Introducing Eating and Feeding

Feb 8, 2024

In this issue

Super Bowl Ads: Is the He-Man Era Over? With Swifties tuning in, how will brands shift their play for our dollars?

Land of Plenty…but Plagued by a Scarcity of Fiber: Tips to Supercharge Fiber for Adults and Kids

Early to Bed for Your Gut Bacteria: How Good Sleep Affects the Microbes Inside Us

Game Day Recipe: New Mexican Duck and Bean Chili with Chocolate (Turkey, too)

Eating and Feeding

More plants, more fish, less meat…for families crunched for time and struggling with picky eaters, the diet shift  we know we should make for health and our planet is hard to do and hard to stick with. Lots of advice can be had for healthier diets, but rarely found is realistic insight focused on transition for most eaters, that includes meat-eaters, ethnic food lovers, and take-out junkies.

I’m an MD now retired after years caring for cancer patients in Boston teaching hospitals. No one enjoys sharing a good meal and a bottle of wine with friends more than I do. Cooking (and eating) is vital to a life lived well. Food should bring joy!  It centers our families and friendships, brings us closer our identities, and can transport us to faraway places.To figure how food fit with health struggles of my own, I began researching and writing about food.

How do we best feed ourselves and our families in order to live long, healthy lives? That’s no easy feat when each must sift through the influencer noise and aisles of grocery aisle shelf-stable foods promising convenience and making unsubstantiated health claims. How does the planning, shopping, and cooking get done in the midst of our chaotic lives while our meals stay healthy?And how do we ensure our kids eat for the futures we want for them? What can science tell us about how to eat with impact?

My research experience allows me to digest the data for you while I offer strategies to apply in your kitchen. There are plenty of healthy eating books but few guiding how to establish priorities and gain skills to make healthy eating positive and viable while juggling your work life and family.

When it comes to healthy eating, we all know we should do better. We are not trained chefs. We are home cooks. We don’t rely of chef tricks and French butter to make photo-ready plates. Everyday meals aim to nourish and bring family together. Having a better grasp of healthy eating principles backed by science (and not your trainer) can help make your eating and, if you’re the meal planner, your feeding more high impact.  Instead of nagging your spouse, you can nudge them armed with credible info. A little nutrition knowledge will help fathers and mothers instill eating habits in their kids that can reduce their lifelong risks of chronic diseases.

You can make it so diet shift can be about what is creatively possible and not feel restrictive. Rethinking eating opens up a world of opportunity to experiment and push the boundaries of your usual standby meals. A little food knowhow, both culinary and nutrition knowledge, with real commitment can get you to a place where you and your family can eat healthy and love the food you eat. 

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Super Bowl Ads: Is the He-Man Era Over?

With Swifties tuning in, how will brands shift their play for our dollars?

At our weakest on Game Day amid the nachos and beer debauchery, big brands are counting on those 30-second Super Bowl spots to get in our heads and foil our low-carb, do-better diets. When we next hit the grocery aisles, these ads bank on extending the February uptick in beverage and junk food purchasing into the rest of the year. But as Gen Z-ers lean in toward alcohol-free, climate-conscious consumption, that’s been increasingly challenging.  We’re barely past veganuary, so will the usual beer, chips and fast food ads planned for the Big Game win us over in 2024? 

The Hungry Man whose appetite can only be satisfied with an oozing rare quarter-pounder is a thing of the past. In its 2014 premiere at the Game, Chobani convinced men they don’t need red-blooded meat to satisfy ravenous hunger. Awakening from hibernation, a grizzly saunters into town sending alarmed convenience store customers scattering until the camera zooms in on the bear politely ringing the check out bell to pay for their container of yogurt. This year, yogurt competitor Oikos will promote its high protein snack cup promising it builds strong muscles and boosts energy. In a reinvention of the “Hold My Beer” buddy scene, Martin Lawrence passes off his Oikos to ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe, the former Denver Bronco, before strong-arming a golf cart run amok out of the lagoon. Almondmilk, Silk, will get a spot featuring Jeremy Renner, fully recovered from his near-fatal Sno-Cat accident, leaping and dancing across his kitchen counters, messaging you can rely on plant products no matter what you’re up against. Danone’s spots have done well enough that they’re investing in super bowl adjacent streaming and social media ads for their plant-based milk and cold-brewed coffee products to appeal to younger audiences. 

Avocados from Mexico, the gateway food to plant-based eating, will be skipping the 2024 game, but their ads on how to ”host a better Bowl”  have been a  fixture of Game Day. An estimated 250 million pounds of avocados are expected to be purchased this season fueled by the Big Day’s demand for guac. AFM’s amused us at Super Bowl LVI. Tailgating gladiators carousing at the coliseum agree any decent watch party needs avocados dispelling any myths plant foods aren’t foods for the brutal. The LVII ad riffed the world might have been a better place had only Eve passed over the apple and taken a bite out of an avocado. 

