A Nugget of Nutrition Water vs Your Sugar Daddy

Water is vital for human function, even more so than food. As a general rule of thumb, a human can survive 30 days without food before succumbing to starvation, but the same human will only survive for 3 days without water. Why is it so important? Water makes up 70% of our blood. It uses water to carry oxygen throughout the body. Cells die without it, and when cells die, organs stop working. Water is a big part of the immune and digestive systems, too. Without water, digestion and waste removal would stop. Along with that, you can say good-bye to the nervous system. Well, let's just say that all hell breaks loose in your body.

In this Summer heat wave, it is more important than ever to stay hydrated. CNN stated that there are more heat related deaths each year than any single natural disaster on average in the U.S. In past years, numbers have hit 150. This year alone has already reached 33 according to the NY Times. Experts say this will be the hottest Summer on record.  When was the second hottest? Last year.

Each restaurant chain and coffee house seems to have their own way of cooling you off. Smoothies, shakes, and iced coffees are everywhere! While these drinks may feel like a great way to cool down, the truth isn't always as sweet. You have undoubtedly seen the commercials: people having fun, enjoying the beach, bright colors and music, refreshing fruit. This is a parlor trick. These companies learned a thing or two from Houdini, and now they distract customers from what they are really consuming. When all your body wants and needs is water, McDonald's and friends are giving you this:

(All drinks are medium sized.)

Caramel and Mocha Frappe

Sugar 71g Calories 550

Mango Pineapple Smoothie

Sugar 60g Calories 270

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Sugars 54g Calories 260

Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino with no whip cream

Sugar 57g, Calories 406

Caramel Macchiato w/nonfat milk

Sugar 35g  Calories 224

We would like to hear what your favorite cold drinks are! Please leave a comment especially if you have any questions about what you've been drinking.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited by Robert Marshall

A Nugget of Nutrition The meal that you should never miss

Picture this: It's the beginning of spring. A man walks out to his garage and wheels out the lawn mower that hasn't moved since the last warm fall day.  After he brushes off a few remaining leaves and cobwebs, he begins. It takes a few tugs, but it starts. The next thing he does, to ensure it keeps running, is check the fluids.  In a sense, he needs to feed his lawn mower to make sure it keeps running.

When you wake up in the morning, your body is similar to the lawn mower that hasn't been used all winter. You may not be asleep for months, but your body needs to be properly nourished so you can keep running throughout the day. Breakfast is the perfect name for the first meal of the day. You are breaking the fast (not eating) when you sleep.

I'm sure you have heard the old saying, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."  Nothing can be more true. Those first couple of hours after you wake up often set the tone for the rest of the day.  Of all the hours of the day, those first few are the ones you have the most control over.  You can choose to sleep in till the last minute, rush out in a hurry, and maybe grab something along the way; or you can wake up with enough time to eat a healthy breakfast, and give your body the energy it needs to start the day off on a positive note. Breakfast doesn't have to take much of your time.  A good quality cereal and some fruit is a great place to start. Refueling your system with a good breakfast will kick start your metabolism.

If you are trying to lose weight and you think skipping a meal is a way of achieving your goal, you are wrong. A healthy breakfast gets your metabolism running so you can start burning those calories. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who don't. Skipping any meal won't help you lose weight. Neither will eating a breakfast on the go like donuts or egg sandwiches from the local mini mart or fast food joint.  Would you put fluids in your lawn mower or car that would get them started but would eventually clog the system and limit the life of the engine? Or would you buy the better fluids that won't clog the system and will keep the engine running strong for a longer life? And on top of that, healthy food can be inexpensive, too. The choice seems obvious.

We know how confusing it can be to pick a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast.  There are a lot of foods out there that claim to be healthy but simply are not.  If you need any help or have any questions please feel free to ask.  We will be more than happy to help you start your day right!

Written by Joann Agoglia
Edited by Robert Marshall

A Nugget of Nutrition Irresponsible "Health Food"

Nothing bugs me more than when a "health food" company purposefully takes advantage of misinformed people. One of the first times I noticed this gross abuse was when I researched Blue Agave. The first time I saw blue agave was at Whole Foods, which is renowned for its health-conscious products and information. Automatically, I was impressed that there was an alternative sweetener that would not spike blood-glucose levels and still tasted so sweet. That was until I saw one small post on the internet ridiculing agave syrup for pretending to be a health food. So I investigated, and what I found was upsetting. Agave syrup has a higher percentage of fructose than many HFCS products; sometimes reaching 70/30.

Now, there are other companies pulling the same trick. Due to the huge uproar against HFCS, some smaller companies have started producing HFCS free sodas. Instead of HFCS, they use cane syrup and, get this, agave syrup. If you have not read it yet, read this article, and find out how sugar and agave can damage your liver just like HFCS.

Unfortunately, the media has already jumped on the band wagon. KitchenDaily.com has posted an article that promotes these so-called healthy sodas as alternatives to the mainstream soda companies (please take in to account that many companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have already removed HFCS from some of their products and are now selling them under the "all-natural" context). KitchenDaily.com would have you believe that a soda is all-natural if it does not contain HFCS, but when sugar is removed from its original source it can hardly be considered natural, anymore. It's natural form is not syrup. I will revoke this statement when soda companies start putting sugar cane in their drinks.

This kind of misinformation is all over the health industry. How do you avoid being taken advantage of? Look it up! Create a knowledge base that will help you choose healthy foods without getting suckered. Never take a product at face value. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. What is popular is not always the best choice. And last, but certainly not least, don't let the media take you for a spin! A product isn't always right just because it is in the news, on a billboard, on TV, or the internet.


Written by Robert Marshall

Edited by Joann Agoglia