Ask a Dietitian

As seen on BCTV January 5/99
VIEWER NUTRITION QUESTIONS FROM JANUARY 5, 1999 NOON NEWS HOUR

1. Eleanor was wondering if it’s okay to take medication with grapefruit juice. Ideally, do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice when taking medication. Grapefruit contains a substance which neutralizes an enzyme in the digestive tract. This causes medications to be absorbed faster than intended. If you like grapefruit and grapefruit juice, that’s great. Just don’t swallow medication with it. Water or milk is likely best!

Eleanor’s second question was regarding what to do for her husband with a hiatus hernia aside from limiting spicy food. The best place to start is to eat small meals and snacks regularly throughout the day. Adding a small amount of protein food to meals and snacks is also helpful as it can increase pressure keeping the esophageal sphincter from flapping open causing reflux and burning.

2. Jan from New Westminster has a seven-year-old son who is a fussy eater and needs to put on weight. He also seems careful not to eat too much fat. I suggested she ensure he is not exposed to messages from anyone else in the household regarding cutting back on fat. Also, to promote weight gain, try to sneak in extra calories where possible without necessarily altering the volume of food. For example, add milk and cheese to mashed potatoes, give him a peanut butter and jam sandwich, and suggest he snack on milkshakes or try to sneak in a commercial caloring-boosting product.

3. Darrell from Burnaby was wondering which is better, butter or Becel margarine. This is a tough question as there are pros and cons to both. Some people feel butter is better since it is more natural. However, it still contains cholesterol. Margarine, not being an animal product, is free of cholesterol. Margarines that are not hydrogenated and contain no trans fats are perhaps better than butter. Becel meets these criteria. However, having said that, liquid oils such as canola and olive are better to emphasize than solid fats.

4. Doreen from Surrey has a three-month-old baby and is wondering how to speed up getting back to her pre-pregancy weight. Continuing to breastfeed is best for nourishing the baby and stimulating the uterus to contract to its prepregnancy shape. Since the nourishment of the baby should be the top priority, increasing exercise will likely be the best way to promote weight loss as opposed to caloric restriction.

5. Angela from Cobble Hill is familiar with the recommendation to eat 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day but was wondering exactly what represents one serving. Just half a cup is a serving. For example, 1/2 cup orange juice, small to medium sized apple, small potato or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables. The only exception is lettuce salad where 1 cup equals one serving.

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV’s Noon News Hour!

Article written by Patricia Chuey and reprinted with permission