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WH - A Guide to Women's Health: Fall 2006
WH - A Guide to Women's Health
Good to Gulp
Half of the excess calories consumed in this country are of the liquid variety. To help health-conscious consumers make better choices, a panel of university experts weighed in on the benefits of leading beverages in a report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Some of their findings, plus notes from other experts, are below.
Drink |
Pros |
Cons |
| Water | Tap, bottled or sparkling water provides essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium and fluoride, and are calorie free. (Scant calories are found in some vitamin-enhanced or flavored brands.) Nine to 13 cups are needed daily. | Overhydration is a problem only in exceptional circumstances and occurs in about one in every 1,000 ultra-endurance athletes. |
| Tea, Coffee | Tea's big benefit: increased immunity. Other benefits appear to be better bone density and decreased risk of kidney stones and tooth decay. In moderate amounts, coffee reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Another possible benefit is reduced risk of Parkinson's disease in men. | Coffee appears to increase homocysteine levels and can raise blood pressure slightly—both are linked to higher risks for heart disease. (An extra 206 daily calories were consumed by women who drank "gourmet" coffee drinks with creamers and sugar, according to one small study.) |
| Milk | Milk provides bone-preserving calcium and vitamin D and high-quality protein, and it appears to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, which hikes the risk of diabetes and heart disease. To keep calories low, stick to nonfat or 1 percent. | Avoid the saturated fat found in 2 percent and whole milk. |
| Diet Drinks | Because they contain few calories, these drinks can help trim pounds when they replace higher-calorie beverages. | The sweet taste may contribute to sweet preference in other drinks and food. |
| Juice, Sports Drinks, Alcohol | In general, opt for eating the whole fruit rather than drinking juice (veggie varieties have top nutritional benefit). For hourplus workouts, sports drinks add needed carbs and sodium. | High in calories. Note: Federal dietary guidelines advise no more than one alcoholic drink daily for women (none for those who are pregnant) and no more than two a day for men. |
Source: American College of Sports Medicine, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Washington Post, USA Today
[back to top]Food-Drug Interactions
One of the best-known yet most misunderstood food-drug interactions involves the humble grapefruit. Scientists have found that a substance in grapefruit and grapefruit juice interferes with the body's ability to metabolize certain prescription drugs, increasing the amount of the drug present in the bloodstream. In some cases, as with certain lipid-lowering statins, this increased drug level can cause dangerous, even life-threatening, side effects, such as kidney failure.
Still, the dangers of grapefruit juice-drug interactions have at times been exaggerated. About 95 percent of the prescription drugs on the market are not known or suspected to have significant interactions with grapefruit, experts say, and even fewer over-the-counter drugs are thought to be risky. Your best bet? Check with your doctor to find out how the medication you're taking interacts with grapefruit, grapefruit juice or any other food.
Antioxidant Powerhouses
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Green tea has been in the news lately, thanks to a September 2006 JAMA article that once again recounts the beverage's disease-fighting benefits—this time in reducing heart disease among Japanese who drink several cups daily. Truth is, there are plenty of fruits and veggies that, serving for serving, pack a bigger antioxidant punch. Check the scorecard of some popular foods below, which is based on work by U.S. government researchers. Note: The higher the score, the higher the concentration of antioxidants.