Eagan Weight Loss Expert Blow’s the Whistle on LABEL FABLES
Our Boot Camp, Weight Loss and Personal Training come from all over. Some come from Cottage Grove, Savage, Burnsville, Roseville, Rosemount, Apple Valley, Inver Grove Heights and West St. Paul. Why? Because we have great programs and we tell them the truth, unlike the food industry.
Look at these attempts to lure the American public down the wrong road. In our weight loss coaching we teach our personal training clients how to reach labels. And to not believe things like down below.
DIET CHERRY 7UP
ANTIOXIDANTS
The ploy: “Cherry pick your antioxidant”.
What’s good: It’s a stretch to find anything beneficial in this drink, but it’s better than
drinking no fluid at all.
Why it’s laughable: They added a dash of the antioxidant vitamin E, but it also has potentially damaging ingredients aspartame and acesulfame potassium, which the Center
for Science in the Public Interest says people should avoid. Although the Food and Drug administration says aspartame is safe, a number of studies have indicated it may increase the risk of cancer. This product has no nutritional value.
Instead: Get a healthy dose of natural antioxidants – and other benefits – by eating a handful of nuts or fruits as vegetables, or by taking a multivitamin. We tell all our personal training clients they need to have healthful hydration, drink antioxidant-packed herbal tea, or squeeze some lemons and limes into their water.
TWIZZLERS
The Claim: “As always, a low-fat candy.”
We’ll give’em this: It doesn’t have saturated fat or tans fat, which raise cholesterol and contribute to heart disease.
Not so impressive: Most hard or chewy candy is low in fat, but high in sugar. A serving size of four pieces has 130 calories – excess calories of any sort become fat- and 18 grams of sugar, an inflammation-casing ingredient. Plus, this has artificial flavors and colors, including Red 40, an additive that the Center for Science in the Public Interest says may pose a risk and needs to be better tested. (Historically, other artificial colors have been banned for causing everything from cancer to organ damage.
Takeaway: Don’t let “low fat” be a permission slip to go wild. Take four pieces out of the pack and put the rest away.
HAM AND CHEDDER LUNCHABLES
Package says: “Lean Ham.”
One good thing: This has 19 grams of protein, which helps people stay awake and alert. It’s important to have some protein with every meal.
Simply irresponsible: This product marketed to kids is stuffed with nearly a third of the daily fat recommendation for adults, including almost half the recommended amount of saturated fat, plus 1 gram of trans fat. Remember, no amount of trans fat is considered safe. The sky-high sodium content is half of what an adult should have in one day, and this has only 1 gram of fiber. It also has sodium nitrite and additive that should be avoided, as it may lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals.
Much better: Make up a week’s worth of peanut butter sandwiches on the weekend and stick them in the freezer until your kid leaves for school each morning. Buy deli meat without nitrites.
COCOA PUFFS
Package boasts: “Whole grain guaranteed.”
True: It’s made with whole-grain corn, which is a step in the right direction, and corn is the first ingredient listed, so that’s good. When buying products with whole-grain claims, make sure the first grains listed are whole grains. Some companies add a small amount of whole grains, but the ingredients list reveals most of the products is made from something like white flour, which isn’t a whole grain.
What’s deceiving: Whole grains are a great source of fiber, but one serving of Cocoa Puffs has a measly 1 gram of fiber. That’s only 4 percent of the amount you should get in a day. Plus, this cereal also has artificial flavor, which may be especially unhealthful for kids, and BHT, a preservative the Center for Science in the Public Interest says needs to be better tested.
Cereal choosing tip: Buy cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Or buy oatmeal.
VITAMIN WATER
The claim: Various flavors make claims about giving you energy, focus or strength. Essential orange-orange says, “For those of us who don’t live in an orange juice commercial, there still a way to get your morning nutrition. This product has calcium and lots of vitamin C so you can get your day started right minus the whole Stepford mom thing. Vitamins + water=all you need.”
What’s good: It’s hydrating. Better than not drinking any fluid.
The reality: At about a dollar a pop, this is essentially expensive sugar water with added vitamins. One bottle has 125 calories and 32 grams of sugar.
Better choice: Put those dollars toward fruit and vegetables, where vitamins occur naturally. If you’re concerned that you might still be lacking nutrients, take a multivitamin.
PILLSBURY PERFECT PORTIONS BISCUITS
Sounds sweet: “Bake two at a time. Anytime.”
What’s OK: They don’t have a lot of sugar.
Not perfect at all: You might as well eat fatty doughnuts. Serving size is only one biscuit, but if you baked that “perfect portion” of “two at a time,” you’d be eating 340 calories and 22 percent of your daily fat, including 5 grams of saturated fats and 5 grams of trans fats, both of which contribute to heart disease. And remember, no amount of trans fat is considered safe. Two biscuits also have 40 percent of your daily sodium.
Reminder: Watch portion sizes. Read the nutrition facts to see what a serving size is so
you won’t be swayed by flowery-sounding claims. Avoid eating anything with trans fat.
If you feel you may need some additional advice, why not try our 12 week nutrition coaching. We’ll give you the real truth about weight loss, just like we did with these clients. 952-220-7201 Call today!
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