Food Labels and Healthier Choices (Part 1 of 2)

When you look at a food label, what do you see?  What do you actually look for?  I'm pretty label scrutinous when I'm grocery shopping but then again, I'm paranoid (to a degree) about what the big food companies and the USDA considers to be food or safe to consume as food.  So, if you're interested, I thought I'd share my method of label scrutiny.  Because of the amount of information on those "pesky" panels of nutrient/ingredient information, I've decided to make this a two-part blog with this first part concentrating on the nutrition part of the labels.  Part two will focus on understanding ingredients and what they could mean to your health.

First, about fresh fruits and vegetables -- I know, I know, there's no labels but there's a few rules I follow when I'm buying these.  These are:

1. Try to buy locally grown;
2. Whether local or not, try to buy organically grown, especially if it's something that grows close to the ground or that we'll be consuming the skin---pesticides will soak into the entire fruit or vegetable but tend to concentrate more in the skin...just in case you didn't know  (There was a case study done with chimpanzees and bananas...organically grown bananas and conventionally grown bananas were given to the chimps at the same time for many days--each day, the chimps would first choose the organic bananas and eat them with the skin but would leave the conventional bananas until much later in the day when they were fairly desperate...interestingly enough, they DIDN'T eat the skins of the conventionally grown bananas--just saying that the chimps may be smarter than we are or at least better "smellers");
3. If you can't find fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally or within a short distance of where you live, your better choice (if applicable) is the frozen variety because the produce is frozen very soon after being picked, ensuring that nutrients are held in "limbo" instead of depleting via oxidation;
4. GMOs (Genetically Modified) produce - steer clear!  This is a HOT, HOT, HOT topic right now, with Monsanto being one of the most evil corporations behind these.  (If you don't know the deal with GMOs, do your research and learn about the physiological functions of our bodies and what our bodies can recognize as nutrients.)

Okay, now on to real labels!  Let's start by looking at a nutrition label (one of my fave cereals from Kashi, BTW):

1) On the first line, you'll see the serving size that this nutritional information is really for, which is 27 biscuits (pieces) that are about 55g or 1.9oz in weight total (27 biscuits=55g or 1.9oz).
2) The 2nd line is how many of those servings (approximately) should be in the ENTIRE box (about 9 is the amount for this example)

So, per the serving of 27 biscuits/pieces (equivalent to 55g or 1.9oz) the following is the nutrient information (without milk or milk-like products, BTW):

1) Total Calories - 190 ... of those 190 calories, 10 of those calories are derived from some type of fat. Easy, right?

2) Speaking of fat...
     The TOTAL fat is 1g, but then we learn that that 1g of fat IS NOT a trans fat nor a saturated fat, which is good because those are the TWO worst fats that we can have (unless you want heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc. that is)! So, by omission, we learn that the 1g of fat is probably a monounsaturated or a polyunsaturated fat (good fats but even these should be kept low but not removed because we need fats with certain foods to induce bioavailability of certain nutrients - FYI).
    Also, notice the right furthest column (under the category % Daily Value) - there's a number there that tells us that this fat intake is about 2% of our DAILY RECOMMENDED FAT INTAKE. If I ate this whole box of cereal in one day, I would have met 18% of my daily recommended fat intake for that day just with this box of cereal.  (IMPORTANT NOTE: the Daily Value amounts are based on a 2000 calorie diet and your needs might be different depending on how many calories your body needs to function, such as an endurance athlete might have a higher calorie need to do what she/he does.)

3) Then we see cholesterol amounts (which the closer to zero, the better, since our bodies are capable of making cholesterol, but shouldn't exceed a total of 200mg daily).

4)  Here comes another big player - SODIUM! This cereal's not bad at only 5mg per serving (not even making a dent in the %Daily Value amount.
     FYI, the ADEQUATE daily intake of sodium is as follows:
          >1500mg for 19-50 year olds
            > 1300mg for 51-70 year olds
            > 1200mg for over 70 year olds
      The maximum daily intake should not exceed 2300mg (Hint: 1tsp of salt is approximately equally to 2000mg of sodium).  Most processed foods have a very large amount of sodium content and, sometimes, things that we don't think taste salty have significant amounts of sodium.  Too much sodium in our daily diets can contribute to hypertension (high blood pressure) and loss of calcium. (Yep, I said "loss of calcium".)
     People who are "salt sensitive" and should avoid excessive intake of sodium are:
        - Those with parents who had high blood pressure (or those who HAVE high blood pressure)
        - Those with chronic kidney disease
        - Those with diabetes
        - African Americans
        - People over the age of 50
        - Those who are overweight
       
