Avoid Food-Borne Illness When Traveling Abroad

Karen Buzby, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, provides tips for avoiding food-borne illness while traveling.

Trying new foods and local cuisine is often the highlight of a vacation abroad, but unfortunately that also puts travelers at risk for food-borne illness. Food-borne illness can be contracted through bacteria, parasites or viruses. In addition, food safety practices in other countries are often not as strictly regulated as they are in the United States, which means travelers are particularly susceptible to these illnesses.


Before your jet off to your next destination, do some research ahead of time and follow these tips to keep your trip illness-free:

1. Do not drink tap water or put ice in beverages - In areas where water may contain bacteria, parasites or viruses, only drink water from sealed bottles. Make sure the bottle is securely sealed before taking a sip.
2. Avoid fountain drinks – Fountain drinks are made from syrup, carbon dioxide and water, which can be contaminated. Drink tea or coffee made with boiled water instead of fountain drinks. 
3. Peel your own fruits and vegetables - If fruits and vegetables have already been peeled, they may have been washed with contaminated tap water. Stick to only fruits and vegetables that you or your family peeled yourselves. 
4. Do not eat food from street vendors - Food from street vendors may not be stored at safe temperatures or handled in a sanitary manner, so although it may be tempting, it is best to avoid. 
5. Only consume pasteurized dairy products - Make sure food is thoroughly cooked. Avoid eating raw meat and seafood, including steak tartar, Carpaccio, sushi, sashimi and ceviche. 
6. Familiarize yourself with local dietary customs - It is important to learn about local diets and customs ahead of time so you do not unknowingly eat an item that you otherwise would not.   
7. Remember good hand hygiene – Before eating, use antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent alcohol. 
8. Ask the hotel for recommendations - Hotel employees are usually familiar with local restaurants. Ask for recommendations of restaurants with high standards of cleanliness. 
9. Talk to your health care team - While preparing for your trip, inform your health care team of your plans. They can help make sure you are healthy enough to travel and your vaccinations are up-to-date.

For more information on international travel tips, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Traveler’s Health website.

Safe and healthy travels!

- Karen Buzby, RD, LDN

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Shape Up Your Plate in Honor of National Nutrition Month

Karen Buzby, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, discusses a new government-sponsored program to encourage better food choices and provide tips for eating healthy.
March is National Nutrition Month and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is providing you the information you need to achieve a healthier lifestyle. But even after you make the commitment to eating healthy, figuring out how to achieve that on a meal-to-meal basis can be tough and confusing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a program to help.

MyPlate is an online resource that provides dietary advice based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Unlike other diet guides, MyPlate uses an actual place setting to visually illustrate a healthy meal made up of all the major food groups. That means no more confusion about how to translate dietary advice to an actual meal and no more guessing about portion size.

Follow these tips to get your plate in shape*:

Balance calories
If you’re unsure how many calories you need to manage your weight, there’s no need to guess! Go to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov to find out your daily caloric needs. MyPlate provides the recommended number of daily servings from each food group to help you make smart and healthy dietary choices.

Enjoy your food, but eat less
Take your time to eat and pay attention to feelings of fullness.

Avoid oversized portions
Use smaller plates to encourage smaller portions. When eating out, opt to share a meal or take home part of the serving.

Fill up on nutrient-rich foods
Make vegetables, fruit, whole grains and low-fat dairy products staples in your diet. They’re high in nutrients and vitamins and low in fat, making them ideal food choices for good health. In fact, experts recommend covering half your plate with fruits and vegetables and ensuring that half your grains are whole grains.

Always choose low- or non-fat milk
By choosing fat-free or 1 percent low-fat milk, you cut calories and fat without losing the flavor or important nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

Curtail your sweet tooth
There’s no doubt that sweet foods and beverages are both tasty and addicting, but they’re also high in fat, sugar and salt. Eat them only occasionally and in small quantities to satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your healthy diet. One easy way to do this is by replacing sugar beverages with water and unsweetened drinks. 

Pay attention to sodium
You might be surprised by the sodium content in everyday foods. Before making a food selection, read the nutrition facts label and stick to foods that are low in sodium to help promote cardiovascular health.

For more information, visit the MyPlate website. 

- Karen Buzby, RD, LDN

*USDA, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, DG Tip Sheet No. 1, June 2011.

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Convenient and Healthy, Too! Finding Diet-Friendly Frozen Food

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, provides tips for finding healthy frozen food.

Although it gets a bad rap, the supermarket’s freezer section is actually brimming with time-saving, nutritious food choices: as long as you know what to look for on the label.  By learning about healthy frozen foods, you can stock up on diet-friendly options to have on hand when you do not have time to cook.

Produce – Frozen fruits and vegetables are often more nutritious than fresh produce because they are frozen shortly after harvesting, preserving nutrients.

• Vegetables: Look for plain frozen vegetables without added butter, cheese or sauce.  Heat them in the microwave for a quick side dish or tasty addition to your favorite soup or casserole.
• Fruits: Look for products without added syrup or sugar.  Add frozen fruit to yogurt, smoothies and cereal or eat them straight from the freezer as a snack.

Frozen meals – Although they typically do not taste like a fresh, homemade dish, frozen meals can be helpful for those times when you do not have the time or energy to cook.  Choose products with no more than 3.5 grams of fat per 100 calories and 600 mg of sodium or less.  Make sure the frozen entrée has at least 4 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein to keep you satisfied.  Reliable brand options include Kashi, Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Smart Ones. 

Waffles – Choose 100 percent whole grain varieties.  The first ingredient listed on the label should be whole wheat flour.

Pizza – Choose a pizza product with a thin, whole wheat crust if possible.  Avoid high-fat toppings like pepperoni and sausage. Opt for vegetable toppings or get a plain pizza and top it with your own favorite vegetables at home. 

Desserts –Choose pre-portioned novelty ice creams with 150 calories or less, like Skinny Cow or Weight Watchers varieties. Sugar-free or 100 percent fruit popsicles are also good options.

Vegetarian – There are several options for vegetarian burgers, patties and sausages.  Choose varieties with 300 mg of sodium or less per serving.

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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