Sheila Kealey

Healthy or Hype? Veggie Chips

Potato chip alternatives with clever packaging, pictures of vegetables, and healthy-sounding names like “Terra Exotic Vegetable Original” are becoming more popular. Vegetable varieties are the most common, but new additions to the market feature lentils or beans among their ingredients. Are they a healthy snack option?

The Evidence

Some of the veggie and bean chips have more fiber and less sodium than regular potato chips, but you’ll need to check nutrition labels, since this isn’t true for all brands. Most veggie chips are still fried, and the fat and calorie amounts are similar to regular potato chips (per ounce – about 12 chips – about 130-160 calories and 10 g fat). Baked varieties will have fewer fat and calories.

Adding healthy ingredients does not necessarily make a food healthy. Processing veggies destroys some vitamins and protective compounds, and the actual amount of vegetable in some of the chips is questionable (I’m not counting potatoes!). Also to consider is the health halo effect: packaging with health claims can encourage people to eat more of these chips because they think they are a healthy snack, or they don’t feel guilty eating them.

Bottom Line

Veggie chips are a highly-processed food, and clever marketing makes these chips seem like a healthful snack option. Although some varieties have less sodium and more fiber than regular chips, they don’t offer many nutritional benefits. Eat them in limited quantities if you enjoy them, but don’t fool yourself into thinking they are healthy, or replacing vegetables.

>>You can view other foods in the Healthy or Hype? series here.

About the Healthy or Hype? series:

In this series, I’ll be looking at popular foods to see if they stand up to the hype or health claims behind them.

Media reports, company marketing efforts, and self-proclaimed experts can make interpreting nutrition and health news confusing. These outlets recognize that people are drawn to exceptional or miraculous stories that elicit an emotional response. Beyond stories and anecdotes, many “experts” are now citing studies (often out of context) to back up their claims, making it even more difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Finding out “what works” isn’t usually the result of a single study, but often years of research from various disciplines. It’s critical to synthesize all the scientific evidence to create a coherent picture. Good science is the best tool that we have to figure out how something is influencing our health.

photo credit: allaboutgeorge via photopin cc

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Sesame Noodles with Seasonal Vegetables

This is a great make-ahead recipe that is good hot or cold, and a popular potluck or BBQ dish. It is delicious on its own, or served with fish, grilled chicken, or teriyaki tofu strips. Sesame seeds add a subtle crunch and calcium to this dish. Although the original version of this recipe featured fresh asparagus, you can use another seasonal vegetable. Snow peas, roasted peppers, grilled eggplant, or julienned carrots all work well. Instead of egg noodles, you can use rice noodles or whole-wheat spaguetti.

Ingredients

Marinade

2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2½ tbsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili oil* (if you don’t have chili oil, use 2 tsp. sesame oil and add hot sauce or red pepper flakes to your desired degree of spiciness)
1½ tbsp. minced ginger
2 tbsp. minced garlic

Noodles & Vegetables

2 lbs. asparagus (trimmed and thinly sliced to 1-inch pieces on a diagonal) or about 3-4 cups of another seasonal vegetable
1 7-oz package (about 200 g) egg noodles (Chinese or other);
you can also use rice noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti
10 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. sesame seeds (toasted in pan or already toasted)

Directions

Combine the marinade ingredients together and mix well.
For seasonal vegetables, cook (lightly steam or grill, depending on vegetable).
For asparagus: place in a large pot and fill with water to barely cover the asparagus. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer asparagus until it is bright green (just a few minutes after the water has boiled). Scoop the asparagus out, rinse it under cold water (important), and set on a towel to dry. You can cook noodles in the pot and water used to cook the asparagus – just add about 2 cups of water to the pot, bring to a boil).
Cook noodles according to package directions. Stir occasionally so they do not stick together. Boil until tender but not overly soft, tasting them as they cook (it should take only a few minutes for egg or rice noodles). Pour the noodles into a colander and immediately rinse under cold water (important). Shake off the excess water.
Toss the noodles thoroughly with all the marinade, scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and vegetables. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate and heat slightly before serving.

Nutrition Notes

Sesame seeds may be small, but they are nutrient powerhouses! These little seeds are good sources of iron, calcium, and potassium (if you can find sesame seeds with hulls intact – they have more of these minerals, especially calcium). Like other seeds, sesame seeds contain healthful polyunsaturated fats, vitamin E, fiber, and a moderate amount of protein. Sesame seeds contain sesamin, a type of fiber with potential antihypertensive, cholesterol-lowering, lipid-lowering, and anticancer activities. Sesame seeds are also the richest nut and seed source of phytosterols, compounds that are being studied for their disease-fighting properties including reducing blood levels of cholesterol, enhancing immune response, and decreasing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Cilantro is rich in dietary nitrates, associated with lowering blood pressure and improving exercise performance.
Green Onions are rich in protective phytochemicals. The sulfur compounds — which give onions their pungent taste and smell — help lower blood cholesterol and protect arteries. Onions are one of the richest dietary sources of flavonoids, especially quercetin, which is linked to reduced muscle damage after exercise, and reduced chronic inflammation that can trigger heart disease and some cancers.

