner for posting this on my blog. I simply posted it out of my grape-loving nature.