Take a closer look

The New Year has arrived, and with it the firm resolve of the many to eat the very few – calories, that is.

As Americans embark on new diets this month, many will find themselves at their local supermarkets, wandering the produce department or eyeing the poultry case in search of healthy alternatives to the peanut brittle and prime rib that have sustained them over the past few weeks of holiday revelry.

But finding the right mix of healthy options can be a challenge as consumers are increasingly bombarded with complicated and often confusing nutritional labeling on the foods they buy.

Marketing claims aimed at enticing shoppers, such as “Cholesterol-Free,” “No Trans-Fatty Acids,” “100% Natural,” and “Organic” can be misleading. And while the Food and Drug Administration’s mandatory nutrition facts and ingredients lists can help determine the veracity of such claims, even these regulatory labels are often difficult to decode.

Natural vs. Organic

Although the government vigorously regulates products that bear the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Organic” seal, nutrition experts warn consumers not to be fooled by products claiming to be “natural.”

“The term ‘natural’ can be used in any context,” said Michelle Weinbender, a registered dietician at Sacred Heart Medical Center who works with cardio and kidney patients. “If a manufacturer doesn’t use artificial coloring, for example, they can say their product is natural.”

However, Weinbender stresses that a manufacturer’s inclusion of some unnatural ingredients on products that claim to be wholesome – such as hydrogenated oils or other processed elements – doesn’t necessarily mean the product has no nutritional value.

Likewise, just because a package bears the government’s “Organic” seal doesn’t mean the product is healthy. Some organic products may still be high in sugar, fat, salt or calories.

“Organic cheese puffs,” Weinbender said. “Yeah, they’re organic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good product for my family.”

Consumers who are concerned about healthy, natural ingredients should look carefully at nutrition labels to stay informed about the products they buy.

“We can’t find one term to define if a food is healthy or not because there may be so many different categories used to determine that,” she said. “So if it says “natural,” it might still have saturated fat in it because saturated fat is natural. Sugar is natural. You have to step back and put those terms in context.”

Organic labels for food products regulated by the USDA fall into several categories. Single-ingredient foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are labeled “100 percent organic” and carry the USDA’s seal. Those with more than one ingredient, such as granola or macaroni and cheese, fall into three label categories, according to the USDA:

100 percent organic: Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.

Organic: Products that are at least 95 percent organic.

Made with organic ingredients: Products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. However, the USDA seal cannot be used anywhere on the package.

In addition, terms on food labels, such as “free-range” and “hormone-free,” particularly on meat and dairy products, should not be confused with “organic.”

Make grains whole

Roughly half the grains we consume should come from whole grains, which are higher in nutrients than processed grains.

“The idea behind the whole grain is that the more of the plant that is used, the better, because each of those parts contains different nutrients,” Weinbender said.

When shopping for whole grain products, a good rule of thumb, is to look for words like “oats” and “whole wheat” in the ingredients list. In general, if a manufacturer goes to the trouble of utilizing a voluntary “whole grain” label on its packaging, it is most likely accurate, Weinbender said, though she warns consumers to beware of imposters, particularly among packaged breads.

“If it says ‘wheat flour,’ ‘cracked wheat,’ or ‘stone ground,’ there is some question that those are actually whole grains,” she said. “And ‘nine-grain’ means only that nine sources of grain were used in the product” and that those nine sources are not necessarily derived from whole grains, she adds.

Good sources of whole grains include whole wheat, whole oats or oatmeal, whole-grain corn, popcorn, wild rice, brown rice, buckwheat, whole rye, bulgur or cracked wheat, whole-grain barley and millet.

Weinbender also urges consumers to beware of other marketing gimmicks that use food labels to entice consumers. For example, some manufacturers of vegetable oil will use the term “cholesterol-free” in their packaging in an effort to convince shoppers that the product is a healthy choice.

“The problem is that vegetables don’t have cholesterol – only animal products like beef, chicken, milk and butter can have cholesterol,” Weinbender said. “Vegetable oil is still a fat, even though it is cholesterol-free, so even though a label like that is correct, that doesn’t necessarily make it a better product.”

Use nutrition facts label

To make smart food choices quickly and easily, the FDA recommends comparing the “Nutrition Facts” labels on products by reading the percent Daily Value (%DV) column.

FDA guidelines suggest that 5 percent or less of the Daily Value is considered low and 20 percent or more is high.

The Daily Value is based on a 2,000-calorie diet, but recommended calorie intake differs for individuals based on age, gender, and activity level. Some people need less than 2,000 calories a day. Therefore, the Daily Value guide should be used as a frame of reference for the amount of calories consumed.

Calorie counters

While the FDA’s nutritional guidelines are a useful tool in determining nutritional requirements and caloric needs, many consumers are turning to electronic calorie counters and nutrition databases to help develop and maintain a healthy diet.

Several such calculators can be found online for free, such as www.caloriesperhour.com, while others, such as Weight Watchers, require consumers to join a nutritional program that includes such services for a fee.

Weinbender said many of these sites offer information about specific diets, as well as meal plans and other nutritional information for consumers.

Some sites, such as www.ediet.com and www.dietchannel.com, provide information on popular diet plans coupled with advice from dieticians with specific expertise in such areas as nutrition, fitness, psychology and eating disorders. Both offer a survey that recommends the most suitable type of diet for specific users, along with with meal plans and fitness advice.

Weinbender said that while such sites focus on trendy diets, they also provide solid information about nutrition.

“It seems a little on the edge to be promoting these quirky fad diets,” she said. “But they had sound nutritional advice, and consumers are going to be looking at fads, so why not have it combined with good information at the same time?”

Weinbender said she has seen some of her clients use the Weight Watchers point system with some success.

“They have an interactive online program, and it seems pretty good,” she said.

Other online tools can address more specific dietary needs, such as low-cholesterol and sugar-free diets for people with illness-related needs.

The American Heart Association offers an interactive site that evaluates exercise and stress factors in determining diet and exercise needs. And the American Diabetes Association offers a recipe search engine for specific ingredients, as well as interactive shopping lists and meal planning.