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T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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August 2013 | The GI & Bariatric Nutrition Center, LLC | 443-490-1240
Newsletter Focus: Food Label Reading & Deceptions
Highlights
Contents
Special Interest Articles
Reading a Food Label 2
Four Common Food Label Deceptions 3-6
Portion Sizing Chart – Cut Out 4
Added Sugars 7-10
Individual Highlights
Recipe Corner 11
Upcoming STRIVE MD Series I Dates 12
Upcoming Support Group Dates 12
In this DOUBLE edition we will focus on reading food labels and food label
deceptions. Our goal has always been and will remain the same: to provide
you with the proper tools to make healthy food choices. With the proper
knowledge you too can master going to the grocery store or out to eat without
fear of sabotaging your weight-loss efforts. Here’s how:
2Q & 3Q 2013, DOUBLE ISSUE
Nancy Lum, RD, LDN
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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Walk into any supermarket, and you'll
find rows of packaged foods boasting
how healthy they are. From "fat-free"
to "natural" to "helps your immune
system," front-of-the-box labels may
give the appearance of good nutrition,
but the reality is a bit more
complicated.
Unlike the Nutrition Facts panel,
which is tightly regulated, front-of-
the-package food labels aren't as
closely monitored. In addition, food
companies tend to "stretch the
envelope" of what's permitted, says
Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition,
food studies, and public health at New
York University. The result, she says:
Many of the health claims you see are
misleading.
In the past few years, the Food and
Drug Administration has gone after
more than a dozen food companies
for deceptive labeling, but the most
important thing for consumers to do,
says Ruth Frechman, a registered
dietitian and spokesperson for the
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is
to "be informed so they know how to
interpret the label."
Here's a look at some of the most
common front-of-the-package food
labels, and what they really mean:
Fat-, Sugar-, or Salt-Free
Labeling a food as "free" of a certain
nutrient, whether salt, sugar, or fat,
means it has none, or a
"physiologically inconsequential"
amount of that nutrient, according to
the FDA. If the package says "calorie-
free," the item has fewer than 5
calories per serving. For sugar or fat,
this means the food has fewer than
0.5 grams per serving. But be careful,
says Frechman. A food "could say 'fat-
free,' but it could contain a lot of
calories from sugar," she explains. "If
you're watching your weight, you
should also look at the total calories."
Low-Fat, Low-Sugar, or Low-Salt
If an item is labeled "low" in a
particular element, it means that you
can eat several servings without
exceeding the recommended daily
limit. Low-fat products have fewer
than 3 grams of fat per serving; low-
saturated fat items have less than 1
gram per serving. Low-sodium means
the food has 140 milligrams or less per
serving; low-cholesterol means 20 mg.
or less and fewer than 2 grams of
saturated fat. Low-calorie products
have fewer than 40 calories per
serving.
No Trans Fats
Even if a package advertises "no trans
fats," be careful. Products carrying this
label can still have up to half a gram of
trans fat per serving, according to the
FDA. "If you eat a bunch of servings, it
could add up," says Frechman. Trans
fats are a type of unsaturated fat that
raise your LDL cholesterol levels (the
"bad" kind) and increase your risk of
heart disease. Because of these health
risks, trans fats have been banned or
restricted in several cities and
counties .
Health Claims
Michael Jacobson, executive director
for the Center for Science in the Public
Interest, a consumer advocacy group,
says the FDA requires scientific
consensus before a company can
claim its product strengthens a body
part or prevents a disease. However,
claims that a food maintains or
supports a bodily function are not
monitored as strictly. While the FDA
gives the vague guideline that they
must be "truthful and not misleading,"
it does not require any scientific
evidence for these claims to be made.
A CSPI report gives an example of how
confusing this can be: The label "may
help reduce the risk of heart disease"
would require FDA approval, while
"helps maintain a healthy heart"
would not. Another common but
largely unregulated health claim is
"helps support immunity." According
to Jacobson, this kind of wording "is a
great example of how companies are
tricking consumers," because there
may not be any evidence to back their
claims. Nestle offers her own advice:
"My somewhat facetious rule is never
to buy anything with a health claim
because they are all misleading."
Natural
The FDA has no formal definition for
what "natural" means, but defers to a
nearly 20-year-old policy that says it
will not object to the label as long as
the product "does not contain added
color, artificial flavors, or synthetic
substances." In the end, Nestle says,
the "natural" label "means basically
whatever the manufacturer decides."
Organic
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
has specific guidelines that food
producers must comply with if they
want to use the "organic" label.
Animal products cannot be given
antibiotics or growth hormones, and
plants cannot be grown with
conventional pesticides or fertilizers
made with synthetic ingredients or
sewage. Genetic engineering and
irradiation, exposing crops to
radiation to kill bacteria and other
pests, are also prohibited for plants to
be considered organic.
There are three levels of organic to
look for in stores. "One hundred
percent organic" means products are
made entirely from organic
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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ingredients, "organic" means that at
least 95 percent of a product's
ingredients are organic, and "made
with organic ingredients" indicates
that at least 70 percent of ingredients
are organic. While going organic may
be better for the environment,
Frechman says it's "not necessarily"
the healthier option. "The science is
mixed," she says.