Spoils or Ruins? On Game Day, Door Dash will deliver one. of each brand advertised to one winner’s door-Oreos, Popeyes, Mountain Dew, even a Kia.

Hellman’s, too, will appeal to the planet-conscious continuing its “Make Taste Not Waste” campaign targeting home food waste. They’ve been heavily previewing with Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson rescuing whatever leftovers are in the fridge. Jif picked up the same theme this year promising to “Save the Celery” passed over for more indulgent watch party fare offering consumers free jars of peanut butter to pair with leftover sticks the next day. 

So how suggestible are American consumers? Last year Veylinx analyzed whether those 30 second spots influence purchasing behavior by surveying 1,610 U.S. consumers pre- and post-game. For major brands analyzed, including Michelob Ultra, Heineken 0.0%, Hellmann's, Frito-Lay PopCorners, Pringles, and Pepsi Zero Sugar, purchasing increased a modest 6% overall, up to 11-19% for the biggest winners.  But, men, particularly Gen Z-ers, were primarily unaffected. The purchasing power of women was responsible for most of the growth. 

One tactic 2024 teasers seem to use is to dial back time to remind us not long ago we binged on Oreos, like the Kardashians in 2007, without much care for added sugars. Or that before ultra-processed was even a word, we could  pop Pringles like mustachio-ed Chris Pratt in his 1800’s prairie stagecoach,  No doubt there will be plenty beer, super-salty snack, and junk food ads this year to weaken our willpower.

Sponsors know its women they ultimately need to win over. But, they can be a harder sell. Market research shows women, who do 80% of household shopping, are more likely to resist impulse purchases and prioritize healthier foods to bring home to their spouses and family. Hence, the Door Dash 2023 “We Get Groceries” campaign delivering the convenience of pineapple and fava (not jelly) beans as celebrity Tiny Chef suggests to your door.  

But, hey, wasn’t that Doja Cat who saved her favorite Mexican pizza from disappearing from Taco Bell’s menus nationwide? That’s why she’s in the driver’s seat in Taco Bell’s 2022 Live Más ad, and, with advertisers knowing where purchasing decisions are made, expect to see plenty of women cast in this year’s halftime ads. With all those Swifties tuning in as Taylor jets in to watch Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce play, we’ll see women targeted up front including in the health and beauty sector, as brands shelling out for Super Bowl spots shift their play for our dollars. 

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Land of Plenty…but Plagued by a Scarcity of Fiber:

Tips to Supercharge Fiber for Adults and Kids

What will it take for US eaters to get enough fiber? More likely than not you’ll need to double the amount in your day. Most get about 15 gm of fiber daily, half the recommended 25 gm for women and 38 gm for men.

Diets that tend to incorporate high fiber foods regularly are associated with longevity, lower cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk, and better gut and cognitive health. So, why wait? Setting goals like focusing on adding grains, beans and lentils to meals even 3 or 4 times a week can significantly boost total fiber intake.

When carbohydrates are degraded in the gut with the help of gut bacteria and consumed together with fiber-rich foods, glucose absorption is slowed stabilizing the glycemic response. This is one reason sugars consumed in whole fruit like apples and pears is preferred and why eaters are guided to reduce added sugars.

Compared to the GI tracts of indigenous people living in Malawi who subsist on diets rich in tuberous vegetables and other plant-rich foods, the gut bacteria of those eating a Western diet full of grocery aisle convenience foods are lacking. The richness and diversity of the bacterial we rely on is restricted. When our guts are sick, we're more prone to inflammatory diseases and our immune systems are disadvantaged. Links between the gut and immunity, brain health, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, menopausal symptoms, cancer risk, and depression are becoming critical to understanding disease prevention.

Further, its been found eating a typical Western diet promotes over-expression of gut enzymes used to break down simple sugars found in highly processed foods. The Malawi people’s guts are enriched with enzymes specialized in digesting the starches, pectin, and vegetable fiber characteristic of their very high plant carbohydrate diet. That means our guts have become expert at processing industrialized foods while the Malawi are adept at digesting their fiber-rich diets. 

