by Leigh Ann Otte

We came across this cool company that lets you make your own energy bars through a fun and simple online process. You pick your ingredients—from the base bar to fruits and sweets and other fun stuff—and then order ‘em up.

We figured they’d make unique gifts or maybe tasty treats for yourself. So we asked two readers and a registered dietitian to test them out. They went through the process and received their baked bars not long after. Find out the results here.

Leigh Ann Otte is the managing editor of MyFamilyDoctorMag.com.

by Leigh Ann Otte, managing editor

Remember when the experts were telling us to eat more soy? Tofu, edamame—lap it up! Then, wouldn’t ya know it, we were told it causes cancer. Thyroid problems. Male infertility. Too much of a good thing …

In “The Soy Controversy,” registered dietitian Janel Ovrut considers the evidence to give us the bottom line: what we know and what we don’t about soy right now.

What do you think? Do you eat soy? Has it ever worried you? I, for one, love it. Roasted soy butter (like peanut butter), edamame, tofu … yum ….

“For portion control on foods that you pour out of a container, such as cereal and dry pasta, keep the accurate portion-size measuring cup right in the package. This way you can scoop out a portion instead of easily pouring out more food than you need.”

—Janel Ovrut, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., registered dietitian, Fitness Works at Work, Sherborn, Mass.

“Restaurant portions are two to three times what you would serve yourself. Plan ahead by splitting an entrée, or doggy bagging before you even start. The more you are served, the more you are likely to eat, so only serve yourself a reasonable portion.”

—Jill Jayne, M.S., R.D., president and “Rockstar Nutritionist,” Note to Health LLC, with interactive health presentations

How do you save calories? Please share your tips in the comments section.

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

Are you feeling the economic crisis in your kitchen?  Is it getting harder to maintain a healthy diet due increased food costs?   The American Diabetes Association came up with some tips on how to stretch your money while maintaining a healthy diabetic diet earlier this year. I thought this was a good time to post them.  From my viewpoint, their tips are practical for anyone trying to save money while eating healthy, not just diabetics.

They give an example recipe for grilled Asian pork kabobs that costs less than a dollar per serving, as well as substituting lesser-cost eggs and meats, using nonfat dry milk, and many other tips.  Most are common sense, but I’ll bet you will find a few you haven’t thought of.

Can you think of other tips to share?

Update-10/8/08- Related blog on tips to save money while eating healthy

by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.

The better you stick to a Mediterranean diet the less likely you are to die of heart disease, have or die of cancer, and interestingly enough, develop Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s.  This, according to a meta-analysis study published in the BMJ this month.

We already knew the diet could lower glucose, but the BMJ study looked at the bottom line of bottom lines–death–and found good news, as well as pleasant surprises.

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by Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E.

I recently read that Americans are trying to save money by dining out less often. Rising gas prices and runaway food costs are putting us back in the kitchen. Seventy percent of those cutting costs are saving money by eating out less frequently rather than choosing cheaper restaurants or less expensive meals.

Well that’s one side effect of a slumping economy I can celebrate. When you’re in your own kitchen, you have so much more control over what you eat. You can control cooking methods, types of food, seasonings, portions and more. I have to admit that it makes me very sad how few people cook these days. Mac and cheese out of a box doesn’t count.

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