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

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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

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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

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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).

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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! 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!!

Upcoming Support Group Meetings:

All Support Group Meetings are held Monday Evenings from 6-7PM and located at: St. Agnes Hospital, Alagia Auditorium

Monday, 9/16/2013 Monday, 10/7/2013 – Nancy & Dawn teach with Special Guests: NutraMetrix; Heather Neider, Nancy’s COO,

who will be providing samples of her protein shake recipes, and Steven Weiss, certified TRX trainer at Anytime Fitness, Frederick, will be demonstrating body-weight resistance and functional training exercises. www.facebook.com/pages/Anytime-Fitness-Frederick-MD, https://www.facebook.com/TRXStevenWeiss

Monday, 10/21/2013 Monday, 11/4/2013 – Nancy & Dawn teach Monday, 11/18/2013 Monday, 12/2/2013 – Holiday Party!!