AVA REICHARD, RDN, CDCES
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The Health benefits of pumpkin

9/21/2021

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The health benefits of pumpkins: 
Pumpkins are 90% water and low in calories. One cup of canned pumpkin contains about 80 calories and is a low fat food. 

Pumpkin is high in carotinoids such as beta carotene. In addition to supplying that distinct pumpkin orange color, Beta carotene is a “provitamin.” The provitamin can be converted in the body to retinol, more commonly known as vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to regulate immune function, cellular differentiation and proliferation, and to improve skin appearance.
 This gourd vegetable is also a source of tryptophan- an amino acid that helps with the conversion of serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that helps with mood regulation and feelings of happiness. Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 found in pumpkin are both needed for this conversion of tryptophan to serotonin to take place. 
Lastly, pumpkin is a good source of fiber. Fiber is found in only plant foods and increases fullness, and lowers heart disease and cancer risk. For every 1000 calories eaten, it is optimal to have at least 14 grams of fiber. Pumpkin provides about 37 grams per 1000 calories. 
Ways to incorporate more pumpkin in your diet: 
 1.  Mix pumpkin puree into hummus
 2. 
Throw pumpkin seeds into low fat yogurt or granola
 3. 
Make a pumpkin pie smoothie
 4.  
Mix together a pumpkin soup
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Healthier chickfila options- dietitian review

9/7/2021

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Breakfast:
1. Egg White Grill (290 calories, 30g carbohydrates, 26g protein, 8g fat) 
2. Hashbrown Scramble Bowl with Nuggets, No Hashbrowns (320 calories, 7g carbohydrates, 28g protein, 20g fat) 
3. English Muffin (140 calories, 29g carbohydrates, 5g protein , 2g fat) 
4. Greek Yogurt Parfait (270 calories, 36g carbohydrates, 25g protein, 3g fat) 

Lunch/Dinner:
1. Grilled Nuggets (8 count) (130calories, 1g carbohydrates, 25g protein,3 g fat)
2. Kale Lemon Caeser Salad with Grilled Nuggets (470 calories, 22g carbohydrates, 24g fat, 43g protein)
3. Nugget 5 Piece Kids Meal with  Small Fruit Cup & 1% Milk (300 calories, 30g carbohydrates, 9g fat,  24 g protein).
4. Grilled Nugget 5 Piece Kids Meal with  Small Fruit Cup & 1% Milk (220 calories, 24g carbohydrates, 4g fat, 23g protein). 
5. Grilled Chicken Sandwich (380 calories, 44g carbohydrates, 28g protein, 11g fat).

Sides: 
1. Medium Fruit Cup (60 calories, 15g carbohydrates, 3g fat, 1g protein)
2. Kale Crunch Side Salad (120 calories, 8g carbohydrates, 3g protein, 9g fat)
3. Cup of Chicken Noodle Soup (125 calories, 21g carbohydrates, 9g protein, 3.5g fat).
Sweet Treats: 
1. Frosted Lemonade with Diet Lemonade (250 calories, 46g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 6g fat) 
​2. Medium Fruit Cup (60 calories, 15g carbohydrates, 1g protein, 3g fat)
3. 
​Ice  Dream Cone  (180 calories, 32g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 4g fat)
Beverages: 
1. Water (0 calories, 0 carbohydrates) 
​2. Diet Lemonade, Small  (30 calories, 8g carbohydrates) 
3. Unsweetened Iced Tea ( (0 calories, 0g carbohydrates)
4. SunJoy, Small (½ unsweet tea, ½ diet lemonade) (15 calories, 4g carbohydrates)
​5. 1% milk (90 calories, 10g carbohydrates, 2g fat, 7g protein)
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10 Ways to eat more vegetables

8/2/2021

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  Less than 1 in 5 Americans are getting enough vegetables and fiber in the diet. The dietary guidelines recommend we eat at least 2-3 cups of vegetables daily. Vegetables contain fiber, a type of carbohydrate that is only found in plant foods. Fiber can help us to feel full for longer periods of time. Eating more fiber in the diet has also been proven to lower risk of comorbidities including cardiovascular disease.  Women aged 19-50 should strive to have 25 grams of fiber daily, while men of this age group should strive for 38 grams. The recommended goal once one is over 50 years of age decreases slightly, with research to support the benefit of 21 grams of fiber for women, and 30 grams of fiber for men. Below are 10 ways to include more vegetables (and therefore fiber!) in the diet.
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Healthier dunkin donuts menu options

