Food Labels: Know What You're GettingYou can start to make healthy choices for your life right now — just by getting a few food packages
from the kitchen and reviewing the following explanations of "Nutritional Facts." If you're counting
calories, fats or carbohydrates, it's important to know how those numbers are calculated in the food
you eat.
• Serving Size: Defines what is considered a normal serving of
this food based on portion size or measurements like cups,
tablespoons, etc. Information on calories, amounts of protein, fat,
etc., is based on this measured size.
• Total Fat: Look at the grams of total fat in a serving. A low fat
food is defined as containing 3 grams of fat or less per serving.
• Total Carbohydrate: Look at the grams of total carbohydrate,
rather than the indented grams of sugar. If you look only at the
sugar number, you may end up excluding foods such as fruits
and milks thinking they are too high in sugar, while you may
overeat foods such as cereals that have no sugar, but do contain
significant amounts of carbohydrate.
The grams of sugar and fiber are counted as part of the grams of
total carbohydrate. If a food has 5 grams or more fiber in a
serving, subtract the fiber grams from the total grams of
carbohydrate for a more accurate estimate of the carbohydrate
content.
Sugar alcohols (also known as polyols) include sorbitol, xylitol
and mannitol, and have fewer calories than sugars and starches,
although use of the sugar alcohols in a product does not
necessarily mean the product is low in carbohydrate. Always
remember to check the label for the grams of carbohydrate.
The grams of sugar alcohols are indented under the total
carbohydrate heading and aligned under dietary fiber and sugars.
The grams of sugar alcohols are required on the label only when
a claim is made about sugar alcohols or sugars when sugar
alcohols are present.
• % Daily Value: Indicates how much of a specific nutrient a serving of food contains compared to
a 2000-calorie diet. A product is considered a good source of a particular nutrient if one serving
provides 10% to 19% of the Daily Value, and is considered high in a given nutrient if it contains 20%
or more of the Daily Value. If the Daily Value is 5% or less, the food is low in that nutrient.
Source: American
Think Portion Control
By Julie D. Andrews, Prevention
Super-sized fries. 16-oz Starbucks lattes. 64-oz Double Gulps. It's no coincidence that just as
Americans are growing larger so is the size of their meals and snacks.
When nutritionist and NYU faculty member Lisa Young noticed this trend several years back,
she took to the streets of Manhattan with scale, notebook and camera in hand. Her goal: record
the size of food people were handed at delis, hot dog stands, bakeries, and all-you-can-eat
buffets.
"What I found was appalling," says Young in her book Portion Teller: Smartsize Your Way to
Permanent Weight Loss. "The foods we buy today are often two or three times, even five times,
larger than when they were first introduced into the marketplace."
And, meals and packaged foods weren't the only things that had ballooned. American waistlines
had expanded and everything from seats to Queen-sized mattresses -- even the size of medical
needles were being adjusted to fit America's widening girth.
Then Young came up with a strategy: portion control. Just because restaurants serve up more
food, doesn't mean customers have to finish every last bite. Using five basic food guidelines,
Young devised ways for people to get and stay slim without deprivation.
Mind your mouthfuls.
Instead of worrying about the amount of carbohydrates or fat a certain meal contains, focus on
the amount you consume. Just because it's brought to you doesn't mean you have to finish
every last bite.
A simple way to do this is to make visual comparisons, says Young. "Think of a deck of cards as
a three-ounce serving," she says. "And, a cup of rice or pasta should be about the size of a
baseball." If the piece of salmon you grilled for dinner is the size of three card decks, you've met
your meat quotient for the day.
Add first, then subtract
First step, fill your plate with as many portions of fresh, leafy greens and fruits as you want. Do
the research and dig up some healthy recipes made with apples, apricots, plums, tomatoes,
carrots, peppers, you name it.
"No one wants to be deprived or on a diet," Young says. "Before you take anything away, stock
up on fruits and veggies."
Negotiate your cut backs.
"Decrease your portions of junk food," Young says. "so you're eating fewer high-calorie foods:
chips, sodas, chocolate, fried foods." You don't have to eliminate your favorite foods. "If you like
ice cream," says Young, "you can eat it. But, you're going to have to learn portion control."
Pack in protein.
Protein is not only good for you, and it makes you feel full. "In my research, I found that a lot of
people were eating breakfast and all their meals, but weren't including protein," says Young. "And, a meal without protein not going to do it. You're never going to feel full with just bread or a
bagel."
Remember, there's more to the protein category than just meat. Try slipping some yogurt, an
egg, low-fat dairy, or fish into every meal.
Forget white flour.
When you eat white flour products, your body gets nothing but empty calories because the fiber,
vitamins and minerals have been stripped away.
"A lot of people were under the misconception that it was carbs that were making them full and
fat, when really, it was the starches," says Young.
And beware, says Young. Don't assume that because bread or other products are brown that
they are healthier. They could be dyed brown with molasses. To be sure, read the label to
ensure that your bread is made with 100% whole wheat or whole grain.
The Truth About Fats
Not all fats are equal. Learn which ones actually boost your health!
For years, fat has been the bogeyman of bad health. Increasingly, however, research is showing that not all
fats are equal. Some oils and fatty foods contain chemicals called essential fatty acids, which our bodies need
for good health. How do you know the difference between good fats and bad fats? Read on!
"We've had such emphasis on eating low-fat foods," says Patricia Kendall, PhD, RD, a professor at the
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Office. "But all these new studies on oils and high-fat foods
like nuts and cold-water fish show we've been ignoring how much we need certain fats."
The two essential fatty acids most important to good health are omega-3 and omega-6. But we need these in
the right balance in order to protect our hearts, joints, pancreas, mood stability, and skin.
Unfortunately, we eat way too much omega-6, which is found in the corn oil and vegetable oils used in so
much American food. Too much omega 6 can raise your blood pressure, lead to blood clots that can cause
heart attack and stroke, and cause your body to retain water.
We don't eat nearly enough omega-3, which can reduce our risk for heart disease and cancer. Omega-3 is
found in fish and fish oil, all green leafy vegetables, flax seed, hemp, and walnuts.
How Much Fat Do You Really Need?
Most experts recommend that we get 30% of our calories from fat, although we can survive fine on as little as
20%, even 10%. If you're like most of us, you're getting plenty of fat - most Americans consume about 40% of
their calories from fats in meat, butter, cheese, baked goods, etc.
The better question to ask is, "Are you getting the enough of the right fats?" says Ruth Kava, PhD, RD, of the
American Council of Science and Health. "Most of us get too much fat, and too much unhealthy fat," she says.
Making the Switch
To make the switch to heart-healthy fats, start by avoiding the truly unhealthy fats - trans fatty acids. These
trans fats come from vegetable oils that were chemically modified so they are solid like butter. Because these
oils don't spoil as quickly as butter, they are used in most packaged cookies, chips, crackers and other baked
goods sold in the supermarket, as well as in margarines.
The solidifying process - called hydrogenation - extends the shelf life of food, but it also turns polyunsaturated
oils into a kind of man-made cholesterol. Trans fats can increase your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol, and may
increase your risk of heart disease. What's more, these man-made fats are taken up by the body much easier
than are omega-3s. So trans fatty acids not only harm your health, they also block the absorption of healthy
fats.
"How bad trans fats are for you depends on how much you eat," says Kava. "Trans fats can raise your blood
cholesterol as much as excess cholesterol (from the diet) can in some people."
To avoid trans fats, look on the nutrition label of packaged foods. They'll appear on the ingredients list as
"hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" vegetable oils. If you can, switch to products that don't use
hydrogenated oils. The baked goods won't last quite as long in your pantry, but your body will benefit.
Now for the good news: There are some fatty snacks that actually boost your health!
Go Nuts
Nuts are the latest high-fat food to undergo a change in dietary reputation.
"It doesn't seem to matter what nuts you eat to get important benefits, as long as they don't have added oil and
salt," says Kendall.The latest pro-nut research is out of the Harvard School of Public Health. Researchers found that women who
reported eating a half serving of peanut butter or a full serving of nuts five or more times a week showed as
much as a 30% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And the findings go on.
Other nuts, including almonds, walnuts, and pecans, have been shown to have heart healthy benefits,
including lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol. (Remember, walnuts are also a source of omega-3.)
Nuts to Avoid
There really aren't any unhealthy nuts, as long as you leave of the oil and salt. But it's important to remember
that all nuts are high in calories.
"You can't just add them to your diet," says Kendall. "You really need to think about using them to replace
empty calories. Think about them as excellent substitutes for junk food."
Bring on the Fish
For a while now, cold-water species of fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, striped bass, sardines, and herring
have taken the spotlight as the best protein-rich food source because they are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.
Studies show that people who eat such fish two times a week have less heart disease, a reduced risk of
cancer, and improvements in mental health, particularly in mood function.
But there's a caveat.
"I'm also concerned about the mercury that these species of fish can carry for pregnant women," says Kava.
She recommends that pregnant women stay away from shark, swordfish, and king mackerel because these
bigger species tend to present more of a risk.
If you're not pregnant but still concerned, Kava says small salmon species give the most benefit with the least
exposure to mercury.
Animal Fat to Avoid
We've long been told to eat less red meat, but new long-term studies of how eating habits affect actual health
measures do not bear out many of the popular myths.
"People want to hear that not eating less red meat will save them, but that is a simplistic notion that doesn't
really fit in with modern nutrition science," says Kava. "What the science tells us is that lifestyle changes --
stopping smoking, getting regular exercise, limiting alcohol intake, increasing vegetable intake -- has by far the
most pronounced effect in improving a person's health than does cutting out certain food categories."
This does not mean you should eat steak every night. If you're at high risk of heart disease, you should still
severely limit your saturated fats. But the newer research does explain why many health organizations no
longer try to scare people away from "bad" foods.
For example, says Kendall, "for years, we've encouraged people to eat poultry instead of red meat because it
is lower in saturated fat. But when you look at the data on how these foods affect actual blood cholesterol
levels, there isn't that much difference."
Rather than avoid meats, nutritionists today say you should simply eat more of the foods proven healthy in
long-term studies: fish, vegetables, and fruit. Equally important, exercise, even you just walk briskly 30 minutes
a day.
The Good Oils
The health message about oils has not changed and is very simple. Stick to olive oil or canola oil.
Olive oil is loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids, which do not raise blood cholesterol levels. It also is a
good source of vitamin E and polyphenols, which act as antioxidants, reducing the oxygen-related damage to
the vascular system.
Canola oil, on the other hand, has loads of monounsaturated fatty acids in the form of oleic acid. This acid has
been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels, and it may lower LDL, or "bad," cholesterol levels without changing "good" HDL levels. Also, canola oil is high in two essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that our bodies
can't make: alpha-linolenic acid and linolenic acid.
Alpha-linolenic acid appears to lower blood triglyceride levels. It also may reduce platelet aggregation and
increase blood clotting time, both of which are important to people at risk of heart disease and stroke.
Oils to Avoid
Simply put, avoid vegetable oils that are high in omega-6 fatty acids, such as regular vegetable oil, corn oil,
safflower oil, soybean oil, and cottonseed oil.
Good Spreads
Until the recently, there really were no healthy spreads. Butter is too high in cholesterol for people who are at
risk of heart disease; most margarine is made from trans fatty acids. In the 1980s, some manufacturers put out
special, watered-down versions of spreads that had lower overall calorie content, but they tasted like it.
Then came spreads made from olive oil, wood pulp (Benecol) and soybeans (Take Control), which include
chemicals that actually help your heart's health.
"Spreads like Benecol, which are made from plant stanol esthers, are lower in trans fat than regular margarine
and have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease," says Kendall. They especially help people taking
statin drugs to lower their blood cholesterol levels. "But," she adds, "they are more expensive, too, so if you are
at risk of heart disease, they may be worth the price."
