Maintenance of a healthy diet is a key factor in your resistance to illness and preventable chronic diseases.
With so many food products on offer at your local supermarket outlet, how do you know which one is best?
First off, you should be spending 75% of your food allowance on fresh meat and seafood, fruit and vegetables, and nuts and seeds for whole body health (you do not have to worry about the labelling there!)
With so many food products on offer at your local supermarket outlet, how do you know which one is best?
First off, you should be spending 75% of your food allowance on fresh meat and seafood, fruit and vegetables, and nuts and seeds for whole body health (you do not have to worry about the labelling there!)
Now onto the labelling..
Must Know Rules
1 - The ingredients list: ingredients are listed in order of amount included. That means, the first ingredient on the list has the largest quantity in the product and the last listed has the least.
e.g. Sample list - flour, sugar, apple, cranberry. This product has more flour than any other ingredient, followed by sugar.
Choose foods where sugar, sodium and fat are near the end of the list, not the start!
Ingredient lists with 30 ingredients may not be ideal; added preservatives and colours. Shorter ingredient lists may be more beneficial (depending on product in question).
2 - Best before date VS Used by date: best before date relates to food quality; food may be consumed after this date, but may have lost its nutrient value. Used by date relates to food safety; food must not be consumed after this date for safety regulations.
3 - The nutrient information panel (NIP): is used to list the quantity of nutrients per serve, as well as per 100g/100mL. Use the 100g/100mL option when comparing similar products
Typically, the NIP will list energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, sodium.
The following is a breakdown of Australian Government Standard Recommended Daily Intakes (RDI). RDI of nutrients WILL vary person to person, depending on daily activities and requirements:
* Energy - kJ (or calories) is a measure of the ability to do work. More simply, it is the quantity of fuel that the body needs to be able to perform vital functions on a day to day basis (such as supply to the brain with glucose, circulate blood, fuel muscles, etc).
- 1.7m sedentary male 19-30 9700kJ; 31-50 9400kJ; 51-70 8600kJ
- 1.6m female sedentary 19-30 7700kJ; 31-50 7600kJ; 51-70 7300kJ
* Protein - vital building block for all cells, especially muscles. Protein requirements vary depending on the demands of your body (sedentary job vs physical vs athlete vs elderly)
- male 19-70 64 grams/day
- female 19-70 46 grams/day
* Fats
- Saturated fat: avoid; keep to a minimum, especially those with high cholesterol or associated health conditions (diabetes, abnormal lipid metabolism). Mostly obtained from animal based products including meat, milk, cheese, cream, but ALSO coconut and palm oil AS WELL AS pies, biscuits and pastries.
- Trans-fats: avoid; they are the result of hydrogenation of polyunsaturated oils (e.g. canola) used in the cooking process.
- Monounsaturated fat: non-essential, as they can be made within the body. May have some benefits associated with use. Examples include olive oil, canola, peanuts (also called oleic acid).
- Omega 6: good fat; associated with maintenance of cell membranes. Examples include sunflower and safflower seed/oil (also linoleic acid).
- Omega 3 - Type 1: ALA (alpha linoleic acid), mostly used as a precursor to make EPA. Include in good amounts in the diet for cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. Examples include legumes, linseed, canola, walnuts.
- Omega 3 - Type 2: EPA/DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid; sometimes called long chain omega 3), most beneficial and potent!!. Include regularly in your diet. Examples include salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, tuna and meat.
Omega 3 dosage - Adults 19+ yr
Men 13 g/day 1.3 g/day 160 mg/day
Women 8 g/day 0.8 g/day 90 mg/day
Proper Ratio of Omega 6:3 = 5:1 - 10:1 (>10 encourage to eat more seafood).
That means, eat more seafood, legumes and seeds.
The World Health Organization of the United Nations Consultation on Fats and Oils (1994) recommended that the ratio of Linoleic acid to Alpha-linoleic acid in the diet should be between 5:1 and 10:1.
* Carbohydrates - RDI not listed on Australian Government website. What is MOST IMPORTANT is the TYPE of carbohydrate consumed.
Let us consider high density vs low density carbohydrate containing food. What is high density? Food or drinks rich in carbohydrates, usually simple in nature (simple means they are easily broken down and absorbed in the body). What kind of foods are high density? Things like energy drinks, soft drinks, desserts containing high sugar and fat levels (like sweetened pastries, breads, donuts, icecream), as well as foods rich in fat. Why is this a problem? Remember the concept of energy from before? If your daily intake is more than you use each day, excess energy (kJ/calories) are converted into fat! So obesity will result, not to mention diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Now onto low density. The opposite of the above; complex carbohydrates, with a low percentage of energy that is slowly absorbed by body. Examples include vegetables, legumes, unprocessed cereals and grains (does not include chocolate based cereals or those with lots of sugar or honey) and some fruits.