5/11/2021

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In the morning, most people like a caffeinated “Pick Me Up”- whether it is tea or coffee.  As could be expected, it is hard to make any nutrition mistakes with black coffee or unsweetened tea. However, there is much variation in the added calories, sugars, and fat added to these beverages depending on how we place our order. When selecting a coffee or tea, I would advise making sure it is low in saturated fat (<5% on the nutrition facts label), and that there is less than 10g of added sugar. Selecting fat free dairy products like skim milk, as well as milk alternatives such as oat milk or almond milk will help to limit the added saturated fat that could come from whole milk or creamer. Picking unsweetened versions of drinks or using artificial sweetener instead of sugar will help you to avoid exceeding 10g of added sugar in your beverages. Below are some healthier beverage options from Dunkin Donuts.

Beverages:

  1. Iced Coffee 
    1. Healthy Dairy options: oat milk, almond milk, skim milk
    2. Tip: Ask for the coffee to be unsweetened or sweetened with artificial sweetener
  2. Cold Brew​
  3. Cold Brew Coffee with Milk
  4. Unsweetened Iced Tea or Unsweetened Iced Green Tea (5 calories, 0g carbohydrates, 1g protein)
  5. Espresso
  6. Hot Coffee with Milk
  7. Iced Macchiato with Skim Milk (70 calories, 11g carbohydrates, 6g protein
  8. Iced Americano (10 calories, 2g carbohydrates, 0g protein). 
Food: 
  1. Veggie Egg White Omelette (290 calories, 17g protein)
  2. Wake Up Wrap (180 calories, 17g protein)​
  3. Egg and Cheese on an English Muffin (340 calories, 38g carbohydrates, 14g protein
  4. Multigrain Thin (150 calories, 24g carbohydrates, 6g protein)


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the health benefits of garlic

4/15/2021

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April 19th is National Garlic Day! I always like to make the joke, “Always add one extra garlic clove than what a recipe calls for.” Garlic is part of the allium family, more commonly referred to as the onion family. You can find this bulb vegetable in its natural habitat in the Mediterranean regions, Middle East,  and Central Asia. In addition to adding flavor to the most tasty dishes, garlic is also packed with health benefits. 
Health Benefits of Garlic
- Garlic is low in calories, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals include vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin C, selenium and copper. 

- Garlic is a source of prebiotics. Prebiotics, not to be mistaken for probiotics, can serve as fuel to feed the good bacteria in the digestive tract. 

- Allicin (no, not your friend Allison!) is a compound found in garlic. There have been studies that suggest allicin can inhibit enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway to reduce cholesterol.  It is important to let garlic sit for 5-10 minutes after crushing it to activate allicin. Cooking or eating garlic too soon may limit the ability to fully utilize this compound and would limit its disease fighting potential.

- The compound, allyl sulfide, that plays a role in garlic’s smelly odor is not all bad. Allyl sulfide has studies that suggest it may slow the progression of cancer cells. 

- Garlic contains glutamylcysteine, a compound that can act as a natural ACE inhibitor to reduce the stiffness of blood vessels. Relaxed blood vessels would result in lower blood pressure. 

How to Add Garlic to Dishes:
Garlic can be included in a wide range of dishes. It can be added to salsa or guacamole, thrown on toast, used as a rub when marinating meat, minced onto fresh tomato, thrown onto cooked asparagus with parmesan cheese and much more.




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Caramelized Peach Bariatric Recipe

2/25/2021

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Are you not sure what dessert to have after your bariatric surgery? Fruit is a great dessert option as it offers fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients. However let’s be real, sometimes we need to spice it up. Cinnamon is a tasty spice that makes any food a treat. Greek yogurt on the other hand will help to increase your protein intake, which will help you to meet your post operative needs. Getting enough protein after surgery is important to maintain muscle mass, which will assist with weight loss- using fat for oxidation (fuel). This recipe serves two, however it can be stored in the fridge to be consumed as a treat the next day. 

