5
Things to Check for When Buying “Health Food”
The real food movement is in full
force, which on many levels is a good thing. But like any trend in eating,
there are unintended consequences that are bound to happen. For example, many
products boast using natural ingredients devoid of artificial dyes, high
fructose corn syrup and certain preservatives as the selling point. And while
that information is still important, it doesn’t automatically mean that food
product is better nutritionally than others. This is why I use the same
watchful eye with ANY product. So here are 5 signs that what’s behind the
illusion of the natural, unadulterated food, isn’t always all that.
1. It’s Packed with Sodium: Most of
the sodium in our diets comes from packaged and processed food. An item made
under a health halo, still has to add preservatives like sodium, to keep the
growth of bacteria at bay. In fact, the use of salt as a preservative has been
used for centuries. How much salt is too much? The World Health Organization
just came out with recommendations to keep sodium under 2000mg. So apply this
to labels and how much you would be using. If a product has 500mg and you are
likely to have two times the serving amount, that’s quite a bit too much.
2. It’s Loaded with Added Sugar:
Products deemed as natural tend to use agave, organic sugar, evaporated cane
juice and brown rice syrup as sweeteners instead of high fructose corn syrup.
But most experts agree that too much sugar, regardless of the type, is what
really matters. Remember that a teaspoon of sugar is about 5 grams, so consider
this when looking at products that would have added sugars. Many products have
natural sugars like milk, yogurt, tomato sauces and fruit-based items, so keep
that in mind. When looking at yogurts, for example, compare the plain versions
with flavored to get an idea of the added sugars.
3. It Uses Omega-6 Rich Oils: I always
look at the type of fat used in food products and not just the grams of
saturated and unsaturated fat. When it comes to oils, I prefer items made with
canola or olive oil because they tend to be lower in omega 6 fats. According to
an NIH study, the food supply has seen a 1000-fold increase in soybean oil in
the 20th century, which is high in omega-6 fats. Other sources of omega-6
include corn and sunflower oil. While not all experts agree, some believe the
imbalance of modern diets with high omega-6 and low omega-3 fats, increase the
risk of inflammation in the body. A recent study in the British Medical Journal
found that men who replaced saturated fat with high omega-6 fats, had increases
risk of death from heart disease (17% vs. 11%).
4. Organic as the Only Selling Point:
When it comes to produce, choosing organic can result in less detectable
pesticide residues by about 30%. But when it comes to other items, organic is not
as telling. We know organic milk and meat come from cows that did not receive
hormones or antibiotics, get an organic feed and have access to pasture. But
this access to pasture does not mean they are grass fed.Research shows that
milk, cheese and meat that comes from grass-fed cows have better fat and
antioxidant profiles than those who don’t.
5. Absence Claims — Many animal
products have the claim “no hormones added” but did you know poultry and pork
aren’t allowed (by law) added hormones? And trans-fat free doesn’t tell you
what other fats are used in the product. Bottom line: All manufacturers of food
products, natural and otherwise, have the same challenges. They need to
preserve their food, add sugar for flavor and have cost constraints around the
type of fats and diets of animals. So look beyond the claim to figure out what
the product is really about. You might be surprised.
By...Belinda Yeboah
Comments
Post a Comment