Nutrition Feature News from HealthCastle.com

New Tool Helps Families Find the Best Yogurts for their Daily Dairy Needs

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:22:19 EST

New Tool Helps Families Find the Best Yogurts for their Daily Dairy Needs

(Bellingham, WA) - June is Dairy Month, which makes it a great time to think about whether you and your family are getting the recommended three servings a day of dairy products. Many people simply can't drink that much milk every day, so they often use yogurt to supplement their dairy intake. But with so many varieties of yogurt available, many family shoppers have no idea what they're really getting when they put that yogurt container in the shopping cart.

Since the nutritional value of yogurt can vary wildly, what you get may be a lot more calories and fat - and a lot less calcium - than you'd bargained for. That's why Healthcastle.com, the largest nutrition network run by Registered Dietitians, is proud to announce the launch of the new yogurt category on their Go UnDiet -Packaged Food Review tool.

"The most important things to know about the yogurt you choose are the amount of calcium, the calories and fat, and amount of sugar or artificial sweeteners used," said Gloria Tsang, RD, founder of HealthCastle.com.

The Go UnDiet - Packaged Food Review tool provides all of this information, plus an "RD's take" summary to help interpret the nutrition facts. For those who want to skip the analysis, the tool allows users to simply sort products by the amount of fat, calories, calcium, sugar, fiber, carbs, and more.

A few quick sorts reveal that for individual yogurt containers, calcium ranges from 15% to 30% of the daily recommended value, calories range from 70 to 210, and sugar varies from 10.5 to 31.5 grams per serving - a difference of at least 100% for all three categories.

"Families with children should keep an eye on sugar and sweeteners," Tsang said. "Women may want to focus more on the amount of calcium per serving. And anyone who's eating a lot of yogurt should keep an eye on the calories and fat."

In addition to sorting, you can do a side-by-side comparison, and based on what's most important for your family, you can choose the brand that best suits your needs.

This dairy month, it's time to finally learn what's in your favorite yogurt brand - and whether you might want to consider making a switch. Since yogurt offers protein, Vitamin B12, riboflavin, potassium, magnesium, and zinc as well as calcium, it's one staple food you can feel good about eating - as long as you're making your decisions based on the real nutrition facts.

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About HealthCastle.com: HealthCastle.com is the most comprehensive nutrition community run by Registered Dietitians on the web. The dietitians at HealthCastle.com have been sharing their passion for nutrition and health since 1997. For fun and practical healthy eating tips, exclusive nutrition guides, and nutrition podcasts, visit www.HealthCastle.com.

For more information or to interview Gloria Tsang, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

Banish Carcinogens from Your Independence Day Grill Party

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:28:19 EST

Banish Carcinogens from Your Independence Day Grill Party

(Bellingham, WA) - This Independence Day, backyards across the nation will light up with family fireworks displays - and blazing grills. Everyone knows it's important to take precautions to ensure a safe fireworks display, but many people don't realize that the food on the grill can also pose a serious threat to family members' health.

According to Registered Dietitian Gloria Tsang, research shows that substances in grilled meats can increase the risk of certain cancers, including colorectal and breast cancer - especially if the meat is cooked to well done. "One kind of cancer-causing chemical forms because of the high heat used in grilling," says Tsang, founder of online nutrition community HealthCastle.com. "The other kind is caused by those smoke and flame flares we've all seen when fat and juices drip down onto the heat source below."

Here are some simple ways to minimize your family's exposure to cancer-causing chemicals at your Independence Day Grill Party:

Keep it short and sweet: The longer meat's on the grill, the more time carcinogens have to develop. Cut grill time short by cooking to medium instead of well done, or start the cooking in the microwave.
Go lean: To reduce flare ups, choose lean cuts of meat, and trim any visible fat before tossing onto the grill.
Try the veggie version: Veggie burgers and dogs don't produce the same level of carcinogens as grilled meats. Throw a few on the grill - you might find you like them!
Soak in the Flavor: A study has shown that marinades - especially those with herbs - reduce the build-up of carcinogens caused by the heat of the grill.
Bar the char: Carcinogens are concentrated in charred meat, so trim charred sections or avoid them by shortening grill time.
Savor the sides: Fill up your plate with tasty side dishes like corn, salads, and fruit. Keep your meat serving to 1/4 of your plate to minimize exposure to carcinogens and control calories at the same time.

Grilling is a favorite national summer pass-time - especially on Independence Day. These simple tips can help you to create healthy grilled meals that your family can enjoy without an added cancer risk. More healthy eating tips from registered dietitians are available at http://www.HealthCastle.com.