Recipe: Caramelized Peach Bariatric Recipe 
Recipe Creator: Ava Reichard, RDN
Stage: Regular

Ingredients:
1 peach 
1 tsp olive oil
¼ cup non-fat greek yogurt 
1 tablespoon  chopped pecans
Dash of cinnamon

Instructions:
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F

  2. Cut peach in half, removing the pit. Place peach on parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes
  3. Remove and brush with 1 tsp olive oil
  4. Place peach back in the oven, baking for 10 additional minutes
  5. Remove peach from the oven, and top each peach half with 1/4 c greek yogurt, 1.5 tsp  chopped pecans + sprinkle with cinnamon.


Nutrition information- Serving size: _1/2 peach__, Calories: _90_, Carbohydrates: _10g _ , Fiber: __2g__, Protein: _6g___, Total Fat: __3g__.

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Plant based baking subtitutes

2/16/2021

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Plant Based Substitutes

Recently in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, there was a study that compared the vegan diet to the Mediterranean diet. The results might surprise you. When following a low fat, plant based diet for 16 weeks, study participants achieved much higher reductions in fat mass and visceral fat, as well as total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels compared to those following the Mediterranean diet recommendations. However, the mediterranean diet had ties to greater reductions in blood pressure (1). It is important to keep in mind that there are healthy fats, such as mono and polyunsaturated fats that should be included in our diets in moderation- with studies in the past supporting their correlation with improved HDL cholesterol particularly (2). Below are some plant based substitutes that can be made in place of animal based substitutes in baking.

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​Citations:


  1. Neal D. Barnard, Jihad Alwarith, Emilie Rembert, Liz Brandon, Minh Nguyen, Andrea Goergen, Taylor Horne, Gabriel F. do Nascimento, Kundanika Lakkadi, Andrea Tura, Richard Holubkov & Hana Kahleova (2021) A Mediterranean Diet and Low-Fat Vegan Diet to Improve Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized, Cross-over Trial, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2020.1869625

    2. Weisenburger, Jillian. “Heart-Healthy Fats — It’s the Type—Not the Amount—ThatMatters.” Https://Www.Todaysdietitian.Com/Newarchives/090313p14.Shtml, TodaysDietitian,1Sept.2013,www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/090313p14.shtml.
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Summer acai bowls

7/23/2019

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Can you believe it is that time of year again? Summer always comes so fast! One of my favorite summer treats is açaí bowls. Açaí bowls originated from Brazil, were adopted by Hawaiians and are now a popular food item everywhere!

What is Acai?

Acai is a berry that is grown in Brazil. An acai bowl is simply acai frozen, providing a strong base for a smoothie bowl. It is often called a "beauty food" as it is packed with antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins that include vitamin C. One of the benefits vitamin C is known for is its role in aiding collagen synthesis for our skin. This summer, I have been getting plenty of vitamin C as the acai bowl has been my go to breakfast. Making the bowl at home is a great way to save money while nourishing your body! 


How I Made My Acai Bowl:

1. Blend the Base
Frozen acai as a base is only the start of building your acai bowl.I use the Sambazon Açaí Blend, and mix it with a milk or milk alternative in my Nutribullet.

2. Top with granola
Now that you have your acai bowl base, try adding some granola. You can purchase a variety of granola mixes at your local grocery store. I usually purchase the Kind Healthy Grains Granola clusters.




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3. Top with a fruit
I have been topping my acai bowls with in season, handpicked fruit. You will be able to see below, blueberries and peaches are in season in the North East in July. Not only is this fruit delicious, but it also cuts down on cost for transporting the fruit,  creates a smaller carbon footprint, and supports local farmers. You can find a link to in-season produce in your state here: 
​
https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/


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4. Add a nut based spread.

