Healthy Alternatives for Baking Favorites

Healthy Alternatives for Baking Favorites

by | Feb 8, 2018 | All, Home, Nutrition

What says “love” better than a home-baked treat? But certainly the intent is equivalent to a warm hug, not a blanket of excess sugar, saturated fat and calories. You can still indulge in a sweet breakfast or dessert without the guilt by making a few ingredient substitutions.

The key to modifying a recipe with more healthful ingredients is to retain flavor and texture. Keeping volume and moisture/dryness equivalent will help the texture turn out great. Butter and sugar don’t have strong flavors so replacing these with sweet and creamy alternatives is easy. If need be, flavor can be enhanced with extracts or spices.

Below are common substitutions to increase fiber and decrease fat and sugar. Using the appropriate option for your particular recipe will keep your baked good in top shape out of the oven.

FLOUR, 1 Cup:     use 1 C. whole wheat flour, 1 C. nut flour or 1/3 C. coconut flour. For brownies, 1 cup pureed black beans can be substituted for flour. Due to the heaviness of nut flours, you’ll need additional rising agent (baking soda or powder). When using coconut flour, add an extra egg to help hold your batter together.

SUGAR:                use natural honey, agave nectar, maple syrup, applesauce, mashed ripened bananas or coconut sugar. You may need to slightly reduce liquid elsewhere if opting for one of the first four liquid substitutes.

EGG, 1 whole:      use 2 egg whites or 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal soaked in 3 Tbsp water

BUTTER:               half the amount can be replaced with applesauce, mashed ripened bananas, or nut butters. Various oils can be used as well, but they are full-fat replacements and require less volume (e.g. ¾ C oil to 1 C butter). As another option, to replace a cup of butter (2 sticks), use 3 Tbsp chia seeds soaked in a cup of water.

CREAM CHEESE:  use Greek yogurt (may blend with cheesecake pudding mix to omit additional eggs/sugar for cheesecake)

A few more tips for healthy baked goods

A little goes a long way, so keep portions small. With a greater yield, there’s more to share and the batch will last you longer!

You don’t need to fill a serving plate or bowl to make an impression; use a doily (lace paper), leave room for mint leaves and berries to garnish, or drizzle fruit sauce across the plate.

Recommended Reading

 Our Meal Prepping 101 Guide

 Our Meal Prepping 101 Guide

If you’ve ever been too afraid to meal prep or just haven’t known where to begin, look no further than our meal prepping 101 beginner’s guide!

Key Targets of a Healthful Nutrition Plan | Q+A

Key Targets of a Healthful Nutrition Plan | Q+A

by | Feb 6, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

For people who are barely starting to exercise, what would you recommend on a planned diet? I am over 180 pounds and I see and read diet plans. But as a person who is starting to exercise I was curious if there are any recommendations for diet plans. I know this will all depend on maybe a personal assessment but I just wanted to ask.

– Esme

Answer:

Welcome to the LA Fitness family, Esme! It’s great that you began exercising and want to add in a planned diet. It’s okay to focus on your new exercise routine for a while and once you’ve got that established, then address your nutrition.

What I’d specifically recommend really all depends on what your diet is like now. You should start with assessing your current diet to see where you can improve. Keep a food diary for a few days and enter it into a dietary analysis program, app or website that will show the average calories, fat breakdown, protein, carbohydrate breakdown, and vitamins/minerals you consume.

If there are areas you know need to change, and you can practically address those, start there. You’ll have greater long-term success by amending how you eat rather than adopting a rigid, generic plan that doesn’t take into account your preferences and lifestyle. See our previous article “The 3 Pronged Attack for Weight Loss – DIET.”

That said, you may want to look at some key targets of a healthful nutrition plan:

  • Hydration – drink at least 1 ounce of water per 2 pounds body weight daily
  • Fiber – eat at least 25 grams dietary fiber daily from vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fruit
  • Low Saturated and Trans Fat – consume no more than 7-10% of your daily calories from saturated fat and limit yourself to 2 gm trans fat daily
  • Consistent meals/snacks – try to follow regular eating times that fit your schedule and consume similar volumes
  • Limit convenience foods – opt for fresh and raw whenever possible instead of something prepared (e.g. apple vs. applesauce, baked potato vs. French fries)
  • Practice portion control – take small servings and eat just enough to satisfy your hunger

Readers, are there other GENERAL tips that worked for you when starting out that you’d like to share? Enter them in the comments area below!

– 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.

Ask our Dietitian

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!

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Recommended Reading - Q+A

What Is a Good Alternative to Grains? | Q+A

What Is a Good Alternative to Grains? | Q+A

by | Feb 1, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

What is a good alternative to grains as a way to complement the protein in legumes? Legumes are nutrient dense in many ways, including protein. But legume protein is low in methionine, an amino acid that our bodies cannot make.  For this reason legumes have traditionally been combined with grains, which are high in methionine.  Grains are low in another amino acid our bodies cannot make, lysine.  Legumes are high in lysine.  For this reason, legume and grain proteins are said to be complimentary. But if I am considering a long term dietary shift away from grains, I cannot be reassured by that. We still need to combine our proteins well over the course of several days. Unfortunately, grains are not a nutrient dense food. They are very high in starch and low in phytonutrients. So, what are some nutrient dense sources of methionine and cysteine?  Or, in simpler terms, what is a good alternative to grains as a way to compliment legume protein?

