RealNutritionandFitness

2/17/12 Shari quoted on Channel 7-Children and Iron

2012-02-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

Iron deficiency in the United States isn’t the scourge it was half a century ago. But even with improved nutrition and better monitoring, it remains the single most common nutritional deficiency. Without enough iron, red blood cells can’t efficiently deliver oxygen to the body, according to Lauren Graf, a pediatric nutritionist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.
Kids are at greatest risk during infancy and adolescence, when their diet may not meet the increased iron demands of their rapidly growing bodies. Overweight children are also at higher risk, studies show, possibly because they tend to snack more frequently and eat greater amounts of junk food.
Untreated, iron deficiency can eventually lead to anemia, which can seriously delay a child’s growth and neurological development.
Luckily, iron deficiency is easy to detect and treat. “A blood test at the doctor’s office can tell. And in many cases, getting iron levels up can be as simple as changing what your child is eating,” says Graf.
Here, some basic ways to help your child avoid iron deficiency from the start:

Know the signs: Kids with iron deficiency may be sluggish, look tired and pale, or get sick often.
Breastfeed your baby, if possible: Breastfed infants are at lower risk because the type of iron contained in human milk is extremely easy for their bodies to absorb, according to Shari Portnoy, a dietitian at the Day Care Council of New York.
Don’t skip breakfast. “Breakfast is an easy time to get some iron into the diet, since breakfast cereals as well as bread are generally fortified with iron,” says Graf. Plus, juices and fruits that are rich in vitamin C help the body absorb iron.
Go easy on the milk. Milk offers many nutritional benefits, but it also limits the body’s ability to absorb iron efficiently. Kids who fill up on milk may also be sacrificing space for iron-rich foods in their diets. The National Institutes of Health recommend that children older than 12 months drink no more than 16 to 24 ounces of milk per day (or up to about three small glasses).
Eat whole foods and a well-rounded diet. Lean meats, poultry and shellfish are among the best sources of heme iron, or iron from animal tissue, which is most easily absorbed by the body. Other sources of iron include greens, legumes, whole eggs, soybeans, whole grains and dried fruits.

But you don’t need to obsess about which foods have what to help your kids avoid iron deficiency, according to Graf. If your kids eat healthy meals without a lot of processed foods, they should get all the iron they need.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/lisegagne
has contributed to numerous magazines and websites,

Shari in the Miami Herald in 2009

2012-01-24T20:48:00.001-08:00

[+] Enlarge. (3 pictures) -

McClatchy-Tribune

Yoga student Shari Portnoy, foreground, hangs upside down with the rest of the group during an AntiGravity Yoga Wings class.

McClatchy-Tribune

MIAMI -

You can do it in the air. Or by sea.

You can do it if you're young. Or old. Or in 100-plus-degree rooms (Bikram yoga).

Indeed, yoga - the ancient Hindu practice for the mind, body and spirit - has evolved from breathing exercises and meditative poses to physical therapy, aerial choreography to a new way to firm your face, a way calm your child or a way limber up while pregnant.

"The thing about yoga is it's such a vast system, there's a million variations you can do," said Dayna Macy, spokeswoman for Yoga Journal, a monthly magazine. "Like any other pursuit in any other area, you can make lots of different judgments on what's good, what's not good, who knows, who doesn't know."

Macy has been a practitioner for two decades. She said the practice has grown into a fad over the last few years, thanks to its popularity among stars like Madonna and Sting.

Here are some of the more unusual yoga classes out there:

AntiGravity Yoga Wings

Like a high-flying circus act, with acrobats snaking up a rollicking trapeze, AntiGravity Yoga Wings promises the thrill of dance-defying gravity yoga in the air, albeit at a safer altitude.

Practitioners of AntiGravity Yoga Wings perform traditional yoga poses - or asanas - while suspended in a hanging fabric hammock.

"The class is a fusion of everything," said Robin Retherford, a former dancer and fitness buff.

Retherford teaches a weekly class at Crunch Fitness in Miami Beach, Fla.

"It combines yoga postures, dance and Pilates movements that help align the body and really strengthen the body from the core out," she said.

It is also something else: not for the faint of heart.

