HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE

A Common Sense Approach to Healthy Living

Week Five

Shop Smart: Shopping for a Healthier You

Reading Food Labels Balanced Shopping Keeping a Well-

Stocked Kitchen Knowing your Food

Logos

Grocery Shopping for a Healthier You

Keep variety in mind. Shop the perimeter of the

store Read those food labels Be prepared to shop Be an informed shopper

Reading Food Labels

Serving Sizes Nutrient Information Calories per Gram % Daily Value Trans Fat Rounding Nutritional Claims

Balanced Shopping

Grains

Dry cereal, sliced bread,

whole

wheat tortillas, rice cakes, etc

Look for whole grain products

–B-vitamins

–Fiber

–Low in fat

Fruits and Vegetables

Great sources of

–Vitamins

–Minerals

–Fiber

–Antioxidants Most are fat free

Dairy

Great source of

–Calcium

–Protein

–Vitamin D

Ex: cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese

ProteinsMeat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and

Nuts

Pay attention to portion size and fat content

Excellent source of:–Protein– Iron–Zinc–Vitamin B-12

Oils and Fats

Pay attention to the type and amount you choose

Great source of

– Vitamin E

– Essential fatty acids

– Energy

Sweets

High in Calories Few nutrients Be discerning:

choose only those you truly enjoy.

Keeping a Well Stocked Kitchen

Knowing your Food Logos

Not All logos are Created Equal Reliable vs. Unreliable

Reliable- Certified Organic Inspected every year by USDA-

independent certifiers. Food cannot be grown with

synthetic fertilizers, chemical, or sewage sludge or contain genetically modified organisms

Animals fed Only with organic foods w/out animal byproducts (free of hormones and antibiotics)

Animals must have access outdoors

www.tufts.edu

Reliable- Certified Humane Raised and

Handled Independent non-profit organization Certifies eggs, dairy, meat, and

poultry Allows animals to engage in natural

behaviors, sufficient space, shelter, and gentle handling to limit stress, ample fresh water and healthy diet free of antibiotics or hormones

Inspections every year. www.tufts.edu

Reliable- Country of Origin

Implemented in 2008 for produce, peanuts, beef, pork, chicken, lamb, seafood and goat.

Allowed consumers concerned about lenient pesticide regulations in other countries to make informed decisions about their food.

www.tufts.edu

Unreliable-Free Range/Free Roaming

USDA regulates the term “free range” for poultry, not beef or eggs and birds are only required to have access to outdoors, which could be a concrete feedlot

USDA considers 5 minutes of outdoor time to be sufficientwww.tufts.edu

Unreliable- Grass Fed

Implies that the animal has been raised on a diet consisting fully of grasses, hay, and forage.

Grass fed claim is only reliable if the product has “USDA Process Verified” shield. www.tufts.edu

UnreliableNatural or All Natural

No standard or verification system for these labels

USDA defines “natural” as “A product containing no artificial or added color and only minimally processed (a process which does not fundamentally alter the raw product.)”

www.tufts.edu

The Plan: Week Five

Become an informed shopper. Read the food labels.

Create a healthier kitchen. Complete the Food and Activity

Journal for this week.