– Benjamin H.

Answer:

Vegan diets do tend to be low in methionine1, one of the essential amino acids. Interestingly enough, it’s actually proposed that a lower methionine intake is better for longevity1.

The World Health Organization recommends the adult dietary requirement is 10.4 mg of methionine per kg body weight per day to cover obligatory oxidative loses2. Whereas the US Recommended Dietary Allowances combine the methionine requirement with cysteine (a non-essential amino acid) for a total of 19 mg combined of methionine and cysteine/kg/day3. In plant foods, there are about equal amounts of methionine and cysteine.

“Wheat and rice proteins are comparatively low in lysine but better sources of methionine whereas beans and peas are relatively high in lysine yet in lower methionine.” — www.vegsoc.org/protein

Here are selected non-grain plant foods highest in methionine, given in common portions/(gram weight) with corresponding protein content4:

 

Brazil nuts, dried

Soybeans, boiled

Chia seeds, dried

White beans, canned

Sunflower seed kernels, dry roasted

Russet potato, baked w/ skin

Chickpeas/Garbanzo, canned

Peanuts, Spanish

Red potato, baked w/ skin

Spinach, cooked

Coconut milk, canned

Peaches, dried

Turnip greens, cooked from frozen

Corn kernels, cooked from frozen

Avocado, California

Spinach, boiled

Brown mushrooms, raw

Broccoli, cooked chopped

Raw seaweed spirulina

Asparagus, cooked

Zucchini

Cauliflower

Spinach, raw

373 mg in ¼ C (33g)

192 mg in ½ C (86g)

167 mg in 1 oz (28 g)

143 mg in ½ C (131g)

134 mg in ¼ C (32g)

123 mg in large 3-4” (299g)

118 mg in ½ C (127g)

117 mg in ¼ C (36g)

105 mg in large 3-4” (299g)

99 mg in 1 C (180g)

86 mg in 1 C (226g)

70 mg in ½ C (80g)

62 mg in ½ C (82g)

59 mg in ½ C (70g)

48 mg in 1 fruit (130g)

49 mg in ½ C (90g)

42mg in 1 C (87g)

34 mg in ½ C (78g)

33 mg in 1 oz (28 g)

31 mg in ½ C (90g)

18 mg in ½ C (116mg)

16 mg in ½ C (62g)

16 mg in 1 C (30g)

4.75 g protein

15.5 g protein

4.5 g protein

9.5 g protein

6 g protein

8 g protein

9 g protein

9.5 g protein

7 g protein

5 g protein

4.5 g protein

3 g protein

2.5 g protein

2.5 g protein

2.5 g protein

2.75 g protein

2 g protein

2 g protein

2 g protein

2 g protein

1 g protein

1 g protein

1 g protein

Our vegetarian audience may also be interested in a thorough discussion at  http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/protein and some of our previous articles below for protein information.

References:

  1. The low-methionine content of vegan diets may make methionine restriction feasible as a life extension strategy. McCarty MF, Barroso-Aranda J, Contreras F. Medical Hypotheses. 2009 Feb;72 (2):125-8.
  2. Protein and Amino Acid Requirements in Human Nutrition. United Nations University/World Health Organization. 2007 WHO technical report no. 935.
  3. Chapter E: DRI Values for Indispensable Amino Acids by LifeStage and Gender Group. The National Academies press. 2006 Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements.
  4. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 27.

– 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.

 

Ask our Dietitian

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!

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Recommended Reading - Q+A

We Tried Sous Vide Cooking: Here’s What We Thought

We Tried Sous Vide Cooking: Here’s What We Thought

by | Jan 31, 2018 | All, Home, Nutrition

We Tried Sous Vide Cooking: Here’s What We Thought

Written By:

Candice Currie

Bienvenue dans le monde merveilleux de la cuisine sous vide!

That’s French for, ‘Welcome to the wonderful world of sous vide cooking!’ Never heard of it? Well, you wouldn’t be the first. For a while, sous vide cooking was primarily a staple of fine dining establishments, and it was almost unheard of to use this method of cooking at home. However, over the years, sous vide cooking products have become more accessible and more budget-friendly, so this fancy style of cooking can be done from almost anywhere – including at home!

What is Sous Vide cooking?

Sous vide, translated from French, means “under vacuum.”

An immersion circulator is set to the proper cooking temperature for the product you’re planning to cook. There are multiple sous vide products on the market, varying in price, depending on what you’re looking for.

Besides the immersion circulator, the following items may make cooking sous vide style easier on you:

  • A vacuum sealer
  • A large polycarbonate container
  • A cast iron skillet

*Various sous vide temperature and cooking guides can be found online. 

