Take Control of Late Night Snacking

Posted by & filed under Healthy Diet, Stevia.

By Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD —
That time of night is finally here, when you can sit and just relax after a hectic day. Then it hits you, that craving for a snack. You have done fantastic eating healthfully all day, and then it feels as if it just falls apart at night.  You are not alone. Late night snacking is one of the most common challenges when trying to lose weight. These simple tips can help you take control of your night snacking habit.

  • Eat balanced meals throughout the day. Eating balanced meals can help you to meet all your nutritional needs for optimal functioning and promote satiety.
  • Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals puts your body on high alert that it may not have the fuel it needs and can drive you to over eat later. This puts you at high risk for consuming large dinner portions or overindulging in late night snacks.
  • Don’t keep snack foods in the house. When your resistance is low it can be hard to pass up easy accessible snacks. Keeping temptations out of your home is a simple way to break your late night habit.
  • Keep your hands and mind busy. Try activities like knitting, crosswords, playing computer games, or board games with the family. Keeping busy can help keep you distracted and not thinking about food.
  • Get your exercise. Exercise is not only good for health and weight management, but mood management as well. Exercise can be a great way to blow off steam instead of turning to snack foods.
  • Plan ahead. You can still enjoy a nice treat at night if you plan ahead for a low calorie snack that fits into your caloric needs for the day. These Red Velvet Cupcakes come in at only 160 calories by using stevia to keep sugar and calories low.

 

Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian and a paid contributor to SteviaBenefits.org. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University. She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals. Follow her on Twitter @ReynaudCari.

The post Take Control of Late Night Snacking appeared first on Steviabenefits.org.

Do Low-Calorie Sweetened Beverages Help to Control Food Cravings?

Posted by & filed under Health Professionals, Sweet Taste.

ARTICLE: Do low-calorie sweetened beverages help to control food cravings? Two experimental studies

AUTHORS:   Maloney NG, Christiansen P, Harrold JA, Halford JCG, Hadman CA

SOURCE:  Physiology & Behavior.2019;208(112500):1-9

SUMMARY BY:  Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN


Introduction

This study explores whether low-calorie sweetened (LCS) beverages help regular consumers adhere to their weight loss diet goals by controlling food cravings. The authors propose the sweet taste of LCS beverages not only satisfies hedonic cravings of frequent consumers, but it may also serve as a “diet prime” that reinforces desired eating behaviors while preventing those behaviors that may result in negative feelings that could further disrupt dietary goals. Two theoretical models are cited to support the hypotheses.

The “goal conflict model” suggests restrained eaters are often unsuccessful at managing body weight because they are attempting to juggle two conflicting goals: 1. The enjoyment of eating; and 2. Weight control. Although motivated to limit their food intake to control their weight, restrained eaters often have episodes of disinhibited eating because they experience less hedonic satisfaction from what they eat when restricting themselves. The sweet taste of LCS beverages may satisfy their hedonic cravings to stay the course.

The “incentive-motivational model” suggests that people are pulled towards behaviors that lead to rewards and push away from those that might have negative consequences. For restrained eaters, repeated positive stimuli associated with a food reward, like the sweet taste of LCS beverages, may bias regular consumers of these beverages towards that stimuli and serve as a hedonic cue that keeps them from seeking other food rewards that could lead to the negative feelings of guilt associated with uncontrolled eating.


Study Design

An online Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to place each of the 120 selected participants into one of two groups: 1. Frequent consumers of LCS beverages (> 825 mL/day); or 2. Non-consumers (0 mL/day). The non-consumers were also identified as consuming either >825 mL/day of sugar sweetened beverages and/or >825 mL water/day to control for volume of beverage consumption.

Frequent (N = 60) and non-consumers (N = 60) were randomized into the craving or controlled condition in a 2 x 2 between-subjects design. The craving condition was induced by having participants smell and touch their favorite chocolate candy bar for 2 minutes without tasting it. Participants were then askedto indicate how much they liked it on a visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from “Not at all” to “Very much,” and how much they craved the bar at that moment using the same scale. The non-craving control condition involved a similar protocol but used colored wooden blocks resembling the shape and size of candy bars that participants had to smell and touch.

Energy intake after each condition was measured by providing each participant with a variety of sweet and savory snacks they indicated they liked and allowing them to eat ad libitum for 15 minutes. They were also offered a 1-liter bottle of the sugar-sweetened or LCS sweetened beverage they preferred or a 1-liter bottle of still water. All plates, bowls and beverages were covertly weighed before and after consumption to determine the amount consumed.