Fresh
According to the FDA, food items
labeled "fresh" must be raw or
unprocessed, and never have been
frozen or heated. They also cannot
contain any preservatives. However,
"fresh" does not mean that fruits and
vegetables have been picked recently,
or that animals were killed at a certain
time. As Frechman says, "fresh"
produce may have bacteria from
sitting in a store or on a truck for a
long time, so make sure you wash all
fruits and vegetables.
Genetically Modified
Genetically modified foods—whose
DNA has been altered with the help of
modern technology—do not have to
be labeled, though their safety is still
up for debate in the scientific
community.
(According to the World Health
Organization, "GM foods currently
available on the international market
have passed risk assessments and are
not likely to present risks for human
health.") The majority of corn and
soy—primary ingredients in junk
food—are genetically modified, so
researchers estimate that 70 percent
of all processed foods contain some
genetically modified ingredients,
though you wouldn't know it to look
at the packaging. The only way to
avoid genetically modified foods is to
buy 100 percent organic. But be on
the lookout for new policy changes—a
California ballot measure will ask
voters in November whether the state
should require that all genetically
modified foods be labeled.
By CAITLIN YOSHIKO KANDIL
Source:
http://health.usnews.com/health-
news/articles/2012/08/22/what-food-
labels-really-mean
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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4 Common Food Label
Deceptions
One of the best ways to find out the
nutritional values of packaged
foods is to look at foodlabels. Food
labels provide important
information such as the ingredients
used, recommended serving sizes,
calories, nutrition and others.
However, some food
manufacturers use misleading
labels to trick consumers into
thinking that their products have
high nutritional values, when the
products may be unhealthy and
even toxic. To make sure that you
will not be deceived by
dishonest food labels, you should
learn more about the common
types of food label deceptions that
are used by food manufacturers to
make their products more
attractive to consumers.
1) Combination of Sweeteners
Modern consumers are concerned
with the quantities of sugar that are
found in food products. As such,
some manufacturers try to make
people think that their products are
low in sugar. They use a
combination of different
sweeteners, such as cane sugar,
evaporated cane sugar, dextrose,
sucrose, corn syrup and high
fructose corn syrup, in their
products. These sweeteners have
the same effect on the body as
regular sugar, and they do not have
any nutritional value. According to
regulations set by the FDA,
ingredients of the highest
concentrations have to be listed
on food labels first. With so many
different types of sweeteners in the
products, the total sugar content
will not be shown on the food
labels. Instead, it will appear as
several separate ingredients. Those
who do not know terms such as
dextrose and sucrose will think that
the food products contain very little
sugar.
2) Manipulation of Serving Sizes
Food manufacturers can also trick
consumers by manipulating portion
sizes that are shown on food labels.
The portion sizes are reduced to
ridiculously small quantities, which
are still legal according to FDA
regulations, and the amounts of
ingredients will appear to be lower
than their actual amounts in the
whole product. For example,
people usually drink a whole bottle
of soda in one sitting, but the label
may indicate that a bottle is
actually 2 or 2 1/2 servings.
3) The “Zero Trans Fat” Trick
In the past few years, many
negative things have been said
about trans fat, and some localities
around the world have even
banned the sale and consumption
of any product that contains trans
fat. Therefore, it has become a
good business practice for food
manufacturers to include a “Zero
Trans Fat” label on their products.
Many products do not contain any
trans fat at all, but there are some
products that have small amounts
of it. FDA requires manufacturers
to report trans fat on their food
labels if the quantity is more than
0.5 grams per serving. To make
consumers think that their products
are free of trans fat, manufacturers
suggest smaller serving sizes on
their labels.
4) Hiding Detrimental Ingredients
Many manufacturers also replace
the names of certain detrimental
ingredients with more innocent-
sounding names, so that consumers
will not be deterred from trying
their products. For instance, the
term “yeast extract” is used as a
substitute for the dangerous
additive MSG, and “sodium nitrate”
is actually an ingredient that can
contribute to the development of a
few types of cancer.
Source:
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-
articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/4-
common-food-label-deceptions.html
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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Finding Hidden Sugars on Food Labels & Recommendations for Substitutions
"OSE" SUGARS:
Dextrose Fructose Galactose Glucose Lactose
Levulose Maltose Saccharose Sucrose Xylose
"OL" SUGARS (4 CALORIES PER GRAM ABSORB 2):
Mannitol Sorbitol Xylitol
OTHER SUGARS:
* Agave - Derived from the blue agave cactus, agave syrup tastes similar to honey (high concentrated sugar); * Barley Malt – A sweet syrup with a strong malt flavor, derived from sprouted barley; Beet Sugar; Brown Sugar;
* Brown Rice Syrup - A syrup made from sprouted brown rice. Cane Juice crystals; Cane Sugar; Caramel Color; Confectionary Sugar; Corn Sugar; Corn Sweetener; Corn Syrup; Corn Syrup Solids;
* Date Sugar - A sweetener consisting of ground, dried dates. Can be substituted for other granulated sugars. It also adds moistness to baked goods; Dehydrated Cane Juice; Dextrin; Fruit Juice Concentrate; Granulated Sugar;
High Fructose Corn Syrup; Honey; Invert Sugar; Isomalt; Malt Syrup; Maltodextrin Maple Sugar; Maple Syrup; Molasses; Palm Sugar; Raw Sugar; Rice Syrup; Sorghum; Treacle; Turbinado Sugar
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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Sugar Substitutes Recommended
Stevia or brand name Truvia - A naturally sweet herb native to Paraguay. It is
non-caloric, and has been used as a natural sweetener and flavor enhancer for
centuries.
