Be an Ingredient Label Sleuth!

What’s the first thing you look at when you pick up a packaged item in the grocery store?  Maybe you scout out calorie count or grams of saturated fat or carbs.  Or maybe you’re drawn to claims about heart healthiness or anti-oxidant richness.  While all of this can be helpful information, it can also make healthy shopping a bewildering task.  Do I prefer higher saturated fat if it means I get more protein?  Is it better to up my fiber or lower my carbs?  What is an antioxidant and why do I care if pomegranate is such a great source? 

In the spirit of simplifying the shopping experience, let me suggest that the far more important, perhaps the only important, information on the label is contained in the words that make up the ingredient list.  Unless of course you’re buying something with no label at all, in which case you’re already Very Healthy!

So, about this list.  Here are some general tips, and below some ingredients to avoid.

• The first question to ask yourself is how long it is.  Are there just a few ingredients (say 3-5), or does the ingredient list itself require a full “paragraph?”
• Can you pronounce everything on the list?  Could your grade schooler?  If not, think about whether that's something you really want to consume.
• Is the first word what you’d expect it to be based on what you think you're buying (e.g. whole wheat flour on your 100% whole wheat bread)?
• How close to the top of the list is sugar?  (Ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with ingredients used in the greatest amount listed first.)

Here are my quick rules of thumb on ingredients to avoid.  If you’re not already a label sleuth in the grocery store, give it a whirl next time you have a few extra minutes!  My guess is you might be surprised (maybe even disgusted) by what you see…

Artificial color or flavor.  You don’t need it, it’s that simple.  Generally speaking, if you see “natural flavor” on the label, that indicates the flavor is derived from natural (as opposed to synthetic or chemical) sources.  That’s better, but if you’re eating good and whole foods, they shouldn’t need any added flavor. 

Aspartame.  This is an artificial sweetener that has been the source of much controversy.  The FDA regards it as generally safe, but many others beg to differ.  Since 1997, various countries and some US states have introduced legislation to regulate or ban its use, and the debate rages on about whether or not it’s safe.  For me, much better to just avoid it.  Common culprits include yogurt, soft drinks, gum, puddings and “sugar free” items.

Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.  Luckily, most of the trans (hydrogenated) fats are largely gone from our food supply due to the overwhelming evidence of its links to coronary heart disease.  But I’ve been surprised in the grocery store more than once to see hydrogenated oils sneak into foods, even some touting health like vegan cream cheeses and several popular peanut butters, so make sure that if you’re buying a spread of any sort you’re reading that label!  (I say spreads because this type of oil was first introduced to make oils spreadable and more stable on the shelf - enter margarine - and that's where it's still most commonly found).

High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Of late, The Corn Refiners Association has put a lot marketing money into convincing the public “it’s just sugar” and “your body can’t tell the difference.”  You’ve probably seen the ads on TV.  I won’t get into the political debate but if you’re interested in an opinion that is not political in nature, but is thought provoking, watch this video which is a fascinating presentation by Robert Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology and decide for yourself.  Regardless, high fructose corn syrup, in my opinion, is at a minimum a marker of a highly processed food, and you can usually find plenty of alternatives.  BBQ sauce, salad dressing, condiments, and soft drinks are some of the places it shows up, but it’s become rather ubiquitous.  See right where it shows up in "healthy" bread and big name ketchup.

MSG and its variants.  Many of us remember when Chinese restaurants starting banning the use of MSG.  That was because it’s known to cause reactions like migraine headaches, upset stomach, heart irregularities, and asthma.  But did you know MSG goes by many other names?  Well, technically, the processed free glutamic acid that causes these reactions goes by other names, but the outcome (side effects) is the same.  I was saddened to learn that one of the broths I formerly used contained MSG, but it wasn’t called “monosodium glutamate” on the label, it was called something else.  Look for glutamic acid, monopotassium glutamate, yeast extract, anything “hydrolyzed,” and autolyzed yeast, and avoid products that contain them.

Enriched flour.  We generally think of “enrichment” as a good thing.  In the case of these flours, typically found in breads and other grains, the health profile is actually worse than it is in whole, unrefined (e.g. not enriched) grains.  The grain refining process makes products more stable on the shelf, which is why food manufacturers like it.  To compensate for the fact that this refinement strips away many vital nutrients, enriched grains are then "fortified" with iron, B and some other vitamins.  But they remain higher on the Glycemic index, which means they quickly raise blood sugar (a bad thing, especially for diabetics), and they never get back the fiber they lost.  A later post will discuss the critical nature of fiber.  Look for “whole wheat” or “whole whatever grain” and skip the enriched!

