The Saturday Evening Post » calories http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com Home of The Saturday Evening Post Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 Calories Count When Keeping Cool http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/07/26/health-and-family/medical-update/calories-count-keeping-cool.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=calories-count-keeping-cool http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/07/26/health-and-family/medical-update/calories-count-keeping-cool.html#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:00:31 +0000 Wendy Braun http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/?p=64671 Quench your thirst—but don't pile on extra pounds, says a Purdue University nutrition science expert.

Calories Count When Keeping Cool The Saturday Evening Post

]]> Summer BeverageStay hydrated as summer temperatures soar, but be aware that calories can pile up in a hurry when you drink to cool down.

“Beverages can be an important source of energy, and those calories can add up quickly when the warm weather prompts people to drink more often,” says Richard D. Mattes, M.P.H., Ph.D., R.D., honored as a distinguished professor of nutrition science by Purdue University in 2011.

Fortunately, many affordable and palatable no-calorie and low-calorie beverage options are available to meet the need. The Beverage Guidance Panel, which ranks drinks based on their health benefits and costs, recommends water as your main beverage, followed by unsweetened coffee and tea. Soft drinks, fruit juices, whole milk and sports drinks are least advised.

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Energy from beverages doesn’t produce as strong a satiety response—feeling full—as solid foods. Consequently, people may consume a large amount of energy before realizing they have done so.

“Because this source of energy has weak effects of appetite and is often consumed at non-meal times, beverages propose a unique challenge to weight management,” 
Mattes concludes.

Calories Count When Keeping Cool The Saturday Evening Post

]]> http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/07/26/health-and-family/medical-update/calories-count-keeping-cool.html/feed 0 The Politics of Food Labels http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/05/15/health-and-family/medical-update/the-politics-of-food-labels.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-politics-of-food-labels http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/05/15/health-and-family/medical-update/the-politics-of-food-labels.html#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 13:30:23 +0000 Wendy Braun http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/?p=57413 Think that “whole grain” breads deliver a healthy dose of fiber? Guess again! Food manufacturers have plenty of room for creativity on front-of-package labeling, says food exert Marion Nestle.

The Politics of Food Labels The Saturday Evening Post

]]> Front-of-package (FOP) labeling is the latest dustup between food manufacturers, the government, and consumer nutrition advocates. But first things first: Fiber is a single component of whole grain, so the terms (and amounts) are not interchangeable. “If the bread wrapper says ‘100% whole grain,’ a one-ounce slice should provide 2 grams of fiber,” says Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University and an expert on the U.S. food system. “But the FDA—which does regulate FOP health and nutrition claims along with symbols indicating nutritional value—has no binding rule for labeling whole grain, so manufacturers have plenty of room for creativity.”

The bottom line: All whole grain breads are not created equal. To check a product’s actual fiber content, flip to its nutrition facts label and check the dietary fiber amount. (Best choices have at least 5 grams of fiber per slice with no added sugars.) Whole grain should also top the ingredient list. Otherwise, the bread could be enriched with nutrients but not fiber. “The FDA is slowly attempting to clean up front-of-package symbols and may get to this one eventually,” says Nestle. “The Whole Grain Council promotes a ‘100%’ certification stamp for whole grains and a ‘Basic’ stamp on products made from white flour and added bran or germ. For now, however, consumers who want to know about fiber in bread are stuck with reading nutrition facts labels.”

Dr. Nestle’s latest book, Why Calories Count: From Science to Politics*, provides more information to help consumers sort through food labels and evaluate claims served up by industry promoters. Co-authored by nutrition scientist Malden Nesheim, chapter titles include: What is a Calorie?, Today’s “Eat More” Environment, and More Calorie Confusion: Portion Distortion, Health Halos, and Wishful Thinking. Follow Dr. Nestle on Food Politics.

*Published by University of California Press: available online and at local stores.

The Politics of Food Labels The Saturday Evening Post

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