Dani is a Registered Dietitian who completed her undergraduate degree at Oregon State, her masters at Northeastern, and her dietetic residency at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Oakland, CA. Her background is split between geriatric care and sports nutrition, having worked in both nursing homes and athletic facilities. Without further ado, here’s our featured Q&A this month.
I am prediabetic. How can I use food as medicine with my condition?
With a prediabetes diet, the goal is to normalize blood sugar levels to prevent diabetes. Consider talking to your doctor and dietitian for personalized recommendations! In general, foods that stabilize blood sugar include those high in fiber, which can be found in beans, pulses like lentils, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, and many fruits. Protein sources like eggs, yogurt, fish, and soy are important as well. Healthy fats from ingredients like avocado, fatty fish, olives, nuts, and seeds are also beneficial. An example meal to help keep blood sugar stable can be ¼ of a plate of quinoa, ½ a plate of roasted broccoli, and ¼ a plate of marinated tofu, topped with sesame seeds. In this meal, we see fiber (broccoli, quinoa, tofu), protein (tofu, and some from sesame seeds), and healthy fats (sesame seeds)
What is glutathione, and how can we include more of this compound in our diets?
Glutathione is a substance made from three amino acids, the building blocks of protein. In the body, glutathione has antioxidant properties, helps regulate the immune system, and supports natural detoxification processes. Certain nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium, can impact glutathione levels in the body. Ensuring you meet the RDA for these nutrients will help support glutathione levels. This can be accomplished by including plenty of plant-forward ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and nuts/seeds in your diet. Some research specifically highlights the positive impact of green vegetables, green tea, avocado, and green beans on glutathione levels in the body as well.
How can I tell I am getting enough protein on a diet without meat?
There are several ways to ensure you're getting enough protein on a meat-free diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, provide recommended weekly servings of protein. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day to avoid illness. For those who are modestly to very active, research suggests consuming 1.0-1.6 grams per pound of body weight per day to promote muscle anabolism. While protein deficiencies are uncommon in developed countries, they can result in symptoms like weakness, brittle hair and nails, thinning hair, and stress fractures. Optimal protein intake varies from person to person and depends on individual goals, lifestyle, body composition, and activity level.
Does eating Thistle help reduce inflammatory markers?
The answer to this may depend on a few factors, such as your diet prior to Thistle and your medical conditions or medication usage. Generally, Thistle’s cuisine is whole-food focused and plant-forward, which has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers even when compared with a lower-quality, plant-forward diet. Plant-based diets are generally linked with lower inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Thistle is also conscious about including plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. Some examples include sea vegetables and chia seeds.
Does Thistle offer a Mediterranean Diet option? If not, do Thistle meals share any similar characteristics to the Mediterranean diet?
Currently, Thistle does not offer a Mediterranean diet version of our meals. However, our culinary style shares some similarities with the Mediterranean diet, such as a focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, the inclusion of healthy fats like olive oil, slower-digesting whole grains, and plant-forward proteins like legumes and pulses. The Mediterranean diet also includes wine and fish, moderate amounts of poultry (included in Thistle’s meat meals), and fermented dairy products.
Dani is a Registered Dietitian who completed her undergraduate degree at Oregon State, her masters at Northeastern, and her dietetic residency at Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Oakland, CA. Her background is split between geriatric care and sports nutrition, having worked in both nursing homes and athletic facilities. Without further ado, here’s our featured Q&A this month.
I am prediabetic. How can I use food as medicine with my condition?
With a prediabetes diet, the goal is to normalize blood sugar levels to prevent diabetes. Consider talking to your doctor and dietitian for personalized recommendations! In general, foods that stabilize blood sugar include those high in fiber, which can be found in beans, pulses like lentils, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, and many fruits. Protein sources like eggs, yogurt, fish, and soy are important as well. Healthy fats from ingredients like avocado, fatty fish, olives, nuts, and seeds are also beneficial. An example meal to help keep blood sugar stable can be ¼ of a plate of quinoa, ½ a plate of roasted broccoli, and ¼ a plate of marinated tofu, topped with sesame seeds. In this meal, we see fiber (broccoli, quinoa, tofu), protein (tofu, and some from sesame seeds), and healthy fats (sesame seeds)
What is glutathione, and how can we include more of this compound in our diets?
Glutathione is a substance made from three amino acids, the building blocks of protein. In the body, glutathione has antioxidant properties, helps regulate the immune system, and supports natural detoxification processes. Certain nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium, can impact glutathione levels in the body. Ensuring you meet the RDA for these nutrients will help support glutathione levels. This can be accomplished by including plenty of plant-forward ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and nuts/seeds in your diet. Some research specifically highlights the positive impact of green vegetables, green tea, avocado, and green beans on glutathione levels in the body as well.
How can I tell I am getting enough protein on a diet without meat?
There are several ways to ensure you're getting enough protein on a meat-free diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, provide recommended weekly servings of protein. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day to avoid illness. For those who are modestly to very active, research suggests consuming 1.0-1.6 grams per pound of body weight per day to promote muscle anabolism. While protein deficiencies are uncommon in developed countries, they can result in symptoms like weakness, brittle hair and nails, thinning hair, and stress fractures. Optimal protein intake varies from person to person and depends on individual goals, lifestyle, body composition, and activity level.
Does eating Thistle help reduce inflammatory markers?
The answer to this may depend on a few factors, such as your diet prior to Thistle and your medical conditions or medication usage. Generally, Thistle’s cuisine is whole-food focused and plant-forward, which has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers even when compared with a lower-quality, plant-forward diet. Plant-based diets are generally linked with lower inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. Thistle is also conscious about including plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. Some examples include sea vegetables and chia seeds.
Does Thistle offer a Mediterranean Diet option? If not, do Thistle meals share any similar characteristics to the Mediterranean diet?
Currently, Thistle does not offer a Mediterranean diet version of our meals. However, our culinary style shares some similarities with the Mediterranean diet, such as a focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, the inclusion of healthy fats like olive oil, slower-digesting whole grains, and plant-forward proteins like legumes and pulses. The Mediterranean diet also includes wine and fish, moderate amounts of poultry (included in Thistle’s meat meals), and fermented dairy products.