Attentional bias was measured using a visual probe task that involved viewing images of different beverages (LCS, SSB, and water) in different combinations, scenes and bottle varieties.  Participants were instructed to press a key as quickly as possible in response to the appearance of a probe on the screen in place of the image of a beverage. Their reaction time was measured for each of the 192 timed trials.

Appetite ratings for hunger, fullness, thirst, and craving for chocolate were assessed using a VAS anchored by “Not at all” on the left and “Extremely” on the right. The impact of LCS beverages on eating-related guilt, meal enjoyment and perceived behavioral control was measured by answering specific questions related to these feelings using a VAS.


Objective

Study 1 hypothesized that energy intake would be greater in non-consumers after the craving exposure, but not in frequent consumers, and predicted that frequent consumers would have heightened attentional bias scores. Study 2 replicated the craving manipulations used in Study 1, but included frequent consumers only and controlled the availability of the LCS beverages in the ad libitum eating condition. It was hypothesized that, when LCS beverages were not available to frequent consumers, they would have increased energy intake in the craving condition and report higher guilt, lower meal enjoyment and lower perceived control.


Results

In Study 1, frequent consumers of LCS beverages did not have increased energy intake following the craving exposure, as hypothesized, despite reporting a significant increases in chocolate craving. In contrast, non-consumers did consume more calories in the craving condition relative to the control. Frequent consumers also demonstrated an attentional bias for LCS beverages stimuli compared to sugar sweetened beverages and water stimuli while non-consumers did not show a bias. This suggests that LCS beverages are a specific stimuli to frequent consumers rather than a general bias towards sweet-tasting products.

In Study 2, the frequent consumers did eat more in the craving condition compared to the control condition regardless of whether LCS beverages were available or not. However, overall food intake was significantly higher when LCS beverages were unavailable relative to when they were available. Frequent consumers also reported lower perceived behavioral control and meal enjoyment, and higher eating-related guilt when the LCS beverages were unavailable, despite consuming more food. The reason for the conflicting findings on the ability of LCS beverages to satisfy the hedonic eating motivations of frequent consumers is not clear, so further studies in different populations are needed.


Conclusion

Frequent consumers of LCS beverages were not consistently protected from overeating when cravings were induced.  However, they did consume fewer calories overall when LCS beverages were available during the craving manipulation.  They also experienced more control over their food intake, greater meal enjoyment and less guilt. This suggests that frequent consumers view LCS beverages as hedonically desirable and their attentional bias for them indicates a specific preference rather than a general preference for sweet products. These findings provide new insight into the way LCS beverages may have a positive effect on weight control.


References

Field M, Werthmann J, Franken I, Hofmann W, Hogarth L, Roefs, A. The role of attentional bias in obesity and addiction. Health Psych. 2016;35(8):767-780

Strobe W, Mensink W, Aarts H, Schut H, Kruglanski AW. Why dieters fail: Testing the goal conflict model of eating. J Exp Soc Psych. 2008;44(1):26-36

Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN is a registered dietitian, cultural anthropologist and scientific advisor to the Calorie Control Council, whose 30+ year career includes maintaining a busy nutrition counseling practice, teaching food and nutrition courses at the university level, and authoring 2 popular diet books and numerous articles and blogs on health and fitness. Her ability to make sense out of confusing and sometimes controversial nutrition news has made her a frequent guest on major media outlets, including CNBC, FOX News and USA Today. Her passion is communicating practical nutrition information that empowers people to make the best food decisions they can in their everyday diets.Reach her on Twitter @EverydayRD and check out her blog The Everyday RD.

Contrary to Recent Study, Low-Calorie Sweeteners Useful for Diabetes

Posted by & filed under Diabetes/Blood Sugar Management, Health Professionals, Statements.

(ATLANTA) — On October 3, 2019, DiabetesCare published a study entitled, “Changes in Consumption of Sugary Beverages and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and Subsequent Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Results from Three Large Prospective U.S. Cohorts of Women and Men”. This study reports that increasing consumption of sugary beverages and artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) is associated with a moderately higher risk of type 2 diabetes.  The authors reported that decreasing sugary beverages consumption and replacing them with non-caloric beverages free of artificial sweeteners like water, coffee or tea was associated with a lower risk of diabetes.

