Nutrition Class 3: Label Reading

What to Aim For: 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!!

Elimination Foods Elimination Foods Trans Fats – Hydrogenated Oils Saturated Fats (<3g per meal or <16g/day) Added Sugar Non-whole grain Product Nutrient Density – Bang for your Buck!

First and foremost- Eat more foods with no label! Moderate evidence in adults and limited evidence in children and adolescents suggests increased intake of vegetables and/or fruits may protect against weight gain.

Look at the Ingredients First! Look for ingredients that represent REAL food. Stay away from products with elimination foods in the first 5 ingredients.

And organic sugar is sugar too! 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

Look at all the terms on this label for sugar—sugar, high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, corn syrup, barley malt syrup, and honey.

Trans Fat What are trans fats? They are fats made during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. Trans fats increase your bad cholesterol (LDL’s) and decrease your good cholesterol (HDL). Trans fats can no longer lurk, hidden, in foods. The new rule requiring the disclosure of trans fat on food labels won’t take effect until January 1, 2006, but food companies are already making changes. Products that are listing trans fats are those that are claiming Trans Fat Free. (Click for arrows). Labels can claim “Trans Fat Free” if product has 0.5 or less grams of trans fat per serving. Look at ingredients list “Partially Hydrogenated” “Shortening” Just because no Trans Fat, doesn’t mean product is healthy.

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 The first ingredient must say whole wheat flour, not just wheat flour or enriched wheat flour those are other terms for white flour.

Reading Nutrition Label HANDOUT

Don’t assume the serving size on the label is what you think a serving should be. If you have 2 servings then you have to double calories, fat, cholesterol ect.

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. Health Claims A health claims is a label statements that characterize the relationship between a nutrient or other substance in food and a disease or health related condition. Health claims require food manufactures to collect scientific evidence and petition the FDA for approval. Before health claims are approved FDA examines enough scientific evidence to establish a clear link between diet and health. Health claims still appear on food labels, but finding them is more difficult now that FDA has approved other categories of claims based on less conclusive evidence.

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 The following relationships for health claims on labels have been approved: Calcium and reduced risk of osteoporosis Sodium and reduced risk of hypertension Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Dietary fat and reduced risk of cancer Fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of cancer Fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and reduced risk of coronary heart disease Fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of cancer Folate and reduced risk of neural tube defects Sugar alcohols and reduced risk of tooth decay Soluble fiber from whole oats and from psyllium seed husk and reduced risk of heart disease Soy protein and reduced risk of heart disease Whole grains and reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers Plant sterol and plant stanol esters and reduced risk of heart disease Potassium and reduced risk of hypertension and stroke

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 The following relationships for health claims on labels have been approved: Calcium and reduced risk of osteoporosis Sodium and reduced risk of hypertension Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Dietary fat and reduced risk of cancer Fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of cancer Fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and reduced risk of coronary heart disease Fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of cancer Folate and reduced risk of neural tube defects Sugar alcohols and reduced risk of tooth decay Soluble fiber from whole oats and from psyllium seed husk and reduced risk of heart disease Soy protein and reduced risk of heart disease Whole grains and reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers Plant sterol and plant stanol esters and reduced risk of heart disease Potassium and reduced risk of hypertension and stroke

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 The following relationships for health claims on labels have been approved: Calcium and reduced risk of osteoporosis Sodium and reduced risk of hypertension Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol and reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Dietary fat and reduced risk of cancer Fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of cancer Fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, and reduced risk of coronary heart disease Fruits and vegetables and reduced risk of cancer Folate and reduced risk of neural tube defects Sugar alcohols and reduced risk of tooth decay Soluble fiber from whole oats and from psyllium seed husk and reduced risk of heart disease Soy protein and reduced risk of heart disease Whole grains and reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers Plant sterol and plant stanol esters and reduced risk of heart disease Potassium and reduced risk of 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 are statements that characterize the relationship between a nutrient or other substance in a food an its role in the body Unlike health claims that require food manufactures to collect scientific evidence and petition the FDA for approval, structure-function claims can be made without FDA approval. The only criterion for a structure-function claim is that is 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 Unfortunately, structure-function claims can be quite similar to health claims. For example compare the following statements: “May reduce the risk of heart disease” “Promotes a healthy heart” Most would argue these two claims are the same. However, the first is a health claim that required FDA approval and the second is a structure-function claim that did not require FDA approval. The following are examples of other structure-function claims:

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 The following are examples of other 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 presence of green tea to support healthy arteries. 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!!

100% nutrition. What does that even mean? Blueberry Pomegranate – All artificial flavoring, no real fruit.

Apps Fooducate http://www.fooducate.com/

What about artificial Sweeteners? Aspartame Splenda NutraSweet Sweet N Low 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

Sodium 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. These amounts are upper limits, less is usually best, especially if you are sensitive to the effects of sodium.

Sodium and your Health 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.

Understanding Sodium Goal to shoot for: <1500mg sodium/day No added salt or Unsalted This salt claim is rare in soups. It is confusing because it does not mean that a soup or any product is necessarily sodium free. It just means that no salt has been added in the recipe. You can look on the Ingredient Statement to see if salt is listed (click for arrow). There is no salt or sodium listed in this Ingredient Statement. You still need to look on the back of the label and check the amount of sodium. (click for arrow)

Check seasoning labels to see if “salt” or “sodium” are listed among the ingredients. PRESENTATION TIP: You might have some sample labels for “show and tell.” For example, some of the “lemon pepper” seasonings contain salt.

Here is a soup that has a lot of sodium – 51% of the Daily Value (click for arrow). In the Ingredient Statement you will find not only salt listed twice (Click “Enter” for arrows), but terms like monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate that all contain sodium.

Tips & Tricks 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