Tobiko adds crunchy texture and salty taste to the dish, not to mention artistic flair. It even comes in multiple colors—black, orange, red, green—all with different flavors and levels of spice. In its natural state, however, it is not very flavorful. Only after it’s been processed with simple preservatives and flavoring does it take on the form most of us would recognize.

As for whether or not it’s nutritious, this is a difficult question to answer confidently given how little is known about tobiko processing. Little nutrition information is available for tobiko at this point because it’s not a mainstream (no pun intended) food. However, it seems that it is relatively low in calories and presumably a decent source of protein and selenium, a trace mineral important in the production of antioxidants. The short answer: it’s not bad for you.

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As a fellow “lactose intolerant”, let me tell you that I feel your pain. I have a great story of how I became lactose intolerant a few years ago. It involves a van full of triathletes from the Olympic Training Center, a case of bottled milkshakes and a dare, but I won’t go into details.

Lactose intolerance is due to an inability to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Symptoms include abdominal discomfort, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, cramps and gas. Tests that your physician can order, besides completing a good history and physical, include a lactose tolerance test, breath pH and stool acidity test. Most commonly, resolution of symptoms upon avoidance of foods containing lactose are evidence enough to nail the diagnosis.

A healthy diet is still possible despite your inability to digest lactose. Unfortunately for us, foods that contain lactose are excellent sources of calcium, the recommended daily intake of which is set between 1,000 and 1,500 mg/day, depending on your age.

There are numerous “tricks” I’ve employed that you might find helpful. Probably most important is the fact that people who are lactose intolerant can still eat foods like yogurt with active cultures and aged cheeses (think cheddar or gruyere). Products like soymilk and Lactaid are perfectly tolerated and fortified. Other foods including salmon, sardines and broccoli are good sources as well, and often overlooked. Finally, raw milk has been discussed as a possible source of digestible lactose and/or probiotic cultures that may be helpful in treating lactose intolerance. However, the evidence on this point is not convincing and the FDA does not currently recommend consuming raw milk due to the potential harmful effects of bacterial contamination.

One caveat to obtaining adequate calcium via non-milk sources is that Vitamin D is required for optimal absorption. Therefore, be sure to either include sources like eggs or liver in your diet or get plenty of sunshine!

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If your physician prescribes an iron pill, it’s best to heed his or her advice. Taking iron, however, does not come without consequences.

Supplemental iron commonly causes abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting and constipation. These side effects are often a function of the amount of pure or “elemental” iron in the supplement, so it might be worth trying a different preparation if the side effects are what’s causing the aversion.

If you’re absolutely opposed to taking supplemental iron, there are a few ways to get more iron and replenish stores. However, it takes quite a long time (on the order of months) to replenish stores once one becomes iron-deficient.

It’s also interesting to point out that the recommended daily intake of iron is about double for women as that for men (8mg/day for men 30-50yrs and 18mg/day for women of the same age). Foods that are especially rich in iron include:

Red meat
Egg yolks
Leafy greens (spinach, kale)
Liver
Oysters and clams
Artichokes
Beans, lentils, soybeans, chick peas
Molasses
Fortified, instant cooked or dry cereals

Note: In general, meat sources of more readily absorbed than plant sources.

Eating these foods in combination with a good source of vitamin C, such as orange juice, will aid in absorption. Also, cooking in an iron skillet has been shown to increase the iron content of food. On the other hand, compounds in foods like tea, coffee and milk will decrease the absorption of iron.

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Unfortunately, Siberian ginseng has not been widely studied in western medicine, including its effect on athletic performance. To my knowledge, three studies have been conducted with Panax ginseng, the most recent and well-designed of which was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 1997. This study showed no effects on any physiologic or psychological parameters of performance including VO2 max, minute ventilation, heart rate or perceived exertion. Bottom line: No improvement in performance.

Despite the relative lack of research on the effects of Siberian ginseng, it is important to point out that there have been case reports of potentially harmful effects of ginseng supplementation including hypertension and interference with medications (mainly Coumadin) as well as side effects such as sleeplessness and diarrhea.

Finally, let’s clarify that ginseng of any type is technically considered a dietary supplement so it’s manufacture and production is not regulated by the FDA. That being said, there has been concern in the past regarding purity, not only of ginseng, but of many dietary supplements. In short, you cannot be entirely sure of what you’re consuming when it comes to dietary supplements.

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While it's possible, it's less likely for you to keep it off (or lose more) if you don't remain vigilant of your intake by counting calories. It's similar, in theory, to the use of pedometers or regular weigh-ins as a means of reinforcing a behavior. Research shows that the people most successful at keeping weight off over the long-term do continue to count calories. They also exercise more than you'd think on a regular basis. And step on the scale more often.