5) Potassium is sodium's arch nemesis, sort of.  So why is potassium important against sodium? It seems to prevent calcium excretion that are a response to high sodium intakes.  Funny thing is, most processed/refined foods change during the processing with potassium levels are significantly decreased while sodium levels rise.  Chalk up another reason to AVOID processed foods!  Here's a table showing you what I mean:

6) Total Carbohydrates - you know, I'm so tired of the bum wrap carbs have gotten these days!  These little energy powerhouses are a needed nutrient, just not in the Twinkie or slice of cake form :-D  Making sure that most of your carbohydrate intake is coming from fiber, such as whole grains, vegetables, & fruits, is a good rule .
     Fiber content, again, is important.  But if you're asking, "what's the difference between soluble & insoluble fiber", well, I'm going to tell you.  Soluble fiber is the one that becomes dis-sol-ved in your digestive fluids and transforms into a gel-like substance that may trap some other nutrients to make them less absorbable, including fats and sugars though you still get the calories from them (bummer)...this is the protective fiber that helps protect us from heart disease.  Insoluble fiber is the opposite and DOESN'T dissolve -- it's the bulk fiber that...well...helps going to the bathroom get going better...got it?
     As for sugars, the amount on the nutrition label is for ALL sugars - whether it's added or naturally occurring.  To check to see if there's added sugar, that's where reading the ingredient list will come in handy (upcoming in part 2).  Personally, I really wish they would break this down to "Naturally Occurring" and "Added" categories because I do believe our bodies break these down differently. For the most part, I try to limit "added" sugars to 18g/daily and I don't count the fruits and vegetables that I eat.

7) Last, but not least in any way, is protein.  On average, if you're over the age of 18, the recommended daily amount for protein is approximately is 5oz if you're female and 6oz if you're male (unless you're a bodybuilder or lift heavy weights or there's another reason why you should increase your protein intake) - THAT'S IT!  So going to a steakhouse and eating a 6oz steak (if you're a guy) and you're done with protein for that whole day...Americans tend to overdo the protein idea, just saying.  Overdoing it with protein starts a whole other story for later ;-)  Just realize that we don't need as much protein as the fads (and food manufacturers, including restaurants) have lead people to believe.
     One last thing on protein - make sure you get different types of proteins from different sources!  Variety, in food especially, is definitely the spice of life (and health)!

8) Now we're going below the line! It's about the vitamin content of the food.  Basically, these numbers are the percentages based on the Daily Value numbers.  So, for example, the iron per serving in this cereal is 8% of the daily recommended amount of total iron we need.

9) The next section is just a reminder of the Daily Values (total amounts per day) with certain nutrients for a 2000 calorie diet and a 2500 calorie diet.  It shows that, if you are on a 2000 calorie diet, your fat intake should not exceed 65g or 20g of saturated fat in a day.  If you were on a 2500 calorie diet, those numbers would change to 80g and 25g.

10) And, the final thing on this part - how many calories are in a gram of fat?  How about a gram of carbohydrate?  And protein?  Basically, 1 fat gram=9 calories, 1 carbohydrate gram=4 calories, and 1 gram of protein=4 calories...it's there, to help you make better choices and realize that one stands out as our biggest caloric enemy...

And just for giggles, I'm putting another nutrition label for a popular kids' cereal...this is one of my daughters' favorite cereals and I can't get them to stop eating it :(  See if you can spot the nutritional differences:

Part two of this blog (how to understand ingredient lists) ... I'll try to have it up by the end of the next week (Feb. 25, 2012)  For now, want more information on nutrition labels or recommended daily amounts?  Visit the USDA website at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying.  
   

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The Good, The Bad and The...Carbs!

Carbohydrates!  Did you flinch?  Hide?  It seems these days that little word (okay, it's a pretty long word) sends fear into so many people and has prompted so many arguments within and without the medical community.  You have fitness gurus, nutrition store workers, chiropractors, medical doctors, and all kinds of people making claims to "stay away" from those bad, awful, belly-bulging carbs, right?  Are they right or just inappropriately generalizing?  I think those people are taking the good of carbohydrates, ignoring them, and lumping them in with the bad.

Carbohydrates are NEEDED by our bodies.  Here's an idea - ask a dietitian or nutritionist (or anyone that spent longer than one semester learning about nutrition - not counting online researching).  Everything in excess becomes a toxin or a bad thing for us.  Too much protein can cause havoc in your stomach, your liver, etc. and lead to so many other issues.   The fact is that most people don't reach for the legumes when they're told to increase their protein and limit their carbs.  Nope, they go straight to the fatty animal proteins, with their cholesterol and saturated fats. Yep, that's so healthier, right?  Forget that bologna if you're trying to lose weight (no, really, bologna is mega bad for you on so many levels)...it's a basic equation to lose weight: More calories out than calories in. PERIOD.

