The Verdict on Sugar

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Americans have a complex relationship with sugar.  The USDA estimates that the average intake per person is 70-100 pounds of added sugars each year. Added sugars are those not naturally present in food. That means you may be eating almost two of those big four-pound bags of sugar every month! 

Our biology is hard wired to perceive sweet tastes as pleasant and preferred.  Before there were supermarkets, we foraged for food, and our taste buds helped us stay safe. Bitter foods told us to stay away; ripe fruits (nature’s sugar) tasted good and are full of nutrients. These foods also stimulate the same sweet taste buds. This does not mean we have a physical addiction to ADDED sugars because of a biological preference. It only means we enjoy a sweet taste and are drawn to that for positive nutrient intake for good health – inborn protection. 

The added sugars we consume are a huge problem – either alone (sodas, sweetened drinks, candy) or combined with fat (ice cream, cakes, cookies, chocolate). While an apple has about 100 calories, a piece of apple pie (added sugars and fat) has close to 400 calories. And another scary fact: carbonated beverages (soda) provide nearly 22% of total added sugars to our diet! 

And all sugars contain the same calories: about 15 calories per teaspoon. Our bodies see all sugars the same – even high fructose corn syrup. So there’s no health benefit to brown sugar, sugar in the raw, honey, molasses, agave, or others. It’s all converted to glucose (the simplest of sugars) as fuel.

Limit added sugars for better health, dental hygiene, and weight control. A taste test is not sufficient as added sugars can be hidden as “tasting good” and not especially sweet. Read labels on packaged foods, and aim for less than 10 grams of sugar per serving – that’s about two teaspoons. Any of the low-calorie sweeteners can be a good option, used in moderation with a dose of common sense. But remember that a high calorie meal is not balanced out with a diet soda!

The New Food Downsizing

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

While “value eating” and supersizing for pennies seems to be everywhere, I’m happy to see a new trend emerging: portion-controlled single servings. And by single serving, I don’t mean eating the entire bag, but a small portion typically under 200 calories. 

From chicken breasts, to frozen desserts, to chips, it’s now easier than ever to find your favorite foods already portioned out. While a pricier option, it’s well worth it if it prevents you from out-of-control eating. Plus, there’s a lot of satisfaction from getting to eat the whole thing. Those are two great value-adds for paying a little bit more for single-serve packages.  

Nowadays, it’s hard to change our perception of a standard portion size because so much of what we see is gigantic and, by comparison, a healthy portion looks skimpy. But once you accept that portion control is key to calorie control, you’re well on your way to making some practical changes.

The best way to get started? Start by reading the package labels for serving size and calories per serving. Don’t be fooled by bags and bottles that look small, and don’t assume they are single serving.

Let me know if you’ve found other easy ways to downsize your portions. We need all the help we can get!

Do You Know What You're Drinking?

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

Among the many choices we make every day is whether to drink tap or bottled water. Here are a few facts about each that can help you decide.  

Tap water is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency for purity and safety. Bacteria levels and other contaminant levels are tested regularly and must fall within distinct and strict regulations. If there are any problems with water sources, your local water supplier is notified immediately. You can filter out particle impurities leeching from your pipes (which can alter taste) by using a charcoal filter (e.g. Brita or Pur).  Plain or filtered tap water is cheap and tasty and a great way to hydrate.

Bottled water is regulated much differently from tap water. It is considered a food by the Food and Drug Administration. Their guidelines are still pretty specific, but different from the guidelines for tap water. Be a savvy consumer because brands vary. Look for an 800 number or a website on the bottle label where you can get information. For information on tap water, call your local municipality. It’s better to stick with name brands for bottled water, which typically go above the minimum requirements for purity. Be careful of private label brands, where quality may vary.  Plastic bottles remain an issue for environmental concerns. Newer bottles use less and incorporate recycled plastic. Water bottles are not dishwasher safe.

If you prefer the taste of bottled water, and don’t mind the expense, go for it! If you have immune system problems, your doctor might suggest you drink highly purified water – de-ionized or reverse-osmosis. However this is not the case for most people.

So don’t assume that bottled water is safer than tap water. And no matter what kind of water you drink, the guideline of eight 8-ounce glasses a day has been modified. It’s now “drink to satisfy your thirst.” Follow up with a urine check – it should be pale yellow. If it’s darker, boost your water intake!

Meatless Mondays Controversy

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

While it’s hard enough to follow a healthy diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found itself in a pickle recently, with a recommendation in its online newsletter to adopt the idea of “Meatless Mondays,” and replace a meat entrée with a vegetarian option.

Sounds good, right? But big problems arose immediately, and that recommendation was taken off of the website. Why? Because the USDA represents ALL foods, and groups like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association found that to be a biased recommendation toward vegetables and away from beef.

In such a politically charged climate, where even a basic suggestion to broaden your food horizons is met with controversy and claims of bias, what is a consumer to do?

There’s no easy answer, but common sense is a good place to start. There are health benefits to both meat and vegetables. Moderation is key. Stick with a variety of foods, seasonal and simply prepared, for best nutrients and cost savings. Watch out for processed foods, with loads of hidden salt, sugars, and fat. If it doesn’t look like one of nature’s originals, limit your intake.

If you want to try a Meatless Monday, you have a lot of options. Prepare a vegetable stew, with chunks of tofu replacing beef. Or mash black or red beans to spread on a tortilla, topped with lettuce, onions, and shredded cheese. If you're new to vegetable proteins, try some soy crumbles (in the frozen foods section) in your marinara sauce, to top some whole wheat pasta. 

Going meatless one day a week is a good way to trim extra calories and fat, and reduce your "carbon footprint" to support a healthier environment.

It’s a great idea, and not just on Mondays, if it suits your needs!

What have you tried for Meatless Monday?

The Skinny on Weight Loss “Miracles”

By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom

I’ve seen a big increase in “miracle” weight loss products to fight the battle of the bulge. We are bombarded with ads for quick weight loss in print, online, and on TV.

You’ve seen the ads with thin, muscled, and tanned men and women – with teeth as large and bright as Chiclets gum – standing near piles of high-calorie foods. There’s always a caption like “Eat whatever you want and lose weight if you add  ________!” Just fill in the blank with whatever product is being sold. Or maybe the ad is for a fitness contraption that provides a “total body workout” in just 15 minutes a day that promises to “boost your metabolism and weight loss.”

By law, there’s always a disclaimer included, usually in tiny letters at the bottom of the ad. “Individual results can vary” or “Results here not typical.”

And just when many of us have wised up to these kinds of product promotions and are no longer fooled, a new ad form has emerged that makes it much harder to figure out the truth. Advertisers now claim that “research shows” or “studies confirm” the product’s effectiveness.

Nowadays, it’s possible to find scientific evidence for nearly any claim. But many of these studies do not follow scientific principles, and the hard science that is found is not usually what is advertised.

The bottom line? It’s the adage “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

If you need advice for dietary supplements or fitness products, ask your doctor or another health professional, not Dr. Google.

Have you seen any crazy ads for weight loss or fitness products? Share them with us!