For more tips, I recommend Michael Pollan's "Food Rules".  It’s a quick read, a good laugh, and a great reminder to eat real food. 

Valentine’s Day chocolate: why you should spend more and eat less.

Whether you love Valentine’s Day or prefer it go back to Hallmark for good, it’s a day during which chocolate is likely to cross your mind.  So when it does, I want you to go there.  Go there, fully into the realm of chocolate, and then get yourself some!  But just one piece please, and make it a good one...

If you saw my post on brownies and ice cream then you know some of the health benefits of real chocolate.  Raw, unprocessed, nothing-added cocoa powder is an incredibly powerful antioxidant.  Even though you already know, let’s quickly recap what antioxidants are and why we care.  I like the NIH's explanation for its simplicity so I’m quoting it directly: “Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.”  Antioxidant substances include: beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, and vitamins A, C and E.

As is often the case, I feel that it is best to get antioxidants from food, not supplements.  It’s easy to do because antioxidants are abundant in fruits, vegetables, green tea, nuts, grains, chocolate, and even coffee, so you have plenty of delicious options for getting them every single day.

So, back to chocolate.  My husband and I decided to limit our Valentine’s Day spent to $10 each this year.  With that limit in mind, I hit the Ferry Building in San Francisco, which is full of local shops and eateries, to select some quality chocolate.  $17 later, I caught myself wondering whether I should have just bought the Reese’s.  But no, I should not have.  The key to eating chocolate is, according to me, spend more and eat less! 

Shopping Tip:  When you’re out shopping in health food stores, look for bars that are 70% or higher dark chocolate.  Most, but not all, will have sugar.  Besides the chocolate, other ingredients you might see that you can feel good about are cocoa butter, nuts, sea salt, vanilla, and some maybe some natural flavors if you trust the company (but never artificial colors or flavors!)

I feel somewhat badly doing this because I used to love these little guys, but for comparison purposes, let’s have a look at the ingredients in a Snickers bar: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, lactose, skim milk, milk fat, soy lecithin (see disclaimer below), artificial flavor (eek!)), peanuts, corn syrup (why?), sugar, skim milk, butter milkfat, partially hydrogenated (eek!) soybean oil, lactose, salt, egg whites (huh?), and artificial flavor (eek!)…

Very healthy:

• One Lucky Duck – raw, vegan, organic, really really really expensive but you’ll feel justified.  WARNING: they don’t add sugar, so this is pure, unadulterated cocoa…it’s bitter, not sweet, and it’ll knock your socks off.
• Skout Trailbars - organic Chocolate-Peanut Butter.  Impeccable ingredient list.  Go.  Eat one.  That is all.
• Dip fruit in chocolate – go back to the ice cream recipe, make it but don’t freeze it, and then use it as a drizzle over fresh fruit!  You can always feel good about homemade treats, and when they're delicious it's that much more gratifying.

Almost healthy (for those who just can’t kick it with bitter):

• Bug Bites - organic, small, and have a cute little bug factoids on each wrapper 
• Garden of Life – chocolate raspberry greens bar.  These are amazing, and packed with greens and probiotics to boot, but they’re down here in “almost healthy” because the first ingredient listed is honey. 

  Disclaimer: I can't fully endorse eating most chocolate bars on any regular basis.  That is in part because most of them contain sugar, but most also contain soy lecithin, which is an emulsifier that helps hold the bar together.  As is the case on many topics I discuss in this blog, the jury is out on whether soy lecithin is bad for us or not, but I don't think it's doing us any good either.  That all being said, I can and do fully endorse LIVING LIFE to the fullest, and if that for you includes eating chocolate on Valentine's Day, then by all means do so, just follow some of the tips above to make sure you're helping, not harming, your body during your indulgence! 

The Sun and Vitamin D.

You may already know that Vitamin D is important for bone health.  If you follow health news, then you’ve also heard a lot lately about the many other benefits that touch health concerns ranging from asthma to cancer.  But did you know that despite all of these benefits, most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D? 

Vitamin D 101:

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from food, so we’ve long known its association with bone strength and osteoporosis.  But today we know a lot more about the benefits of Vitamin D, and they are vast.  It’s now associated with lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer.  It’s also showing promise in preventing or curing Crohn’s disease, in improved memory function and potentially in decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.  For a full fact sheet from the NIH, click here.