Peanut butter is my go to spread for acai bowls, as it is rich in protein, and monounsaturated fat. Studies continuously show monounsaturated fat to lower cholesterol and promote cardiovascular health. However, you are always welcome to try Nutella to "switch it up" when craving a chocolate taste. It is important to be aware, however, that Nutella contains 20 grams of added sugar per serving (the recommendation is below 25 grams of added sugar for women and 38 grams per men per day). This does not mean you have to avoid it completely, but instead to remember to view Nutella or similar spreads as a fun, occasional treat!

5. And if you are feeling extra fancy,,,

Pairing nuts with a fruit can make your acai bowl extra decadent. Nuts have many health benefits, including healthy fats and antioxidants. Studies have shown that the omega 3 fatty acids in walnuts may reduce depression. Additionally, there have also been studies that a diet rich in pecans is associated with improved heart health, as the increase in gamma tocopherol levels, which is a form of vitamin E (an antioxidant) can prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.  Pro tip- try pecans paired with peaches for a tasty combination. 

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Pictured above: In season, handpicked blueberries in my acai bowl
Pictured above: In season, handpicked peaches in my acai bowl
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Research: Investigating Mothers’ Decisions to Give Their 2-to-3-Year-Old Child a Nutritionally Balanced Diet

7/7/2019

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Goals of study:
The goal of “Investigating Mothers’ Decisions to Give Their 2-to-3-Year-Old Child a Nutritionally Balanced Diet” was to understand what factors may be affecting how mothers make nutritional choices for their children. The study wanted to use the Theory of Planned Behavior as a base theory to find these results.

Models Used:
In the introduction section the authors briefly describe the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and their intention to use this framework as the basis for determining these factors. The authors also went on to introduce two additional concepts that may affect decision making: (1) “Parental Role Construction” (PRC), which describes how parent’s perception of societal parenting expectations affect their behaviors; and (2) “Group Norms”, which describe how social groups (e.g., other mothers in this case) affect decision making. Both were suggested as being recognized extensions to the TPB.
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The TPB introduces several constructs of the theory such as attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention and behavior. Figure 1.0 shown below lists the main elements of this theory.

Figure 1.0
By Robert Orzanna – Own Work, CC BY-SA
4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42261999

Description:
The authors designed a study that tested (1) if elements of TPB (e.g., attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control (PBC)) can be used to predict the likelihood of mothers to provide healthy foods and limit discretionary food choices to their children, and (2) if extensions to TBC (e.g., parental role construction and group norm) can be used to predict the likelihood of mothers to provide healthy options to their children.

Experimental Methods:
The experiment was based on (1) identify a set of mothers with a 2-3 year old child, (2) asking them a set of questions designed to measure important main constructs of the TPB (see figure 1.0) as well as PRC and group norm, and then (3) compare answers to TPC components and extensions to determine the most relevant components impacting mothers’ “healthy eating” decisions for their children.

Participants were identified “face to face via convenience sampling.” Essentially they found places likely to have mothers with children 2 to 3-years old and asked them to participate. A small gift was offered to encourage participation. Data collection was self-reported for this study. The study consisted of two phases- (1) a written survey and (2) a follow up telephone interview. The first phase was a survey with the option of completing it either in person or over the internet. The first phase had 197 participants. In the second phase, 161 of the original 197 participants answered the telephone for a week follow up survey. For this phase, healthy eating and discretionary food choice behaviors were the primary focus.
Various statistical methods were employed, including surveys to record the data for the study. Tools used included 7 point Likert Scales and the Cronbach alpha. Researchers in this study asked participants if they agreed or disagreed with a variety of statements. The response to these statements were measured using the 7-point Likert scale. The Cronbach alpha was then used to find the relation for specific constructs to healthy eating and discretionary food behaviors.

Results:
Mothers did a moderate job at making sure that children consumed healthy options and limited their discretionary intake. Several statistics were referenced to support this. (Note- The reference to Table 1 did not contain statistical results but instead contained demographic details of study participants!)
The study also found that intentions and perceived behavioral control had a strong correlation with behaviors of healthy eating and discretionary food choices. Constructs of TPB such as attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control were found to predict these intentions. Although not a construct of TPB, parental role construction also had a correlation with intentions that influence behavior.