One way to avoid strict calorie counting is to control what you eat at certain meals (typically breakfast or lunch) by consuming a meal replacement such as Ensure or Slim Fast shakes. These products are nutritionally balanced and come in a variety of formulations. A meta-analysis (essentially a summary of all previous work) published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2003 concluded that the evidence is in favor of partial meal replacements as being effective in long-term weight loss.

The bottom line is you'd be best served by continuing whatever has worked for you to this point. If counting calories keeps you in line, then keep counting!

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From a nutrition standpoint, lycopene (an antioxidant in tomatoes) and increased fruit intake have both been linked to decreased risk of developing BPH. Although the studies that support these diet changes are certainly not conclusive.

Other studies have linked the intake of total calories, protein and polyunsaturated fats to risk of BPH.

Interestingly, a recent clinical trial studying the effects of selenium and/or Vitamin E was stopped early because no benefit was found. The group of men receiving Vitamin E supplementation actually had higher rates of prostate cancer.

As always, the recommendation is to maintain a healthy body weight, avoid excess consumption of fats and stay physically active.

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A significant amount of dietary protein is found in foods like cereals, breads, pastas, grains, legumes, nuts and dairy products (or substitutes). Firm or extra-firm tofu (soybean curd) can easily be used as a meat substitute in most dishes calling for meat such as stir-fry. Tempeh, made from fermented soybean, is commonly used as a chicken substitute. Textured vegetable protein (TVP), a defatted soy flour, works best in recipes that call for ground beef such as meatballs. Seitan, made from wheat gluten very similar to pasta, is ideally used as a stand-in for beef. Quorn, a very popular product abroad, is a mycoprotein that is grown using controlled fermentation. Quorn comes in an entire line of convenient, ready-to-eat meals as well as grilling foods and ingredients.

Animal protein, however, contains all of the essential amino acids in one complete package. Therefore, individuals who avoid all animal protein sources (i.e. vegans) may require more careful monitoring of their protein intake because many plant proteins are limiting in some amino acids. The simplest way to accomplish this is to eat a variety of foods at each meal, which should provide all of the essential amino acids and make the protein complete. In addition, vegetarians and vegans are encouraged to eat foods like quinoa (grain) and tofu, as both are complete vegetable proteins.

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Before answering this let me clarify that without a family history of kidney stones, or a previous experience with a kidney stone, it would not be wise for you to make significant changes to your diet in fear of a stone.

However, the dietary recommendations to avoid recurrence of stones include reductions in dietary calcium and oxalate (the main culprits in stone formation). This would include cutting back on foods such as peanuts, chocolate, berries, rhubarb, beets, leafy greens, dairy products, animal protein, tea, cola, draft beer and high sodium foods the list goes on. It is also advised that fluid intake should be increased to up to three to four quarts of water per day in order to dilute the urine, making stone formation less likely.

I’d also recommend making and drinking your own lemonade by squeezing fresh lemon into cold water. The lemonade contains citrate which is helpful in the prevention of stone formation.

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It’s definitely important to keep your fluid intake up on long hikes. Dehydration occurs when greater than three percent of body weight is lost. It is not uncommon for athletes to lose between two and six percent of body weight as fluid during strenuous activity. The best general advice I can give is to find fluids that go down easy and to be sure to replace what you’ve lost.

To what you should drink, weigh yourself before and after your next backpacking trip and calculate a rate of intake based on the total losses. As effort during backpacking is significantly less than that of a marathon, greater fluid intakes should be possible though not necessary.

Fluids should be cool (15-21°C) for optimal palatability. If the taste of water doesn’t do it for you, try diluted juice or a sports drink. Look for low calorie versions of drinks such as Gatorade Propel or G2 to avoid lots of empty calories. You can also try making your own sports drink at home.

Give this one a try:

32 ounces of cold bottled water
Freshly squeezed orange, lemon, lime or grapefruit juice to taste
2 tablespoons table sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)
A pinch of salt

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Studies have shown that certain nutrients are more easily absorbed by the gut after they’ve been cooked. An example of this is lycopene, the antioxidant in tomatoes.

Other work has shown that some nutrients, including folate, are destroyed with heat and therefore lost.

Given the fact that it seems some nutrients are absorbed more easily with cooking while others are lost, aim for a healthy mix of vegetables in your next soup. The bottom line is that a daily intake of at least five servings of vegetables, in either cooked or raw form, is important.

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