We are a deficient nation

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for children and adults is currently 600 IUs of vitamin D per day, though I’ve heard talk of that recommendation increasing which I think would be great.  Nevertheless, let's assume that's the right number.  By that standard, 60-75% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient.  Recently, a study showed that for trauma patients with broken bones or fractures, that number reaches 77%.  

 

One of the leading hypotheses on the reason for our deficiencies is our obsession with sunscreen.  We have done a great job reducing skin cancer risk, but we’ve inadvertently “protected” ourselves from the essential rays of the sun that allow our own bodies to create vitamin D.  In fact, sun light is our primary source of the vitamin!  To learn more about how sunlight is used in your body to create vitamin D, click here.

So what do we do now??

Easy Tips to Protect Yourself:

1. Eat food that contains Vitamin D.

As with any vitamin, I think it’s best to get all you can from food as opposed to supplements.  For vitamin D, the best sources are fatty fish (think salmon, tuna), but mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and several others also contain small amounts.  See the table below for more foods that contain vitamin D.  If you've read my other posts, you know I would not vote for the dairy sources of food to get your vitamin.  Why not dress up your eggs with leafy greens for breakfast?  One of our favorites!

2. Take a high quality supplement.

You'll notice as you peruse the table below that it's VERY hard to get enough vitamin D from food alone unless of course cod liver oil is your weakness, in which case, drink on, brave soul!  If you also live in a place where you don’t get year round sun (man, that’d be nice), then you probably need to take a supplement.  Some multi-vitamins now have 1000 IUs of vitamin D, which is great.  Otherwise, you can pick up a high quality Vitamin D3 supplement from your local store.  Try to take it with food that contains fat (olive oil, eggs, nuts, etc) since it is a fat soluble vitamin and doing so will help you absorb more.  

3.  Get some sun!

The guideline is to get 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure every day if you can to help ensure you reap all of the health benefits discussed above.  It's hard in places with very long winters to get that much direct sun exposure, so supplementing is especially important in winter months.  If you live in a place with year-round sun, then direct sunlight will give you all you need - no supplementing for you! But remember, after you get your 15-20, go inside and apply sunblock.  

4. Talk to your doctor.

Vitamin D levels can easily be tested in your blood.   Simply ask your doctor to run the test for you.  This is especially important if you’re older, or at a higher risk of bone fracture.  If you are deficient, your doctor will likely prescribe you a high dose (e.g. 50,000 IU) supplement to take weekly for a month and you’ll be back to good in no time!  Just remember to keep supplementing with normal doses (or food, sunlight) after that.

Table from the National Institutes of Health:  Selected Food Sources of Vitamin D
Food	IUs per serving*	Percent DV**
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon	1,360	340
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces	566	142
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces	447	112
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces	154	39
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies)	137	34
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup	115-124	29-31
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV)	80	20
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon	60	15
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines	46	12
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces	42	11
Egg, 1 large (vitamin D is found in yolk)	41	10
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV)	40	10
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	6	2

* IUs = International Units.

** DV = Daily Value. DVs were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents among products within the context of a total daily diet. The DV for vitamin D is currently set at 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient, but foods providing lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet.

Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/

Two compelling reasons to re-think what you eat: my mom and my dad

It’s really hard to change the way you eat and take care of yourself in the absence of a motivating force.  A busy schedule, demanding job, and better things to do with your time are all real obstacles most of us face when it comes to making a lasting change in favor of health.  But I’m here to report that it can be done, it can be fun (yep, fun), and it will be the best thing you’ve done for yourself in a long time.

If you take good care of yourself already, kudos to you!  Keep it up!  But if you’re like most people and you’ve gotten some less than glowing feedback from your doctor, or you just know there’s more you could be doing, then listen up… maybe these two reasons will be the ones that tip the scales for you.  

Reason #1: My mom 

I told you back in my post on 12/17/11 that my mom’s cancer is 50% gone.  That progress doesn’t make itself known in most cases like hers, much less in 3 months, and she’s not finished!  We’re not stopping til it’s 100% gone.  She’s exceptional, in every sense of the word.  And we know (yes, we know) that her progress has to do with much more than drugs!  She chose the path less traveled.  No traditional chemotherapy in her body, so her immune system remains in perfect condition, as does her gut, her hair, her wits, and her happy smile.  But she’s also got what many others in her situation don’t:  a mind that is set on healing, faith that her prayers will be answered, a yoga regimen and attention to breath that she’s never had before, and daily decision to consume only foods that help her body to heal itself and to say no to those that harm it.  Full transparency: seven months ago, that would’ve all sounded very nice and yet very squishy but not very real to me.  But guess what?  It’s real.  50% gone, 100% real.  