Just a further note, the Food and Nutrition Board Australia/Institute of Medicine reported greater than 65% of total daily energy in carbohydrates is associated with heart disease and diabetes. Diets lower than 45% carbohydrate and that were substituting energy dense fats also had an increased risk of heart disease (such as ultra low carbohydrate diets).
Keep levels between 45-65% of daily intake.
* Sugar - you want to keep this to an absolute minimum. Try to choose no added sugar, BUT YOU MUST look at label. Sugar can be disguised as the following: fructose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, honey, molasses, maple syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin and more.
Be wary of less obvious choices such as fruit juice and dried fruit which have high sugar content.
* Water - most people are aware that the body is between 50-80% water. So it is fairly obviously that water WILL be your drink of choice. RDI:
males 2.6L/day from fluids (10 cups)
females 2.1L (8 cups)
* Fibre - fibre is used for digestive function and bowel movements, maintenance of blood sugar levels (by affecting absorption rates) and cholesterol (by affecting bile binding and excretion). Studies have shown that water consumption combined with fibre intake is important, so drink that beverage of choice...water!
male 30 grams/day
female 25 grams/day
* Sodium - a component of sodium chloride, commonly called salt. Avoid added salt as adequate levels are food in most natural food products. Salt deficiency is rarely a concern in the Western population. Also keep an eye out for other disguises of sodium including: sodium phosphate, benzoate, carbonate, or bicarbonate and monosodium glutamate MSG.
RDI male and female 460-920 mg/day
4 - Food additives and preservatives (see link below for in depth coverage): all food additives must be reviewed by the Food Standards of Australia and NZ regulating agency. They must be included in the lowest possible amount for the desired effect. Due to the fact that the food additives debate is such a large one, the best option is to buy a small but comprehensive additives guide from fishpond.com.au for approx $15.
5 - Food 'terms'* no added sugar - may contain natural sugar(s); examine label for hidden nasties such as those listed above.
* light/lite may actually refer to texture, taste or colour; check packet.
* low fat hidden trap; may actually contain large amounts of sugar which will be readily converted to fat cells if not used. This is important to consider for diabetics, as well as those with raised blood cholesterol.
* 'x amount' fat free; 94% fat free means 6% fat; regular milk is 96% fat free (4% fat approx) and reduced fat milk is 98% fat free (2% fat approx), according to Australian Dairy Foods study 1999.
* baked vs fried; may have same fat content for baked as for fried; check NIP label for saturated and trans-fat composition.
6 - Organic: What does it mean? With the Australian Standards regulation of October 9, 2009 all organic foods in Australia must be genetically modified free, produced with no pesticides or fertilizers used (that are made from un-natural synthesized chemicals), livestock reared with feed from organic sources and farms must have a biodiversity plan for sustainable management.
Support organic food to ensure the growth of this vital fresh food sector. Also visit local growers markets or farmers markets; they usually sell only the freshest food and you are supporting the local economy. Don't be shy, make sure you ask the farmer's where your products came from and how they were farmed.
In summary:- read the ingredients list: the first product is in greatest quantity.
- products must not be consumed after the used by date.
- use the nutritional information panel (NIP) to compare like products.
- beware marketing ploys for hidden nasties like 'light/lite', 'no added sugar' and 'fat reduced'
- buy organic where possible and visit local markets for the freshest of food
Know your label to know what is in your food products.This will allow you to make the best informed decisions about what goes in your body (and your family's body!) for better health.
For your reference, click on the links below to find out more information:
FSANZ - Food Standards Australia and NZ http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/scienceandeducation/learningcentre/howtoreadfoodlabels/ingredientslistperce4716.cfm
Victorian Government Better Health Channel http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_labels_explained
Australian Government Ministry of Health (for in depth and accurate recommended daily intake values; scroll to 'The Nutrients Reviewed' section)
http://www.nrv.gov.au/introduction.htm
Kilojoules to Calories Converter (and other unit conversions)
http://www.unitconversion.org/energy/kilojoules-to-calories-nutritional-conversion.html
Food Additives Book (cheap and in depth)
http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=2432&id=9780307408921&affiliate_banner_id=1
Please consult your health care professional before making any changes to your diet.
This information is to be used as a guide and not to be substituted for the sound advice and recommendations of a licensed health care provider.
Please leave comments or email healthwithnoclotheson@gmail.com