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For more information or to interview Gloria Tsang, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

Nutrition Tool Helps Families Choose the Healthiest Packaged Foods

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:09:11 EST

Nutrition Tool Helps Families Choose the Healthiest Packaged Foods

(Bellingham, WA) - In these tough economic times, the family food budget is under closer scrutiny than ever. Add to that the extra time parents are spending working, looking for work, or taking on odd jobs to make ends meet, and the home-cooked family meal is becoming an endangered species. March is nutrition month, so it's a great time for families to take a closer look at how they can balance time, budget, and nutrition.

For many families, packaged foods are the answer. But how do you really know which packaged foods are the best? Nutrition labels help, but they don't tell the whole story. And since not all packages base their nutrition information on the same serving size, comparing labels at the store can be next to impossible.

To simplify the task, HealthCastle.com, the largest nutrition site run by registered dietitians, is launching Go UnDiet: Packaged Food Review, a new tool that allows users to easily see which packaged foods make the most sense for their families.

"The Packaged Food Review provides all the information families need in a consistent, easy-to-understand format," said Gloria Tsang, RD, founder of HealthCastle.com. "It's a way of helping families eat healthy in a realistic way, without having to feel bad about not cooking every meal from scratch."

The Go UnDiet: Packaged Food Review provides the key information traditionally found on food labels, but adds in extra details like whole grain and high fructose corn syrup content, and identifies whether the product contains artificial sweeteners. Each product review also features an "RD's take" summary to help interpret the nutrition facts.

For those who want to skip the analysis, the tool allows users to simply sort products by the amount of fat, calories, sugar, fiber, carbs, and more. Based on what's most important for your family, you can just choose the item that appears at the top of the list. Or, if trying to choose between two products, you can compare them head-to-head.

"We hope that families will use the tool to make their packaged food choices before they go to the grocery store," Tsang said. "That way they know they'll be coming home with healthy packaged foods, rather than just grabbing whatever was sitting at the end of the aisle."

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For more information or to interview Gloria Tsang, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

Squash Winter Bugs with Food, not Flu Shots

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:36:19 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - When it's cold, dark, and wet outside, it can be tempting to curl up on the couch with a book and a cup of hot soup for dinner. But wintertime is the most critical time for us to keep our bodies well nourished and prepared to fight any bugs that may come our way during cold and flu season.

According to Registered Dietitian Gloria Tsang, preparing healthy meals is key to making it through the long cold winter months. "It's all too easy to focus on making something easy and warm after a hard day, especially when it's already dark outside when you get home from work," says Tsang, founder of online nutrition community HealthCastle.com (http://www.HealthCastle.com). "But your body faces extra environmental stresses during this time so it's especially important to nourish yourself with healthy, hearty meals."

Here are some simple steps to help keep you healthy through the long, dark months of winter:

Boost serotonin with healthy carbs: Whole grains and high-quality carbs such as sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkins, and squashes help boost serotonin (the "feel-good" brain chemical), which declines during the dark winter months.
Pack in nutrition with winter produce: Pomegranates, cranberries, citrus fruits, grapes, and root vegetables add color and a healthy dose of vitamins and nutrients to your winter plate, and they're available fresh all winter long.
Max out your Vitamin C: Studies have shown that 1,000 mg of Vitamin C supplements may make colds milder and shorten them by half a day.
Load up on Vitamin D: Sunshine is the best natural source of Vitamin D, so during a dark winter you may want to consider supplements of this vitamin, which has been shown to reduce the risk of colon, breast, and ovarian cancers by as much as 50 percent.
Fight back with "friendly" bugs: A German study has found that probiotics (as found in yogurt with active culture) may shorten a cold episode by almost two days.

Despite claims you may have heard, no diet remedy or supplement has been scientifically proven to effectively prevent cold and flu. But following the simple nutrition steps above gives your body the best chance of fighting off these common winter bugs, and keeping you healthy all winter long. More healthy eating tips from registered dieticians are available at www.HealthCastle.com.

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For more information or to interview Gloria Tsang, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

How to Serve a Guilt-Free Holiday Feast

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:10:39 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - The season between Thanksgiving and Christmas can do a number on your waistline. Sure, there are treats, chocolates, and candies everywhere - but did you know that the biggest weight-gain culprits may be your traditional holiday dinners?

