Clearing Up the Confusion: New Nutrition Labels Explained

We've gotten so used to seeing nutrition labels on our food, does anyone even pay attention to them? Actually, the answer is; "Yes."  Since the 1960s, food labeling has become the norm, rather than the exception. In the beginning, we saw foods mostly labeled for additives. The idea was to inform the consumer of ingredients they might prefer to avoid.

Then during the 1990s, a new focus was added: the idea that nutritional data was also important to consumers. New labeling terms were standardized so we could compare the claims made by food manufacturers. Terms like "low fat," "light," and "no sugar added" were investigated and new guidelines were created.

All this led to the nutrition label we see today. Now we find facts for fats, calories, and percentage of dietary values for vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients based on a specific caloric intake. This is all well and good, but we all know how confusing all of this information can be. We also know there are still some bits of information missing.

The New Nutrition Label

US Nutritional Fact Label (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to the FDA, change is good, especially when it comes to clarifying nutrition labels. The last update was in 1994, and a lot has changed since then. Popular opinion, common sense, and scientific studies all played a part in these changes.

Here is an example of common sense. If you've ever struggled with calculating serving sizes, you are not alone. The new labels are designed to take the fractions of servings out of choosing a food product. This change was brought about by one common sense notion; when we sit down with a soft-drink, we don't care if it's 16 ounces, 12 ounces, or 20 ounces. We are most likely going to drink the whole thing.

It's simple. The old labels assume a certain number of ounces was a 'serving.' The new labels take into account that we are not drinking part of a bottle of soda at one sitting; we are drinking it all. The new label will read "1 serving per bottle" and list the ingredients, calories, and nutrient information for that one bottle, not a portion of it. Common sense and no more math.

Larger packages which you would divide will have two column labels; one with "per serving" and the other with "per package" information. Think about a bag of chips or pint of ice cream. A person may choose to eat the entire package. If so, that person may want to be aware of what is being ingested. On the other hand, that person may wish to divide that bag of chips into the serving sizes on the package so he or she can limit their caloric, or sodium, or sugar intake to the "per serving" amount.

Speaking of sugar, labels will now show "added sugars" as a separate category so the consumer won't have to try to calculate natural sugars that occur in a product versus added sugars. Until now, "sugars" was a combination of added and natural sugars. Consumers said they wanted to know how much of each, and this new label will address that issue.

Science is playing another big role in these new labels. Since a lot of recent studies show that many Americans are currently deficient in Vitamin D and potassium, these two nutrients will now have a featured spot on the new label. Vitamins A and C may keep their place if the food manufacturer wishes to highlight them, but they are not required any longer. The 'daily values' will change for things like sodium, lowering the percentage to reflect a recommendation to lower sodium to reduce high blood pressure.

The ever popular "calories from fat" will be eliminated. This is due to studies that indicate that - as we often discuss - weight gain is caused by the type of fat consumed, and not by the amount of calories from the fat! You will still find the boxes for "total fat," "trans fat," and "saturated fat" so you can make an informed decision about what sort of fat you want in your meal.

You will also see calories take center stage. With the new enlarged font, you won't have to search for the number of calories in that bag of cookies. And, as mentioned, the package will take into account most consumers habits and assume that most people don't stop at just one cookie.

These are all good changes. From the common sense soda serving example, to the scientific research regarding calories from fat and vitamin D deficiencies, the labels will give the consumer more up to date information. And, with the more visible calorie count, it will be rather difficult to explain away eating an entire box of cookies or bag of chips and pretending you didn't know how many calories you just ate. I'm sure that never happens, but it is good to know. :-)

And, the more we know, the more likely we are to make healthier choices. And of course, be sure to keep educating yourself on making truly healthy choices - just visit our main blog for the latest updates on health & nutrition!

And remember, when you cook your own meals at home from scratch, you won't have to worry about labels anyway!

Achieving Weight Loss Success With Late Night Snacking

Many of us believe that in order to lose weight, we have to cut out all of the late night snacks.  This is true, to a point.  But eating food after a certain time of night doesn't automatically cause weight gain.  In fact, there are some reasons why adding a late night snack to your diet may be beneficial to your overall weight loss plan.  Let's explore the world of weight loss and the midnight munchies.