As for thy mortal enemy "The Carbs", the ones we really need to stay away from as much as possible are the overly-processed sorts:  white sugars, white breads, white rice, etc.  (notice a "white" theme here?)  What those folks don't mention is that lettuce is a carb but have you ever seen an obese wild rabbit?? Ya, I didn't think so.  I don't think that even most people know exactly what a carbohydrate is...do you?

First of all, carbohydrates (carbo=carbon, hydrate=with water) are compounds composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen arranged as monosaccharides or multiples of monosaccharides (mono=one saccharide=sugar; they follow a general formula of C6H12O6 & form a single ring).  Did I lose you? Basically, a monosaccharide is the smallest form of sugar.  Now, there are two categories of carbohydrates: simple and complex.  You've probably heard people talk about "simple sugars" or "complex carbohydrates" but, really, what's the difference?  They are either simple or complex :-D  Okay, simple carbs are either monosaccharides or disaccharides and are easy for the body to access or store for immediate energy.

The most important of the simple carbohydrates are:
     -Monosaccharides
        1) Glucose
        2) Fructose
        3) Galactose

     -Disaccharides (pairs of monosaccharides)
        1) Maltose (glucose + glucose)
        2) Sucrose (glucose + fructose)
        3) Lactose (glucose + galactose)

The complex carbohydrates contain many glucose units, including sometimes other monosaccharides.  These are all strung together to form polysaccharides (poly=many).  There's another word in this category - oligosaccharide (oligo=few), which has less units than polysaccharides but more than the simple carbohydrates.

So, why are carbohydrates so darn important?  They're important because, eventually, all these carbohydrates, simple or complex, get turned into their basic forms - glucose or glycogen.  (Glycogen is what our bodies store extra glucose into that isn't immediately needed/used.)  These two basic carbohydrates provide about half of all the energy that our muscles (and other body tissues) use to function.  The other half is provided mostly by stored fat.  Glucose is the "food" preferred by our brain cells and nerve cells to function efficiently.  Also, it's super important for muscle function (which helps when we exercise).

But there are carbohydrates we should try to avoid most of the time and ones we shouldn't, especially if you're looking to lose weight.  It's a matter of making the right choices most of the time.  Sometimes it's difficult to choose between a slice of chocolate fudge cake and a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert...it's difficult to choose carrots over pretzels...trust me, I know!  And, sometimes, you just have to go for that piece of cake and that's okay too but remember that those are "empty" calories (foods that deliver energy but little or no protein, vitamins or minerals) and that there are healthier, more nutrient rich carbohydrates out there.  It's all back to choosing one's calories wisely and trying to go more toward nutrient-dense foods (e.g. a candy bar at 92 calories versus a bowl of soup at 90 calories).

Let's stop with giving carbohydrates such a bad reputation!  They are our fuel and some of them pack a mighty nutrient punch too!  Embrace the carbs!

Oh and this topic isn't over yet...look for my next entry about what happens to your body on a low dietary carb diet!

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Think E-N-E-R-G-Y Instead of Calories

Those two words are pretty synonymous because calories and energy are pretty much the same thing.  The correct term is kilocalories (or kcalories for short). For those who remember from school, a kilo is equal to a 1000 increment of metric measurement, in this case it's calories.  So, it is a measurement in 1000-calorie metric units for the energy released/produced from carbohydrates, fats (lipids), and proteins. Basically, it measures heat energy.

Now, let's make it more complicated and talk about the International System of Units (known as the SI).  Well, obviously, these are used worldwide in the scientific communities. Even though calories or kcalories is the most common measurements of food energy, the SI uses joules or kilojoules instead.  I know, I know...some of you might be thinking "Hey, wait a minute! A joule is a measurement of work done!"  Guess what? You're right, it is. So there's a formula (of course there is).  The work energy formula goes like this:

1 joule = 

the movement of 1 kilo,

a distance of 1 meter,

by the force of 1 newton

Get it?  I've got the gist of it, which is what matters.  A little easier is to convert from kcalories to kilojoules and that formula is to just multiply the kcalories by 4.2 to arrive at the kilojoules (kj). Now that that's out of the way, on to more interesting things to do with food energy!

Energy from Foods (aka calories).  

This is oh-so dependent on how much carbohydrates, fats, and proteins a food contains.  But not all of these are the same either!

To calculate how many calories a particular food has, you have to know the baseline caloric breakdown for these nutrients.  

       1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 kcalories of energy

       1 gram of proteins          = 4 kcalories of energy

       1 gram of fat                  = 9 kcalories of energy

       1 gram of alcohol           = 7 kcalories of energy

Now, you probably will never have to do this calculation because most product manufacturers and plenty of weight control books/websites offer the breakdown for you but just so I get it down... the formulas to calculate a food's available energy:

  Total carbohydrate grams X 4 (kcalories)= available energy

  Total protein grams X 4 (kcalories)         = available energy

  Total fat grams X 9 (kcalories                 = available energy

  Total alcohol grams X 7 (kcalories)         = available energy

    -Next, add all the available energy and you have your total.