According to Registered Dietitian Gloria Tsang, one holiday dinner can pack on more calories than most people should eat in an entire day. "A Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner featuring turkey and all the fixings can pack in up to 2000 calories in just one sitting," says Tsang, founder of online nutrition community HealthCastle.com.

Fortunately, if you plan ahead, you can serve up a traditional turkey holiday dinner - and save your waistline. Tsang offers these simple strategies to help you cut loads of fat and 400 calories from your holiday meal - and still make it seem like a feast!

1. Potatoes: Mashed potatoes are loaded with fat-heavy cream and butter. Try using buttermilk instead of cream, and use light butter instead of regular.

Calories saved: about 140

2. Cakes and pies, tip #1: Yes, you can still serve dessert! Try substituting unsweetened applesauce or pureed prunes for half the sugar in your baking recipes. Or, try using no-calorie artificial sweeteners like Splenda.

Calories saved per 1/8 cake or pie piece: up to 96

3. Cakes and pies, tip #2: To make your cake even leaner, try substituting egg whites or egg substitute for the eggs in recipes. If the eggs are used as an emulsifier, it's best to use egg substitute (1/4 cup = 1 egg).

Calories saved per 1/8 cake or pie piece: up to 13

4. Whipped cream: Cutting whipped cream from a holiday meal seems a bit cruel - but this tasty topping is loaded fat. Try making your own whipped cream using evaporated milk, or use non-dairy Cool Whip Free. Both offer a similar taste and texture without the fat and guilt.

Calories saved per 2 Tbsp serving: up to 90
Calories saved per serving: 45 - 63

No matter what you choose to serve at your holiday dinner, you can use these tips to lighten things up without dampening the festive mood. When your family digs into creamy mashed potatoes, roasted turkey, and desserts complete with whipped topping, they'll never suspect you've gone light.

More healthy eating tips from registered dietitians, including more strategies for healthy eating during the holidays, are available at http://www.HealthCastle.com.

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For more information or to interview Gloria Tsang, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

Healthy Halloween? It's Possible With A Few Simple Tips

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:11:12 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - Halloween is a fun and exciting time for ghosts and goblins old and young - the costumes, the parties, and... the candy! It's true that candy is a central part of the Halloween tradition, and little ones everywhere would be devastated if the sweet treats were removed from this spooky celebration. But the scary part for parents is thinking about what all that extra sugar does to kids' health - not to mention their teeth!

Fortunately, Halloween can be just as fun without the sugar-fuelled temper tantrums, or an emergency trip to the dentist. By using the simple strategies below suggested by dietitian Gloria Tsang, founder of online nutrition community HealthCastle.com, you can make Halloween a whole lot healthier - and teach your kids some important lessons at the same time.

- Screen treats for safety and health: You already remove and discard anything that's not properly wrapped. Take the opportunity during your sort to pull out the worst trick-or-treat offenders: fried chips, sticky candies that are hardest on teeth, and anything containing hydrogenated shortening or oil.

- Share or donate: Cut your child's candy consumption by encouraging them to donate a portion of their candy to the food bank, or share with family members. They can feel like they're taking positive action, rather than being deprived.

- Split and save: It's tempting to gorge on a huge pile of treats. Teach your kids how to make good things last by splitting their haul into several smaller portions stored in ziplock bags. Each week, they'll have a whole new supply of candy to enjoy.

- Trade up: Set up a trading station with some of your kids' favorite healthy treats, like dried fruit, packaged fruit bowls, or good-quality dark chocolate squares (at least 60% cocoa). Encourage them to trade-in their least-favorite candies for healthy treats they know they love.

Perhaps the most important tip of all is to just relax. Yes, your children will eat more candy than usual during the Halloween holiday (you probably will too!). But by following the tips above, you can minimize the nutritional and dental impact of all that extra sugar.

Never try to fool your kids - they're smarter than you think. Explain to them what you're doing, and how they benefit (tip: "the candy will last longer" is a better benefit than "it's healthier this way"), and your whole family should have one sweet Halloween.

More healthy eating tips from registered dietitians, including strategies for getting your kids to eat healthy, are available at www.HealthCastle.com.

To speak with Gloria Tsang or to arrange an interview, please contact Lauren Girdler at .

Largest Nutrition Site Run by Registered Dietitians Steps Up to USDA's MyPyramid Corporate Challenge

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 10:09:12 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - HealthCastle.com has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture to help get MyPyramid's critical nutrition guidelines into the hands of those who need it most - the mothers who are often the grocery shoppers, chefs, and nutritional planners for their entire families.