Calorie Consumption Truth

When we think about late night snacking, we have to understand a simple truth.  Whether you follow a diet where you actually count the calories you eat all day, or you just try to eat foods with fewer calories, the fact is you have to 'count calories.'   The idea is quite simple.  If we need 2,000 calories per day, and we consume most of those calories during the day, we have very little room to add calories at night.  If we consume fewer of those calories during the day, we will have room in our calorie count to eat a snack at night.  Yes, you can ingest your calories any time you like - morning, noon, or night - and it won't make a difference in your weight loss program.  But, as you'll see, there is something to be said for spreading those calories out over the day, and night.

The Need to Snack

The first thing you need to do is decide what sort of late-night snacker you are.  Do you eat because you're hungry?  Do you eat because you're bored?  Do you eat sweet foods?  Do you eat salty foods?  Narrowing down some of the whys-and-whats will make a difference when you are trying to figure out how to lose weight and enjoy your bedtime snacks.  Once you know why you snack at night, you can adjust your snacking to help you stay on track with your diet, or even improve it.  Satisfy your need to snack by planning for healthier choices that fit your taste buds and your diet.  This way you won't keep searching for the solution to your hunger and end up devouring more calories than you needed to.

Stop the Starvation Trigger

The surprising news is, some late night snacking can actually help you lose weight.  If you sit down for dinner at 6 o'clock at night, for instance, and you turn in at 11 o'clock, you have a long stretch where your body is getting the signal that it's not going to get any more food.  Many experts believe that a light snack about an hour before bed signals your body that it's okay to continue to burn calories because there's no danger of starvation.  The key is to make sure the calories you eat for your late night snack are still within your range of total calories recommended for the day, and not beyond.

Smooth Out the Blood Sugar

Every time we eat, our blood sugar rises, then falls.  As this occurs, a healthy body adjusts and uses the nutrients for energy, etc.  The goal is to keep the peaks and valleys smoothed out by eating many smaller healthy meals throughout the day.  If you're eating three meals a day, with no snacks in between, your blood sugar levels are bouncing high and crashing hard.  Sharply spiking and quickly falling blood sugar levels will cause the dieter to grab for the chocolate cake or cookies, which continues the cycle.

Your midnight snack can actually work for you rather than against you in your weight loss plan.  Consider the late-night snack your 'sixth meal' of the day to help turn off the starvation trigger and smooth out your blood sugar.  This can be a valuable tool if you plan nutritious snacks that fit within your total caloric intake.  Remember, your body only needs a certain amount of calories to function.  What time of day you consume those calories doesn't matter much in the overall weight loss scheme.  Preparing for the inevitable midnight munchies attack is definitely part of a smart weight loss program.

Exploring The Pros And Cons Of A Low-Carb Diet

These days it seems we have an unlimited supply of information at our fingertips, whether at the library, bookstore, or the internet.  It's easy to find research on diet plans.  The hard part comes as we sift through all the pros and cons of the diet in question. 

Avoiding information overload can be difficult when trying to decide if the good actually outweighs the bad.  The key is to understanding the difference so you can choose the best diet plan to promote a healthy lifestyle.  Let's take a look at some of the information on low-carb diets so you can make an appropriate decision for yourself:

THE PROS:

Simple carbs. (Photo credit: Newbirth35)

Weight Loss - The reason a majority of people begin dieting is to lose weight.  Low carb diets focus on eliminating the "bad" (or simple) carbs which include white bread, potatoes, pastries, soda, and candy.  These foods have either added sugars, starch, or empty calories.  These bad carbs are not easily burned off so they quickly turn into fat in the body.  Eliminating the bad carbs from your diet and replacing them with good carbs and lean proteins will typically result in weight loss.

Health Benefits - Replacing bad carbs with good carbs in your diet helps regulate spikes in blood sugar which in turn may lower blood pressure and promote heart and circulatory system health.  For those who have diabetes, this is a critical part of a healthy eating plan.  Eating low carb may also help promote low cholesterol levels.  Many diets that help you shed those pesky pounds will also help improve your cardiovascular health.

