- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
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Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the Food & Nutrition Center, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she is certified by the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification, has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 50 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and answering nutrition questions posed to Ask a Specialist.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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Sept. 19, 2009
Blog: Latin American Diet Pyramid — A healthy eating plan
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
It's Latino Nutrition Month, and my vote is "Muy bueno!" to the newly revised Latin American Diet Pyramid. This pyramid was first created in 1996 by Oldways, a non-profit focused on identifying and preserving the world's healthiest food traditions. The latest scientific findings have been incorporated into the new pyramid, which still maintains the culinary traditions of this part of the world. You can see the updated pyramid at http://www.oldwayspt.org/latin_pyramid.html.
The Latin American Diet Pyramid embraces the foods and traditions of the Aztec, Inca and Maya, as well as healthy dietary traditions that emerged following the arrival of Columbus. Traditional Latino diets are rich in corn, grains, tubers (white and sweet potatoes, taro, cassava and yucca) and legumes (beans and peas), along with vegetables (including cactus, tomatillos and sweet peppers), and fruits (such as avocado, cacao and cherimoya). Also emphasized are specific flavors unique to the culture — cilantro, onion, hot chiles and epazote (an herb with a strong citrus/camphor flavor). The foundation of the pyramid incorporates physical activity — and the enjoyment of meals with others.
Moving up the pyramid you see fish and seafood, which are recommended at least twice a week. The next level includes poultry, eggs and lower-fat dairy products, which are to be eaten in moderate amounts daily to weekly. At the tip of the pyramid are lean meats and sweets, which should be eaten only occasionally and in small amounts.
In the United States, the Latino population is growing more rapidly than any other group. Currently they represent about 15 percent of the population, and this number is expected to climb to about 25 percent by 2050. As many others have done, Latinos who come to the United States often adopt unhealthy American habits, such as getting little physical activity, dining away from home and eating high-fat, high-calorie American fare. As a result, Latinos have higher rates of obesity — a contributing factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer — than non-Latino whites.
Traditional Latino diets offer a healthier way of eating, and that's something we all can use. The Latin American Diet Pyramid is a tool to get you started exploring and enjoying the healthy foods of this culture. Since it's Latino Nutrition Month, why not give it a try?
A su salud,
Jennifer
3 comments posted
- Oldways. Latin American Diet Pyramid. http://www.oldwayspt.org/latin_pyramid.html. Accessed Sept. 11, 2009.
- Oldways. Our mission. http://www.oldwayspt.org/mission.html. Accessed Sept. 11, 2009.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health. Hispanic/Latino profile. http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=31. Accessed Sept. 11, 2009.
- Latino Nutrition Coalition. Traditional Latin American Diet Pyramid. http://www.latinonutrition.org/HealthInfo-LatinAmericanDietPyramid.htm. Accessed Sept. 17, 2009.
3 comments posted