However, the research suffered from a few drawbacks, as noted by the Calorie Control Council:

  • The likelihood of residual confounding, reverse causation or surveillance bias must be considered. This is particularly necessary in the case of individuals at higher risk of diabetes who intentionally switch from sugar-sweetened beverages to low- and no-calorie sweetened (LNCS) beverages or increase their consumption of LNCS products in an effort to control their weight.
  • Given the observational nature of this study, which cannot prove cause and effect, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Though a validated food frequency questionnaire was utilized for this study, it is subject to several biases, including misreporting and recall bias.
  • It should also be noted that this study found that changes in ASB consumption were inversely correlated with concurrent weight gain, substantiating previous findings that replacing sugar sweetened beverages with beverages using LNCS is helpful in weight management.  In addition to weight control, these ingredients should been seen as tools in blood glucose management, especially for those with diabetes who are accustomed to sugar-sweetened products.

What the Experts Say

Global health organizations around the world, including The American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and British Dietetic Association note that the use of LNCS can be helpful for people with diabetes as they do not raise blood glucose or insulin levels, and when used to replace sugar, can help lower carbohydrate intake.

“As a primary care physician, I frequently provide dietary counseling to my patients who are diabetic, overweight or just want to live a healthier lifestyle. Substituting sugar sweetened beverages and snacks with low-calorie sweeteners is one of my tips,” said Keri Peterson, MD and medical advisor of the Calorie Control Council.

According to Robert Rankin, president of the Calorie Control Council, “Millions of Americans are affected by diabetes and obesity, and more develop these conditions every year. For these individuals, nutrition plays a major role in managing disease. LNCS are excellent tools to reduce sugar intake, manage blood glucose levels, and reduce overall calorie intake.”

The following organizations have utilized the most rigorous and extensive testing methods to evaluate LNCS for use in diabetes management, and have concluded:

  • For some people with diabetes who are accustomed to sugar-sweetened products, non-nutritive sweeteners may be an acceptable substitute for nutritive sweeteners when consumed in moderation. – American Diabetes Association
  • Artificial sweeteners are also safe for people with diabetes when consumed within the ADI and the EFSA Panel concluded that there is sufficient scientific information to support the claims that intense sweeteners lead to lower postprandial blood glucose concentrations if consumed instead of sugars. For people who are accustomed to sugar sweetened products, nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) have the potential to reduce overall energy and carbohydrate intake and may be preferred to sugar when consumed in moderation and can be a useful strategy for those individuals seeking to control their calorie and manage their weight. – Diabetes UK

For a half a century, The Calorie Control Council has been reviewing science on low calorie sweeteners and diet products. Established in 1966, the Council is an international association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry. Council staff includes experts certified in public health, food and nutrition. More at caloriecontrol.org.

Have a Better Breakfast Day

Posted by & filed under Healthy Lifestyle, Lifestyle Articles.


Do you eat breakfast?  A survey by the National Health and Examination Survey reported that one in five of us skip breakfast.  This September 26th is Better Breakfast Day, and it was created to remind us why it’s so important to start your day off with a nutritious breakfast!  

Studies have shown that eating breakfast is associated with higher quality diets and higher intake of nutrients and desirable food groups.  Eating a well-balanced nutritious breakfast gives you that boost of energy, so you have stamina throughout the day to get things done.  That morning meal jump starts your metabolism too, because while you are sleeping it slows down.  Plus, it gives your brain energy for mental acuity so you can think clearly and concentrate.  

Most of us are rushing around in the morning, so it can be much easier to grab a donut, pastry, or bagel to eat on-the-go.  However, filling up on empty calories loaded with sugar just sets you up to crash a few hours later, and provides little in the way of fiber, protein and nutrients.  When you eat a meal loaded with sugar, your blood glucose spikes, insulin levels go up, and blood sugar drops cause you to feel sluggish a few hours later.  Breakfast is an opportunity to load up on nutrients and fiber, which keeps you full longer.  Some healthy choices include oatmeal, yogurt with berries, and whole grain cereal.  For other healthy options, check out The Calorie Control Council’s breakfast and brunch recipes.

If you skip breakfast because you think you are cutting back on calories to curb your waistline, overeating tends to happen at lunch or dinner because you are starving.  A better way to reduce calories and manage your weight is to swap out sweetening your coffee, oatmeal, or yogurt with sugar and instead use a low calorie sweetener. 

Keri Peterson, MD is a medical contributor and columnist for Women’s Health and a frequent guest on NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, Fox News and CNN. Based in New York City, Dr. Peterson has been in private practice since 1999 and holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center.  With a BA from Cornell University and a Medical Degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, she completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center and is board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Peterson is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association, and serves as a medical advisor for the Calorie Control Council.

