Spring 2006
Several weeks have passed since you made New Year's resolutions, and most likely you reached for the stars and wished for the shapely figure of one of the "Desperate Housewives." Now that reality has drifted in, it's time to reassess.
Better health is attainable through sensible, realistic goals. Perhaps the easiest way to start is with the purchase of healthier foods. Here are my top five recommendations for a healthy food shopping list:
1. Cocoa. If there ever was good news, it is that chocolate may be good for the heart and arteries, calming digestive trouble and easing persistent coughs. But not just any chocolate can boast these healthy attributes - it must be cocoa or very dark chocolate (look for 70 percent cocoa or higher). Milk chocolate does not contain enough cocoa to make the same claims, and it is higher in unneeded fats. In the coming year, manufacturers plan to introduce better grades of chocolate that contain as many healthy markers as possible.
This news does not give you permission to eat as much chocolate as you like. Portion control is crucial. Limit your healthy indulgence to one to two ounces of dark chocolate or about two tablespoons of cocoa.
One final note: Look for fair-trade labeled cocoa when eating chocolate. Child labor is a problem in the African cocoa industry, where many American products are sourced. Fair-trade chocolate suppliers prohibit this practice.
2. Probiotics. The cultured dairy aisle is full of bacteria - beneficial bacteria called probiotics. Yogurt makers use these health microbes to make smooth, thick and creamy products. Most yogurt has contained only two or three types of bacteria, but the science of probiotics is proving that several types can improve immune health and reduce the chance of ulcers and bowel problems.
Seek out yogurt with these types of bacteria: lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus casei, biifidobacterium, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus reuteri or lactobacillus plantarum
3. Whole Grains. Remember when whole grain bread was about as tasty as sandpaper? Those days are long gone. Bread makers now use lighter whole wheat flours and ingredients that lighten texture and improve the taste of whole grain breads. Look for breads that contain 100 percent whole wheat and whole grains for more nutrients - and great taste.
The same ingredients that have improved the bread aisle also are showing up in snack foods. You may see more whole grain crackers, granola bars and cereals in the coming year.
4. Nut Oils. Almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, walnut and pumpkinseed oil add flavor and heart-healthy essential fatty acids to salads, soups, pastas and vegetables, as well as fish and chicken. Nut oils add complexity to simple recipes, but the bonus is that the essential fatty acids (only available in foods) also help regulate hormones, fight off cancers and reduce the LDL triglycerides that can lead to heart disease.
Almond, cashew and pecan oils are very high in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, a type of nutritious fat that most people consume in insufficient quantities. In addition, walnut oil has a 10 percent alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) level, the same omega-3 essential fatty acid found in flaxseed oil.
5. Pomegranate Juice. The pomegranate dates back to biblical times but only recently has gained interest in this country. Hidden behind all those luscious kernels and tough exterior are heart-healthy properties that exceed those found in black and green tea, red wine, cranberry and blueberry juice. But pomegranate juices have freed us from the hundreds of bothersome seeds that fill the pomegranate hull; look for them in the refrigerated juice and fruit case at your grocery store.
New Labeling Law For Trans Fats
A new food labeling law affecting trans fats went into effect in January 2006. Food manufacturers now are required to tell consumers how many trans fats or hydrogenated fats are in food products. Trans fats are made by taking apparently healthy liquid vegetable oils and turning them into solid fats by changing their chemical structure. They contribute to tens of thousands of heart-related deaths each year.
The new labeling contains important information. One loophole may lead you astray, however: Manufacturers can label a food as containing no trans fat per serving if the product contains less than 0.5 gram per serving. If you want foods that truly are free of trans fats, look for labels that specifically say "no trans fat," or read the ingredient panel and look for "hydrogenated soybean oil" or "hydrogenated cottonseed oil."
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Kimberly Lord Stewart is a Colorado-based food and health writer and the wife of a retired naval officer. Look for her new book, "Eating Between the Lines," a field guide to supermarket food labeling, by St. Martin's Press.