Main Conclusion:
Increased programs that focus on improving the mindset of mothers would promote more healthy eating and limited discretionary food behaviors for their children. Researchers may benefit from measuring parental role construction in addition to constructs in the TPB since there are strong relations with these constructs and behavior.

Why this work is relevant:
The results of this study can help professionals design training and recommend programs directed at mothers engage in healthy food eating and limiting discretionary food choices for their children. This will lead to children learning better life-long eating habits.
Improvements:

The participants seem skewed towards certain social-economic groupings- e.g., married women over single, and stay at home parents over full time working mothers. This could potentially represent biased findings. Therefore, one should consider expanding the sample out and rerunning the experiment to determine if the same results hold.



6 Notable Terms
  1. Maternal- relating to a mother
  2. Correlation- a mutual relationship between two things
  3. Cronbach’s alpha- tool for measuring how closely related items are as a group.
  4. Discretionary food- food and drinks that aren’t required for a person’s nutrient needs
  5. Likert scale- a popular numerical method to measure a person’s outlook
  6. Hierarchical- arranged in order of rank



Article 1-
The article, “Parental physical activity: the role of social support” was referenced because this article mentioned how important both parental role construction and group norms are for affecting the behavior of parents. Neither factor is in the base theory (TPB) used to evaluate participants in the article, “Investigating Mothers’ Decisions to Give Their 2- to 3-Year Old Child a Nutritionally Balanced Diet.” The idea of these additional factors were partially derived from this article referenced.

Article 2-
The article, “Investigating mother’s decisions about their child’s sun-protective behavior using an extended theory of planned behavior” was referenced because it used the TPB as a base theory as well. It also supports evaluating parent role construction in addition to the TPB constructs. The article proposes a strong relation of parent role construction and behavior.


Works Cited
Hamilton K, White KM. Parental physical activity: the role of social support. Am J Health Behav.2010;34: 573-584.
Spinks T, Hamilton K. Investigating Mothers’ Decisions to Give Their 2- to 3-Year- Old Child a Nutritionally Balanced Diet. J Nutr Educ Behav.2016;48:250-257.
Thomson CE, White KM, Hamilton K. Investigating mothers’ decisions about their child’s sun-protective behaviour using an extended theory of planned behaviour. J Health Psychol. 2012;17: 1001-1010.



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cliff house restaurant and CAPILANO SUSPENSION BRIDGE PARK

1/27/2019

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Recently, I visited my older sister in Seattle, Washington where she works for Amazon. This was my first time in the Pacific North West, and second time on the West Coast (I went to San Diego, CA 6 years ago.) My sister and I went to a variety of places during my visit, one being the Suspension Bridge Park in British Columbia. 

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park was made open to the public in the 1980s. To enter, you initially walk on a swinging, 250 foot bridge with a 450 foot drop over water. Then from here, its a tree top adventure! There are seven bridges suspended between the trees in a rain forest. There is also an option to go on a "Cliff Walk" where you essentially walk on a narrow path suspended from a narrow bridge wall. At the end of the walk we found a restaurant called the "Cliff House Restaurant." Visiting this restaurant, especially with the view is a must!

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Dining at Cliff House Restaurant 

Overlooking Capilano Canyon, the Cliffhouse Restaurant has it's own executive chef who sources local, fresh ingredients. As the menu is local, it changes seasonally- more the reason to keep coming back! I ended up sharing a sangria,  fruit & cheese platter, bread & olive oil, fresh salad, and locally sourced salmon. They are proud members of the Ocean Wise Seafood Program- a Canadian program with over 700 partners that team up to make sustainable seafood purchases, ultimately ensuring long term health and stability of that species. Below are pictures from my visit.

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    Author

    Ava is a Registered Dietitian with a BS in Nutritional Science from Penn State University. She completed her postgraduate dietetic internship at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center where she had a critical care concentration. She started her RD career working at a level one trauma center providing Medical Nutrition Therapy to patients in the Greater New York City area. She now resides in South Florida as her hospital's full time outpatient dietitian, overseeing outpatient nutrition for  cardiometabolic, bariatric, and hospital medical nutrition therapy.

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