Happy Tasty Tuesday!
The Morselist has had the pleasure of meeting and working a bit
with Registered Dietitian, Susan Dopart, who also has an
AMAZING COOKBOOK, A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian
NOTE from Mo: Susan was instrumental in introducing me to GMO’s
and hidden dangers/misconceptions of sweeteners and made me raise
the Morselist bar even higher!
MM. What prompted you to go into the Nutrition Field?
SD. I went into the nutrition field since I had a strong family history of diabetes and weight issues and I wanted to figure out how to help myself and others avoid these medical issues (there is more on my site about why I became an RD) – see this link:
http://www.susandopart.com/health-journey/
MM. Do you have a typical client? What would you say is your area of expertise?
SD. I have a practice of many issues related to medical nutrition therapy. I believe many medical issues are linked to inflammation – diabetes, heart disease, cancer, insulin resistance, arthritis, etc. so that is one of my main focus points with clients and I see both adults and children.
MM. If you could offer my readers 3 tips towards a healthier diet/lifestyle, what would they be?
SD. 3 Tips – that’s a bit challenging but maybe
1. Eat a whole foods non-processed food diet – organic fruits/veggies, nuts/seeds, grass-fed meat, pastured chicken, wild fish, limit starches to those that are not man-made (quinoa, brown rice, yam/sweet potato, etc.) with good fats – avocado, olive oil
2. Get some sort of exercise for 1/2 hour every day
3. Sleep 7-8 hours per night
MM. You’ve traveled quite a bit. How would you say this country differs from others, ie. Europe?
SD. When I go to Europe I am able to eat bread, and more carbs than my body could ever handle at home in the United States. How can this be? The food supply in Europe is worlds apart from ours. Not only do they have fresher food but the food supply has fewer additives, preservatives and processing than the US. In addition, their animals are fed differently which affects how our bodies accept and process the meats, cheese, eggs, etc.
When genetically modified foods came out in the US, they were in Europe for a short time. However, when studies showing the dangers of GMO foods were released, Europe did away with GMO’s in ONE week!
Europeans shop for their food on the way home from work, and usually for only one or two days only which is why they have small refrigerators. Fresh unprocessed food is readily accepted and used by the body – causing less disease, weight issues and health concerns.
So in answer to the question our diet cannot be compared to the European diet. I believe many cases of food intolerances, carbohydrate sensitivity and insulin resistance are not only due to our genetics but our food supply. If our foods were fresh and less processed my recommendations might be much different.
Next time you travel to Europe think about the food you are served, look at food if you happen to find yourself in the grocery store. Notice how many fresh open air markets they have to pick up food on your travels. The US may be advanced in many ways but hopefully food is on the way back to its roots – real, fresh and whole without alterations.
MM. In your professional opinion, what 3 things in our culture contribute to our bad habits?
SD. 3 things that contribute to bad habits –
convenience food (packaged/processed and “fast” food),
mentality that sleep and exercise are optional.
MM. How do you feel about all these new Food Companies promoting Agave and Cane Sugar as Low Glycemic or NOT sugar? Are they better? Are they safe for diabetics?
SD. Agave is 85-90% fructose. According to the experts, Agave plants are crushed and the collected sap is heated to 140 degrees to concentrate the liquid into a syrup. The heating process is necessary to hydrolyze it into fructose to obtain the desired sweetness. Therefore, Agave is not a natural or whole real food by any sense of the imagination. It is actually a fractionated and processed food to be avoided that comes from Mexico with very few quality controls.
I’ve written a lot about Agave, please read more here:
http://www.susandopart.com/blog/2010/1/22/agave-syrup-worse-than-high-fructose-corn-syrup.html
I asked Susan to share one of her favorite Holiday recipes with the Morselites and OMG!
Pumpkin Custard 
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
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Ingredients:
1½ cups canned pumpkin
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
2 large eggs, separated
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together canned pumpkin, yogurt and ricotta cheese until blended. Stir in honey and spices.
Separate egg yolks from whites and stir egg yolks into pumpkin mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into mixture.
Pour into 6 ramekins and bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes until puffed and rounded. Serve immediately.
Variation: May put a dollop of whipped cream on each ramekin.
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Susan B. Dopart, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., is a Los Angeles-based nutrition and fitness consultant who specializes in medical nutrition-related issues including diabetes. She has a B.S. in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine from California State University, Hayward.
Susan has been in private practice in Los Angeles for more than 18 years, working with clients to find lifestyle solutions for their optimal health and well-being. She is the author of A Recipe for Life by the Doctor’s Dietitian – a nutrition guidebook, resource, and teaching tool with cutting-edge nutrition information for those with insulin resistance and diabetes.
