Greek Yogurt: Energizing, Healthy and It Tastes Good, Too!

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains the health benefits of Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is all the rage lately – and for good reason. Although it has been a part of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diets for centuries, Greek yogurt has only recently gained popularity in the U.S.

Strained of most of its whey content (the liquid portion of yogurt), Greek yogurt has a thicker and creamier texture than regular yogurt. It is also higher in protein, which is why Greek yogurt is a mainstay of many people’s diets before and after bariatric surgery. Ounce for ounce, it contains up to twice as much protein as regular yogurt.

As with any packaged food, it is important to read the food label. Beware of the fat and sugar content in some varieties. Full-fat versions can contain up to 20 grams of fat per serving while fruit-flavored versions may contain significant amounts of added sugar.

Stick to the nonfat, plain varieties with no added sugar. Non-added sugar listed on the label is from lactose, a natural milk sugar. Add fresh or frozen fruit or a no-calorie sweetener like Splenda^® to give Greek yogurt a healthy and flavorful boost without adding excess sugar or fat. Greek yogurt can also be a delicious ingredient in other recipes, including fruit smoothies.

See below for comparisons between regular and Greek yogurts.








- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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Choosing healthy breakfast cereal: How to be a smart consumer

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains what to look for in a healthy cereal.

Eating a healthy cereal for breakfast is one of the easiest ways to start the day off on the right foot. Making a healthy cereal choice in the expansive maze of options can be confusing and difficult. Do not be fooled by misleading health claims, catchy names or colorful boxes. Next time you are strolling down the cereal aisle at the grocery store, use the nutrition facts and ingredient list as your fool-proof guide!

Here are some things to look for to make a healthy cereal choice:

Whole grains: 100 percent whole grain product

Whole grains contain fiber, which means they are not as rapidly digested as refined grains. In addition to keeping you satisfied throughout the morning, fiber helps regulate blood sugar, keep the intestines functioning smoothly and lower LDL cholesterol.

Fiber: 3 grams or more per serving

Food makers are required to list ingredients in descending order by weight, so look for a whole grain or bran, an integral part of whole grains, as the first item on the ingredient list. Examples include whole grain wheat, wheat bran, whole grain oats and whole grain corn.

Sugar: 6 grams or less per serving

Many cereals contain large amounts of added sugar. In fact, nearly half of calories in some cereal come from sugar. High sugar content makes these cereals no healthier than eating cookies and milk for breakfast. Avoid a cereal if any form of sugar is one of the first three ingredients. The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar daily, which is 350 extra calories a day and 35 pounds a year! The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 100 calories (6 teaspoons or 24 grams) of added sugar per day and men consume no more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons or 36 grams). Keep in mind that for cereals with dried fruit, such as raisins, the natural sugar content in the fruit is reflected on the label.

Sodium: 150 mg or less per serving

Cereal can be surprisingly high in sodium. Some popular brands contain twice as much sodium as a serving of potato chips. In fact, salt is more commonly added to cereal than sugar. Excess sodium can lead to many health problems, including high blood pressure. While Americans consume over 3700 mg of sodium per day, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 2300 mg of sodium per day. For African Americans, people with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease and those over 50 years, the guidelines recommend consuming less than 1500 mg of sodium per day.

Calories: 150 to 200 per serving

Serving size can vary from ½ cup to 1 1/3 cups. Make sure to do the math so you can control how many calories you are consuming. Remember, if the serving size is ½ cup and you eat one cup, you are consuming twice what is listed on the label.

- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

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New Dietary Guidelines Promote Healthy Lifestyles

On January 31, 2011, the federal government released the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, providing information on healthy nutrition. With more than two-thirds of U.S. adults considered overweight, the guidelines encourage reducing caloric intake and increasing physical activity to promote health lifestyles, lower the risk of chronic disease and decrease the prevalence of obesity.

Here are the highlights from the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans:

• Enjoy food but eat less.
  
• Participate in regular physical activity.
• Increase intake of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat or fat-free dairy or fortified soy beverages, vegetable oils and seafood.
• Decrease intake of added sugars, solid fats and refined grains.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Reduce daily consumption of sodium to less than 2300 mg. For African Americans, people with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease and those over 50, daily consumption should be less than 1500 mg. This number has been reduced from previous years.
• Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats. Replace them with calories from unsaturated fats.

Read the Press Release
Read the Executive Summary

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Avoiding Added Sugar

Added sugar can derail any diet, but it can be especially harmful for patients who have had bariatric surgery.

Many prepared foods contain added sugar, including yogurts, cereals, granola bars, jams, canned fruit, and sweetened beverages. Natural sugar occurs in healthy and unprocessed foods, including milk, fruit and vegetables. Added sugar is introduced into food in the processing or preparation stage and lacks nutritional value. High intake of added sugar is linked to increased risk for obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, heart disease and stroke.

After bariatric surgery, it is essential to limit intake of added sugars for continued and maintained weight loss. The best option is to avoid food and beverages that are high in added sugar, or consume only small portions.

In addition, for people who had gastric bypass surgery, consuming too much added sugar can also lead to dumping syndrome.

Added sugar is often disguised under a variety of names. It is important to carefully review the nutrition facts of food and beverage products before consuming them. If any of the following ingredients appears near the beginning of the nutrition facts, the food or beverage may be high in added sugar:

• Beet sugar
• Brown sugar
• Brown rice syrup
• Cane sugar
• Cane juice or evaporated cane juice
• Confectioner's sugar
• Corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup
• Corn syrup solids
• Crystallized cane juice
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Honey
• Ingredients ending in "ose" including dextrose, glucose, maltose and sucrose
• Invert sugar
• Maltodextrin or dextrin
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Palm sugar
• Raw sugar
• Turbinado

To find the added sugar content in many common foods, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Database for the Added Sugars Content of Selected Foods.

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