What you eat has an impact on your risk for developing cancer, and your ability to fight it should it come your way.

Reason #2: My dad

As of last week, we have one more reason to celebrate in the Campo family.  My dad, who does not have cancer but did have concern-worthy high cholesterol, has started adopting the way of eating I endorse on this blog and in life: little to no animal products (exceptions are oily fish and eggs), no dairy, and tons and tons of fibrous fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  He hasn’t gone whole hog, he still likes his occasional pork chop or piece of homemade Italian sausage, and forget about denying him parmesan with his pasta!  But the sugary and refined foods have been largely ignored, his trips to the vending machine at work the same fate, and McDonald’s is off limits.  Best of all, he reports feeling really good. 

Hot off the presses, his cholesterol figures are below for your perusal: Wow!  Go dad!  

What you eat has an impact on your risk for developing (and ability to reverse) heart disease, diabetes, and a whole host of other chronic conditions.  

If you can't see the picture that well: 

- Far left: report date 6/4/2010; cholesterol 221 (that's bad, note up top the report says "Abnormal")

- Middle: report date 3/15/2011: cholesterol 185 (that's the effect of the drugs they asked him to take, there were no dietary changes.  Better...)

- Far right: report date 1/16/2012: cholesterol 150.  That's all diet!  Who needs drugs when you can do that with food?

GMOs and the right to know what's in your food.

Most people think about avoiding chemical pesticides and fertilizers when they think about organic, and knowing about the presence of those things in our food is certainly important.  But the lesser discussed tenet of organic, at least until recently, is that of the genetic modification of food.  You may have heard the term "GMO" or "GE" which stand for "genetically modified organisms" and "genetic engineering" respectively.  Foods certified organic by the USDA cannot, by definition, be genetically modified.

Now, I have to be a little careful on this topic because I am not an expert.  There are soil scientists and agriculture experts who have dedicated their lives and professions to understanding this topic, and to their opinions, I will always yield.  But I do want to share my  opinion, based on what I know.

According to the book "Integrative Nutrition" by Joshua Rosenthal, "The most prevalent GM crops were created to resist harsh chemicals;...Farmers who use GM crops can spray their fields to kill everything growing in the area except the food crop."  That all actually sounds very cool technologically per the above, and if we can prove with certainty that there is no harm to humans, great.  But what worries me in the absence of that proof is that we ingest those same killer chemicals when we eat those plants...so, what are they doing inside our bodies?

The reality is, we don't know yet.  Supporters of GM crops would contend its a worthwhile risk to take because crops that can resist certain pests and adverse growing conditions, in theory, produce higher yield and therefore allow more people to be fed.   Even though we now have more over-nourished people in the world than we have under-nourished, but that's another story.  There is, however, some debate about whether crop yields have in fact increased, according to studies like this one from 2009.  Supporters would also remind me that farmers have less wasted crop due to greater pesticide and weather resistance and less time spent spraying and doing other activities that are rendered unnecessary when your crops are the output of modified seeds; therefore, there is an economic component to it.

How does the rest of the world feel?  Per this October 2011 graphic from Scientific American, the US and Canada do not require labeling of genetically modified food, but in 40 other countries (the green dots), there are significant restrictions or outright bans on production as they have not yet been proven safe.  

I'm not asking for bans on production necessarily, just information.  What I want is the ability to make an informed decision in the grocery store.

By several estimates, including this one from Scientific American article mentioned above, 80% of the packaged food in our grocery stores contains GMOs.  That pretty much means if it’s not organic, or labeled “no GMOs,” it probably is genetically modified.  Corn and soy are the usual suspects, but all sorts of crops can be modified.

Shopping tip: If you decide you want to minimize GMOs in your home, look for the USDA organic label or a “no GMO” indication.  According to this and other sources, produce can be identified as:

- Conventionally grown/non-GMO with a 4- or 5- (e.g. 4011 is bananas)

- Organically grown with a 9- (e.g. 94011)

- GMO with an 8- (e.g. 84011)

Brands: Silk and Amy’s are two of my favorite brands that don’t use GMOs.  Silk makes soy milk, yogurt and other dairy alternatives and Amy’s is a California company that focuses on frozen and canned goods for those on-the-goers who don’t always have time for fresh.