 

How It Works

Still unsure of how the sous vide process actually works? Let’s break it down.

Cooking sous vide style is almost liking boiling; except using a sous vide immersion cooker allows you to maintain a constant temperature for longer periods of time. This makes it easier to get perfect results without undercooking, or overcooking, the meat (or any other item you cook this way).

Simply take your cut of meat and place it in an airtight sealed bag. A vacuum sealer works great for this, but store-bought food-grade plastic bags work fine too, just make sure you get out as much air as possible.

The sous vide immersion machine helps keep the water at a steady temperature to ensure bacteria are safely destroyed.

You can choose to seal in the meat with a marinade, or let it cook as is and season after, if preferred.

Once the product is done cooking, toss it on a cast iron skill it at the end for a nice seared finish. You could also opt for finishing it off on the barbecue, or eat as is.

After the product finishes cooking and is removed from the water, it should be ready to eat. The presentation is up to you.

“It was my first time trying anything prepared sous vide and it surprised me how pink the well-done hamburger appeared to be.  Fortunately, it tasted perfectly cooked and was by far the juiciest hamburger I have ever eaten.  Every bite was succulent and the texture was exquisitely soft, that along with a little char from the torch for taste made it a very unforgettable burger.  I’m excited to see what Chef Tony prepares for us next time.”

- Charlie H.

The Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking

  1. The cleanup is minimal.
  2. The meat retains its juiciness.
  3. It’s great for those living active lifestyles, considering it’s a set it-and-forget it cooking method.
  4. It’s great for food prep! Prepare larger quantities of healthy meals in advance by batch cooking.
  5. It’s healthy! Sous vide foods are able to retain more of their nutrients and vitamins by remaining sealed in their protective bags.

Sous Vide Hamburger

Photograph by Penny Schroeder.

Behind The Scenes

The more research our team did on sous vide cooking, the more we had to try it out for ourselves. With all the great reviews online about how tender the meat was, it left us pining for some mouthwatering French-style cooking.

We didn’t know what to expect, but we were forever changed. It was delicious.

To further prove the point of how simple sous vide style cooking is, we did this from the convenience of our office space. Our cooking host, Tony F., decided to cook our team grass-fed hamburgers: sous vide-style.

The easy step-by-step process can be seen below.

Step 1: Immerse packaged meat into water and set proper cooking time and temperature.

Step 2: Un-package patties and sear for taste and visual presentation.

Step 3: Enjoy with friends!

Pictured from left to right, Charlie H., Tony F., Kham N.

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.

Recommended Reading

Ways to Ward Off Catabolism of the Body | Q+A

Ways to Ward Off Catabolism of the Body | Q+A

by | Jan 30, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Fitness, Home, Nutrition

Question:

I have heard much talk on the internet about the need for serious bodybuilders to take in nutrition steadily, especially protein. It is claimed that muscle growth slows and reverses at night after digestion completes and the body starts catabolizing for energy. Many suggest using a slow-digesting protein such as casein at night to feed muscles protein constantly and ward off catabolism. Is this shown to be effective? If so, are there any other ways to reduce catabolism at night?

– David G.

Answer:

You posed a unique question, David! The body’s skeletal muscle not only dictates much of our circadian rhythm but also follows a day/night routine for repair and building. Research shows that muscle impacts the gene activity that regulates the utilization and storage of substrates (the macronutrients carbohydrate, fat, and protein)1. In other words, the skeletal muscle itself affects catabolic and anabolic processes over a 24-hour period, though this effect is not well understood.

Regardless of the time on the clock, you need to consume macronutrients post-exercise to promote positive muscle-protein balance. For evening exercisers, a recovery meal or shake becomes key before fasting overnight during sleep2. Over 6-8 hours, slower-digesting proteins have a similar effect on muscle protein synthesis as fast-digesting proteins do in the first 3 hours. So grandma was right about having a glass of warm milk before bed, as milk is 80% casein.

What about supplements/amino acids? Though certain essential amino acids stimulate muscle protein synthesis more than others, intact protein may result in a greater positive balance. This is partly because whole foods result in a greater insulin secretion. Muscles are highly insulin-sensitive for nutrient uptake and storage3. In summary, a meal containing protein is better than a straight supplement in the evening.

References

  1. The endogenous molecular clock orchestrates the temporal separation of substrate metabolism in skeletal muscle. Brian A Hodge et al. Skeletal Muscle. 2015; 5: 17.
  2. Influence of Amino Acids, Dietary Protein, and Physical Activity on Muscle Mass Development in Humans. Kasper Dideriksen, Søren Reitelseder, and Lars Holm. Nutrients. 2013 Mar; 5(3): 852–876.
  3. The Role of Circadian Rhythms in Muscular and Osseous Physiology and Their Regulation by Nutrition and Exercise. Shinya Aoyama and Shigenobu Shibata. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2017; 11: 63.

.

– 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.

 

Ask our Dietitian

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!

15 + 8 =

 

Recommended Reading - Q+A

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