Now, this calculation might come in handy as it helps to gauge the energy density of a food. This is NOT the same as the nutrient density which I previously discussed. Nope, this has to do with the potential energy of that food.  Which means that if you were trying to lose weight, you'd want this density number to be low and not high.  Remember, lower for losing, okay?  So to calculate this, take the total kcalories and divide it by the total grams...

   Total kcalories  /  total grams    = kcalories per gram

And, to calculate the percentage (%) of kcalories of the separate nutrients:

Nutrient's Available kcalories / Total kcalories of food =  %

So, for example... say the total calories for a food (that's all it's nutrients' calories added together) is 173 kcalories and you want to know how much of that food's kcalories is derived from fat.  You know that the fat's available kcalories for the food is 81, so you divide 81 by 173. That gives you .468, and flashback to school again, you multiply that number by 100 to get a percentage (or do the fancy decimal point move thing) which makes it (with rounding) 47%.  That means that the food derives 47% of it's energy/kcalories from fat!  That's a lot.  One should strive to limit fat intake to 20-35% of the DAILY kcalorie intake.

Now think about all these calculations and how many times we refer to the word energy.  These kcalories/calories are basically potential energy - nothing more, nothing less.  Think of this energy as money you deposit into your checking account at the beginning of the month.  Then you pay your rent/mortgage, utilities, and other bills, you meter out spending money and then you (hopefully) take what's left and put it in savings.  The bill paying is your daily calorie burn.  Savings is the fat storage located all over our bodies.  The fat "savings" is there for a "rainy day" and, just like your savings account, if you never draw money for those fabulous exotic vacations and just keep adding, that account grows larger and larger because, just like the bank, our bodies aren't going to say "Whoa, there partner, you're saving way too much so we're going to have to throw away some of this".  Nope, as much as we'd like our bodies to reach a maximum weight savings, it's not going to happen.  But, it is our responsibility (for health reasons alone) to make sure we are properly taking in energy amounts that our bodies can use to function properly without throwing the extras into "savings".  Hmmm, maybe I should've compared energy intake and output as paying the right amount of income taxes so that you neither have to pay anything in April nor receive a refund...oh well, you get the idea!

I'm going to end this section here - hopefully you weren't too bored with all the math in this post :-D 


All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying. Most information and data was taken from my textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition" by Rolfes, Pinna, & Whitney, ISBN-13: 978-0-495-55646-6

Happy October!

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Health Claims on Food Labels (in USA)

Did you know that up until 2003, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) would make food manufacturers show significant scientific evidence of any health claim they wanted to put onto their product labels?  Yes, I said "up until 2003" because after that, things got stupid and crazy.  Once again we get to see evidence that these manufacturers, those with the "deep pockets", get to play havoc with the public's psyche.

Before 2003, if a food label read "Diets low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure" we would have known that this couldn't have been published on the label without having enough scientific evidence to back it up - the FDA wouldn't have allowed it. Back then, if there was a claim on something, it came with scientific baggage.

Okay, let's get clear first on what exactly is a "health claim".  According to the FDA, a health claim is: "any claim made on the label or in labeling of a food, including a dietary supplement, that expressly or by implication, including “third party” references, written statements (e.g., a brand name including a term such as “heart”), symbols (e.g., a heart symbol), or vignettes, characterizes the relationship of any substance to a disease or health-related condition. Implied health claims include those statements, symbols, vignettes, or other forms of communication that suggest, within the context in which they are presented, that a relationship exists between the presence or level of a substance in the food and a disease or health-related condition (see 21 CFR 101.14(a)(1)).
Further, health claims are limited to claims about disease risk reduction, and cannot be claims about the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, or treatment of disease. Health claims are required to be reviewed and evaluated by FDA prior to use. An example of an authorized health claim, is: 'Three grams of soluble fiber from oatmeal daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. This cereal has 2 grams per serving.'"


Yes, well...it all started with supplements and then the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) decided that they didn't want to be left out in the cold so they challenged the FDA saying that if they didn't get the same treatment that was allotted to the supplements industry in the Pearson ruling that they would also take the FDA to court.  The gist of the argument was that the GMA should be allowed to inform their consumers of possible benefits.  The court ruling read, "Holding only the highest scientific standard for claims interferes with commercial free speech".