Click here for a short 3-minute video worth watching.  If you agree, pass it on.

I eat ice cream and brownies and think you should too.

Let’s face it – sometimes we need to indulge.  It’s fun, it’s normal, and best of all, when done smartly, it can be healthy!  This holiday season we experimented with various sweets.  I’ll be honest, nothing will ever be able to replace mom’s fudge, but I’m willing to bet most of you will agree the brownies and ice cream we made were a noteworthy substitute.  Three-year-old nephew approved in fact.  And honest to goodness…healthy.

Before I get to the recipes, here’s the skinny on the ingredients we used:

Chocolate

Chocolate, when in its true and unaltered form (raw cacao beans or powder), is a very powerful health food.  Raw cacao has more antioxidants than any food tested so far!  Crazy but true: the culprit we have spent all this time trying to avoid, the one we sinfully sneak after succumbing to a craving that’s powerful than our willpower, is actually quite good for us.  As more and more research pours in, the evidence keeps mounting.  There’re references to brain health, skin elasticity, cardiovascular health and even anti-cancer activity.  But wait!  The key to realize is that most of the chocolate products you buy (including my old favorite, the always-delicious but just never-good-for-you Reese’s Peanut butter cup) are processed, full of sugar and other stuff that isn’t really food, and contain so little actual cacao that they simply don’t count.  I agree, it’s a travesty.

Shopping Tip: Look for raw cacao powder for baking, ice cream, and no-bake brownies as well as the best hot chocolate drink you can imagine (ping me for a recipe).  If you’re craving a bar, look for 75%+ raw cacao.  We like Rapunzel brand organic cocoa powder.  

Oh, and "cacao," "cocoa," it's all the same thing, the former just sounds fancier I guess.  "Ca-cow."  Fancier?  Or something a rooster might say?  You decide.

Dates

Dates, when ground to a pulp in a food processor or blender,  and mixed with nuts and cacao powder make a wonderful sweet gooey bar that can proudly stand in for a doughy brownie, cake, or protein bar.  Did you know that apples, pears, figs, prunes and dates are the fruits highest in fiber?  Dates are also rich in vitamins and minerals, so be happy!  Eat a date a day.  A nice healthy date-based snack is a Lara Bar or a Pure Bar.  I love these little guys because 1) they taste amazing (try Peanut Butter and Jelly Lara Bars, you won’t be sorry), and 2) they have SO FEW ingredients, and they’re all real food!  Buy them in bulk on Amazon to save on cost.  You can usually get them for ~$1/bar vs. $1.50 and up in stores.

Shopping Tip:  If you can find bulk organic dates, awesome.  If you can’t, Earthbound Farm makes a nice packaged brand and they come pitted.

Coconut Milk 

Coconut milk is rich in calcium and B vitamins and one of the best fuels for healthy brain function.  We use it in our ice cream recipe, but if you're concerned about fat (even after me telling you that it's good fat, and you need it), you can use soy or almond milk instead.  

Try it at home:

No Bake Brownies

2 cups medjool dates, pits removed

1 cup raw walnut, almond and/or cashews (chopped in processor or purchased as pieces)

¾ cup cocoa powder

Water as needed (about ¼ cup all in)

1.      Place dates in a blender or food processor and process with a few tablespoons of water

2.      Add nuts and cacao powder.  Process until a moist, crumb-like dough has formed.  Add water if the mixture is dry.

3.      Spread into an 8×8 inch pan and press firmly into a solid brownie layer. Cut into bite-size squares and serve. (No baking!)

Makes 2 dozen small squares.

Ice Cream (The Almond Joy variety)

2 peeled bananas, frozen

½ can organic unsweetened coconut milk

3 Tbsp raw organic cacao powder

¼ cup almonds, chopped roughly

Combine frozen bananas and coconut milk in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add cacao powder and almonds and blend again.  Adjust any ingredient to suit your taste.  You may need to add liquid, either coconut milk, soymilk or water, to get it to be "pourable" and to promote smooth blending.  Refreeze for ice cream, or serve as-is if you prefer mousse.  The frozen bananas will make it chilly.  

If you're not a fan of coconut almond, substitute!  Throw in some frozen cherries or strawberries, replace the coconut milk with soy milk, and bump up the cacao powder a notch.  See how hard it is to not consume the whole batch in one setting!  And guess what?  If you do, it’s okay!  Because it’s all real food, and really good for you.

Makes a little more than 1 pint.

Putting it all together: