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Showing posts with label Dietary Guidelines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dietary Guidelines. Show all posts

Blueberries Nutrition and Health Benefits

  October 04, 2020    

 

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

Blueberries are a very popular part of North American diet. One simple reason is because it tastes good. But are you aware of its nutritional facts and what the latest research indicate about this "super fruit"? 

In this article:

  • Blueberries benefits in brain health, diabetes and cardiovascular health

  • Latest trends in snacking

  • Blueberries nutrition facts

  • Ways to incorporate blueberries into daily diet


Blueberries Benefits in Brain Health:

  • Krikorian et al. 2020: Older subjects who were showing signs of memory impairment were enrolled in a study for 16 weeks where they consumed one serving of blueberries daily (1 cup). At the end of 16 weeks, significant improvement was noted in visual and spatial memory with increased memory processing speed. 
  • Miller et al. 2017: 13 healthy men and 24 healthy women between the ages of 60 and 75 were randomly selected to either receive daily supplementation of blueberries or a placebo for next 3 months. The group that received blueberry supplementation showed significant decline in making errors in their verbal memory. 

 

Blueberries Benefits in Diabetes:

  • Stull et al. 2010: The experimental group that received daily supplementation of blueberries for 6 weeks displayed significant improvement in insulin sensitivity.
  • Stote et al. 2020: Consumption of blueberries for 8 weeks resulted in significant reduction in type 2 diabetes risk factors and improvement in HbA1c levels in overweight men.

 

Blueberries Benefits in Cardiovascular Health:

  • Johnson et al. 2015: Blueberries consumption for 8 weeks lead to a 5-6% decrease in high blood pressure in post-menopausal women.
  • Curtis et al. 2019: One cup of blueberries intake daily for 6 weeks resulted in significant improvements in heart health measures in men and women with metabolic syndrome.

 

Latest Trends in Snacking:

According to a survey conducted by Information Resources Inc. & US Department of HHS, almost half of Americans consume 3+ snacks per day and one-third consume 4+ snacks per day, out of which 65-75% Americans want snack items that curb hunger, boost energy and provide nutrition. Snacking with nuts and fruits can help boost nutrition and provide additional health benefits as they increase the overall diet quality and provide essential nutrients to children.

 

Blueberries Nutrition and Benefits: Powerful Snacking Option

A handful of blueberries is roughly equal to a cup or one serving, which is equivalent to 80 calories. Four major nutrients that are packed in blueberries include: fiber (increases fullness, aids in digestion and regulates healthy cholesterol levels; 3.6g per serving), vitamin C (a strong antioxidant that improves immunity, stabilizes free radicals and prevents cellular damage, helps in collagen synthesis to support healing, increases iron absorption; 16% of daily requirement per serving), vitamin K (regulates blood clotting and metabolism; ~25% of daily requirement per serving), Manganese (aids in bone development and converts digested food into usable energy; ~25% of daily requirement per serving).

 

How to Incorporate Blueberries in Your Diet:

  • Blueberries provide complex carbohydrates in form of high dietary fiber. They are best paired with forms of proteins such as nuts, seeds, cheese, hummus, yogurt and eggs.
  • The sweetness of blueberries can be paired with savory items including various herbs, lemon, cheese, olives etc.
  • Bowls (with proteins, greens, fats and carbs) and smoothies (with greens and fruits)
  • Bento boxes: kids-friendly, well-balanced, varied nutrients in one meal.
Blueberries are one of those super fruits that are not only extremely satisfying to our taste but are equally nutritious as well. They can be easily incorporated into our diets in form of sustainable snack items. And, thanks to the versatility in their taste, they can deliciously be paired with savory items, and high-protein foods for a more nutritional balance.

 

 References:

1.Prior RL, Cao G, Martin A, et al. Antioxidant capacity as influenced by total phenolic and anthocyanin content, maturity, and variety of Vaccinium species. J Agric Food Chem. 1998;46(7):2686-2693.
 2.Joseph JA,Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova NA,et al. Reversals of age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction, cognitive, and motor behavioral deficits with blueberry, spinach, or strawberry dietary supplementation. J Neurosci. 1999;19(18):8114-8121. 
3.Krikorian R, Kalt W, McDonald JE, Shidler MD, Summer SS, Stein AL. Cognitive performance inrelation to urinary anthocyanins and their flavonoid-based products following blueberry supplementation in older adults at risk for dementia.J Funct Foods. 2020;64:103667. 
4.Miller MG, Hamilton DA, Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B. Dietary blueberry improves cognition among older adults in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.EurJ Nutr. 2017;57(3):1169-1180. 
5.Stull AJ, Cash KC, Johnson WD, Champagne CM, Cefalu WT.Bioactivesin blueberries improve insulinsensitivity in obese, insulin-resistantmen and women.JNutr.2010;140(10):1764-1768. 
6.Stote KS, Wilson MM, Hallenbeck D, et al. Effect of blueberry consumption on cardiometabolic health parameters in men with type 2 diabetes: an 8-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. CurrDev Nutr. 2020;4(4):nzaa030.
 7.Johnson SA, Figueroa A, Navaei N, et al. Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness inpostmenopausal women with pre-and stage 1-hypertension:arandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.JAcadNutrDiet. 2015;115(3):369-377. 
8.Curtis PJ,van der Velpen V, Berends L,et al. Blueberries improve biomarkers of cardiometabolic function in participants with metabolic syndrome —results from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;109(6):1535-1545. 
9.IRI.How America eats:the state of the snacking industry. https://www.iriworldwide.com/IRI/media/Library/webinar/IRI-How-America-Eats_2019-State-of-Snack-Industry.pdf. Published April 9, 2019. 
10.US Department of Health and Human Services;US Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020Dietary Guidelines for Americans,8th Edition.https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/. Published January 7, 2016. 
11.Loth KA, Tate A, Trofholz A, Fisher JO, Neumark-Sztainer D, Berge JM.The contribution of snacking to overall diet Intake among an ethnically and racially diverse population of boys and girls. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2020;120(2):270-279. 
12.Barnes TL, French SA, Harnack LJ, Mitchell NR, Wolfson J. Snacking behaviors, diet quality, and body mass index in a community sample of working adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(7):1117-1123. 
13.U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. 2019 U.S. Highbush BlueberryCouncil segmentation study. 
14.Moghaddam E, Vogt JA, Wolever TMS. The effects of fat and protein on glycemic responses in nondiabetic humans vary with waist circumference, fasting plasma insulin, and dietary fiber intake. J Nutr. 2006;136(10):2506-2511. 
15.Flavor pairings. U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council website. https://www.blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-cooking-tips/flavor-pairings/.

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Regular Diet for Adults

  July 20, 2020    

A diet involves a combination of food items that provide adequate nutritional value. It is vital in promoting good health and reducing the risks of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, obesity, etc.

A REGULAR DIET refers to a diet that meets all the nutritional requirements for a HEALTHY ADULT. This diet is served when specific dietary and nutritional modifications are NOT REQUIRED.

This particular diet uses the 1800 - 2000 kilocalories per day as the standard reference level for
adults. Specific calorie levels may need to be adjusted based on age, gender and physical activity.


What is the recommended healthy eating pattern?

  • Daily sodium intake should be less than 2300 mg. The intake should be reduced to 1500mg for people who are 51 year and older, who are African Americans, and those who have high blood pressure, diabetes and any sort of kidney disease.
  • Consume foods rich in potassium, dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin D.
  • Daily intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat milk and milk products should be increased.
  • Less than 10 percent of total calories should come from saturated fatty acids and these should be replaced with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Solid fats should be replaced with oils.
  • Calorie intake from added sugars should be kept at a minimum.
  • Foods containing refined grains and those that contain solid fats, added sugars, and sodium should be avoided.
  • Alcoholic beverages should be kept in moderation.

SAMPLE FOOD GUIDE OF A REGULAR DIET

  •  Fruits: 
    • Daily Recommendation: 3-4 servings of citrus fruits, berries, melons and other fruits
    • Serving Size: Medium-sized apple, orange or banana; 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked or canned fruit (with no added sugar); 1/2 cup freshly pressed homemade fruit juice
  • Vegetables:
    • Daily Recommendation: 3 servings of dark leafy green vegetables, 2 cups/week of orange vegetables, 3 cups/week of legumes, 3 cups/week of starchy vegetables, 6 cups/week of other vegetables
    • Serving Size: 1 cup of raw leafy green like spinach and lettuce; 1/2 cup of other vegetables cooked or chopped raw; 1/2 cup of vegetable juice
  • Grains:
    • Daily Recommendation: 3 whole-grain products and 3 products of other grains
    • Serving Size: 1 slice of bread; 2 large or 4 small crackers; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta; 1 small roll or muffin; 1⁄2 English muffin, bagel, hamburger bun, or large roll
  • Meat, Poultry, Eggs, Nuts, Dry Beans:
    • Daily Recommendation: 5-6 ounces of fish, dry beans, lean meat, poultry without skin, peas
    • Serving Size: 1 ounce of cooked lean meat, poultry without skin or fish; 1/4 cup dry beans or tofu; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of peanut butter; 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds
  • Milk, Yogurt and Cheese:
    • Daily Recommendation: 3 servings of skim milk, non-fat yogurt and low fat cheeses
    • Serving Size: 1 cup of milk or yogurt; 2 ounces of natural cheese like Mozzarella, Swiss and Cheddar; 2 ounces of processed cheese
  • Oils:
    • Daily Recommendation: 5 teaspoons of oils and soft margarines like vegetable oils and soft vegetable oil spreads that are low in saturated fat and are trans-free

SAMPLE MENU OF A REGULAR DIET:

  • Breakfast: Fruit juice, scrambled egg, oatmeal, margarine, biscuit, low-fat milk, coffee
  • Lunch: Steamed broccoli and carrots, baked chicken, steamed rice, whole-wheat roll, margarine, low-fat milk, iced tea, fruit cup
  • Dinner: Steamed green beans or other veggies, lean meat/poultry/fish, noodles, tomato and lettuce salad, low-fat dressing, dinner roll, fruit, margarine, low-fat milk


Reference: Manual of Clinical Nutrition











  


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