Part 2 (1/2)

- Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron: These nutrients are among those you want to see in the high range: % DV of 20% or more.

- Protein: Manufacturers must give a % DV only if the food claims to be high in protein or if the food is meant for infants and children younger than 4 years old.

- ”Percent Daily Values” Footnote: The following statement must appear on all Nutrition Facts labels. ”Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.” The remaining information does not need to appear if the package is too small. When the information does appear, it is the same on all products, because it is general dietary advice for all Americans.

Light, Low, Free, Lean: What's It All Mean?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established definitions and guidelines for terms that can appear on food packaging. Here's a sample.

- Free: the product contains no amount of, or only a trivial or ”physiologically inconsequential” amount of one or more of these substances: fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and calories.

- Low fat: the product contains 3 grams of fat or less per serving. the product contains 3 grams of fat or less per serving.

- Low saturated fat: 1 g or less per serving. 1 g or less per serving.

- Low sodium: 140 mg or less per serving. 140 mg or less per serving.

- Very low sodium: 35 mg or less per serving. 35 mg or less per serving.

- Low cholesterol: 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving. 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving.

- Low calorie: 40 calories or less per serving. 40 calories or less per serving.

- Lean and extra lean: when describing meat, poultry, seafood, and game, ”lean” means it contains less than 10 g of fat, 4.5 g or less saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g. ”Extra lean” means it contains less than 5 g fat, less than 2 g saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g. when describing meat, poultry, seafood, and game, ”lean” means it contains less than 10 g of fat, 4.5 g or less saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g. ”Extra lean” means it contains less than 5 g fat, less than 2 g saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g.

- High: means the food contains 20% or more of the Daily Value for a specific nutrient. means the food contains 20% or more of the Daily Value for a specific nutrient.

- Good Source: means that one serving of the product contains 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value for a specific nutrient. means that one serving of the product contains 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value for a specific nutrient.

- Light: can mean one of three things: (1) the food contains one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the reference food. If the food provides 50% or more of its calories from fat, the reduction must be 50% of the fat. (2) The sodium content of a low-calorie, low-fat food has been reduced by 50%. (3) The term describes color, texture, or another property of the food, but the label must explain the term, such as ”light brown sugar.” can mean one of three things: (1) the food contains one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the reference food. If the food provides 50% or more of its calories from fat, the reduction must be 50% of the fat. (2) The sodium content of a low-calorie, low-fat food has been reduced by 50%. (3) The term describes color, texture, or another property of the food, but the label must explain the term, such as ”light brown sugar.”

- Fresh: the FDA defines this term when it is used for foods that are raw or unprocessed. Thus ”fresh” can be used only on raw foods, ones that have never been frozen or heated, and contain no preservatives. ”Fresh frozen,” ”frozen fresh,” and ”freshly frozen” can be used for foods that were rapidly frozen while still fresh. the FDA defines this term when it is used for foods that are raw or unprocessed. Thus ”fresh” can be used only on raw foods, ones that have never been frozen or heated, and contain no preservatives. ”Fresh frozen,” ”frozen fresh,” and ”freshly frozen” can be used for foods that were rapidly frozen while still fresh.

EGG SAFETY.

Eggs are a good source of protein, low in fat (if you limit yourself to the whites), and relatively inexpensive, so it is often on an anti-aging menu. Proper handling and preparation are critical, however, especially since it is estimated that 1 out of every 10,000 eggs (about 4.5 million eggs per year) are infected with Salmonella enteritidis Salmonella enteritidis, which causes food poisoning. Because contaminated eggs do not look or smell any different than non-contaminated eggs, it isn't possible to know if any of the eggs you purchase are affected.

The notion that ”free-range” eggs are healthier and produced in less cruel conditions than conventional eggs is largely untrue. In most cases, free-range egg producers keep their hens uncaged but confined to overly crowded facilities that have very limited access to the outdoors, or they are confined to cages that are larger than those used to hold conventionally raised hens. There are no government laws that regulate the meaning of ”free-range,” so unless you personally see the conditions under which your eggs are produced, you cannot be sure that the higher prices you pay for free-range eggs are supporting a healthier product produced in less cruel conditions.