Mindset Shift - With any diet, we set a goal to start eating better and living a healthier lifestyle.  But, when other diets may fail because they're all about limits, the low carb diet is more about simply choosing healthier foods.  After all, we all know sugar and empty calories are bad for you.  The low carb diet plan goes beyond limits and focuses on selecting good foods you can enjoy.  Counting calories, weighing your food, and looking at a plate of lettuce for dinner just doesn't work long-term for most people.  Having a wide variety of good carbs, proteins, and yes, fats, is the way you will experience the proper mindset for a healthy lifestyle.

THE CONS:

 (Photo credit: fantasyhealthball)

Eating Too Many Fats - With a low carb diet, bad carbs are replaced with good carbs, and lots of protein is permitted.  But, along with the protein often comes fat.  And not only the fat that comes with meat, poultry, or fish, but other sources, as well.  You'll find cheeses, mayonnaise, and even cream on the list of healthy foods on some low carb diets.  Nuts and oils, along with whole eggs are also included.  Depending on your individual needs, this fat may be undesirable.  Foods high in fat, even the 'good fat', are high in calories, and those looking to lose weight usually need to reduce calorie intake - not increase it.  Even within the low carb diet world, opinions differ greatly as to how much fats are allowed.

Health Problems - Wait.  Didn’t I just say there are health benefits to this diet?  Yes, I did.  But, with any diet there are going to be risks.  Following a diet to the letter is difficult, and people can make mistakes or get overly ambitious with the diet plan.  For instance, if you cut out too many carbs, you may experience headaches, fatigue, and other health problems.  (The trick is to reduce your intake of simple carbs - not to eliminate carbs altogether.) Eating the fat allowed in a low carb diet may increase calorie intake.  Fruits are not allowed in the first phases of some low carb diets, causing some dieters to miss out on certain nutrients if they are not replacing them with vegetables.  Red meat is a great source of protein in a low carb diet but is another concern for fat, especially if you are choosing unhealthy conventionally grown meats raised on grains instead of grass.  In some people with digestive problems, eating great amounts of vegetables along with dairy products, both acceptable foods on a low carb diet, may cause flareups.

Just like any diet, eating low carb has good points and bad points.  It’s imperative to talk to your doctor and do your research to decide what sort of diet fits your lifestyle and your health needs.  Every diet needs to be approached in a common sense way.  It's most important to focus on mindset, discipline, and changing your bad eating habits for the long term if you really want to succeed. Part of that is finding good, healthy foods that you enjoy eating. Check back here later this week for some tasty low-carb recipes to get you started!

16 Tips For Eating Healthy When Eating Out

Of course we encourage cooking from scratch whenever possible, but I understand that once in a while it's nice to have a fun dinner out for a special occasion. If you are watching calories or trying to eat healthy, when you go out to a restaurant to eat, you may find all the options a bit confusing. These tips will help you make the most of your dinner out, while making healthier choices.

sauces (Photo credit: namealus)1. Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.

2. When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without, or with just a little, butter or oil.

3. Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!

4. You should always try to drink water or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol. And beware of diet sodas - they are NOT healthy! They provide ZERO nutritional value, and most are loaded with chemicals that have been shown to actually increase appetite, which is definitely not what you want.

5. If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories - and you'll still satisfy your sweet tooth.

6. When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. But a soup can be a great appetizer, as most are fairly low in calories and fill you up pretty fast, so you can order a smaller entree.

7. When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.

8. When you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you - it will tell you when you've had enough!

9. If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one - and hey, it's always nice to save a little money too, right?

Image via Wikipedia10. If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal. You'll get more variety, and probably save money as well.

11. If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.

12. Always look for food on the menu that's baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories.

13. As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals.

14. Choose foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice, if available.

15. If you crave dessert, look for something with low fat, such as berries or fruit. (Or see tip #5 above.)

16. Always remember not to deprive yourself of the foods you truly love, or you will tend to splurge, binge, or otherwise over-indulge later. All types of foods can fit into a well-balanced diet, if you eat them in moderation, and balance them with healthy choices.

Using Nutrition Labels to Make Healthy Choices

The nutrition label located on processed food items will tell you a lot of information about that food.  For some however, this information isn't exactly that reader friendly, and may contain hidden pitfalls for your health.  Fear not, as it's actually easier than you think. Here are some helpful tips.

