Journal Agricultural Economics
 
People -- particularly women -- who read food labels while they grocery shop are thinner than people who don't, a new study finds. Women who checked nutritional labels weighed what amounted to nearly 9 pounds less than those who didn't. Nutrition labels tell consumers how many calories are contained in a food portion, as well as levels of sodium, fats, sugars, protein, dietary fiber and key vitamins and minerals.
The study found big differences between the people who read food labels and those who did not. People who live in cities were the most careful about reading food labels. People with high school and college educations also paid more attention to nutritional labels. Fifty-eight percent of men took the time to read labels, compared with 74 percent of women.
 
It can be very difficult trying to read and understand food labels. At KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS, when you meet with our nutritionists, this is one of the things we teach our patients.

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While it is true that everyone needs some salt to function, Americans consume much more salt than they need for the body's balance of fluids. 80% of our total intake comes from salt added to processed foods by manufacturers and salt that restaurant food preparers add.  Generally, you should not have more than about a teaspoon of table salt, or 2300 milligrams of sodium a day.   If you have high blood pressure, diabetes or have been told by your doctor to watch your sodium intake, you should have 1500 mg or less. The 'sodium' on a food label is listed in 'mg' and refers to the amount per serving so always check the serving size.  Marketing slogans want us to believe that the 'sea salt'  used in their product is a safe and healthy way to get a good flavor.   Not true.  The sodium content is only slightly reduced.  One tsp table salt: 6 grams = 2400 mg sodium.   One tsp sea salt: 5 grams = 2000 mg sodium.  One tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt: 2.8 grams = 1120 mg sodium.  Sodium balance is critical for optimal health of your heart, kidneys, ateries and brain.

First there was the snake-oil salesman who found that by claiming his product cured numerous ailments more people were enticed to buy it, and pay a higher price as well.  Constantly traveling from town to town served him well because people eventually discovered his boasts and 'guarantees' were false.  Today we are aware and against any false advertising and there are many laws and regulations, especially for things we consume such as vitamins, supplements, medicine, alcohol, tobacco and food.  Currently there are several health claims which are approved for legal use in the U.S. as long as they meet FDA-established criteria.  You will recognize them because of course manufacturers use them in marketing.  These are some of the valid claims which show a tested and true relationship: Consumption of dietary (non-sugar) sweeteners and reduced risk of dental caries; Diets rich in whole grain foods and reduced risk of heat disease and certain cancers; Consumption of soluble fiber from certain foods and reduced risk of coronary heart disease; Diets low in sodium and reduced risk of hypertension; Diets low in total fat and reduced risk of cancer; Diets with enough calcium and reduced risk of osteoporosis in certain populations.   Do not assume that health claims you read are valid, check them out for yourself.  For complete information about claims and food labeling visit www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation

During an extended period of time focused on weight loss, there will be weeks when there are more pounds lost than expected, sometimes less than expected and sometimes there are 'plateaus' where the scale just seems stuck for a while.

In Monday's Kaizen Healthy Lifestyle class we discussed how to deal with plateaus so they aren't too discouraging nor lengthy.  Again, keeping a food log is one of the best tools anyone has used which helps us not only be more mindful during the day but can provide important clues when weight loss plateaus and we aren't sure why. Class members shared that looking at the food log helped them break a plateau period by making them more conscious of portion sizes, how much water they were drinking, how frequently they were eating out at restaurants, and how much fiber they ate each day.

In addition to a high-fiber diet reducing your risk of diabetes, digestive disorders, hemorrhoids, certain cancers and heart disease, getting plenty of fiber assists with weight loss and weight maintenance.  The USFDA recommends including 20-30 grams of fiber each day.  Eating fiber adds no calories yet helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied.  When class members paid attention to getting enough fiber they found they were eating more desirable foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and feeling satisfied. They decreased overeating and junk food snacking.

Keeping your eye on fiber has many benefits, and if you want to give your weight loss efforts a boost, read your food labels and choose higher fiber products. For example, for cold cereals, look for more than 5 g of fiber and less than 5 g of sugar per serving.  Adding sliced almonds or walnuts boosts any cereal's fiber without sugar, so try that also.

Kaizen Total Wellness nutritionist Annette Shuchert was a featured speaker at the open house Thursday evening at Che Bella.

Annette showed how spending just a little more time reading the nutrition information on food labels can help us make important distinctions and much healthier choices.  For example, the healthiest looking skin is the most hydrated skin.  So in addition to drinking at least eight bottles of water each day, spaced throughout the day, we should pay attention to counter-hydration ingredients like sodium.  Even diet coke and yogurt have sodium we don't think about! 

80% of total salt intake comes from salt added to processed foods by manufacturers and salt that restaurant food preparers add.

The Nutrition Facts label on foods contains the amount of salt, listed as “sodium.” Generally, you should not have more than about a teaspoon of table salt, or 2300 milligrams of sodium a day – remember the ‘sodium’ on the label is listed in ‘mg’ and refers to the amount per serving.

If you are in a category of people more sensitive to sodium levels, the guideline is to consume no more than 1500 mg a day. This could be appropriate for people with high blood pressure, African Americans, people with kidney disease, diabetes, or those over 50.   Some medical conditions alert doctors to recommend even lower amounts.  

Healthy Substitutions was the nutrition topic discussed in Monday's Healthy Lifestyle class. The Kaizen approach is not about deprivation, it is about making choices that will help you get your optimum nutritional value out of each calorie.

Smart substitutions are ones that provide more 'good stuff' like fiber and vitamins and less 'bad stuff' like saturated fats and sugar. The smartest substitutions do this without making you feel you are missing out on anything, like flavor, texture, or sense of fullness.

Here are some of my favorite substitutions. Please share yours with me!   

• For vegetable oil called for in a baking recipe, substitute the same amount of unsweetened apple sauce.
• Instead of mayo, use guacamole (healthy, home-made) on a sandwich. 
• Instead of grits with poached eggs, have half a piece of whole grain toast and ¼ cup black beans.
• Rather than M & M’s, have a few Emerald's cocoa roasted or cinnamon almonds.
• Instead of sugar for iced tea, use stevia and fresh mint leaves.
• Rather than lettuce for sandwiches or salads, use raw spinach and/or arugula.
• Use no-sodium chicken stock to make soup and spice it with pepper or cilantro.
• For a change from broth soups, use unsweetened almond milk to make it ‘creamy’.
• Instead of granola crumbles, add sliced almonds to yogurt or cereal.
• Use cinnamon instead of brown sugar to top oatmeal.
• Dip apple slices into natural peanut butter or almond butter, not caramel.
• For 2/3 of the usual amount of lean ground beef when making meatballs or hamburgers, substitute ground turkey breast and rolled oats.
• For the bread crumbs needed to make crab cakes or salmon cakes, substitute half the amount with whole grain bread crumbs or crushed original Fiber One cereal,  and half shredded raw zucchini.
• Make a gallon of orange Crystal Lite to keep in the fridge instead of orange juice.
• Instead of the usual cocktail, make a mixed drink with club soda, diet cranberry juice and lime wedge.
• Cut an apple into small chunks, sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice and stevia then microwave 2 min. and ‘dessert’ is ready.
• Marinate chicken in buttermilk instead of high-sodium marinades - very tenderizing! 
• Instead of a butter or cream sauce for fish, make a mango salsa, Kaizen's recipe for Georgia Relish, or other interesting fat-free topping.
• Use plain yogurt and a variety of seasonings instead of sour cream and salt to make dips.
• Wrap your hors d'oeuvres like cantaloupe bites with smoked salmon instead of prosciutto.
• Peel and core an apple, then cut across into ½ rings to use as a ‘bagel’ for lox and fat-free cream cheese.
• Blend a smoothie with skim milk, vanilla whey protein powder, diet root beer and ice and you’ve got a ‘Root Beer Float’.

Monday's Healthy Lifestyle class offered new information about what to eat, and not eat, to lower risk of heart disease or stroke, reviewing my 'Ask the Dietitian' article in February's Living Out East Magazine. http://www.livingouteast.com/digital/LOEOB_February_2011. We reviewed food labels on packages... so tricky! 

     Annette Schuchert  http://www.kaizentotalwellness.com/about-us   also led a lively discussion where the participants learned about the four questions to stop and ask yourself when you reach for food, especially an unplanned snack.  1. Am I hungry?  2. Is this what I feel like eating? 3. Is this what I feel like eating now? 4. Is there something else I could eat instead?   (from The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size by Julia Cameron, bestselling author of  The Artist's Way.

 This really helps us be more mindful, more conscious of what we 

are putting in our mouths and bodies.   Ask the questions gently. 

For one week, keep a journal handy and write your answers. 

   http://www.kaizentotalwellness.com/nutrition