Can You Name Six Meaningless Phrases on Food Labels?

The NY Times recently ran an article on meaningless phrases on food labels. I've noticed marketers have become more inventive in an attempt to "cut through the clutter," especially during the recession.

Here are the 6 nonsense phrases that have been popping up on labels. See how many you've noticed:

1. Lightly sweetened or low sugar- The FDA has no regulations for these phrases. My question is, lightly sweetened compared to what? A doughnut?
2. A good source of fiber- Another tricky use of wording. Seems that some companies are trying to claim fiber from non-traditional sources, such as "chicory root or purified powders of polydextrose and other substances." These products have not been substantiated to have health benefits in the same way as whole grains, bean, vegetables or fruit.
3. Strengthens your immune system- Frozen vegetables and instant breakfast drinks are two of the products companies are claiming can strengthen your immune system. Hmmm. I thought fresh vegetables and fruits did that.
4. Made with real fruit- Yes, but the quantities are minuscule and often aren't the same type of fruit shown on the package. Did I mention the main ingredients in these products are corn syrup, white sugar, and white grape juice concentrate?
5. Made with whole grains- Refined flour is often the first ingredient, yet some manufacturers make the claim that their product is made with whole grains. Also, the amount of whole grain is often minimal. One product contained more sugar than whole wheat.
6. All natural- Can you believe that some companies actually consider high fructose corn syrup to be "all natural"? Despite the fact it does not occur in nature & is not something that you can make at home- HFCS can only be made in a commercial setting.

It's important to read the ingredients and nutrition facts and beware of marketing claims.
What kind of  nonsense phrases have YOU found on labels? Let us know and I'll share them on the blog.

-Xtreme Country Girl
 

Can you name the top 5 food trends for 2010?

The vote is in! A panel of food experts at the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco reviewed over 80,000 products and have weighed in on the top 5 food trends for 2010.

They are:

Good-for-you foods

No examples were given, but I would hope fruit and vegetable products would be in this category.

Coconut

A source of quick energy, coconut helps boost endurance and possesses many health benefits. Laura's Wholesome Junk Food uses coconut in our healthy cookie treats because of the nutritional value, and hey, it tastes good! 

Gluten-free

More people are diagnosed every day with Coeliac (Celiac) Disease and must eat a gluten-free diet. Others have found that their health improves by eating gluten-free.Whether by necessity or choice, gluten-free treats and other food dishes are becoming more popular.

Exotic citrus

Many exotic fruits such as pomelo (a cross between a navel orange and a grapefruit) are gaining in interest.

Pomelos

Nostalgic foods

The recession appears to be driving this trend. Nostalgic foods are rising in popularity as consumers attempt to recreate "the good old 

  days."

Fermented foods (including pickled foods), smoked foods, baked jalapeno potato chips, and spicy popcorn are also trending foods. What are your favorite foods for the coming year? Let us know!

Xtreme Country Girl

Feminine Or Yin "Guilt" -- One Of The Top Culprits Of Sleep Deprivation For Women

by Dr. Laura Trice
Health and Communication Strategist, Author and CEO of Laura's Wholesome Junk Food
(reposted from The Huffington Post,
Posted: January 10, 2010 02:56 PM)

Are you well rested right now?

Sleep is so essential to women feeling good. I have interviewed many women about the impact of sleep on them, and what I hear is fairly consistent. Having enough sleep enables a women to feel good and not having enough deprives us of the capacity for joy. What would the world look like if every person had one good night's sleep?

I am going to run through five items to consider with regards to sleep:

1. Exercise - I know that I feel better and sleep better when I have taken the time to do some type of exercise. Even going for a walk for 20 minutes.

2. Food - Now food is two fold. What are you eating and when are you eating it? I feel best when I avoid white sugar and flours and also don't eat for two to three hours before bed. That late night carb binge always leaves me looking and feeling a little tired and puffy the next morning. Yes, ladies, that does include wine.

3. Neatness, safety and serenity of your bedroom - Is your bedroom a haven and a sanctuary where you can relax and retreat from the chaos of the day and feel peaceful and safe? Or, is it a disaster? Get your work papers out, clutter, put a flower, light a candle -- make it beautiful. You need your rest.

4. Noise and silence - Some women can sleep through anything and others need some quiet. Fans, earplugs (the green lower decibel ones) and your own soft music can mask sounds so your mind can slow down.