As part of the "Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge", HealthCastle.com (http://www.healthcastle.com) will add four new initiatives specifically designed to target these nutritional gatekeepers, starting with a mom-friendly shopping guide planned for September release.

"We're thrilled that HealthCastle.com has joined the 'Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge,' becoming part of a 3-pronged movement where government, industry, and education are taking aim at transforming the way America eats," said Dr. Brian Wansink, Executive Director for USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

"The purpose of the 'Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge' is to equip consumers with the information that they need to make smart decisions about eating more healthfully and being more physically active, so HealthCastle.com plays an important part in bringing that vision to reality."

HealthCastle.com's four MyPyramid-specific nutrition initiatives are:

1. MyPyramid Healthy Grocery Shopping Guide: Based on MyPyramid's daily serving suggestions, this tool will help moms make healthier choices when shopping.

2. Reclaim Your Health MyPyramid Way Contests: By sharing how healthy-living choices have impacted their families' health, readers will have a chance to win a MyPyramid Menu Planner CD and a HealthCastle.com pedometer.

3. My Pregnancy, MyPyramid: This group of free tools to be housed on the Pregnancy Nutrition section of HealthCastle.com will include healthy eating information for expecting moms, including links to MyPyramid's Project M.O.M.

4. MyPyramid Month: Each week in October, HealthCastle.com will send MyPyramid healthy eating tips to over 50,000 subscribers.

With over 3.5 million readers in 2007 - 80% of them American women aged 26 to 55 - HealthCastle.com is already an established resource for moms looking for creative ways to improve their families' nutrition and health. The "Partnering with MyPyramid: Corporate Challenge" initiatives will add even more resources to help families make healthy eating decisions based on the USDA's MyPyramid guidelines.

To speak with Gloria Tsang or to arrange an interview, please contact Lauren Girdler at .

Why Your Diet Isn't Safe for your Partner (Father's Day Topic)

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:09:39 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - For many women, eating a healthy diet is a top priority. And since women are often the "head chef" of the household, their diet needs get passed on to the entire family. But with Father's Day fast approaching, it's time to shine the light on a dark secret about the food women feed to the men in their lives: a diet designed to meet women's nutritional needs can actually be dangerous for men.

According to nutrition expert Gloria Tsang, founder of HealthCastle.com, many women assume that the healthy meals and supplements they're using to keep their own bodies healthy are safe for their husbands and boyfriends too. But some of the top nutrients women are told to load on have actually been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer in men.

Gloria can shock your readers with information about how common women's nutrients and supplements can cause serious health risks in men, including:

- Multivitamins: Sharing your multivitamin with your husband or boyfriend may increase his risk for prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and heart attack. Why?

- Calcium: Women load up to prevent osteoporosis, but it's been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer in men - so what's safe?

- Omega 3s: One variety of these common supplements should be totally avoided by men - but which one?

Plus she can explain how too much iron may increase heart attack risk in men.

An active member of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, Gloria Tsang, RD, created HealthCastle.com (now the largest online nutrition community run by Registered Dietitians) in 1997, and specializes in making nutrition information fun and easy to understand. She's a veteran interview subject (for both TV and radio), and her articles regularly appear in national media, including Reuters, FoxNews, NBC & ABC affiliates, iVillage, and USA Today. For more information about Gloria's work, go to www.HealthCastle.com/press.shtml.

To speak with Gloria Tsang or to arrange an interview, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

Filling Up on Fluids Can Pack on the Pounds

Wed, 07 May 2008 05:32:11 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - Just about everyone knows by now that they need to drink at least six cups of water a day to maintain optimum health - and a healthy weight.

But for some people, filling up on fluids may actually be causing them to pack on the pounds. How can this be?

Nutrition expert Gloria Tsang, founder of HealthCastle.com, will grab your listeners' attention with some shocking facts about what's really in those non-water drinks we all sip to top up our daily "water" consumption.

Gloria will reveal the truth about the beverages many people put into their bodies every day, including:

- Think you're drinking tea? There are lots of products with "tea" in the name - but they're not really tea!

- Think that daily can of diet soda is better for you than the regular stuff? Fewer calories doesn't mean it's better for you.

- Think energy drinks really give you energy? Maybe for a minute, but what's the long-term cost?

- Think that daily latte gives you a healthy start? With all the conflicting news about whether coffee is good or bad for you, how do you know what to believe?

Plus she can explain how beverages alone can easily add up to an extra 1,000 calories a day - if you're not drinking the right ones.