Fall Sports and Hydration for Young Athletes

Posted by & filed under Aspartame, Fall, Hydration, Lifestyle Articles.

By: Jen Haugen, RDN, LD —
September 18, 2019-Warm humid weather and intense high school sports practices, sometimes twice a day, lead to a lot of sweating and risk of heat exhaustion or more serious heat stroke.  While hydration may not be at the top of the list for a successful athletic performance, it should be.  According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, appropriate hydration before, during, and after physical activity is an important ingredient to a healthy and successful sports team.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agrees, issuing a policy statement, on the importance of hydration with youth sports, including strategies to safeguard against heat illness especially during fall sports.

Tips to Prevent Dehydration

It’s of key importance to hydrate well, both for safety and performance.  Here are some tips to educate athletes and the coaching staff, as well as parents to safeguard against heat illnesses:

  • Athletes cannot simply rely on thirst to maintain hydration. Instead, a schedule for hydration before, during, and after practice or games may be more helpful.
  • Weighing the athlete before and after the practices, since proper hydration will show no- or minimal- weight change from practice.
  • An example hydration schedule for a high school athlete could be: drinking 16 ounces of fluid two hours before physical activity, drinking another 8-16 ounces 15 minutes before physical activity, and during physical activity, drinking 4-8 ounces every 20 minutes. After physical activity, drinking 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost during physical activity.
  • Athletes will continue to lose fluid after practice as they continue to cool their core body temperature and urinate. Using urine color as a measure for hydration status can be really helpful. Bold yellow urine to dark yellow or apple juice colored urine signifies dehydration.

Athletes should aim to start every practice fully hydrated.

What to Drink

Water is the best choice when physical activity is less than 60 minutes in duration for most athletes.  However, sports drinks may be appropriate if hot and humid weather, excessive sweating, or prolonged physical activity for more than 60 minutes is occurring. Athletes with excessive sweating need sufficient electrolytes along with fluid for appropriate rehydration.  No- and reduced- calorie sports beverages provide electrolytes while limiting carbohydrate intake while sports drinks with 6-8 percent of carbohydrates are appropriate in these situations noted above. Excessive carbohydrates during athletic performances can result in a bloated feeling or abdominal cramping so fruit juice and concentrated drinks prepared from powders are not advised.

Even a 1 percent loss in body weight can affect performance, resulting in noticeable thirst, dizziness, lightheadedness, irritability, fatigue, weakness, nausea, headache, muscle cramping, dark yellow urine and difficulty paying attention.  It’s obvious all of these symptoms could contribute to a decrease in athletic performance and scholastic achievement.  Encourage your athletes to stay hydrated by educating them on the signs and symptoms, as well as how to prevent dehydration.

For other low-calorie methods to stay hydrated, check out this article.

An award-winning dietitian, Jen Haugen, RDN, LD, is the author of the new book, “The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden.”  Jen specializes in inspiring moms to create the recipe to a nourishing life through gardening, good food, family, and faith. Her TEDx Talk, “How Moms Can Change the World”, features two simple ideas that can transform a family. Connect with her at www.jenhaugen.com or on Twitter @jenhaugen.

The post Fall Sports and Hydration for Young Athletes appeared first on Aspartame.

Finding the Answers to Childhood Obesity

Posted by & filed under Children, Health Professionals, Obesity.

Summary by Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD 

The Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference in Houston April 12 – 14, 2018, featured Craig Johnston, PhD (pictured)as a speaker on “Finding the Answers to Childhood Obesity.” Dr. Johnston, an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Houston, discussed the childhood obesity problem and the successful behavioral programs he conducts in schools to find solutions to this ever-growing problem.

State of Childhood Obesity
Nationally, obesity has quadrupled over the last 25 years with 18.5% of children aged 2-19 obese. African American, Mexican American and Native American children have the highest prevalence of obesity. Texas currently ranks sixth among states in rates of childhood obesity. Not only are children experiencing health consequences from obesity at younger and younger ages – like a hip replacement in a 5 year old – but also psychological effects including discrimination and bullying related to their weight.

Targeting Interventions
According to Dr. Johnston the Hispanic population is the fastest growing and largest minority group. When compared to non-Hispanic whites, Mexican-American children are more likely to be obese, have Type 2 diabetes and develop cardiovascular disease.

Middle schools were selected for an intervention with children 10 to 14 years old, specifically YES Prep, an open-enrollment public charter school system in Houston, Texas serving students in sixth through twelfth grade student in the city’s most underserved communities. Students were primarily low-income Hispanic and Mexican-American children with 80% receiving reduced or free lunches through the National School Lunch Program.