5. Bedtime routine - Remember how we all had bedtimes, story time and then lights out? That still works. Come up with a bedtime routine you like. Don't go from TV or the computer to bed because your body and mind need transition. Mine seems to need about an hour. A bath, some candle light and some relaxing book that is calming. Right now I am not sleeping as well as I could because I am reading an amazing mystery book that is mentally stimulating me versus relaxing me ... oh well. Also, if you and your partner wants to get intimate, get into bed early so you have energy versus hoping he'll change his mind.

Let's get to why I put "guilt" in quotes with the words feminine and yin before it. Women can feel or think they feel "guilty" for taking time for themselves and caring for themselves. Let's say laundry needs to get done and they are exhausted -- they feel "guilty" that they are being "selfish" for not doing for and caring for others.

I propose that it is not "guilt" women feel for self-care but we are feeling "uncomfortable", "unworthy", "anxious", "scared" or "nervous" doing something nice for themselves. But, we call it guilt. Most women's minds' tell us "do more, more, more. The sky will fall if all the dishes are not done." Between husbands and children, work and home, so many women feel pulled in multiple directions and the work seems to never be done.

Here is my challenge to you, the next time you feel "guilty" for stopping to enjoy a cup of tea, taking a nap or leaving a load of laundry undone, tell yourself , "Yin or Feminine guilt is a GOOD sign that I am doing something for myself." Rejoice and also ask yourself, "What am I really feeling?" You may feel a funny feeling in your stomach, you may even feel scared like something bad will happen because you are doing for yourself and not doing for others. After all, there is a great deal of pressure on women to mother the world.

Dr. Patricia Allen PhD, CBT and Author, advises women to change from full-time giving and nurturing mothers back into self-loving women who start putting their own needs first after children reach about eight to ten-years-old. A woman who self sacrifices for children who can do for themselves and healthy adults not only hurts her body in the long run, but also sets a poor example for her daughters and sons on how a woman needs to care for herself. I love the example I heard of a self-loving woman whose son started doing all his own laundry at age eight.

The best thing you can do for yourself, others and the world is take a moment for yourself. And, no matter how many moments you take for yourself, no matter how much money you spend or what you accomplish, you simply will be unable to enjoy it without adequate sleep.

If I am sleep deprived, everything is muted, I feel like a zombie, my heart races and I have a low grade headache at the base of my skull. If I get barely enough, the headache is gone and my heart beats at a regular rate but I still feel a little zombie like. When I am tired, I also tend to make lousy food choices and will eat more unhealthily and then sleep worse the next night. It is a self perpetuating cycle.

With enough sleep, I feel great and cannot wait to live my day. With a wonderful little nap, I am super charged and ecstatic.

So, knowing that feminine or yin "guilt" isn't really guilt and also that it is a GOOD sign when you are taking care of your body, I pose two questions to you:

How well rested are you right now?
What is your secret to good sleep or your plan for better sleep (ie what guilt will you let go of so your body and spirit can feel better?

Tasty Tidbits about Oatmeal

Avena sativa, the common oat, is not only nutritious and delicious, but has many uses. Let's celebrate National Oatmeal month by looking at a few:

*natural way to treat acne-- apply lukewarm, cooked oatmeal to acne for a few minutes, then rinse with cool water
*absorbs odors-- place an open container in the fridge
*relieves itching and soothes skin-- used in bathwater, it relieves itchiness and soothes the skin
*body scrub or facial mask *oatmeal soap
*used as an ingredient in cooking-- beer, meatloaf, breads, cookies, the list is almost endless!
*animal food- horses and cattle are routinely fed oats

Did you know?

Whole grain oats, also known as steel-cut, are oats that are cut into small pieces.
Rolled oats are first steamed, then flattened.
Quick oats are cut into small pieces, then steamed and flattened.
Instant oats are pre-cooked, dried oats that generally have sweetener and flavoring added.

Oatmeal has been praised for its soluble fiber content and its positive effects on cholesterol levels. Oatmeal is chock full of vitamins, minerals (such as iron), and antioxidants. Research suggests that oatmeal -being made of complex carbohydrates - may help you control your weight, and may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Laura knows about the goodness of oatmeal. At Laura's Wholesome Junk Food, we make our healthy cookies with a perfect balance of rolled oats and other ingredients that never tastes “too healthy”. Our biggest compliments come from people who never liked “healthy stuff”. Since the number one ingredient in our regular flavors is a whole grain (oats), not white sugar or flour, our products provide a slow burn that satisfies and sustains energy.