Kendall suggests doing what the Italians do -- put olive oil on your bread. Or, you could make what she calls
"better butter."
Blend one part olive or canola oil with one part butter," Kendall says. It makes a softer spread and dilutes the
cholesterol with monounsaturated fats.
Spreads to Avoid
Remember, traditional margarine is a trans fat nightmare. Check the ingredients list and avoid spreads that are
made of "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils.
Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD.
Published February 2003.
Sources: Patricia Kendall, PhD, RD, professor, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Office * Ruth
Kava, PhD, RD, American Council of Science and Health * Artemis Simopoulos, MD, editor in chief, World
Review of Nutrition and Dietetics * The PDR Family Guide to Nutrition & Health. © 2003 WebMD Inc. All
rights reserved.
Wk 5: Health Tips About Oil
Health Tips About Oil: Pros and Cons
by, Dr. Maoshing Ni
There is a lot of confusing information circulating about oils. Hopefully, the tips below will help
you navigate your way to the good oils that will benefit your health in the long run.
THE LOWDOWN ON OIL
Oils that originate from vegetable, nut, and seed sources provide the essential fatty acids that
are critical for our nerve and brain functions. The typical vegetable oils that can be found at
supermarkets have undergone chemical and heat processing that destroy the quality of the oil
— bleaching, cooking, defoaming, distillation, extraction, refining, and the addition of
preservatives. Additionally, many of these oils are exposed to light and air and are even
potentially filled with pesticides.
All of this causes the formation of free radicals, which undermine the health benefits of
consuming essential fatty acids. To ensure that you are receiving all of the possible benefits
from your oil, buy organic, cold-pressed, minimally processed oils at your local health food
store. Be sure that you consume oil within three months; to prevent it from becoming rancid,
store your oil in the refrigerator in dark glass containers.
FATS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
There are three types of fat: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated.
Monounsaturated fats — including olive oil, sesame oil, canola oil, almond oil, flax oil, and
fish oil — are good fats. These contain essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and gammalinolenic
acid (GLA) that are critical in brain development and function, skin health, vascular
health, proper immune function, fertility, and normal physical development.
Polyunsaturated fats, such as margarine, corn oil, hydrogenated safflower oil, and sunflower
oil, also contain essential fatty acids. Unfortunately, these fats are highly refined and contain
large amounts of trans fat. Trans fat, created by hydrogenating vegetable oil to make it
spreadable, is implicated in both cancer and heart disease.
Saturated fats are the bad kind of fat. Included in this category is butter, peanut oil, coconut
oil, palm kernel oil, and lard. These saturated fats elevate cholesterol and triglyceride levels,
leading to an increased chance of heart attack and stroke. These oils are best avoided.
TWO STAND-OUT OILS
The essential ingredient of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil, has been found to have beneficial
effects on blood lipids and it may even lower blood pressure. According to the World Health
Organization, nearly 60 percent of strokes and 50 percent of heart disease are associated with
high blood pressure.
Hypertension is estimated to be the cause of 7.1 million deaths per year worldwide. A recent
study has concluded that olive oil intake is “inversely associated with both systolic and
diastolic blood pressure.” The bottom line: consuming more olive oil is linked to lowered blood
pressure.
Wk 5: Health Tips About Oil
Sesame oil — the most common oil consumed by Chinese centenarians — is enjoyed for its
delicious nutty flavor and also possesses some considerable therapeutic properties. Chinese
medicine lists sesame as a blood builder, a kidney and liver tonic, and a bowel protector and
regulator. It is rich in phytic acid, the antioxidant that may prevent cancer. Lignan sesamin, one
variety of sesame oil, appeared to radically reduce cholesterol levels in the bloodstream and
liver of rats.
To benefit your health and enhance your meals, add some olive oil to your food and salads;
sprinkle sesame seeds and oil into your dishes regularly. Some other excellent choices for oils
include: walnut oil, flaxseed oil, and soy oil.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
—Dr. Mao
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