Image via WikipediaServing Size
This size is based on the recommended amount per item, based on the USDA food pyramid. Similar food items will have similar serving sizes, thus making it easier to compare 2 foods of the same category. Paying attention to serving size can be very valuable, as many people are surprised that servings of fruits and vegetables may be larger than they expected, while a serving of grains may be smaller (this is due to the caloric content of various foods - some are denser than others).

% Daily Value
This indicates how the vitamins and minerals in a food product will fit in a 2,000 calorie diet.  This will help you to understand if the food has a lot, or just a little of the important nutrients. (Keep in mind that NOT everyone should eat a 2,000 calorie diet - your correct caloric intake depends on a variety of factors, including height, weight, and daily activity level, as well as whether you are trying to lose weight or gain it, so remember that when looking at the nutrition label, this is just a guideline, as you may eat more or less than 2,000 calories per day. Here is a quick tip for finding out how many calories you need per day: If you get 30 minutes of daily exercise, you need to consume about 15 calories per pound of body weight, to maintain your current weight (less if you are trying to lose weight, OR if you get less exercise;  more if trying to gain, or if you get more exercise). For example, if you get 30 minutes of exercise per day, and you weigh 120lbs, you need about 1800 calories per day to maintain your current weight.)

The middle section
The nutrients you'll find listed in the middle section are some of the ones most important to your health.  This information can help you to calculate your daily limit of fat, fiber, sodium, sugar, and other nutrients. (However, you will want to make sure you DON'T just rely on this section - you will also want to make sure you read the ingredients! Some items naturally contain sugar or sodium, while others have these ingredients added. Just because an item says it contains "2 g" of sugar doesn't necessarily mean there is sugar added - it may be naturally occurring in - for example - dried or fresh fruit, etc. It is also important to watch out for artificial ingredients, many of which may be very harmful to your health, and these won't show up in this section of the label.)

Vitamins & minerals
The percent daily value found here is the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins and minerals.  (This may help in your choosing of supplements, but most processed foods do not contain that many vitamins and minerals - keep in mind you may need much more of these than the RDA - the RDA is the MINIMUM to avoid a deficiency disease only - it does not mean that is what you need for optimum health.)

Ingredients
Now we get to the largest, and usually most important part of the label. Anytime you buy a processed food product, you should ALWAYS read the ingredients! You may be shocked to find out some of the stuff that is added to your food. Watch out for (and try to avoid) artificial sweeteners, artificial colors and flavors, and excess preservatives. Not sure what all of these might be named?  They can go by a lot of different names, but as a general rule of thumb, if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it! Long chemical-sounding names are best avoided. Stick with whole, real food ingredients that you recognize. Also, the ingredients are listed in descending order, from the largest amount to the smallest, so the first few ingredients on the Image via Wikipedialabel constitute the majority of the product. (Watch out for sugar here! Sugar is a sneaky one, as it goes by so many names - sometimes there are 4 or more kinds of sugar in one product - keep an eye out for sugars in the first few ingredients on the label - especially if there are multiple types - this means the majority of the product consists of sugar! High-fructose corn syrup is typically easy to spot, but some of the others may not be. If in doubt, keep an eye out for the "-ose" -- e.g. sucrose, lactose, fructose, etc. - these are all sugars.)

In a hurry? Here is a really quick helpful tip for reading ingredients labels: The fewer ingredients the better.

More ingredients means more junk added to your food. Even just glancing at the label to see if it is short or long, can help you eat healthier!  In general, the more processed the food, the longer the list of ingredients. And you may be surprised how many things are added to the simplest items.

For example, did you know that most "sour cream" now sold in grocery stores is not cream at all?  REAL sour cream contains just 2 ingredients (at most): cultured cream, and salt. (Some leave out the salt, and some list the cream separate from the culture - so it may say "cream and enzymes," or something similar.)  Many brands of "sour cream" on store shelves now have 5 or 6 ingredients, and cream is not even at the top! Not good. Steer clear of these overly processed brands if you can. (In terms of sour cream, Daisy and a few store brands still make the real stuff.)

Now that you know what the nutrition label actually means, it'll be a lot easier to make healthy food choices.