Portion Control, Sugar Content and Reading Food Labels Samantha Gealoris Virginia Tech Dietetic Intern January 23, 2012

Portion Control

Portion Distortion Quiz Today portion sizes are very distorted. A portion today is completely different from a portion 20 years ago. Large portion sizes are one of the main factors causing obesity and nutrition related diseases. So we are going to do a Portion Distortion Quiz. I am going to show you a portion from 20 years ago and then I am going to show you a portion of the same food today. Portion Distortion Quiz taken from Choose My Plate: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/supertracker-tools/portion-distortion.html

Bagel 20 years ago Today 3 inch diameter 140 calories 6 inch diameter How many calories are in today’s bagel?

How many calories are in today’s fast food burger? Cheeseburger 20 years ago Today 333 calories 590 calories 590 calories How many calories are in today’s fast food burger?

1 cup spaghetti with sauce and 3 small meatballs 20 years ago Today 500 calories 1025 calories 1025 calories How many calories are in today’s serving of spaghetti and meatball dish?

How many calories are in today’s serving of soda? 20 years ago 6.5 ounces 85 calories 20 ounces 500 calories 500 calories How many calories are in today’s serving of soda?

How many calories are in today’s serving of french fries? 20 years ago Today 210 calories 610 calories 610 calories How many calories are in today’s serving of french fries?

How many calories are in today’s Turkey sandwich? 20 years ago Today 320 calories 820 calories! 820 calories How many calories are in today’s Turkey sandwich?

How many calories are in today’s serving of Chicken Caesar Salad? 20 years ago Today 390 calories 790 calories 790 calories How many calories are in today’s serving of Chicken Caesar Salad?

MyPlate illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet using a familiar image—a place setting for a meal. It helps consumer focus on key behaviors: Enjoy your food, but eat less. Avoid oversized portions. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. Make at least half your grains whole grains. Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals—and choose foods with lower numbers. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Daily Recommendations Fruits Girls ages 14-18 1 ½ cups Boys ages 14-18 2 cups low in fat, sodium, and calories sources of many essential nutrients contain Vitamin C Vegetables Girls ages 14-18 2½ cups Boys ages 14-18 3 cups Fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium and calories They are sources of many essential nutrients like potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and folate. They also contain Vitamin C which is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. They are important sources of many nutrients including potassium, fiber, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C. They contain Vitamin A which keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections. low in fat and calories sources of many nutrients contain Vitamin A

Grains Protein Dairy (milk) Girls ages 14-18 6 ounces Boys ages 14-18 8 ounces Protein Girls ages 14-18 5 ounces Boys ages 14-18 6 ½ ounces Dairy (milk) Girls ages 14-18 3 cups Boys ages 14-18 Grains: 1 oz of grains would be the equivalent to a ½ cup of pasta or about ½ the size of a baseball Protein: 1 oz of meat would be the size of a deck of cards Dairy: Low fat or fat free milk is recommended.

Take home points Make half of your plate fruits and veggies. Make at least half of your grains whole grains. Vary your protein food choices Choose lean or low-fat meat and poultry. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Sugar Content

How many tablespoons of sugar are in this 20 oz bottle of Fanta?

Sugar Content in Beverages Mountain Dew (20oz): 77g sugar= 6 ¼ tablespoons Fanta Orange Soda (20oz): 74g sugar= 6 tablespoons Pepsi (20oz): 69g sugar= 5 ½ tablespoons McDonalds Frappe' Mocha (12oz): 62g sugar= 5 tablespoons

Putting Things Into Perspective Worst Bottled Tea: SoBe Green Tea (1 bottle) 61g sugar= 4 slices Sara Lee Cherry Pie INSTEAD TRY: Honest Tea Green Dragon Tea Worst Energy Drink: Rockstar Energy Drink (1 can) 62g sugar= 6 Krispy Kreme Glazed Doughnuts INSTEAD TRY: Monster Lo-Carb Taken from “Drink This, Not That!” by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/20-worst-drinks-america-2010

Worst Soda: Sunkist (1 bottle) 84g sugar = 6 Breyers Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches INSTEAD TRY: Izze Sparkling Clementine Worst “Juice”: Arizona Kiwi Strawberry (1 can) 81g sugar = 7 bowls of Fruit Loops INSTEAD TRY: Fuze Slenderize Strawberry Melon

What is the best drink for me? WATER We really want to try and stay away from sugary drinks like the ones mentioned before. Try some of the substitutes. The best thing to drink is water. Keeps our bodies functioning properly, keeps our skin looking healthy, prevents dehydration.

Reading Food Labels

Check the serving size and number of servings. Calories count, so pay attention to the amount. Know your fats and reduce sodium for your health. Reach for healthy, wholesome carbohydrates. Choose lower fat proteins. Look for foods that are rich in these nutrients. Serving Size: The Nutrition Facts Label information is based on ONE serving, but many packages contain more. How many servings are in this container of macaroni and cheese? 2 What is one single serving size? 1 cup Calories: How many calories are in one single serving? 250 How many calories are in the whole container? 500 Fats, cholesterol and sodium: Select foods that are lowest in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Consume as little trans fat as possible. It is the worst fat for you and can lead to heart problems long term. We also want to limit saturated fat. Replace saturated and trans fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, and liquid vegetable oils. CHO: Healthy sources, like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, can reduce the risk of heart disease and improve digestive functioning. Look for whole grain products such as whole wheat, brown rice, or whole oats. Sugars are a type of CHO. We want to limit foods with added sugars which add calories. Make sure that added sugars are not one of the first few items in the ingredients list. Like we talked about before with the sugary drinks. Proteins: When choosing proteins, such as meat, poultry, dry beans, milk and milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat free. Vitamins and Minerals: Increasing these nutrients will promote good health and may protect you from disease.

Take home point Every individual is different and therefore has different calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fat requirements. Age, gender, exercise and stress level Age, gender, exercise and stress level all influence nutrient needs. Follow the my plate guidelines for more well balanced meals to promote excellent health and prevent future nutrition related diseases.

Wrapping things up Portion sizes today are very distorted Use the MyPlate method for a healthy, balanced diet Avoid sugar-filled drinks and drink plenty of water! When reading food labels be aware of portion sizes, calories and good vs. bad fats Pick foods that are high in vitamins and minerals

Questions?

References Choose My Plate: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/supertrac ker-tools/portion-distortion.html Drink This, Not That. David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/ 20-worst-drinks-america-2010 Portion Distortion Quiz taken from Choose My Plate. Drink This, Not That book by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding referenced on Men’s Health Website.