Research Protocol
The study intervention was based on behavioral principles with daily student contact through a weekly nutrition class, four weekly physical activity sessions and a daily snack.  The control group received the snack but spent the intervention time in study hall or health class.

The goals of the intervention were to increase health eating, decrease unhealthy eating, increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviors. The physical activity component was a modified circuit training in 30 – 45 minute class with 12 stations and one to two minutes at each station for activities enjoyed by children: jumping rope, throwing a Frisbee, and twirling a hula hoop.

The 35 – 40 minute weekly nutrition class taught students to make healthier food choices by reading labels and controlling portion sizes. Commonly eaten foods were grouped as “big bite” (fruits, vegetables) “portion right” (low-fat meats, low-fat dairy) and “little bite” (junk foods). Biweekly quizzes were administered and additional one-on-one education was provided for children with absences, low quiz grades, and/or continued weight gain for 2 weeks.

Sweetener use
The study participants were encouraged to use low-calorie sweeteners, like sucralose (brand name Splenda), to increase the palatability of and adherence to the eating plan as well as provide a way for them to enjoy sweet foods with fewer calories. The researchers countered any objections to their use by delving into the research and verifying the support for their use by recognized health organizations like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Diabetes Association. Dr. Johnston also pointed out that only epidemiological studies, which are not designed to show cause and effect, link low calorie sweeteners to weight gain. In contrast, randomized controlled trials demonstrate that participants who consume low-calorie sweeteners lose weight, eat fewer desserts, report feeling less hungry, do not increase appetite and reduce intake of sugar-containing foods.

 

Registered dietitian/nutritionist Dr. Keith Ayoob (pictured), Associate Professor Emeritus at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who has worked with overweight children and families for over 30 years, likes this approach. “When the students learned about the safety and usefulness of low-calorie sweeteners, they were able to see them as valuable tools for supporting their weight-loss efforts.”

 

Promising Outcomes
The intervention program participants significantly reduced BMI compared with the control group at both 3 months and 6 months and significantly reduced their percent body fat compared with controls at 6 months. (1) The intervention was successful for about two-thirds of the intervention participants. Even more encouraging was the continued progress after the program ended, with the intervention group continuing to decrease BMI at both the 1 year and 2 years while the control group did not. (2)

Dr. Johnston believes this program worked when so many others do not because the relationships built with the children changed the way they were thinking and they chose to live in a different way. In addition to weight changes, inflammation decreased and self-reported happiness and quality of life improved.

Dr. Ayoob agreed, and saw the study’s results as a game-changer the child obesity battle.  “It showed that the right tools can help students permanently change their diets, eating behaviors, and lifestyle. But also their attitude about food and how they lived.”

Registered dietitian nutritionists were instrumental in facilitating long-term behavior change in this program, which contributed to its success. When the program was provided to PE teachers to use in a school setting, participants lost weight at 6 months but regained a large part of the weight back at one-year in contrast to the study program where they continued to lose. Therefore, Dr. Johnston empathized the need for trained healthcare professionals, like dietitians, to lead this program.

Conclusions

Incorporating lifestyle management strategies into school-based programs can lead to greater improvements in groups at higher risk for obesity. In this program in middle-school students from populations at risk for obesity:

  • Intensive daily nutrition, physical activity and behavioral interventions facilitated weight loss and improved quality of life over a 6-month period with continued weight loss at one and two years post-intervention
  • Low-calorie sweeteners were utilized to help promote adherence to and enjoyment of the diet
  • Registered dietitian nutritionists were integral to the success of the program

 

 

References

  • “Results of an intensive school-based weight loss program with overweight Mexican American children” International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. (2007) 2: 144-152
  • “Effects of a School-based Weight Maintenance Program for Mexican-American children: Results at 2 Years” Obesity (2010) 18:542–547

 


Neva Cochran, MS, RDN, LD is a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Dallas. She serves as a nutrition communications consultant to a variety of food and nutrition organizations, including the Calorie Control Council. She is passionate about promoting fact-based food and nutrition information to help people enjoy nutritious eating. Follow her on Twitter @NevaRDLD and check out her blog at www.NevaCochranRD.com.

 

Ask an Expert

faq2Do you have questions about low-calorie sweeteners? Want to learn more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle? You asked and we listened. Our resident Registered Dietitians answered the most popular questions about low-calorie sweeteners.

Media Contacts

For media inquiries please reach out to any of the below contacts: