Ask the RD | April

Written By Shoshanna Pro-Richards

Our registered dietitian, Jamie offers answers to nutrition-related questions you — our community — has submitted over the past month.

The information shared within this blog is meant for informational purposes only and should not be received as medical advice.

If you have a question to submit, please click the button and watch for a response the following month. Before submitting a question, we invite you to visit the main page for Ask the RD and enter a keyword into the search box — your question may already be answered!

  • Calorie needs vary from person to person and are dependent on your age, gender, height, and weight. Additional factors that can influence how many calories you may need include activity level, medical conditions, and weight status (i.e., if you need to lose, maintain, or gain weight), body composition, and even genetics. You may require fewer calories if you are overweight, obese, and/or sedentary. Alternatively, you may require more calories if you are underweight, experiencing metabolic stress, and/or more physically active. Generally, males need more calories per day than women due to their larger body size and higher percentage of muscle mass compared to fat mass. Men may need anywhere from 2,000-2,800 calories per day, where women may need anywhere from 1,600-2,400 calories per day.  

    You can find your individualized calorie needs using the online calculator provided by the National Institutes of Health. 

  • Calorie counting may not be for everyone, but it could be helpful for some. Fortunately, calorie counting has gotten much simpler thanks to modern-day technology, which puts online food searches and smart phone apps quite literally at our fingertips.  

    • For a quick snapshot of a food’s nutritional value, I like CalorieKing for a simple online food search.  

    • For those looking to track their daily intake, MyFitnessPal and LoseIt! are popular options.  

    • People with specific nutritional needs such as diabetes, overweight/obesity, or food intolerances and allergies, may find apps such Glucose Budd, Carb Manager, Noom, Baritastic, or Spokin to be helpful.  

    Though calorie tracking can provide insight into your eating habits, it may also be quite tedious to maintain in the long run. Many people benefit from tracking for a shorter amount of time (i.e., 2-4 weeks) or until they feel comfortable navigating their diet and food choices without the support of an app. Some people find that long-term use of these apps help to keep them accountable, where other folks might find them to be counterproductive to their relationship with food.  

    If you are not a fan of online tracking or smartphone apps, research shows that simply keeping a food journal can improve accountability. It also increases awareness, promotes healthier food choices, and even supports weight management efforts. I recommend logging not only what food (and beverages) you consume, but how much you eat, timing of which you’re eating, and how you were feeling when you were eating. Doing so can help you identify eating patterns, food habits, and even food intolerances.   

    Lastly, the Healthy Plate method can be a simple, user-friendly way to keep yourself on track without worrying about measuring foods or counting calories. Briefly, this method aims to fill half of each meal plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter containing grains or starches. This easy method allows you to quickly estimate appropriate serving sizes and achieve proper macronutrient balance without all the math. Learn more about the Healthy Plate method through the link below. 

    Previous related Ask the RD posts:     

    • Knowing a healthy plate is half fruits and vegetables, what are appropriate servings for each? I imagine having it be mostly or all fruit is not the healthy intention. (December 2023)

  • Metabolism is the bodily process of converting the food and beverages we consume into a usable form of energy (calories). Our bodies require energy for everything we do, and we rely on calories as our fuel: breathing, growing and developing, maintaining proper brain function, digesting meals, and of course moving. Though no single food is going to significantly impact your metabolic rate, some foods may help support a healthy metabolism. 

    • Protein-rich foods support muscle health and keep you feeling full and satisfied.  

      • Examples: lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, beans and legumes, reduced fat dairy. 

    • Fiber-rich foods keep you feeling full by slowing down digestion and stabilizing blood sugars. Fiber-rich foods also are good sources of vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium; many of which support the body’s metabolic functions.  

      • Examples: whole grains, beans and lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. 

    • Water provides adequate hydration to help your body operate more smoothly and efficiently. 

    • Other options include: 

      • Caffeine found in coffee, teas, and cocoa can provide a temporary metabolic boost. 

      • Peppers, such as chili peppers and jalapenos, contain the compound capsaicin which increases your body’s internal temperature and therefore supports increased calorie burn.  

      • Spices like ginger and turmeric are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that keep your body’s cells healthy.  

    More important than specific foods are lifestyle factors.

    • Adequate sleep: Inadequate or poor-quality sleep leads to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which promotes fat storage and weight gain. 

      • Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night to support a healthy metabolism.  

    • Stress management: Chronic stress also leads to higher levels of stress hormones in the body, which lead to fat storage and weight gain. 

      • Keep stress in check – breathwork practices, yoga, walking, gardening, crafting, reading, or counseling – with a healthy stress-relieving activity you enjoy. 