An active member of the American Dietetic Association, Gloria Tsang, RD, created HealthCastle.com (now the largest online nutrition community run by Registered Dietitians) in 1997, and specializes in making nutrition information fun and easy to understand. She's a veteran interview subject (for both TV and radio), and her articles regularly appear in national media, including Reuters, FoxNews, NBC & ABC affiliates, iVillage, and USA Today. For more information about Gloria's work, go to www.HealthCastle.com/press.shtml

To speak with Gloria Tsang or to arrange an interview, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

Top 6 Diet Myths: What You Think You Know Could Be Sabotaging Your Diet

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:33:18 EST

(Bellingham, WA) - Everyone knows a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing - especially when deciding what to put into your body. That's because lots of nutrition "facts" commonly stated as gospel truth are actually diet myths, and believing them can throw your diet and nutrition plans way off track.

Diet myths gain credibility partly through repetition, according to nutrition expert Gloria Tsang, RD. "I hear the same diet myths repeated over and over as fact," said Tsang, who founded online nutrition community www.HealthCastle.com in 1997.

"But these myths are just that - myths - and believing them will only sabotage your ability to make healthy diet decisions," Tsang said.

She debunked top 6 diet myths:

1. Brown sugar is better than white sugar: Myth! The brown sugar sold at grocery stores is nothing more than white sugar with added molasses.

2. Brown eggs are more nutritious than white eggs: Myth! Eggshell color has nothing to do with egg quality. It varies depending on the breed of the hen.

3. Avoiding shellfish helps lower blood cholesterol: Myth! The dietary cholesterol in seafood has little effect on blood cholesterol. Blood cholesterol is raised by eating saturated fats and trans fatty acids found in deep-fried or processed foods.

4. Cutting carbs helps you lose weight: Myth! You will lose weight at the start of a low-carb diet, but it's water weight lost by tricking your body! Real weight loss can only come from reducing calorie intake or increasing calories burned.

5. Skipping meals save calories: Myth! When you skip a meal, your body thinks you're in starvation mode and slows down the metabolism. Plus, you're likely to overeat at the next meal.

6. Red meat is bad for you: Myth! Red meat can contain saturated fat. However, chicken with skin contains more saturated fat than a lean cut of beef or pork!

Embracing diet myths won't help you lose weight or have a healthier diet. In fact, they can lead you to make bad diet decisions. Simple, nutritious eating is always the best way to lose weight and stay healthy. More healthy eating tips and exclusive nutrition guides, and diet podcasts are available at www.HealthCastle.com.

To speak with Gloria Tsang or to arrange an interview, please contact Tracey Johnston at .

New Nutrition Podcast Delivers Diet Tips from Registered Dietitians

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 05:18:39 EST

Biweekly Nutrition Tidbits podcast downloads fun and practical nutrition advice straight to your iPod

(Bellingham, WA, Feb 5) - If there's one thing just about everyone is short of these days, it's time. With all the stresses of day-to-day living in 2008, it can be hard to get out of autopilot mode and take the time to really take care of your body and eat right.

That's why the Registered Dietitians from nutrition web site HealthCastle.com have created a new series of nutrition podcasts to deliver healthy and practical tips straight to the iPods - or desktops - of busy people.

The dietitians at HealthCastle.com have been offering nutrition tips on their web site for over 10 years, but recently readers have said that they simply have too much on the go to take the time out to read their diet tips. Rather than let them lose out, the HealthCastle.com editorial team took action and created a nutrition podcast so even the busiest people can get their nutrition tips - on the go.

"Our readers told us that women are so busy these days, sometimes they have no time to read," said Gloria Tsang, Registered Dietitian and founder of HealthCastle.com. "So we're delivering fun and practical diet tidbits right to them in podcasts they can digest in only 5 to 10 minutes."

Launching on Tuesday, Feb. 5, the Nutrition Tidbits podcast will feature dietitians and guest experts who can offer fresh perspectives on eating right in a busy world. The first podcast episodes include interviews with celebrity Chef Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook (on eating healthy the Chinese way), and author and nutrition expert Dr. Janet Brill, PhD, RD (on lowering cholesterol with natural foods).

A new episode of the Nutrition Tidbits podcast will be available from HealthCastle.com or on iTunes every other Tuesday. For more information, visit www.HealthCastle.com.

For more information or to speak with Gloria Tsang, RD, please contact:

Tracey Johnston

Source: http://www.HealthCastle.com/