Author: Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes' most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, NPR, and in the nation's leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.
Q. In your article on decaffeinated coffee, you say that “Almost all decaffeinated coffee is produced using a Swiss water process or carbon dioxide extraction, both of which are quite harmless.” I have heard that Starbucks uses a chemical process to decaffeinate their coffee and I understand this is harmful for us and the environment. What are your thoughts on this? A. After receiving your email, I got in touch with Starbucks and was surprised – and disappointed – to learn that they do, in fact, use a solvent called methylene chloride to produce all but two of their decaffeinated coffees.…
Carrageenan has been the subject of a lot of controversy and several of you have asked me to comment. For those who may not be up to speed on the topic, let me start with a quick overview. Sponsor: Want to save more, invest for the future, but don’t have time to be a full-on investor? Betterment.com helps you build a customized, low-cost portfolio that suits your goals. Learn more on our offers page. What Is Carrageenan? Carrageenan is an extract from a red seaweed commonly known as Irish Moss. This edible seaweed is native to the British Isles, where…
When I was growing up, there were only two kinds of olives at the grocery store: green olives stuffed with pimentos and pitted black or “ripe” olives that you could wear on the tips of your fingers until your Mom made you stop playing with your food. Today, of course, most grocery stores have entire olive bars, with all kinds of exotic varietals—everything from the tiny brown Nicoise to the giant, bright-green Cerignola, to the shriveled black Morrocans. But “are they all the same nutritionally?” asks Grace. “Or are some types particularly good for you?” Meanwhile, Tania wonders how olives…
Although I don’t drink much soda (or, as they call it where I grew up, “pop”), I do enjoy drinking sparkling, or carbonated, water and often recommend it as a healthful alternative to soda. But several of you have written with concerns that drinking carbonated water might be bad for you. Is Carbonated Water Bad for You? Sure enough, I did a quick Internet search and found several websites warning that drinking carbonated water will leech calcium from your bones, causing osteoporosis. Others claimed that carbonated beverages can harm the enamel on your teeth, irritate your stomach, or even cause…
Mosquitoes find their victims by smell. Specifically, their sensory organs are trained to zero in on sources of carbon dioxide and lactic acid because these chemicals lead them to warm-blooded animals, like you and me. Chemical repellents like OFF! repel mosquitoes, but not because mosquitoes don’t like the smell of these repellents. Rather, it’s because the chemical DEET is very effective at masking the smell of carbon dioxide and lactic acid. When you’re wearing DEET, the mosquitoes can’t smell you and so they leave you alone. Natural repellents like geranium oil or citronella work the same way, they just don’t seem…
I’ll bet that a lot of you are just like me. I wake up every morning with the best of intentions. I’m going to nourish my body with wholesome nutritious foods and avoid junk food and mindless snacking. But sometimes, as the day goes on, I end up going off track. I impulsively order an oversized muffin at the coffee shop. I find myself munching on pretzels or M&Ms at my desk. I get to the end of the day and realize I haven’t had a single vegetable. Of course, we all have those days once in a while. But…
Nutrition Diva listener Eddie writes: “I am in my first year of pharmacy school, so naturally I have to eat a lot of those quick and easy foods that contain a ton of sodium. Would drinking more water help the body to eliminate the excess sodium?” Hang on just a second, Eddie! Before I weigh in on your question about water and sodium, who says that being in school means that you have to eat a lot of high-sodium foods? Being short on time or money doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to survive on fast food and vending machine…
One of the very first Nutrition Diva podcast episodes, back in 2008, was on the nutritional benefits of flaxseeds. Among other things, flaxseeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is helpful for folks who don’t eat fish. At the time, flaxseeds were more or less alone in that category. Since then, however, two new omega-3-rich seeds have exploded onto the scene. I’ve gotten lots of questions from you about chia and hemp seeds and how they compare with flax. So today, we’re going to have a seed showdown to see how these various seeds stack up. What…
Q. The American Heart Association guidelines say that normal triglyceride levels are less than 150 mg/dL. My triglyceride level is 40 mg/dL. Is that too low? If so, how can I raise my levels in a healthy way? A. Very low triglyceride levels can signal problems. Diets that don’t contain enough fat, for example, can cause triglyceride levels to dip dangerously low. (See also: How Much Fat Should You Eat?) There are also some medical problems that can cause abnormally low triglycerides, such as an inability to absorb fats or hyperthyroidism. But a triglyceride level of 40 is considered perfectly…
Nutrition Diva fan Liz writes: “What is vegetable glycerin and is it safe? I’ve heard some diabetics use it as a sugar substitute.” The other day, I was using some vanilla extract in a recipe and noticed that the extract itself had a sweet taste. Liquid extracts often use an alcohol base to preserve the flavor but this particular product (labeled “alcohol-free”) used glycerin instead. I know that vanilla extracts made with alcohol aren’t sweet and I found myself wondering about the nutritional properties of glycerin. Does it affect the body like sugar? Is it calorie-free? What is Glycerin? Glycerin comes from…