Celebrate National Oatmeal Month with Laura's Wholesome Junk Food healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip or healthy Oatmeal Raisin cookies today!

-Xtreme Country Girl

Michael Pollan serves up a different way to tackle the health care crisis

"Food Rules," the latest Michael Pollan book, tackles the problem of the American diet. According to his blog on the Huffington Post (read it in its entirety here):

"our health care crisis is in large part a crisis of the American diet -- roughly three quarters of the two-trillion plus we spend on health care in this country goes to treat chronic diseases, most of which can be prevented by a change in lifestyle, especially diet."

Pollan collected and formulated some no non-sense everyday rules for eating that bear repeating. Some of the rules from his book include:

*Avoid TV advertised foods. According to Pollan, Over two thirds of TV food advertising is spent promoting processed foods (and alcohol).
*If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.
*Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk. Chemical additives, anyone?
*Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself. His theory is that if you must prepare treats and fattening foods yourself (for example, ice cream or french fries) you will most likely not eat them every day.
*Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored. He encourages people to be aware of what they are eating & to ask yourself if you are really hungry.
*Do all your eating at a table. And, no, eating at your work desk does not count as a table. Eating while driving, working or watching TV fosters mindless eating.

What kind of rules do you have to help you eat healthier? Do you limit processed foods? Do you stick with healthy treats or healthy cookies? Do you have rules about including fiber in your diet?

What do you think?

--Xtreme Country Girl

Fresh Fruit for the Office

Went to a small business expo last week in the Kansas City area and the door packet contained a flyer for a new business that has (IMHO) a fantastic idea. For those of you who don't know, Kansas City always ranks in the top 15 fattest cities in the nation. Not exactly something to be proud of.

So, anything that could help change that & make people healthier gets a thumbs up from me. This business I recently became aware of is called peels&crates (peelsandcrates.com), and delivers fresh, organic fruit directly to the workplace! Three sizes are available from 15 up to 50 servings, and they pick up the crate to reuse when you are done. How cool is that? As far as I can tell, they are only local to the Kansas City area, but I hope they are wildly successful and will expand this model to other cities. Does anybody know of any other companies doing something similar?

-Xtreme Country Girl

PPCK Visit to see our containers

This was our visit to our container manufacturer, PPCK. Dr. Laura saw the molds for her containers, toured the facility, and touched the virgin food quality resin (U.S. FDA approved) used for her cookies. Unfortunately she did not get to see the containers being made, as the lines were broken that day. Our containers are made here in the U.S.A.

Here are the photos from our visit:

--Demo King

Aspen Health Forum

The Aspen Health Forum was where leaders got together to discuss what health means and what needs to happen to address health domestically and globally. There were many wonderful speakers, some of whom I met.

Here I am pictured with Deepak Chopra, who spoke on many panels and gave a terrific talk on joy.

I also met Dr. Oz, an advocate for common sense good health who is very funny.

Mary Robinson is looking at health issues globally, specifically how to have local communities help themselves with sustainable systems.

In Joy and Good Health,

Dr. Laura

Agave Warnings

An Oct. 27th article in the Wall Street Journal ("Agave Syrup May Not Be So Simple" read it here) takes a look at agave, the sap from a Mexican plant that is often used as a natural sweetener. Most of the article discusses the effects on diabetics, with this warning from the Glycemic Research Institute, a Washington, D.C., laboratory: "diabetics experienced "severe and dangerous side effects" during testing of an agave nectar."

However, also buried in this article was the following statement (bold added for emphasis): "the lab refused to test four other agave products after a chemical analysis it commissioned from another lab found they were mixed with high-fructose corn syrup, which was not disclosed on the label. She declined to name the brands."

Whaaaat? High-fructose corn syrup?? In agave?? Just goes to show, you should be very careful about what brands you buy and make sure you can trust them.

X-treme Country Girl

New Gluten-free living website

Want a place to check out gluten-free restaurants in your area? Maybe you need some new GF recipes to pep up your meals, or would like to participate in a social collaboration community for people committed to GF living. If you are interested in these topics, check out Gling.com. Although the site still says it's in beta, I was able to navigate around pretty well & found a lot of useful content. It's free, and founder Mike Lee writes on Gling that his idea was to "create something that would allow people to have a set of tools to make real change." There is a feedback button so you can let him know what you think about the site, & what you'd like to see.

Kudos to our Demo Queen, Char, for finding this nifty site.

X-treme Country Girl