Five Questions With: Mary Flynn

Mary Flynn, a research dietician at The Miriam Hospital, talks with Providence Business News about the results of research she did in collaboration with The Rhode Island Community Food Bank that demonstrates the health benefits of an economical, plant-based, extra-virgin olive oil diet.

PBN: Can you explain the research – including its time frame and scope – that you and Andrew Schiff, CEO of The Rhode Island Community Food Bank, conducted?

FLYNN: This study was based on a six-week cooking program I developed for food pantry clients about 10 years ago. Each week, clients watched a recipe preparation, and were encouraged to try the foods and asked to make two to three main meals per week from my recipes. We followed participants for six months and found that, when they used my recipes for an average of 2.8 meals per week, their food insecurity, grocery costs and body weight decreased.

I decided to compare the cost of eating my diet seven days a week to the lowest-cost USDA diet. I expected mine to cost less, but thought both diets would be comparable in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, as the USDA emphasizes these foods. Compared to the USDA’s most economic meal plan, my diet cost approximately $14 less per week, or close to $750 less per year. This was largely due to meat costs. Meat servings in the USDA’s diet were one to four ounces, and the typical American serving is quite a bit larger, so the USDA plan would cost the average American even more. My diet had substantially more vegetables, fruits and whole grain servings at a much lower cost per serving, even with four tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil per day, which provides many health benefits. My diet is inexpensive and can improve health.

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PBN: How does this information help those Rhode Islanders living without regular access to full-scale grocery stores, in other words, those who live in food deserts?

FLYNN: My recipes mainly feature “shelf stable” ingredients that can be bought in advance and kept at home. I promote using more frozen and canned produce than fresh produce. Studies show that frozen and canned produce have the same vitamin content as fresh produce sold at retail, but they are higher in phytonutrients, the components in plant products that make vegetables and fruits healthy. Frozen and canned are also ready to use, which increases use, as no prep time is needed, larger quantities can be kept in the home and they are cleaner than fresh produce sold at retail.

PBN: Research shows that low-income households spend grocery money first on meats, eggs, cereals and bakery products. Why is that, and what is the best way to change individuals’ purchasing decisions?

FLYNN: Surveys show that Americans tend to eat meat daily, and my sense is that it’s an American mindset to buy meat during every grocery shopping. There aren’t many Americans who regularly consume vegetarian meals. I think that’s because they don’t know how to make a meal without meat. If they do, it’s plain vegetables with a starch (pasta, rice, potatoes), which is tasteless and leaves a person feeling hungry because the meal contains no fat. All my recipes include EVOO, vegetables and a starch, and are very easy to make in 15 minutes. Olive oil makes meals, and especially vegetables, taste delicious. Additionally, because olive oil is a fat, one feels satiated after eating a meal with it versus eating a low-fat meal that leaves a feeling of hunger and dissatisfaction.

PBN: If someone wants to eat healthier but is concerned about reverting to bad habits, what two or three recommendations are most likely to ensure future success?

FLYNN: Plan some weekly meals. Meal planning seems to be a lost art, but it can be very useful for both the food budget and dieting. When people know what their next meal will be, they’re less likely to snack between meals. Make sure there are healthy meal ingredients at home so that the odds of making a healthy meal are much better. Start by changing one or two meals per week. This is manageable; very few people can stick with revamping their whole diet. I suggest using my recipes for two or three dinners per week and pay attention to the ease of meal preparation and how you feel after eating. People consistently say they “feel better” when following my diet. I don’t think the average person realizes how difficult it is to digest meat, which is why people don’t feel very well after eating it.

PBN: There have been news reports that a large percentage of vegetable oil has been inaccurately and improperly labeled as 100 percent EVOO. How can a consumer know what truly is EVOO and what may be mislabeled as such?

FLYNN: This is a very big international problem, but I do think there are some signs that it is improving. Unfortunately, Americans have been buying olive oil that is not extra-virgin for long enough that studies show Americans will choose “bad oil” when presented with real EVOO and a fake or adulterated EVOO. The imported olive oils are the ones you need to question, especially if the label says “product of Italy” or “produced in Italy.” Italy has been the worst offender for selling and exporting bad oil. California makes great olive oil and has strict laws on what can be sold as EVOO.

Flynn’s diet is available at http://www.rifoodbank.org/Programs/RaisingtheBaronNutrition/tabid/188/Default.aspx.

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