Domino Sugar/Stevia Blend - is made from Stevia and some sugar combined
and does not have the aftertaste of Stevia alone.
Splenda and Splenda Baking blends - is a sugar derivative from sugar.
Susta - is made of natural ingredients. These ingredients are orange peel,
probiotics, or “good bacteria,” vitamin C, cinnamon extract, goji berry extract, grape
seed extract–and the list goes on, with still more natural extracts and B vitamins in
the mix. SUSTA’S composition resembles a fruit or vegetable. In creating SUSTA
was to make something that could taste just like sugar but could also help you feel
better.
Nectresse Natural No Calorie Sweetener – Sweetener made from real,
naturally sweet monk fruit extract blended with other natural sweeteners (erythritol,
sugar and molasses). Gluten free, and up to 1tsp of Nectresse is considered a “free
food” in diabetic meal-plans (The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American
Diabetes Association consider a free food to be any food or beverage that contains less than 20
calories and 5 grams or less of carbohydrate per serving).
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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This product contains high sugar (and added sugar is the
3nd ingredient outside of the parenthesis) and is not a
considerable source of protein at 10g per serving.
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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This product contains low sugar and is a good source of
protein at 20g per serving.
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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Blackberry Protein Popsicles with Dark Chocolate Sugar-Free “Magic-Shell” Coating
Popscicle:
1 scoop unflavored
protein powder
1 container Blackberry
Chobani Greek Yogurt
1/4c. Unsweetened
Vanilla Almond Milk
1/4 tsp. Nectreese
1 handful fresh
blackberries
3-4 ice cubes.
Blend. Pour in pop mold &
freeze overnight.
Dark Chocolate Sugar-Free
Shell:
2T coconut oil, 1/4c Special Dark
Chocolate cocoa, 2tsp (or to taste)
sweetener like Nectresse .
Melt coconut oil and
sweetener in microwave for
30 seconds. Add in cocoa
and stir. Dip or spoon over
your protein popsicles.
Recipe by: Heather Neider
Jalapeño Shrimp Cakes Skinnytaste.com Servings: 4 • Size: 1 shrimp cake w/ avocado • Calories: 173 • Fat: 5 g • Carb: 5 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 24 g • Sugar: 1 g Sodium: 321 mg • Cholest: 172 mg Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled and
deveined (weight after
peeled)
1 large jalapeño,
seeded and minced (for
spicy, leave the seeds)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 medium scallions,
chopped
2 tablespoons fresh
cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons panko
(use GF crumbs for
gluten free)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh
ground black pepper
For topping: 4 lime wedges
1/2 medium avocado,
sliced thin
Directions:
Dry shrimp well with a
paper towel then place the
shrimp in the food
processor along with
jalapeño and garlic
then pulse a few times until
almost pasty.
Combine the shrimp in a
large bowl with remaining
ingredients and mix well to
combine.
Source: SkinnyTaste
http://www.skinnytaste.com
/2013/05/jalapeno-shrimp-
cakes.html
Recipe Corner:
T h e G I & B a r i a t r i c N u t r i t i o n C e n t e r – Q u a r t e r l y N e w s l e t t e r
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Upcoming Events
STRIVE MD Motivational Group Counseling, Series I
Both at Geipe Road - ALL of These dates are on Saturdays
Group 8 Group 9
9/28/13 9- 10:30 11:30-1:00
10/12/13 9 -10:30 11:30-1:00
10/26/13 9 -10:30 11:30-1:00
11/9/13 9- 10:30 11:30-1:00
11/23/13 9- 10:30 11:30 1:00
12/14/13 9- 10:30 11:30-1:00
12/21/13 9- 10:30 11:30-1:00
For more information
about STRIVE and to
register please visit:
www.StriveMD.com
or call 443-490-1240
Nancy Lum, RD, LDN &
Dawn O’Meally, LCSW-C, P.A.
STRIVE MD is a series of group counseling meetings being held by both Dietitian Nancy Lum and
Therapist Dawn O’Meally. Participants will have the benefit of receiving both nutrition counseling and
psycho-educational therapy at the same time - at each and every meeting! The focus will be on the
cognitive & behavioral changes necessary to help you obtain your weight loss goals and to help you
achieve a healthier lifestyle. At STRIVE MD we want YOU to be able to make the healthy choices
necessary to meet your goals!!
Nancy Lum, RD, LDN
443-490-1240
www.nutrition5.com
https://www.facebook.com/GIBNC
https://twitter.com/#!/GIBNC
www.yourvitaminshere.com
Newsletter Author: Heather Neider