To nourish your gut, set a daily fiber target of 20-30 grams. Evidence shows how highly responsive gut flora and health is to diet. Plan meals around two seasonal vegetables and a whole grain first, the protein second.  Rather than “We’ll have steak and potatoes, think “With sautéd red cabbage and farro, I can serve salmon.” Get a head start on your fiber goals by “front-loading” the day at breakfast. 3/4 cup of berries, 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 1/2 avocado, 1 slice of whole rye pumpernickel, a handful of nuts, or a whole apple or orange each offer 3-4 gm toward your 25 gm goal. Beans and lentils are an ideal pantry staple due to their long storage life. They also can be cooked and frozen for instant stews, soups, and salads on weeknights. Serve 1/2 cup black beans or lentils or whole grains like brown rice, bulgur, kasha, or barley in place of white rice. Familiarize yourself with fiber amounts offered by foods to help you intuit how to reach your goal. For example, lentils (4 gm/ 1/4 cup), black beans (5 gm/ 1/3 cup), broccoli (1 gm/ 1/2 cup), and cabbage (1 gm/ 1/2 cup). Supercharge your fiber by snacking on foods like a serving of air-popped popcorn (3-5 gm), whole fruit and berries (3-4 gm), nuts (3 gm/ 1/4 cup), edamame or roasted chickpeas (4 gm/ 1/2 cup), hummus (2-3 gm), dried figs and dates (1 gm/ 2), and roasted pumpkin seeds (2 gm/ 1/4 cup).

For kids, getting fiber can sometimes be challenging. Some high fiber options include sweet potato coins, pear and apple slices, black bean veggie burgers, lentil soup, avocado or guac, edamame, canned chickpeas roasted with spices, carrots to dip in hummus, berries to eat whole or layer with yogurt in parfaits, rye and whole grain bread, refried beans, whole grain or chickpea pasta, muffins rye and oats baked into muffins along with apple, pear, blueberries or raspberries.

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Early to Bed for Your Gut Bacteria

How Good Sleep Affects the Microbes Inside Us

Several large studies have shown how sleep regularity predicts more richness and diversity in gut bacteria.The most recent analysis from the large Survey of the Health of Wisconsin database drives home the importance of the brain-gut microbiome-sleep connection.

We rely on these tiny microbes that we host in out GI tracts to make enzymes and perform functions that humans cannot. In particular, they expand our complement of genes and become micro-factories of gene expression. One explanation better sleep habits benefit our guts, points out Deborah Kado of Stanford University, is that the bacteria lining our GI tracts have circadian rhythms of their own. Like our day and night sequence affects our physical and behavioral patterns, the microbiome cycles through circadian patterns of their own. These natural cycles impact bacterial gene expression and, in turn, our metabolism and gut-brain communication.

We already know that an unhealthy gut microbiomes can promote obesity, poor heart health, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases. It’s another reminder how healthier eating and good sleep habits are keys to promoting overall well-being, affecting our physical and emotional health.

¹ Deborah M Kado, Night-to-night sleep duration variability and gut microbial diversity: more evidence for a brain-gut microbiome-sleep connection, Sleep, 2024.

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A delish high fiber recipe for Game Day or any weeknight

New Mexican Duck and Bean Chili with Chocolate

Versatile: Substitute turkey or chicken or skip the poultry and make a vegetarian version

1 1/3 lb. ground duck (may substitute ground turkey or chicken or boneless duck breast, 1 inch cubed)

3 (15-ounce) cans mixed of Great Northern beans, black beans, red kidney, and pinto beans, drained

2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 

1 large red pepper, cored and diced

2 poblano peppers, cored and diced

1 jalapeño pepper, cored and finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder or flake (1 + 1 tsp if you prefer mild)

1 tablespoon smoked paprika, sweet or bittersweet

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (12-ounce) dark beer, stout

2 ounces Mexican chocolate, grated or unsweetened or bittersweet 70-80% dark chocolate, grated

1 cup vegetable broth or water

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

 freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
(optional to taste)

1-2 tsp brown sugar, optional to taste

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 10-12 minutes over medium low heat until nicely browned and caramel in color. Add the bell and poblano peppers and continue to sauté until they soften 5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pan and stir until fragrant 45 seconds. Next, add the ground duck or turkey and heat, occasionally stirring and breaking up clumps. When the poultry is no longer pink, 6-10 minutes, add the chipotle powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, jalapeño, salt, black pepper and stir to coat the vegetables and ground poultry, 1 minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes, broth or water, beer, and chocolate stirring to distribute. Finally, add the rinsed and drained beans, folding gently to distribute. Turn up the heat until the liquid just begins to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer 45 minutes, adjusting the liquid with more water, if needed.

Sample the chili, it may be perfect, but, if bitter depending on chocolate used, add brown sugar 1 teaspoon at a time to desirable taste. I like to taste, and may stir in 1-2 teaspoon of cider vinegar for brightness as well. The flavors meld even better when made the day before serving and refrigerated overnight. Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and scallions.

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