- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
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 nutrition and healthy eating guide, 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 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 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other 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 providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, 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's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
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.
Latest entries
- Safe juicing and blending
May 14, 2013
- Is NEAT part of your weight-control plan?
May 1, 2013
- Exercise, hunger and weight loss
April 25, 2013
- Another look at meat consumption and mortality
April 17, 2013
- Sugar challenge: Cut the sweetness for 2 weeks
April 10, 2013
Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Nutrition-wise blog
-
July 11, 2012
Fasting and food choices
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
I talk to people about weight loss several times a week. People often tell me they skip meals. Cutting calories isn't the only reason people skip meals. They may skip eating because of hectic schedules, religious practices or financial reasons.
Skipping meals or fasting is safe on occasion, but it could undermine weight-management efforts.
Researchers at Cornell University describe what they found when they asked students to fast for 18 hours. After fasting, the students were offered a buffet that included dinner rolls, French fries, chicken, cheese, carrots, green beans and beverages.
Which foods were most popular? The starchy foods, such as dinner rolls and French fries, were consumed most and contributed most to overall calories. And vegetables were the least popular. In addition, people tended to eat more of the food that they started eating first.
Before we jump on the "carbs are bad" bandwagon, however, let's consider the facts and a theory. Starchy foods have a high energy density, meaning the calorie content is high relative to a small portion.
If your body thinks it's starving — for example, because you haven't fed it for more than 18 hours — these food choices make sense. They have a lot of calories for their volume, And that's appealing because your brain and body are telling you, "Stock up now, we may not get to eat again for 18 hours."
Vegetables, on the other hand, have a low energy dense. You can get serving after serving of them for relatively few calories.
What about the chicken and cheese? What role does protein play? The chicken and cheese were a close second in the foods chosen. Lean proteins, such as chicken without the skin, are moderately energy dense. Higher fat protein foods have a higher energy density.
Why does this matter? You can make these concepts work for you.
When you have times of feeling "starving" (fasting or not), put vegetables and fruits front and center. Don't rely on your sluggish carbohydrate-deprived brain to make a decision, let alone a healthy one. (Yes, carbs are you brain's preferred source of fuel.)
All foods play a role in satisfying our hunger. Making smart choices is one of the keys to better health. Give vegetables and fruits preferential treatment at your next meal and see if that changes how much you eat. Post your thoughts here.
To your health,
Katherine
4 comments posted
September 25, 2012 8:00 a.m.
What does a person need to be well is a sbcjeut that will never be exhausted. While health care prices continue rise, you think everyone from Obama to the common voter would to health practitioners would turn some of their efforts to prevention in the way of what we eat and exercise. The old saying You are what you eat is so true and it starts with our children. Garbage in garbage out. Our bodies can only take so much and then the finally start complaining in the form of disease . Yes, there are folks that did everything right and still developed cancer, etc., but that is not the average. Education on foods that heal and natural health itself should at least be some of our focus.
- David
August 24, 2012 9:03 a.m.
what about intermitten fasting (IF)? then eat healthy good for the next 8 hrs?
- Alex
July 30, 2012 10:27 a.m.
It is important to think of the role of fasting in your health (part of a larger picture) and as mentioned and how to break a fast. Planning helps - putting vegetables and fruit and avoiding over eating. A concern about the student study cited here is that we do not know what instruction took place, preparation and college students are not known for healthy food choices. Therefore the results may not represent those of a broader population.
- Christine
July 11, 2012 3:49 p.m.
Hi Dr. Zeratsky and Dr. Nelson. I am so excited I found this blog! I have a veggie question. I am very lean and athletic. I maintain my weight, health, and energy levels (age 43) by eating small meals throughout the day and then a LARGE veggie meal as well. My belly protrudes from the large volume, however I wake up with a lean, flat stomach. My husband seems to think this is "not healthy" to stuff myself like this (with the healthy veggies). I would love to hear your opinion! Thank you.
- Kelly
Share on:
4 comments posted