Yield: Makes about SIX 1.5 cup Servings.

Nutrition Per Serving

255 calories
9 g protein
23 g carbohydrate
10 g fat (1.5 g sat fat)
25 mg cholesterol
5 g fiber
825 mg sodium
475 mg potassium
100 mg calcium
60 mg magnesium

This recipe is adapted from Food for Thought: Healing Foods to Savor, by Sheila Kealey and Vicky Newman with Susan Faerber. California: Regents of the University of California, 2012.

More healthy summer dishes

Yum

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This Week in Food, Health, and Fitness

This week, read why the 5k run is a great event, how you should distribute your protein intake, old and exciting exercise solutions, evidence for foam rolling, and more.

10 Reasons the 5K is Freaking Awesome. I ran the Ottawa Race Weekend 5km last weekend, and was reminded why I love this race distance so much. I can never figure out why so many runners think 5k’s are for non-serious runners and the longer distances are where it’s at. Lauren Fleshman echoes many of my thoughts in her informative and humorous article. (Runners World)

If you’re in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, Emily’s run June 21 is a fun & fast 5 km for women, and you can test your 5k speed monthly (no charge!) at the 5k Ottawa run series.

Protein – why total amount isn’t key. This is a good article and interview with protein researcher Doug Paddon-Jones, PhD, explaining why protein distribution throughout the day is key. He recommends taking protein from your evening meal and adding it to breakfast. You’ll find more information on this new research and practical tips in an article I wrote here. (Karen Collins, Smart Bytes).

Old and Exciting Exercise Solutions. Michael J. Joyner, M.D. comments on this New York Times article (Fitness Crazed), emphasizing the importance of consistency, progression, intensity, and how we complicate the simple. (Michael Joyner, Human Limits)

Got Credibility? Then You’re Not PETA. PETA’s new campaign stating that milk causes autism is rightly criticized by many. (Jeffrey Kluger, Time Magazine)

Foam Rolling – does it work for speed and recovery? Nice review of the evidence behind foam rolling and practical applications. (Carle Valle)

Not your ordinary Granny. Read about this 91-year old cancer survivor and marathon runner. (Runner’s World)

Lifestyle changes help breast cancer survivors. Studies carried out at Yale Cancer Center showed that healthier eating and regular exercise decreased biomarkers related to breast cancer recurrence and mortality. (American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2014).

Healthy or Hype? Chocolate Milk for Recovery. Find out if the hype behind chocolate milk is true. And this just in, looking at chocolate milk for recovery in swimmers.

Lemon Blueberry Cake. Delicious,and healthy – give it a try!

See more Weeks in Food, Health, and Fitness

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Healthy or Hype? Chocolate Milk for Recovery

The Claim

Drinking chocolate milk after exercising will help you recover from your workout.

The Evidence

Chocolate milk contains fluid that you need after a workout, plus carbohydrates and protein in a ratio shown to enhance recovery (4 grams of carbohydrate for each gram of protein). The carbohydrates and added sugars in chocolate milk will help replenish glycogen (your body’s carbohydrate stores), and the protein in milk helps repair muscles. Chocolate milk also contains sodium and potassium that can help replace electrolytes lost in sweat, as well as calcium, vitamin D, and B-vitamins (not necessarily important for recovery, but good for overall health!). Studies examining chocolate milk’s potential to promote recovery have shown that it outperforms commercial sports drinks or water, improving performance in subsequent intense workouts, and enhances muscle repair processes. Research has also shown that the main protein blend of milk (80% casein and 20% whey) is optimal for muscle repair and synthesis. Soy milk, which contains a different blend of protein, may not be as effective at repairing muscle.

Isn’t added sugar bad? For most people, added sugars and foods that raise blood sugar levels aren’t desirable, but after a strenuous workout simple sugars can help you recover more quickly by replenishing glycogen stores: so go ahead, and indulge your sweet tooth when it will have some benefit! You can drink regular milk, but you won’t get enough simple carbohydrates.

What about other foods? Chocolate milk is convenient, but it’s certainly possible to help your body recover with other foods, which might also help you meet other nutrient needs that are important for good health. For example, cereal with fruit and milk, yogurt and fruit, or a fruit smoothie would be good recovery foods. I have other ideas listed here. Following up your workout with a well-balanced meal that contains proteins and complex carbohydrates will also help you recover from your workouts.

Do you even need a recovery drink? If you have exercised for less than an hour at moderate intensity, you probably don’t need anything beyond water to “recover” from your workout: and if you don’t need the extra calories or sugar, it’s probably not what’s best for your overall health. Athletes who are exercising more intensely, or who have another workout planned later in the day, can benefit from recovery beverages or foods.

Bottom Line

Chocolate milk consumed after a strenuous or long workout can help enhance recovery; other foods/beverages with a similar carbohydrate to protein ratio (4:1) will also likely work. For everyday nutrition (meals outside of training) regular milk is a better choice (since you don’t need the added sugars).

References:

>>You can view other foods in the Healthy or Hype? series here.

About the Healthy or Hype? series:

In this series, I’ll be looking at popular foods to see if they stand up to the hype or health claims behind them.

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