Nutrition

Class 3: Label Reading

Elimination Foods Trans Fats – Hydrogenated Oils Saturated Fats Added Sugar Non-whole grain Product

Nutrient Density – Bang for your Buck!

Review- Elimination Foods

Sodium: <1500mg/day (500mg/meal) Sodium should be less than total calories of food item.

Total Fat: 56-78g/day Cholesterol: <300mg/day (for most people) Saturated Fat: <16g/day

<3g per meal Must be whole grain

Whole grain is first ingredient on list. Added sugar should not be in the first 5 ingredients The least amount of ingredients the better!

Fruits and vegetables don’t have a food label!!

What to Aim For:

First and foremost- Eat more foods with no

label!

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Look at the Ingredients First!

Look for ingredients that represent REAL food.

Stay away from products with elimination foods in the first 5 ingredients.

Avoid foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top ingredients.

Thanks to food science, there are forty some types of sugar in processed food.

Sugar is sugar.And organic sugar is sugar too!

Added Sugar on Labels

Trans Fat

http://youtu.be/1pD3-j0GWdo

Does “fat free” really mean zero fat?

Implying No Unhealthy Fats

Edy’s Dibs Bite Sized Frozen Snacks boast “0 g trans fat!” per serving but contain 16 g of saturated fat (80% of the Daily Value).

Non-100% Whole Grain

HANDOUT

Reading Nutrition Label

Don’t assume the serving size on the label is what

you think a serving should be.

Confusing Serving Sizes

According to the label, this soup has “about 2 servings.” But half of consumers surveyed consumed the contents of the entire 18.8 oz. can.

Health Claims

A health claim is a label statement that describes the relationship between a nutrient and a disease or health-related condition.

Health claims require manufacturers to collect scientific evidence and petition FDA for approval

Before health claims are approved FDA examines enough scientific evidence to establish a clear link between diet and health.

FDA Approved Health Claims

Calcium and osteoporosis Sodium and hypertension Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and risk of

coronary heart disease Dietary fat and cancer Fiber and cancer

FDA Approved Health Claims

Fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber and heart disease

Fruits and vegetables and cancer Folate and neural tube defects Sugar alcohols and tooth decay Soluble fiber from whole oats and psyllium and

heart disease

FDA Approved Health Claims

Soy protein and heart disease Whole grains and heart disease and certain

cancers Plant sterol and plant stanol esters and heart

disease Potassium and hypertension and stroke

Structure-Function Claims

Structure-function claims are statements that characterize the relationship between a nutrient or substance in a food and its role in the body.

Unlike health claims where manufacturers must collect scientific evidence and petition FDA for approval, structure-function claims can be made without FDA approval.

The only criterion for a structure-function claim is it must not mention a disease or symptom.

Structure-Function Claims

Structure-function claims can be quite similar to “A” list health claims. Compare the following: “May reduce the risk of heart disease” “Promotes a healthy heart”

1st FDA list approved health claim 2nd unapproved structure-function claim

Example Structure-Function Claims

Builds strong bones

Defends your health

Promotes relaxation

Slows aging Improves

memory

Guards against colds

Boosts the immune system

Lifts your spirits Supports your

health

Ignoring the Approved Health Claims

This cereal hypes the presenceof green tea to support healthyarteries. However the FDA’s studies for green tea relates to cancer, not heart disease.

Problems with Function Claims

There is no evidence that the product supports” a child’s immune system, although that claim is stated on the front and back of the package label. The cereal is about 40% sugar – a quintessential “junk food.”

And the Myths Continue….

These Veggie Crisps are made with a few grams of tomato puree and spinach, not a “bountiful blend” as they claim.

1 oz serving = 7gm fat and 0% Vitamin A and C

The “Natural” Claim

These “all natural” banana slices are fried, sweetened, and pumped with “natural banana flavor”. Each ¼ cup serving supplies 150 calories and of the 8 gms of fat, 7 are saturated. A McDonald’s Quarter Pounder has 8 gms saturated fat!!

Apps

Fooducate http://www.fooducate.com/

What about artificial Sweeteners?

Pros Fewer to no

calories Some can be

sweeter tasting than sugar

Cons Not enough known Perhaps leads to

consumption of more calories throughout day

Artificially sweetened foods may replace nutritious foods

Does not allow taste buds to “adjust” to natural flavors

Aspartame Splenda NutraSweet Sweet N Low

The general recommendations are 2300 mg/day

1 tsp. New CDC recommends as low as 1500

mg/day for people with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and overall inflammation.

¾ tsp.

Sodium

An individual does not need more than 116 mg/day to maintain a healthy body. Helps with fluid balance in your body, helps transmit

nerve impulses, and influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles.

Many Americans consume more than 4000 mg/day (2 Tbsp)of sodium.

Risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, kidney disease, and stroke.

Sodium and your Health

Understanding Sodium

No added salt orUnsalted

Goal to shoot for: <1500mg sodium/day

Check seasoning labels to see if “salt” or “sodium” are listed among the ingredients.

Stay away from processed foods Take the salt shaker off the table Don’t cook with salt Drain and rinse canned foods, since they are packed with

sodium When dining out, ask that your foods be prepared without

salts Always Read Labels: Soups, deli meat, hot dogs, & ham Choose crackers, nuts and other snack foods with NO ADDED

SALT Use herbs in cooking which are salt free AND provide anti-

inflammatory benefit

Tips & Tricks

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/nine-servings-a-day-minimum/

Other Video Clips: