Prairie Fare: What’s Up Doc?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

It’s not always easy being around a nutrition specialist when you’re eating, especially when your cholesterol lab report came back high.

Ask my husband, Will. When my blood cholesterol level report showed a reading in the normal range (less than 200 milligrams per deciliter), Will thought his cholesterol level would be OK too, "since we eat the same thing." That’s fairly true. But the difference in our cholesterol levels probably also has something to do with the fact I’m female, younger and have different parents. In addition, he eats larger portions and used to eat enormous bowls of ice cream most nights. The cookie jar emptied rather quickly, too.

Will’s cholesterol report was accompanied by a letter from his doctor advising some dietary changes and a return visit in six months. The doctor also offered free nutrition brochures. Little did the doctor know all the free advice my husband was to receive. After seven years of marriage and little monitoring of my husband’s dietary choices, I sprang into action with plans for my in-home research subject.

Will’s day now begins with a large bowl of oatmeal, which has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in clinical studies. He makes it in the microwave oven in under 2 minutes. Cereal companies have presented results from numerous research studies to the Food and Drug Administration that show the soluble fiber in oatmeal can make a difference in heart health so package labels can legally carry a health claim.

Oatmeal won’t make up for a multitude of dietary "sins" though. You also need to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. The health claim on oatmeal can legally read "three grams of soluble fiber from oatmeal daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." A bowl of oatmeal made with 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup of oats will provide 3 grams of soluble fiber daily. To further increase our soluble fiber intake, we’re also eating more cooked dry edible beans and carrots. Will also includes an apple or orange in his lunch every day.

Eating in restaurants does pose a bit of a challenge since the portions are quite large and many menu items are high in fat. Choosing baked potatoes instead of fries, smaller plain burgers instead of the deluxe burgers with bacon and cheese, and salads with the dressing on the side can help keep a diet moderate in fat. A menu item labeled baked, grilled, poached or boiled usually indicates that no extra fat has been added, but if it isn’t clear we ask the server. And we never "super-size" portions -- regardless of the special deal.

Since my husband has a sweet tooth that probably won’t leave any time soon, we still have cookies in the house and low-fat ice cream in the freezer, but I’m choosing more recipes that use oil instead of solid shortening. Solid shortening and margarine are hydrogenated fats. The hydrogenation process changes the chemical structure of oils, making them solid at room temperature. Hydrogenation also increases the proportion of "trans fats" in the final product. Trans fats, like saturated fats, have been shown to increase blood cholesterol levels and the FDA is considering a requirement for nutrition labels to state the amount of trans fats, as is required for total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

Oils, particularly ones that contain monounsaturated fats, are more heart healthy than solid fats. You can also modify some dessert recipes to be lower in fat by substituting apple sauce or yogurt for at least part of the fat. Two egg whites can take the place of one whole egg in a recipe.

I even bought a tub of cholesterol-lowering margarine. This particular cholesterol-lowering spread contains plant sterols isolated from soybeans. To achieve the cholesterol-lowering effect, you must eat at least two or three 1-tablespoon servings per day. Although the spread contains half the calories of regular margarine or butter, each tablespoon does contain 50 calories.

In the last month Will has been very compliant and certainly isn’t as "nutrient dense" as he claimed to be. He also hasn’t suffered greatly, in my estimation, and my last name remains hyphenated. Although not particularly heavy to begin with, Will has dropped 5 pounds with just a few dietary changes and some extra physical activity. We’ll see what the six-month follow-up report says. In the meantime, here’s a low-fat dessert recipe from the Quaker Oats Company. Each serving contains about 145 calories, 1.9 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber.

Chewy Fruit and Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 8-ounce container vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon. baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 cup raisins, cranberries or other dried fruit

Procedure:
Heat oven to 350 F. Combine sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil, milk and vanilla in large bowl; mix well. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add to yogurt mixture; mix well. Stir in oats and fruit. Spread dough in ungreased 13-9 inch baking pan. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. Makes 2 dozen bars.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu