- 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 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.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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June 1, 2011
Fish and heart health
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
A new study has again confirmed that fish is heart-healthy. So what's new about that? This study looked at how often fish was consumed, the types of fish and even how it was prepared. Data were collected from food questionnaires completed by 84,000 postmenopausal women. Here's what the study found:
- Frequency. Women who ate five or more servings of baked or broiled fish a week had a 30 percent lower risk of developing heart failure, compared with women who rarely or never ate fish.
- Preparation. Eating even one serving of fried fish a week was linked to a 48 percent higher risk of heart failure. Frying fish increases trans fats, which researchers speculate may contribute to an increase in risk for heart disease. Low-fat cooking methods, such as baking, broiling, grilling, poaching and steaming, don't produce this effect.
- Types of fish. Eating baked or broiled dark fish, such as salmon, mackerel and bluefish, was associated with a 22 percent lower risk of heart failure. That was not true for tuna and white fish, such as sole, snapper and cod.
- Omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers also looked at omega-3 intake from sources, such as fish oil supplements, vegetable oil and other plant products. They found no association between these omega-3 sources and heart failure risk. This suggests that whole fish — not just omega-3 — provided the protection from heart failure.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing the amount and variety of seafood in your diet by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry. So, up your intake of fish — especially salmon, mackerel and bluefish. Here are a few low-fat recipes to get you started. Share your favorites too.
- Salmon — Brush with maple syrup and grill. Top with zest of lime or lemon.
- Mackerel — Brush with a little olive oil and season with lemon pepper, then broil.
- Bluefish — Brush with mustard and bake.
- Jennifer
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- Fish intake and the risk of incident heart failure: The Women's Health Initiative. American Heart Association. http://circheartfailure.ahajournals.org/content/early/2011/05/24/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.110.960450.full.pdf+html. Accessed May 25, 2011.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed May 25, 2011.
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