Health Food Imposters

July 28, 2008 –

Source - http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/25819734/?GT1=43001

Natural, organic, fresh, low- or no-fat, to contain no preservatives or to have more vitamins – we see these titles daily in supermarkets, food advertisements, magazines, etc. But what does this truly mean and how do we know that the foods are truly best for us and our goals?

Flax, walnuts, and soy

Omega 3 Fats are “Good Fats”. Flax, Walnuts and Soy are great resources to obtain an omega 3 called ALA which lowers the risk of heart disease.

But there are two other omega 3 fats found in fatty fish, DHA. This fat lowers heart disease risk, and it potentially lowers the risk for depression, asthma, postpartum depression, dementia, and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease. It also is essential for brain and vision development in babies and small children. You need at least two servings a week of salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines.

For those vegan or organic fans concerned with mercury and pesticides, look for plant-based form of DHA, such as Gold Circle Farm Eggs, Silk Soymilk Plus DHA, Oh Mama! Nutrition Bars, Rachel’s Yogurt or Cabot Vermont Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese with DHA. Aim for a total of at least 200 milligrams of DHA a day.

Yogurt

A friend of mine, Doctor of Pharmacy, is constantly preaching to me about probiotics… LOL

My constant reply is that I eat yogurt (Activa) daily. MSNBC gives us this little bit of information to support both myself and well educated compadre.

Yogurt can be a great health food — it’s rich in calcium, which helps prevent bone loss and osteoporosis. It also contains healthy bacteria, called probiotics, that keep your digestive tract in tiptop shape, lowering risks for everything from diarrhea to colon cancer. But the flavored or fruited yogurts have the sugar equivalent of a candy bar, and the designer yogurts with made-up bacteria names are just expensive hype.

Save your money and buy plain, nonfat yogurts that contain the tried-and-true bacteria, such as L. acidophilus. Then flavor it at home with some jam or fresh fruit.

Whole Grain Cereal

“Whole Grain” is the new gift from the heavens. After spending years following Atkins, South Beach Diet and many other low (NO) carb eating plans, dieter globally are happy to be able to once again indulge in pasta, rice, cereal and bread. But before we move to fast…

MSNBC reports:

Adding a dusting of whole grain to Cocoa Puffs does not convert it into a health food. First and foremost, don’t believe anything you read on the front of the box. Always turn the container over and look for three clues:

• In the ingredients list, look for whole grains — like whole wheat, brown rice, oats or rye — in the top items.
• In the nutrition panel, look for cereals with no more than seven grams of sugar.
• Buy cereals that contain at least five grams of fiber.

Cereals that meet this criteria include shredded wheat, some of the Kashi cereals, Grape-Nuts, Ezekiel 4:9 and some of the Barbara’s Bakery cereals.

Looks like back to the drawing board.

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