In order to accomplish this, while still letting the public know what their stance was on the particular health claim, there was devised a plan...a letter grading policy.  Have you heard about it?  I hadn't until recently because, basically, if I saw a product that read "...has been shown to lower cholesterol", I was assuming it had been scientifically proven and okayed by the FDA.  As far as I can tell, there's no actual letter grade printed on packages but it's the way a claim is worded that's supposed to tell us what the grading is. Uh...what?

Do you know what the grading policy is exactly? Here's an ABC/Health News article from that time that excitedly shares the information and cites a lot of experts that were excited for the change and those that were not. I have to side with the "were not" ones, especially when they said that consumers wouldn't pay attention to the letter grades but just the health claim. Really?  You think??  Let's face it, as human nature goes, we're far too busy to read the nutrition label AND follow up on the health claim grade too, right?

In case you do want to know but only want the highlights, the grading policy goes like this:
Grade A: High: Significant scientific agreement - no disclaimer needed.
Grade B: Moderate: Evidence is supportive but not conclusive - must have this statement after the health claim: "Although there is scientific evidence supporting this claim, the evidence is not conclusive."
Grade C: Low: Evidence is limited & not conclusive - must contain this statement: "Some scientific evidence suggests [enter health claim here]. However, FDA has determined that this evidence is limited and not conclusive."
Grade D: Very low: Little scientific evidence supporting this claim - must have this statement: "Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests [enter health claim here].  FDA concludes that there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim."

Okay, so I just checked out my box of Kashi Lean cereal and snapped a picture of their health claim:

So it says "25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."  There's none of those other disclaimers on there so we can assume that this health claim has an "A" grade, meaning there's "significant scientific agreement" to their claim! Whew! That's good to know, 'cause I just had some for a snack :-D   I was looking for a different claim but couldn't find any in my pantry - guess that's what I get for buying healthy foods.

Besides these "health claims" on packages, there are other claims that are completely different categories - nutrient claims and structure-function claims.


Nutrient claims are those phrases like "good source of fiber" or "rich in calcium" or "low in sodium" because they single out a particular nutrient to focus on for marketing purposes (of course).  It works though, doesn't it?  If you know that eating more fiber helps you lose weight and lower your risk for heart disease, when you see that tag "good source of fiber" or "high in fiber", you'll be tempted to grab it, won't you? Still, these have to meet FDA definitions, and let me tell you that there are A LOT of definition guidelines for these claims!  Let's take my fiber example - "good source of fiber"...in order to claim that on the package the product must provide between 10% - 19% of the Daily Value for fiber, per serving.   But change the claim to "high in fiber" and then the product needs to be 20% or more of the Daily Value for fiber per serving (this goes for the words "rich in" and "excellent source" interchangeably).  Ya, words - who knew that just changing the words "good source" to "high" would mean a difference in the amounts of a particular nutrient?  Oh, and just so you know, the words "fat-free" aren't 100% true -- something can say that it's "fat-free" and still contain up to .5grams of fat per serving...eat 5 servings and that's 2.5 grams of fat...not that it's all that much, but fat is fat, is fat... If you want more information on the wordings and what you're really getting, you can go to the FDA labeling website by clicking here.

Structure-function claims are the most unusual of the lot - hold on to your hats for this one -- they can be made WITHOUT any FDA approval!  These claims can be made WITHOUT any proof - none, zip, nada!   The only requirement is that the claim cannot mention a disease.  Look at the following statements:
A) "May reduce the risk of heart disease."
B) "Promotes a healthy heart."
Statement (A) is definitely a health claim whereas statement (B) is a structure-function claim - can you tell the difference?  If you saw statement (B) on a box of cereal, would your thought be "This might prevent me from having a heart attack - I think I'll buy it"?  Or would it be "Huh, there's no actual health claim here maybe I should look for a cereal that does have an actual heart disease prevention health claim"?  Honestly, consumers don't usually know that there's a difference.  I sure as heck didn't know.  Here's the link to the FDA's information on structure-function claims if you want more information.

So, now that I've shared all of this information with you, what are you going to do with it?  I hope you share it with those who are close to you.  There's more to reading labels than just reading the nutrition panel and, as much as I hate to think about it this way, there are big, money-making food manufacturers out there to make even more money and to trick you into buying their products by using the laws to their advantage.  Make an effort to beat them at their game by getting educated on what it is you're putting into your body because food, whether you want to think of it that way or not, is a chemical - and there are bad chemicals and there are good chemicals (there are some that are the Switzerland of chemicals but that's another story) so fuel your body with "premium unleaded" food instead of "regular" almost-food products.



Hahaha!  Here's MY disclaimer now:
All information on this blog is my own pursuit of information on the road to getting my BS in Nutrition Science and as a mode of studying.  Most information and data was taken from my textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition" by Rolfes, Pinna, & Whitney, ISBN-13: 978-0-495-55646-6

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RECIPE - Lower Calorie Tapioca Pudding!

I loved tapioca pudding when I was a kid and still do but I've never liked the name-brand, pre-made versions at the grocery stores -- they're too watery for me.  My grandma used to make tapioca pudding so that it was thick and, I hate to say it, almost a rubbery consistency.  But that's how I remember tapioca and that's how I like it.  Now, being on a vegan diet, I've been experimenting with different mixtures to get a tapioca pudding that I can enjoy but that will deliver less calories and maybe add more nutrients than a plain tapioca pudding.  So, tonight, I think I've found it!  Here's my discovery - drop a comment if you try it!  My next experiment will be vegan cannoli so that when my daughter is eating one, I can eat one too! :D

Vegan Tapioca Pudding Recipe

Serves: 4

(CalorieCountAbout.com)

  

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

4 – dessert bowls

INGREDIENTS

½ cup of quick cooking granulated tapioca (I like Let’s  Do…Organic brand)

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk

¼ cup evaporated cane sugar

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients. Whisk together.
2. Place saucepan over a medium-low heat.
3. Whisk constantly to prevent scorching and the tapioca from sticking to pan.
4. When tapioca has thickened (remember that it’ll thicken and solidify more when it starts to cool) to your desired consistency, turn off heat.
5. Pour into dessert bowls and let cool, then cover & store in fridge.

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Food Choices

Did you know that most people often choose what to eat based on behavioral or social motives?  Taste is obviously involved too but, for the most part, it's not based on how vital nutrition is to one's health.  Basically, food is supposed to be fuel and building blocks for our bodies.  But, we don't really sit around thinking about how our bodies are made up of atoms, molecules, cells, etc., do we? That's what our bodies are and the food we put into our bodies determines how well those small parts work together to make up our physical selves.  Think about this:  your oldest blood cell is only 120 days old and that skin you see gets replaced every 7 years!  That's some major renewals going on in our bodies and to accomplish these and other miracles, we need specific nutrients.  But, what influences people's decisions about what to eat?

There's personal preferences, of course.  Taste!  Flavor!  And what are the two most common preferences? Sugary sweetness (mmm, vegan cupcakes...) and salty savoriness (and some of us want these two at the same time)!  There are other particular personal preferences like spicy, or high-fat (thinking vegan cupcakes again--maybe I should go eat one right now...).  There's also some research out there that hints at genetics having an influence in the tastes a person prefers or dislikes.  I know I've got some friends who absolutely can't stand sugary sweets (I wish I could count myself as one).  I can't particularly stand the flavor of cilantro or celery.

Another influence is habit.  Sometimes this is something that's just been eaten for so long that it has become more habit than anything else.  For example, if you grew up with a hot bowl of oatmeal everyday for your breakfast, and now that's what you still eat daily for breakfast.  It might be that it's just easier to do this than have to think and figure out what to eat for breakfast all the time.  And, if it works, why fix it? Right?  What if it doesn't work?  What if your food habit is two chocolate toaster pastries for breakfast or a Texas size donut with a 16oz cup of coffee with cream & sugar? Sigh. Not so good.

Your ethnic heritage or tradition can also influence the foods you prefer, but I'm sure you knew this one.  You tend to continue eating what you were raised eating.  And the "American diet" is basically a mixture of many ethnic foods from all parts of the world.  I grew up with mostly Portuguese foods but we ordered out or went out to eat a few times a month and it usually was burgers & fries, pizza, or Chinese food.

Social interactions have also a "hand in the cookie jar" when it comes to choosing our foods.  Social events are ALWAYS chock full of foods, usually not of the healthy variety either.  Think about it - Thanksgiving?  Valentine's Day?  How about when you go on a date?  As a woman, I know that most of us are so nervous on a first date that going out to dinner sometimes may not be the best idea and so we choose lighter options (this is completely different after the first few dates and then a whole other ballpark once you're married, just thought I'd share that).

But here are three major hitters in the game of food influencing - Availability, Convenience, & Economy! People want fast and they want it now! Oh, & make it cheaper AND bigger - more bang for the buck!  If you need any evidence of this, go hang out at a fast food restaurant for awhile.  Unfortunately, these are probably the worse of the bunch when it comes to influencing people's food choices.  Even if they decide to prepare their own meals, a lot of people want to be able to fix a whole meal in 15 to 20 minutes, which means choosing unhealthier, corner-cutting options like canned soups or other semi-prepared ingredients.  But here's a question:  a banana or a candy bar?  Both can be carried and eaten on the run, but which would you choose (assuming you even like bananas)?  Hint: one has more vitamins and minerals while the other offers "empty" fat & calories.

Have kids? Have you ever used food as a positive or negative reinforcement for behavior?  Think real carefully about this one.  Personally, I hate to admit it, but I did use this one on my kids...*sad sigh*.  Hot dogs, burgers from the BBQ, grilled corn-on-the-cob, ice cream cones, cotton candy - what do these foods bring to your mind?  They remind me of good times, of going to a carnival, of summer trips to the beach, of hanging out with friends and family.  Were you ever forced to eat something you didn't like when you were a kid because "it's good for you and you're going to eat it!  We're not made of money, you know!"?

Oh my, the other heavy weight in this list is - emotional comfort.  Do you eat when you're: happy? stressed? sad? bored? anxious? lonely? tired? in pain?  We try to fix ourselves with food a lot because, in part, foods can influence the brain's chemistry and the mind's response.  It could be temporary but, nonetheless, that time frame is a pleasant one that sometimes has us going back for more.

People's beliefs and values can also influence their food choices.  Certain religions have food restrictions or strict guidelines.  Some people choose to avoid certain foods based on other things like causes (migrant workers, animals' rights, environment, etc.).

There are a few people who do make their choices based on body weight and image.  The person who wants to be at a specific weight or has a certain image to either attain or maintain might make food decisions to accommodate these goals.

Appropriately, the next influence is nutrition and health benefits. (Yay! Finally! Okay, this is only one of the food influences in my life.)  This is the category of choosing foods that will benefit one's health, such as whole grains, more green leafy vegetables, fruit, etc.

All in all, people choose foods for a variety of reasons and don't just stick to any one category.  No matter the reasons, what we choose to eat influences our health, good or bad.  The balance of foods that we choose over time is what makes an important difference to our health.  Maybe it's time we shifted our minds away from watching so many gourmet food shows and start thinking of food as nutrition again...not art, not a palate of sensual delights...just nutrition.  Ya, I guess that'll happen when certain foods stop tasting so darn good! :D

(Information derived from textbook "Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition". This is my way of taking notes :D )

August 29, 2011 - Also, as my good friend, Val, reminded me earlier today, the media also plays a HUGE part in influencing our food choices, don't you think?  Food is everywhere... billboards, TV commercials, magazine ads, in-show ads, etc.

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Frustrating Weeks=end of stagnation

Yuck!  Don't you just hate weeks that you just need to get soooo much done but it seems like your wheels are spinning in the mud and you're not getting ANYTHING done?  The past couple of weeks were exactly that way for me. But the "blah-ness" stops here and now...this week's gonna rock!  Or, at least, I'm going to try to rock it :D

I've finally applied to the college of my choice to complete my bachelor's degree in nutrition science (yay!!).  I've been working on that darn degree off-and-on for an unmentionable amount of years and now I'm crossing my fingers that it'll be within my grasp within the next two years (or maybe sooner)!  Then, my transition doesn't stop there -- that'd be too easy.  On to chiropractic college to become a chiropractor!  I'm going to be soooo tired by the time I'm done but it'll be worth it...just thinking of how I'll be able to help people makes it worth it.

I've started working on a log for vegans based on the book "Becoming Vegan" written by two registered dieticians.  If it works out really well, I'll post a copy of it for anyone interested.  I've been looking for something that I can easily refer to so I'm sure I'm getting a good balanced amount of nutrients so I can be even healthier (and with all the schooling I'm looking at, I'm going to need that more than ever).  It'd be more for beginning vegans and I'm trying to make it easy to track servings, what servings are, and the different pyramid-type food groups specific to vegans.  Obviously, the one published by the USDA isn't applicable to those of us who don't do dairy or meats...I think that's very small minded of them, don't you think so?  Right. :-D

Also, finally finished watching ALL eleven seasons of the "Biggest Loser" and now I'm so ready to watch the new season LIVE, well as live as it can get not being on Hulu that is.  If they do the "Pound for Pound" challenge again this season, I'm going to start a team - because I think it's a great idea to get people to lose weight and to help those who would go hungry without those food banks.  Wonder how many people I can get to do this with me?  I'm not going to push veganism on people but if anyone asks or has an interest, I'll be there excitedly full of information for them :D

It's funny.  Since I've started this vegan journey, I've improved my health, my energy levels, my thinking is clearer, and I've been able to watch two wonderful friends become vegetarians on the basis that one day they would jump the gap and go vegan, even if just to try it.  I think it's all pretty wonderful.  I just wish more people would discover the health benefits and the ease of being vegan...2 months for me and counting!

By-the-way, here's a recipe that one of those friends-turned-vegetarian sent to me today for homemade vegan pudding...I haven't tried it yet but "Smiles" swears it's awesome!

• 1 avocado, 1 tsp of dark cocoa powder, 1/2 cup soy milk and if you want it sweet, 4 tsp of evaporated cane sugar syrup (or agave nectar) or until your desired sweetness;
• Mix in a blender until well blended.
  Let me know if she's right or not...I haven't been very adventurous with avocados outside their normal uses so I've been hesitant to try the various vegan desserts that use avocado.

Oh, and did I mention that I'm belly dancing this weekend...in public...with a choreography that I wrote -- this is the first time for both these things together and I'm already nauseous at the thought *shivers*.  I hope I don't forget everything...or that my costume stays on (it's new, that's why I'm worried about it)...Okay, just better to not think about it - practice, practice, practice...that's the best way I can prepare, right? Right. *gulp*

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Today was...

Today was a contemplative day for me. I'm still following my vegan 21-day challenge (Yay for day #16!!) and I'm feeling pretty good but that's not what I was thinking about.

Yesterday I was accused of pushing my new "diet" (we'll talk about that word later) onto people around me. No, wait, I believe the word was "hounding" and not pushing. Nonetheless, this upset me more than I wish to put down here (let's just say that I went to bed angry AND woke up angry AND I'm still pretty ticked-off). I love my family. I love my friends. Now, when I discover new things that just might keep us all alive longer and healthier, I try to make this information available to those that I love. Heck, no use in me hanging around if no one else will be here with me, right? So, ya, maybe I do come across to them as "hounding", "pushing", "nagging", etc. but, is that what I'm doing really? No lies, I do get excited about learning something new. Could my loved ones mistake my excitement as trying to coerce them into eating healthier or to just do things my way? I contemplated this today on the way to my weight-lifting session with my trainer.

Then I started thinking that, on top of all the reading and studying that I do about nutrition and eating habits, I've been watching all the seasons of "The Biggest Loser", back-to-back. I've seen those MRIs on there that show how the fatty tissue congests all the internal organs and pushes them into unnatural positions. I know that bad nutrition and obesity are behind the number one cause of death here in the United States. I get it. But I want everyone near-and-dear to me to also realize it. By-the-way, if you don't know, according to the CDC's 2007 Mortality report, the leading cause of death here is heart disease. Number two is cancer, which I've read some wonderful stories that people completely REVERSED and eliminated cancer by changing their diets to vegan (haven't really looked for research studies on it yet but maybe that's something for next week). But am I "preachy" about it? Am I like a church minister trying to convert a bunch of sinners and knowing it's a hopeless situation, I still keep thumping that bible? Hmmm, maybe.

Well, that drive this morning, paired up with the adrenaline of a near collision, made me think about this in particular: Why do I feel like I need to "fix" everyone around me? To make them healthier? To get them to feel good? Then, it dawned on me - the underlying reason for my, I guess you can call it, obsession with "healing" people. I thought about my life and then it came to me.

Growing up, I had been very close to my godmother/great aunt. When I was 9-10 years old, she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer. She told me, as I perched on her lap and she sat in her favorite rocking chair, that she was very, very sick and that she was going to die. I hugged her and told her "no", that she wouldn't die because I was going to grow up to be a doctor and I would fix her. She laughed a little and said she wished she could wait but she wasn't going to be able to but that she wanted me to still be a doctor and find the cure for cancer. I promised her.

As the months slipped past, I watched that lively woman deteriorate before my eyes as she endured horrible bouts of chemotherapy. I watched as she got sicker and sicker, her hair falling out in clumps and her trying to hide it with a kerchief tied around her head. I remember her having to be kept at the hospital one time and I wasn't allowed to go see her, then she came home - I watched over her and witnessed her fitful sleep with full-out hallucinations from the drugs they were giving her to dull her pain. And, I felt helpless, completely and utterly helpless. Eventually, the pain bled through the drug's power and she was taken again to the hospital, kissing us and telling us "good-bye", looking at us as they backed out of the garage as if she KNEW
she'd never come back and...she never did. I now believe that's why I "push" healthier eating habits because it is the one thing I can control.

See? This isn't just about my adventures with foods and ways of eating healthier. Sometimes my own little psychological self-evaluations may cause someone else to also think about why they do something. Honestly, I never want to see another loved one suffer like that if it can be prevented at all. But, I'm also still hurt that these people I call "loved ones" would turn on me so quickly and easily when I hadn't been hurting them (in fact, they went out of their way to make sure I was suffering their verbal "comical" abuse). It's just so much easier to NOT care...maybe this was to show me where my behavior comes from and to stop fixing everyone else and focus just on me?? I think I can handle that :D


Oh and about the word "diet" - I abhor that word's connotation! Let me just state this once and for all --- my veganism is not a "diet" it is a healthy way of life and it's a choice - it's MY choice because I don't want to wind up at the end of my life having to be hooked up to machines or having to take a boatload of drugs just to keep going. Choose it or don't but don't roll your eyes when I ask waiters about ingredients in my food, got it? Good!