    • Exercise: Moving your body more and maintaining/building muscle mass can have a huge impact on your metabolic health. Muscle mass (i.e., lean body mass) burns more calories at rest compared to fat mass. Meaning, a body with more muscle has a higher metabolic rate throughout the day. 

      • Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. 

      • Include strengthening activities at least 2-3 times per week to maintain/build muscle mass. 

    • Adequate fueling: Avoid skipping meals and undereating. Keep your metabolism burning strong with consistent meal and snack times throughout the day in order to give your body the fuel it needs. 

    Overall, it is important to maintain a healthy diet consisting of more whole foods and fewer ultra-processed foods, while also prioritizing lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, and stress. 

  • Nuts and seeds are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet. They not only offer heart healthy fats and helpful vitamins and minerals, but they also add great flavor and texture to many traditional dishes. Nuts and seeds make a delicious addition to a variety of foods. They are versatile enough to be added to sauces (pesto, romesco, hummus), used in breads and baked goods, and can be included in pasta dishes, vegetables, fish, and meats. Common nuts of the Mediterranean diet include almonds, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts.  

    Typical seeds include pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds. Though nutrient content varies from nut to nut and seed to seed, they are overall high in unsaturated fats, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.  

    To reap the numerous health benefits these foods have to offer, choose whatever nuts and/or seeds you like best. 

    Other helpful resources include: 

    Previous related Ask the RD posts:     

    • Which nuts have the most health benefits? (March 2025)  

  • Fish Alternatives
    Fish is a rich source of the anti-inflammatory eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids. If you are not inclined to get the recommended two or more servings of fish per week, try including omega-3 rich plant foods such as walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, edamame, kidney beans and seaweed. 

    It is important to note that plant-based sources of omega-3 provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), as opposed to EPA and DHA fatty acids coming from fish. The ALA form of omega-3 is not as well utilized by the body as compared to the fish-derived counterparts. And though ALA is still thought to be beneficial, you may want to consider a fish oil supplement with the goal of getting 250-500 mg EPA + DHA per day for the general population, and up to 1000 mg per day if you have known heart disease. 

    Egg Alternatives
    Eggs are another highly nutritious food, offering a good source of protein and monounsaturated fat, as well as other healthy nutrients like choline, calcium, folate, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, and vitamin A. Eggs are a versatile and relatively cheap protein option, though they can certainly be swapped out for other foods. Options that include both protein and choline include: 

    • Meats, including beef and poultry 

    • Fish, such as salmon, cod, and tuna 

    • Dairy foods, such as cottage cheese or yogurt 

    • Plant-based alternatives 

      • soybeans/tofu, or other beans and lentils for protein 

      • avocados, nuts, and seeds for those heart-healthy fats 

    For an egg-free baking alternative, substitute ground flax seeds mixed with water.   

    Previous related Ask the RD posts:

    • How can I increase the proteins, and lower the carbs with a vegan diet? (October 2023)

  • Many Americans do not consume enough calcium each day. To achieve the recommended daily 1000 mg of calcium, aim to get 2-3 servings of calcium-rich foods each day.

    Good sources of calcium include: 

    • Dairy products: milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese 

      • 250-400 mg per serving 

    • Calcium-fortified products: orange juice, dairy alternatives, breakfast cereals  

      • 150-350 mg per serving 

    • Fish: canned salmon, sardines 

      • 175-325 mg per serving 

    • Beans: tofu, white beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans 

      • 100-250 mg per serving 

    • Nuts and Seeds: almonds, sesame seeds, tahini paste 

      • 50-75 mg per serving 

    • Vegetables: spinach, kale, Bok choy, broccoli 

      • 25-100 mg per serving 

    • Fruits: oranges, apples, bananas, apricots, dried figs  

      • 60-150 mg per serving 

    Calcium content is required on the nutrition facts panel, making it easy to track how much you’re getting when consuming foods that come with a label. It is a bit harder to count calcium content of foods that do not come with a food label, so it may be helpful to use an online website like CalorieKing or the USDA database to find this information.  

    Other helpful resources include:  

Jamie Libera, RD, LD, CCTD, is a clinical dietitian within the Providence health system. She works closely with the heart programs in offering consultations for heart failure patients, cardiac rehab patients, and serves as the nutrition consultant for Basecamp Prevention + Wellness. Jamie offers monthly nutrition-based classes and a monthly heart-healthy recipe as part of Basecamp’s free community programming.

 
Shoshanna Pro-Richards
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Ask the RD | March