A Banner Year

Today I’d like to further our journey a little bit more into “Label-Land.” Over the next few weeks we will be diving directly into the fine print of nutrition labels, but for now let’s talk a bit about Banner Labels and, shall we say, miscommunication, to be polite.

I’m sure they have caught your attention, sitting there in big bold letters across the front of the packaging promising “Fat Free,’ “Less Salt,” “0 Carbs,” “No Sugar Added,” and probably the greatest of all “No Trans Fat!”

Know this – seldom do the products that these banners emblazon live up to their hype.

When one demon is removed from a food, the other demons are frequently cranked up. For instance, if they have removed the fat from something, they have probably upped the salt -- for flavor. If they have removed the salt, then the fat/sugar/carb content has likely risen.

Be careful about believing all these claims. Did you know that a “non-fat” Latte contains 1 gram of fat? 1 Tablespoon, equaling 1 serving of “reduced fat” mayo or Miracle Whip carries 5 grams of fat. Yeah, when I think about all those tuna lunches I had at the coffee shop -- yikes! I thought I was being so good.

In order to understand the true meaning of “Less Salt” we have to first know what they are comparing themselves to. Ok, less salt than what? A salt shaker?

And “0 Carbs” does not mean there are no carbs in the food. It means that in 1 serving there is less than 1 carb. But when a single serving consists of 3 bites or 1 cookie and you eat a handful, those carbs can really add up! This same decoding process also applies to “Low Fat,” “low-salt,” and “low-sugar.”

Here’s another one. “No Sugar Added” goodies are usually very sweet to begin with. They likely started with fruit. Sounds healthy, but they can be packed with natural sugars. Pay attention to fructose, sucrose, syrup and syrup solids – all forms of sugar. And look for the hidden fat in those treats included to increase flavor.

Last week I saw a jar of Spaghetti sauce that screamed “0 Trans Fat!” Hmmmm, tempting until I looked closer and started comparing other like products and found that most of them had 0 trans fat, but at least 2 grams of other fat! The carbs ran the gamut as did the sugar content. It is so much safer and better tasting to make your own! Does anyone have a recipe they would like to share?

If your chosen product talks about cheese or cheese flavoring, be careful too, because it is likely full of salt and fat. And remember when you are going for All Natural or Organic: salt, fat, sugar and carbs ARE all natural, and may be organic, but they may not be so good for you.

My point is that like any successful advertising gimmick, what you see is not always what you get. And until we train our selves to flip that package over and read the fine print, we can’t know what we are getting. We are going to need a way to translate those ingredient labels and nutritional facts into English. As we travel down this road to better health, decoding skills will be an important tool to aid us in tossing away detrimental habits and developing new ones that will last a lifetime. Dr. Garrison and his associates agree that the pursuit of weight loss without solid lifestyle changes cannot result in long-term satisfaction. Just as it takes two to tango (us and food) it takes two (us and healthy habits) to prevail!

Today's Challenge
Find out what your personal Achilles heel is. If you haven’t already been advised by your doctor, then make an appointment and ASK. Are you hypertensive (need to avoid salt)? Diabetic (need to reduce sugars and carbs)? Maybe you need a diet of reduced fat or lower sugars. Maybe you don't have any of those needs, but should add more fresh vegetables and grains. Identify the top ways you could make your diet healthier.

Tip
Borrow some cookbooks from your friends or the library. Or, email your friends and family and ask them each to send a favorite healthy recipe. Look to replace things that you buy pre-made at the store like spaghetti sauce, frozen casseroles, stuffed poultry breasts or pork chops, and the biggie -- pizza! The goal is to find ways to improve what you are eating now and to try new exciting meals.