For first-timers, moves like the monkey wrap (hanging upside down with legs wrapped around the hammock, palms free or touching the ground) can prove daunting.

"You have to be muscular for that; you have to be a little bit trained," said Pascale Cowell, 45, a dancer from France, who has taken a handful of classes.

With the finesse of a ballerina and flexibility of a gymnast, Cowell executes a perfect midair arabesque and jumping pliés - all while straddling or holding the hammock.

The moves, she said, keep her muscles strong.

"Yes, you are sore after," she admitted, laughing.

There are occasional collisions, noted Dylan Giordano, an exceptionally flexible 16-year-old, who has found that out the hard way.

"It's the perfect class to get exercise and relax at the same time," Giordano said. "I'm not the scared type. You pick up on it. Even if you fall a few times, you get back up."

Prenatal yoga

Bending, stretching and pregnant bellies? In Elizabeth Bonet's class, it makes sense.

Part yoga class, part group therapy session, the twice-weekly prenatal yoga classes at Lisa's School of Dance & Gymnastics in Plantation, Fla., appeal to pregnant women looking for a different yoga class.

Many have tried regular

Shari in the Wall Street Journal 1/3/12

2012-01-21T20:08:00.001-08:00

As a registered dietitian and public-health advocate and reader of peer-reviewed literature, I disagree with your Dec. 22 editorial "Nasty, Rotty Stuff."

Research has shown that when given healthy food versus fast food over time, people enjoy the healthy food. Maybe the school system mentioned in your editorial made poor choices in deciding how to alter the food. Cooking is a skill, not just reading a recipe, so trained chefs can make just about anything taste good, but more importantly, they don't need to.

If people start out with good habits, they continue them. Colorful fruits and vegetable are delicious, ripe melon is sweeter than taffy, and kids love colors and sweets. So, if you start them out right, they will continue. If you start them out with drive-thru fast-food restaurants and television commercials where junk-food marketing prevails, they will go that way.

Don't blame it on desserts, because fresh fruit is a dessert devoured by all. Blame it on commercials produced by big business, which cares about profit, not health.

Shari Portnoy

New York

Shari on Fox News 1/13/12

2012-01-15T19:23:00.000-08:00

Marta Montenegro: What to Eat and What to Bring at the Finish Line

Written By Marta Montenegro

Published January 13, 2012

Fox News Latino

FILE PHOTO 2008 ING New York City Marathon. (Getty)

