Ask a Dietitian

Ask a Dietitian

"Diana, just a quick heads up to let you know we are still using your cookbook and the guys will often be heard saying what would Diana say about this or that....really good feed back... I made your potato salad and the oriental coleslaw on Sat. for a family luncheon and had rave reviews so thanks again."

Maeghan Henke
BC Hydro

Nutrition Questions from June 29/99 Noon News Hour

June 29th, 1999

As seen on BCTV June 29/99

NUTRITION QUESTIONS FROM THE NOON NEWS HOUR

1) Laurie from Burnaby:
Aspartame: does it impede weight loss?

Aspartame has been approved for safe use at a level of 40 mg/kg body weight/day. This translates into about 16 cans of diet pop a day! There has been a growing body of anti-aspartame information on the Internet. Although some of this information has taken things to an extreme, I do feel we should keep our food and beverage intake as natural as possible. Aspartame is not a substance which occurs naturally. As far as weight loss goes, artificial sweeteners can have the effect of stimulating appetite. So after you have your calorie-free pop, you may be more hungry! Further, when trying to lose weight, you must keep your metabolism stoked up by eating regularly. Drinking diet pop instead of eating would not achieve this goal.

2) Darrel from Coquitlam:
I work late, and I feel very hungry. Should I eat late?

As long as you are awake and working, you should eat every 3 to 4 hours. For good digestion and heartburn prevention, try not to eat anything heavy within 1 to 2 hours of going to bed. Carry snacks to work with you so you can eat at regular intervals.

3) Sue from Coquitlam:
Breast-feeding four-month-old daughter exclusively but wants to exercise.

No problem. You don’t have to wait after exercising to feed your baby. Let the little tyke feed on demand. If you’re energy is low after a workout, try a fruit smoothie of some kind to rehydrate you and give you some quick energy for breast-feeding.

4) Gail from Nelson:
Cold summer drinks: Kool-aid, Kool-aid, Kool-aid. What should you feed the family?

Everything in moderation! A little Kool-aid and other sugary drinks in moderate amounts is okay. For a cold beverage that is a little more nutritious, you may want to try a puree of fresh peaches, watermelon or berries and add club soda or fizzy water.

5) Margaret from West Bay:
Milk: does it have hormones?

As of this date, bovine somatotropin (BST), a hormone injected into American cows to enhance milk production, has not yet been approved for use in Canada. Drinking Canadian milk is not a major cause for concern. However, for variety sake, you may want to mix in a little soy milk every now and then.

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

Article written by Patricia Chuey and reprinted with permission