Choosing and Preparing Eggs - If possible, buy your eggs from local producers (with a facility that you can visit). They may sell from their farm or at a farmers' market.

- Purchase eggs that are refrigerated at 40F or lower.

- Do not purchase eggs that are cracked.

- When you get the eggs home, immediately place them in the coldest part of the refrigerator (in the rear), not on the door.

- If you accidentally crack an egg before you are ready to use it, break the egg into a clean container, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it. Use it within 2 days.

- Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm. Do not eat lightly poached or soft-boiled eggs.

- Never eat raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs (e.g., eggnog, Hollandaise sauce).

- Do not leave eggs unrefrigerated for longer than two hours.

MEAT, POULTRY, AND FISH.

Proper handling and preparation of meats, fish, and poultry are critical because the potential for contamination and food poisoning is high. Contamination can occur at several levels. According to the Humane Farming a.s.sociation, only a small percentage of the meat processed in U.S. slaughterhouses is tested for toxins (e.g., dioxins, PCBs, pesticides) that get into the meat supply either through the animals' feed and/or water, or through direct means (injections of antibiotics, hormones). Contamination or compromise of meat, poultry, and fish can also occur anywhere during processing, from packing and s.h.i.+pping to the market and finally your kitchen. Therefore, consider these important guidelines.

Meat and Poultry - Buy organically produced meat and poultry. Compared with conventionally produced items, they expose you to significantly fewer age-accelerating and disease-causing substances.

- Cook meat and poultry thoroughly and always check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Different meats and cuts have different safe temperatures, so be sure to check the cooking instructions. (See mendations from leading health experts and health organizations, including the American Heart a.s.sociation and the American Diabetes a.s.sociation.

STEP 1: WATCH YOUR FATS.

As a general guideline, you should hold your total fat intake to 25 to 30 percent of calories, and no more than 10 percent of total caloric intake should be from ”bad” fats-saturated and trans fats. Trans fat should be held to 3% or less. The remaining 15 to 20 percent of total calories that are reserved for fat intake should come from ”good” fats- monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.

Watching your fats is easy if you follow a few simple guidelines.

- If you eat dairy products, choose no-fat and low-fat varieties.

- When considering protein foods, choose fish, lean cuts of meat, egg whites, and skinless poultry. Plant-based protein is generally much lower in fat than animal foods. Choose dried beans, lentils, tempeh, peas, or tofu in place of meat.

- Use olive oil (extra virgin if you can), which is especially rich in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, both of which protect against aging, coronary heart disease, and cancer. Use it for stir-fry or as a salad dressing. Second best choices are flaxseed, canola, and peanut oils.

- Avoid trans fats: read ingredient labels and look for the words ”hydrogenated” or ”partially hydrogenated” oil or margarine. Also look at the nutrition label for the amount of trans fat in a product. Even if the nutrition label says zero trans fat per serving, food manufacturers are allowed to say zero if one serving contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat.

STEP 2: BE NUTS ABOUT NUTS.

You should be nuts about nuts, and here's why. Several very large studies that included tens of thousands of partic.i.p.ants from the Nurses' Health Study, the Physicians' Health Study, and others, found that the risk of coronary heart disease is 37 percent lower among people who eat nuts more than four times per week compared with those who never or seldom eat nuts. Experts believe the reason is that most nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, which help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Nuts are a rich source of B vitamins, which are good for the heart and brain. They also contain healthy fats, which also benefit the heart and circulation, as well as the collagen and elastin in the skin, helping it maintain elasticity and resiliency.

Because nuts are high in calories, small portions are advised. The best way to enjoy the flavor and benefits of nuts is to eat them as a snack in place of chips or another ”junk” food, or sprinkle them on cereal, salad, or in stir-fry.