Is soda okay for my kids in moderation?
Q: I let my kids drink soda with special meals (no more than two cans per week). Is this OK for them?
A: Your advice to limit the intake of soda to two cans per week is a good one. So many parents have no qualms about providing unlimited amounts of sweetened beverages such as sodas to their little ones. In fact, it’s been estimated that almost one third of parents serve this type of drink to their 12-14-month-old children and, believe it or not, this statistic increases to almost 50% of parents when children reach 19-24 months old. As a mother of three, and as a registered dietitian, I urge parents to rethink this practice due to the childhood obesity epidemic that envelopes our country.
According to the Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents should limit their children’s intake of sugar-sweetened drinks such as soda. With the limits you’ve set in your own home, you’re teaching your children the concept of “moderation” and starting them off on the right foot by promoting a healthy lifestyle.
The most valuable tool you can use to promote good health in your kids is to be a good role model yourself. Eat healthy and exercise daily and your children will learn not so much by what you say but by what you do!!!
Is whole grain white any different from regular whole wheat bread?
Q: When it comes to choosing a healthy bread, is whole grain white any different from regular whole wheat bread?
A: The definition of “whole grain white” bread or flour is nebulous at best. It is a fairly new product that can consist of virtually anything, but generally comprises a mixture of 100% whole grain and white flour. The white wheat comes from an albino variety of wheat that differs from the traditional red wheat kernels. Furthermore, the white wheat is more heavily processed than the 100% whole grain flour to make the product taste more like its refined cousins, though the jury is still out regarding exactly how much nutrition is lost in the processing.
The product is marketed to regular consumers of white bread who want to consume more whole grains for the health benefits but just can’t quite take the plunge to eating 100% whole grain products. So, for those people, the new “white wheat” products are a better choice than refined white bread products. The bottom line is, nutrition-wise, your best bet is to routinely go for the 100% whole wheat products that have been less processed, contain all three parts of the original wheat kernel and have been shown scientifically to help prevent chronic disease.
Are probiotic drinks healthy?
Q: With all of the probiotic culture drinks, cheeses and other dairy products on the market, can the use (or overuse) of these products be detrimental to my digestive system?
A: Probiotics are live, “healthy” bacteria that are added to the diet and function to promote better health. They reside in the colon. Common names of these “friendly” bacteria are Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria (this strain of healthy bacteria is included in Dannon Activia yogurt).
Why is it good for your health to increase the number of these bacteria? Probiotics ingested in the diet:
• Overpower bad disease-causing bacteria.
• Help boost the body’s immune system.
• Help the body absorb vitamins and minerals and increase the body’s internal production of B vitamins.
• May help bone health by increasing the absorption of calcium and the ability of the bones to absorb calcium.
• Decrease diarrhea and diaper rash in babies.
• May improve constipation in the elderly.
• May reduce the conversion of bile into carcinogenic substances (decreasing risk of colon cancer).
Because probiotics are the good kind of bacteria, and promote health, they would not be detrimental to your health, regardless of the amount ingested.
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