Playing Food Detective
                                       Part 2


Health Claims and Descriptive Terms
Our quest for better health has created a trend within the food industry.  The increased promotion around healthy food choices, health claims and marketing strategies highlight product health benefits with terms such as "No Trans Fats"  " Heart Healthy Choice"  "High Fiber"  "Excellent Source", etc.   However, even though these are helpful claims, are they completely accurate? 

Keep in mind that companies are responding to consumer requests for healthier products; their first goal is to reel customers in.  The FDA provides guidelines around claims and descriptions manufacturer's may use. BUT these are just guidelines.  Nutrition claims can be misleading if you don't know how to read between the lines. Not all labels give us the whole picture. And even though there are third party watch groups that monitor and fight false claims, such as the Centers for Science and Public Interest (CSPI),  it's best to learn the tricks of the trade for yourself.  

In order to ensure that you are making a healthy choice it is important to read the nutrition facts label.  Now, we realize this can be overwhelming, but all the components of a food label are valuable.  In fact, we feel the most important place to start is the ingredients list.  Plus, if you are choosing products with healthy ingredients, you can rest assure that all other components of that food label will qualify as "a healthy choice".
 
It may be difficult to follow these tips all the time, especially on a budget or short on time. But, its not impossible.  With practice and patience you can learn to navigate the shopping aisles healthier. Therefore, if you are willing to put your detective cap on, you can learn to distinguish what is healthy and what should be avoided. Or at the very least consume the "least healthy foods" sparingly.
Check out this article regarding misleading food labels as published in Forbes magazine

Do You Know What's In Your Food?
We have come to expect "nutrition food labels" on all packaged products. But it wasn't until 1990 that the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act  went into effect to aid consumers in making informed and healthy food choices . This act was established by the USDA and the FDA, requiring labeling with specified nutritional information about the product. 

In addition to the product manufacturer name and location, all labels must further include the following requirements:

Serving Sizes: Each package must indicate what a serving size is for the product. This means that all nutrition information noted on the label is based only on this one serving size.

Nutrition Facts: Each package must note the quantities of specific nutrients for the established serving size. This will include information on calories, fat, protein, sugar, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium and other nutrients. 

Ingredients List:  This is the most important section to check out!   The ingredients that are listed fall in descending order of predominance and quality. For example, if the ingredients listed items such as enriched wheat flour, baking soda and high fructose corn syrup you are consuming a product that is high in refined flour, sugar and salt.   When reading, keep in mind if items are listed most to least, then the first five ingredients are your most predominate nutrients and therefore should be your healthiest! 




To help enhance your food detective skills, here are a few quick tips to reading food labels.

Tip #1: Concentrate on the top five ingredients  
As we have mentioned above, ingredients are listed from most to least, therefore you want to consume food products that have the highest quantity of the healthiest ingredients. Focus on the first five ingredients to help ease the daunting task of navigating the long list. If enriched flour, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oil, saturated fat, sodium or sugar are listed in the first five ingredients, put it back and choose another. These ingredients are in high quantity, have little to no nutritional value and can be detrimental to our health.

Tip #2: If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it.
How many of the ingredients listed do you know how to pronounce?  More importantly do you know what they are or how the affect our body?  Processed and packaged foods contain "additives" to preserve or enhance color.  These additives are factory produced or simply put they are "chemicals".  The Center for Science in the Public Interest provides information about what these food additives do and their safety.  This information can be helpful in choosing healthier products.  Isn't the best way to ensure your safety and health to avoid these products?

Tip #3: Don't buy products with more than ten ingredients.
Another good tip is generally the longer the list the more likely one or more of the undesirable ingredients will be in your food. A good rule of thumb is that your food product shouldn't have more than ten ingredients, unless there are ten different varieties of vegetables listed  

Tip #4: Avoid added sugars, salt, enriched flour, artificial sweeteners and trans fats!

You're almost there! You know what shouldn't be in the first five, you know to avoid ingredients you can"t pronounce and you know to look for the shortest ingredient list. Great!  BUT, you still need to read between the lines! 
 
    a.  Added sugars (see "other names for sugar" below) are one of the biggest culprits in the obesity epidemic and a major contributor for dental carriers.  Sugar in any form is a simple carbohydrate that breaks down quickly, requiring the pancreas to release insulin to metabolize this carb for energy. The problem with all this added sugar; our pancreas is required to work overtime as well as the ongoing rise and fall of blood sugar levels. Choosing foods and drinks without added sugar or at least not one of the first five ingredients can help avoid this problem.  Sugars come in different forms, so be on the lookout for any of the terms below indicating added sugars:

    c.  Enriched wheat flour (AKA white flour) - White flour has been stripped of its two most important components, the bran and the germ, making it a refined, processed grain in order to increase shelf life and palatability.  It lacks nutrients and is often considered just about as nutritious as processed, white sugar.  However, whole grains such as rolled or steel cut oats, whole rye, whole wheat, brown rice, and whole spelt contain their bran and germ.  As a result of their intact and unprocessed structure, whole grains can lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes.  They contain fiber, vitamin E, and healthy fats to help keep your blood sugar regular and your arteries clear.

Choose whole grain breads, cereals, and crackers that list a whole grain as one of the first three ingredients.  Look for whole wheat, whole rye, oats (whole, steel cut, or rolled) brown rice, or barley.  Do not be fooled by claims on the front of  food packages indicating a product is whole wheat or any other type of whole grain.  Just because a loaf of bread is brown, does not mean it's whole grain.  Manufacturers have been known to market some bread as whole grain, when in fact they are really just enriched wheat flour dyed with molasses or other brown coloring. Remember the word WHOLE WHEAT must be listed.

    d.  Partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils (AKA Trans Fat)

As of January 1st, 2006, the FDA mandated all food companies list trans fats along with total, saturated, and unsaturated fats on the food labels.  This new law has made it easier for consumers to identify trans fat.   Yet, there is one catch.  Foods claiming to have "zero Trans fats" are allowed to contain up to .5 grams per serving of trans fat. So in essence it is NOT "zero trans fat"! You are consuming at least .5, if not more, since many people actually consume more than one serving throughout a day.  This is why you must read between the lines! ALWAYS read the ingredients list to confirm a specific food product does not contain Trans fat.  Look for the terms "vegetable shortening" or "partially hydrogenated oil", both of which are other terms indicating Trans fat.  If you do decide to purchase a food product with Trans fat, choose products that list the previously mentioned terms near the end of the ingredients list.  This ensures there are minimal amounts of this fat present in your food.



The take away message: This information is provided to offer you "food for thought"; to make the best choices for you and your family. The most important thing is to ALWAYS read and understand the ingredients list before putting any foods in your shopping cart. 

 

This does not mean you can never eat your favorite foods. We suggest to eat them less often if they are not the most nutritious. You want to fuel your body with the most nutrious foods in order to facilitate a healthier self. Even if you choose to purchase packaged foods, there are healthy choices, as long as you keep your detective hat on.  Avoid relying solely on food packaging health claims. They are there to attract you to the product, you decide to purchase it. 

Our next Wellness Blog will focus on specific foods products to compare ingredients labels and demonstrate how to determine which options are the healthier choices.