I live in Florida and need a dietician due to cholesterol, triglycerides and other issues. Can you recommend a good dietician or books?
– Myles V.
There are several directories for Registered Dietitians in the state of Florida such as www.DietitianCetnral.com and https://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert. You can narrow your search to a specialty such as “cholesterol management” or “heart health,” or to your city. Even if medical nutrition therapy is not a covered service under your health plan, you may find a list of providers from your insurer.
You can verify a dietitian’s license with the Dietetics and Nutrition Practice Council of Florida through https://appsmqa.doh.state.fl.us/MQASearchServices/HealthCareProviders.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Eating the right foods before a workout can make a significant difference in your performance and recovery. The goal is to provide your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best while minimizing muscle damage. Here’s a guide on what to eat before a...
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
How healthy are fruit juices like orange juice with no pulp? Do fruits/vegetables from concentrate in smoothies typically only have the water removed with most of the fiber intact? Does it matter if the juice is from concentrate in terms of limiting sugar intake per day?
– Nick S.
We often think the pulp retains the fiber, while the expressed juice does not. Taking a look at the labels from three major bottled OJ brands, the nutritional information was nearly identical:
1 cup pulp-free had 110 calories, 22-23 grams sugar, 0 gram fiber
1 cup high pulp had 110 calories, 22-23 grams sugar, 0 gram fiber
But where’s the fiber? When fiber is less than 1 gram and no fiber claims are made, the Nutrition Facts panel may not even have Dietary Fiber listed. The type of fiber, called pectin, is a beneficial soluble fiber that helps lower blood cholesterol and slows the passage of food through the gut.
Citrus pulp is also promoted as containing nutrients such as vitamin C, beta-carotene and several minerals. But the evidence of such nutrition is a mystery to me. Not one online article about fruit pulp that I found had an original source citing micronutrient content. The USDA’s Food Composition Database’s ONLY standard reference pulp is that of Naranjilla (lulo), a South American fruit. Hardly something found in American grocery shelves. I found the Nutrition facts panel for a passion fruit pulp sold in the US and it has 1 gram fiber, 9 grams sugar, 2% DV calcium, and 2% DV iron per half-cup serving.
So… although I’ve always been taught (at home and professionally) that the pulp is nutritious, there appears to be a lack of resources to substantiate anything other than a small amount of fiber content. But I still promote consuming fruit skins, pulp, and pith. Here’s why – humans’ teeth and GI tracts were meant to consume as much of a plant as is edible, and to receive the full benefit of a fruit’s nutrients and phytochemicals we need to eat all of its components. Eating raw, whole foods is always better than a processed version.
Sources:
Fruit concentrate is basically fruit puree with the water removed, and usually the skin and membranes as well. Already the overall nutrition will differ from that of the raw fruit. Concentrates that are pasteurized will be lower in heat-sensitive vitamin C unless the product is fortified. On food labels, the sugar from concentrate is considered “added sugar.”
Fruit juice concentrate is made when water is extracted from the juice. This is beneficial for both preserving the juice and reducing shipping weight. Concentrates are higher in sugar and energy by weight and volume. If the concentrate is reconstituted, water is added back to form the liquid state and the result should be no different than the original juice. Reconstituted juice’s sugar and energy content would be restored to their initial levels.
Sources:
What Is ‘Fruit Concentrate,’ Anyway? And Is It Good For You? NPR 9.1.2017. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/09/01/545336956/what-is-fruit-concentrate-anyway-and-is-it-good-for-you
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Eating the right foods before a workout can make a significant difference in your performance and recovery. The goal is to provide your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best while minimizing muscle damage. Here’s a guide on what to eat before a...
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
I’m a 23-year-old, 150lb, male triathlete that trains pretty heavily, about 20 hours on a normal week, and when in Ironman training it’s around 25+. I’ve read several books that cite vegetarianism as a good move for distance athletes, and I want to give it a try for a couple of months after my next race. How much protein do I need daily? I read some sources that state 60 grams daily, others state 140+.
– Chis C.
I am glad you are doing your research before embarking on your endeavor! Vegetarian athletes can meet their protein needs exclusively with plant foods*. Estimated daily protein needs for a 150-pound male triathlete that trains four hours five times a week are 1.7-2.0 grams/kg body weight. This equates to 116-136 grams protein per day.
Although it’s possible, you shouldn’t get all of that from one source. Protein quality matters – it’s important to consume adequate essential amino acids. Since plant proteins may be limited in one of those amino acids, eat a variety of grains, beans, legumes, and vegetables. Here is a sample vegan day with approximately 120 grams of protein and 3500 calories, divided into 3 meals and 3 snacks:
* Lacto-ovo vegetarians may include some milk, yogurt, and eggs.
Sources:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Eating the right foods before a workout can make a significant difference in your performance and recovery. The goal is to provide your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best while minimizing muscle damage. Here’s a guide on what to eat before a...
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
In my recent blood test, my triglycerides were borderline high. How do I get my triglycerides down to acceptable levels?
– Anthony C.
Triglycerides in the blood are basically free-floating fats that are not bound to cholesterol. A lab value showing hypertriglyceridemia is an indication of increased risk for stroke, heart attack, and heart disease, or maybe a sign of other medical conditions. Dietary factors that increase triglyceride levels include alcohol, excess carbohydrate, sugars, and calories.
Here are tips for lowering blood triglycerides:
Sources:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Eating the right foods before a workout can make a significant difference in your performance and recovery. The goal is to provide your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best while minimizing muscle damage. Here’s a guide on what to eat before a...
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.
Hi, my name is Allison and I joined LA Fitness this summer. My very basic question is, what ARE the nutrient needs of a basic adult? (I’m female, 5’4″, 135 lbs. and trying to shed 5 -10 lbs., work out 3-4x/ week and walk on off days). I just want to know what the basic categories of things are a person needs. I’ve heard about nutrients being macros (fat protein carb) and micro (vitamins and minerals) but I’ve also heard nutritionists online say to get fiber and leafy greens and antioxidants and others say lots of veggies and lean meat – and I know they’re all related and many of them overlap- so I guess I’m just confused about what to seek out in my diet. Thank you SO much.
– Allison T.
Allison, based on your anthropometrics and level of exercise your daily nutrient needs may fall into the following ranges (provided for a 30-year-old woman):
Please see the Institute of Medicine’s Dietary Reference Intake tables for vitamins and minerals for your intake targets of 29 micronutrients. Antioxidant action is an important function of certain micronutrients and phytochemicals (beneficial compounds found in plants), so we call those antioxidants.
As far as basic nutrients, you just need to add one thing to your list of fat, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, and minerals – water! It is a macronutrient since we need such large volumes of it. Since it doesn’t provide calories, water is not often regarded the same as the 3 energy-yielding macronutrients. Exact requirements are not specified by the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board, but the adequate intake of water is 3.7 liters per day for men and 2.7 liters per day for women, including beverages and water derived from solid food.
You can look at nutrient numbers specifically now and then, but to ease the confusion just focus on your dietary habits and overall consumption to obtain sources of those nutrients. What you should seek out in your diet are plant-based protein sources, raw produce of every color, the most wholesome grains, the leanest animal foods, and unsweetened beverages… in amounts that just satisfy you. Those recommendations can be suited to every culture and worldly food belief. Sounds a lot simpler to me!
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Eating the right foods before a workout can make a significant difference in your performance and recovery. The goal is to provide your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best while minimizing muscle damage. Here’s a guide on what to eat before a...
If you’re careful with your nutrition, working out weekly, and still experiencing problems with your weight, take a moment to read this QA.