Cheers to Good Health – The Health Benefits of Homebrew

When you think of drinking beer and how it relates to your health, I bet the first thoughts that come to mind are not that it benefits you in any way. We tend to think about calories, carbohydrates, and all the fatty foods that we consume after having a few. (Can we say pizza and wings?) My husband is an avid home brewer and I am his helpful homebrew taste testing assistant. We always have a new corny keg of home brew in our house. I used to loathe always having homebrew at my fingertips, not because I don’t like fresh, home brewed craft beer, but because of how I thought moderate, but frequent consumption of beer would negatively effect my health. In terms of beverages, we’re always reading about how wine, reds specifically, may benefit heart health, but it’s rare to hear about health benefits of beer. So today, I’m here to tell you that beer, especially homebrews, can be good for your health.

Here’s the skinny on the health benefits of beer…

Heart Health

Any beverage containing ethanol, including beer, has heart-health benefits. Moderate consumption of any alcoholic beverage (1-12 oz beer for women and 2-12 oz beers for men per day) can increase HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), counter arteriosclerosis, and reduce the risk of blood clotting.

Bone Health

Beer is rich in silicon, which has been linked to stronger bones as research shows those drinking a moderate amount of beer had greater bone mineral density.

Kidney Health

Likely due to its high water content and diuretic effect, research has found that beer lowered the risk of kidney stones in men. Risk of kidney stones may also be lowered thanks to the compounds that are in hops as they may delay calcium release from bone, which contributes to kidney stones.

Fiber

A 12 ounce bottle of lager provides about 0.75 grams of fiber and a 12 ounces of dark beer provides slightly more at about 1.3 grams. Darker beers = more fiber.

B-Vitamins

Beer is loaded with B-vitamins including folate, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamins B6 and B12. B12 and B6 promote heart health by protecting your arteries from damage and encouraging formation of blood clots.

Home brewed beer specifically contains a larger quantity of yeast, which is the main source of Vitamin B. Commercial beer has less Vitamin B because it is filtered and pasteurized, which decreases the amount of Vitamin B through those processes. Home brewed beer naturally decreases hangovers because of the high volume of Vitamin B found in the yeast. To get the most Vitamin B in your beer, choose one with more malt. The more hops in your beer, the more phytochemicals you’ll consume.

Additional Benefits

Nutrients such as fiber, B-vitamins, antioxidants, and silicon come from the grains, yeasts and hops are the reason moderate beer consumption can benefit your health. Again, because home brewed beer has less filtration, you will consume more of these nutrients. Home brewed beer is also more natural in that it generally does not contain additives, chemicals or preservatives as it is not commercially manufactured. Beer is also fat free. Most of the calories come from carbohydrates while a small amount of calories comes from protein.

The key to obtaining the health benefits from beer is ensuring you are drinking in moderation. So next time you come home from a hard day of work, don’t feel guilty about drinking a brewski. Instead, reap the nutritional benefits it can provide. And if you have the option, go with a homebrew to get the maximum nutritional benefits.

Until next time, be well!

What Expiration Dates Really Mean

Have you ever wondered what the difference was between “sell by”, “use by”, “best if used by,” and “expiration” dates? Are food products safe to eat after these printed dates or should they be thrown out?

Here’s the skinny on expiration dates…

“Sell by”

This date is from the product manufacturer to tell the store when to remove the product from the shelves. However, the product can still be consumed after this date. For example, milk has a “sell by” date but can be safely consumed after this date. This is the last date in which the product is at its highest quality.

“Use by” or “Best if used by or before”

This date means the product should be used by the date listed for maximum quality, flavor, and freshness. The product will still be edible after this date has passed but the quality of the product will deteriorate. This is a date for quality, not safety.

“Expiration date”

This is the date you in which you should pay the most attention. If a product has passed its expiration date, it should be thrown out.

The dates put on food products are voluntary by the manufacturers. The only food items required by federal law to have a “use by” date is infant formula. There are some states also have their own mandates to pull dairy products. Do not use infant formula and baby food after the “use by” date. This is for safety.

Although many products are still safe to consume after the printed “use by” or “sell by date,” don’t hesitate to toss a product if you think it may no longer be safe to eat. Just remember, “when in doubt, throw it out.”

For more information on food storage recommendations, visit http://fdpirgallery.nal.usda.gov/resources/FoodStorageQandAs.pdf.

Until next time, be well!

To B12 or not to B12: That is the Question

Vitamin B12 injections are becoming increasingly popular as a weight loss supplement. The product promises consumers that it will improve energy levels, boost metabolism and help burn fat. Vitamin B12 supplements and injections can be found in nutritional supplement stores and online and weight loss clinics are offering them as part of their weight loss plans. At $60-$70 for an injection kit, these businesses stand a lot to gain to help you lose.

But do they work? Here’s the skinny on B12 injections…

Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble B complex vitamin and is important for metabolism, maintenance of the central nervous system, and helps in the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is found in fish, shellfish, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Our  body can store several years’ worth of vitamin B12 in the liver, so it’s very rare to have a deficiency of this vitamin. Vitamin B12 deficiency usually results either from an inability to absorb B12 from the intestinal tract or from not taking in enough B12 via the diet, such as in the case of those who do not consume meat products like vegetarians or vegans. Vitamin B12 are available as dietary supplements or can be medically prescribed for those who are deficient or are at risk for B12 deficiency.

One of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is fatigue. So unless you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, a B12 supplement is not likely to provide you with an energy boost or an increase in metabolism.

Supplement companies and weight loss clinics sell this product with a disclaimer that vitamin B12 injections work best if used along with diet and exercise. This is where they get you. In reality, if weight loss and an energy boost does occur while using the B12 injections, it is most likely due to the increase in exercise and healthy eating, not because of the B12 supplement itself. 

Supplementing your diet with vitamin B12 when you’re not deficient isn’t likely to cause harm. Because vitamin B12 is water-soluble, any excess injected into the body will simply be excreted.

The take home message is that there is no evidence that supports the claim that vitamin B12 injections promote weight loss. If this product actually worked, everyone would be using it, we’d all be at a healthy weight, and the obesity epidemic would no longer exist.

I would put the use of vitamin B12 injections for weight loss in the same category as many other weight loss supplements that promise weight loss without the work: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Until next time, be well!

The Power of the Pumpkin Seed

Carving a pumpkin for halloween this year? Save those seeds! Pumpkin seeds are one of my favorite fall snacks and they pack a huge nutritional punch. Because they are portable and non-perishable, pumpkin seeds make for a great, nutritional snack. Here’s the skinny on pumpkin seeds…

Pumpkin seeds are a source of a wide variety of nutrients including magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fat), fiber, and antioxidants, as well as phosphorus, manganese, iron, and copper. Below I have listed the main nutrients in pumpkin seeds and their health benefits.

Magnesium

One quarter cup of pumpkin seeds provides almost half of the recommended daily amount of magnesium. Magnesium plays an important role in many physiological functions including building strong bones and maintaing bowel health but most notably plays an important role in heart health, benefiting blood pressure and helping to prevent cardiac events such as stroke and heart attack.

Zinc 

What doesn’t zinc do? Zinc plays an important role in many physiological functions but most importantly plays a role in immune function and wound healing and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. If you are pregnant or have children, the zinc in pumpkin seeds can support normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. Since the body cannot store zinc, it is important to maintain a daily intake of this nutrient.

Plant-Based Omega-3 Fatty Acids 

Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fats that also benefit cardiovascular health. These fats are essential and our body cannot make them so we must get them from our diet.

Antioxidants

Pumpkin seeds contain antioxidants which are substances that can protect the body against free radicals that can cause cancer, heart disease, as well as a number of other diseases.

Fiber

Fiber, which is also found in pumpkin seeds can promote bowel regularity, help you maintain a healthy weight, and can help lower risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Are you sold? Do you find yourself wanting to make your own roasted pumpkin seeds so that you can start enjoying the many benefits from this nutrient-packed seed? If so, try my recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds!

Recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients: pumpkin seeds, olive oil, seasoning (salt, cajun seasoning, garlic powder or any other seasoning of your choice)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Take pumpkin seeds from the inside of your pumpkin, place in a colander, and rinse until seeds are separated from pulp and strings.
3. Toss seeds in a bowl with the seasoning and olive oil (use enough olive oil and seasoning to lightly coat the all of the pumpkin seeds). Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Stir occasionally during cooking.
4. Enjoy as a snack or add to a salad!

Until next time, be well!

Welcome to The Skinny

Hi. My name is Jenna and I love food. I love food so much that I decided to make a career out of it by becoming a registered dietitian or RD. But don’t let the technical name scare you. I prefer to think of myself more so as a food and nutrition enthusiast – someone that loves all things food and nutrition and how it impacts our daily lives and our overall health.

Information on food and nutrition is everywhere, especially on TV and in printed media. But how much of what you’re reading and/or hearing on food and nutrition topics is actually true, healthy, and/or safe?

This is where I come in. I’ve created The Skinny to be an unfiltered, unbiased resource for anyone who has ever had questions about or who wanted to know more about any topic related to food and nutrition. There is no topic that is off limits. My blog will provide you with the skinny on topics including food safety, commercial nutritional products, fad diets, supplements, weight management, clinical nutrition (i.e. nutrition and it’s relation to the body), nutrition for different life stages, cooking and recipes, and everything else in between.  When making decisions about your health and the food and nutrients that go into your body, I believe everyone deserves to have all of the facts necessary to make the most informed and educated decisions. This is what I’m hoping to provide for you.

My blog is only as helpful as you, the reader, make it. The more questions and topic ideas I get from you, the better I can serve your needs!

I look forward to sharing my advice and expertise and providing you with the skinny on nutrition!