When you run, nothing stops you. We runners know this for sure!
I was sitting in a meeting planning a 5K when someone asked: But what if it rains? The organizer, who certainly has logged many miles, looked at me confused. Rain never has been an issue with us as die-hard runners.
So whether you’re getting ready to run a 10K in freezing temperatures or to run through the beautiful Miami weather this January (as the city gets ready to host one of the biggest race in Florida where people come from all over the place for the ING Miami Marathon), when you cross the finish line we share the same feelings: accomplishment, toughness, pain, aches, happiness and… food.
You may not be thinking about what type of food when you cross the finish line. In the end, you made it and people are usually more concerned about what to eat before the race, what to drink during the race and what to eat after the workout on those training days leading up to the race. Oftentimes, either because you achieved your goal, or you’re so excited or so in pain, you have forgotten about feeding your body the best way post-race.
Let’s look at the typical post-race options. Are they the best ones to replenish the energy lost and to nourish your body after such a great effort?
What will you find?
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, sports nutritionist and author of the new book Food Guide for Marathoners for Everyday Champions, says, “You don’t have to rapidly recover. Your body will recover over the next few days. However, fueling right after a marathon will certainly make you feel better.”
Between the camera flashes and showing off your medal, you’ll often come across these items when you cross the finish line:
a) Oranges: 90 percent water and has potassium to help refuel muscles with some sugar. Shari Portnoy, MPH, RD, CPT, adds, “While oranges have essential minerals like calcium and potassium, one orange may not be enough after a long race.”
b) Bananas: These are one of the race food staples with a reason. They provide carbohydrates, vitamin C and potassium. In a study where cycles ate either banana chunks or a sports drink performed similarly. Nevertheless, as Clark mentions “the banana offered a beneficial anti-inflammatory response.”
c) Bars and bagels: Clark says that both are good source of carbs to refuel and protein to repair the muscles. Also, bagels have sodium.
d) Beer: You won’t find it necessarily near the finish line, but the local pub is nearby. Clark explains, “There are some studies that back up the anti-inflammatory properties of beer. Beer is plant-based, so has these antioxidants that have anti-inflammatories. But when you drink beer on an empty stomach especially after the race, it can hit you like a ton of bricks. I would advise against it. Non-alcoholic beer that would still be effective. If you’re going to drink beer, first have water, then food, then beer in moderation.”
What can your family and friends bring you in?
The options that you’ll find to feed your muscles after the race are good but certainly there’s room to improve. When you ask your family and friends to bring the camera, it may be a good idea to ask them to bring some food too. In the end, you don’t want to waste the one-hour window or so that the body has to maximize the recovery process.
Portnoy says, “Replacing sweat loss should be your number one priority after a marathon. You also need to replace glycogen (stored glucose) stores. The best post marathon foods and drinks will contain mostly carbohydrates, some vitamins and small amount of protein.”
Liquid is more easily digested than solids and carbohydrates are more easily digested than protein. Portnoy points out “keep it simple. Tell your family to bring cans of tomato juice, or a mix 0f all types of juices. A bagel and tuna is as quick as a yogurt topped with granola. Remember to eat slow. Sports drinks like Gatorade do play a part. The body can absorb more carbohydrates when it comes from a variety of sources and a sports drink has a variety of sources. You need some fat too to replenish what is lost during endurance exercise.”
In this regard, Clark advocates chocolate milk, fruit/yogurt, cereal and milk and even soup, saying, “salty and sugar: potato chips, caffeine (soft drinks), soups, bagels—you don’t get the antioxidants but it does refuel your muscles and the caffeine is a stimulant that makes things feel a little better.”
Are these “new options” worth it?
There has been a lot of buzz lately on the anti-inflammatory properties of the flavonoid quercitin, which is found in fruits, vegetables and some grains. Apples, specifically, have been associated with providing relief after endurance events due to its quercitin content. Nevertheless, Clark explains that you’ll need to eat quite a few apples to have a significant impact on race day. But don’t disregard one of the healthiest fruit yet. Clark says, “This is what you should have been eaten before the race, building up in your diet before.”
Some juices like pomegranate, cherry and grape juice, along with tea, have become to be very popular in races promoting their anti-inflammatory properties. Clark advises that they can provide vitamins and antioxidants but it’ll be more important to have them as a part of daily diet upon entering the event.
“Focus on giving your body what it needs, but don’t overdo it. Research shows that the body can handle the stress of a marathon. An optimal recovery relies on optimal eating all of the time, not just post marathon. Real food and beverages are the answer. Don’t stress out on finding the perfect supplement or bar, your body wants real food and drinks,” concludes Portnoy.

Marta Montenegro is an exercise physiologist, certified strength and conditioning, coach and master trainer who is an adjunct professor at Florida International University. Marta has developed her own system of exercises used by professional athletes. Her personal website martamontenegro.com, combines fitness, nutrition and health tips, exercise routines, recipes and the latest news to help you change your life but not your lifestyle. She was the founder of nationally awarded SOBeFiT magazine

Shari in the Wall Street Journal 1/3/12 Making Healthy Food Tasty and Attractive

2012-01-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

Making Healthy Food Tasty and Attractive

WSJ 12/13/11 Low Readership of Nutrition Labels

2011-12-16T00:42:00.000-08:00

Wall Street Jouranl Health and Wellness 12/13/11

By ANN LUKITS

A simulated grocery-shopping experiment found that consumers have a limited attention span for nutrition labels on food packaging, and that they read the labels far less frequently than they say they do, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Research.

Researchers recruited 203 people, mostly women, from Minnesota last year to view computer images of 64 foods. A brief description, price, and Nutrition Facts label were also displayed. The participants were unaware of an eye-tracker device that measured how long they viewed each component on the screen. The participants later completed a questionnaire about their normal shopping habits.

A third of the participants reported on questionnaires that they usually look at calorie content on labels. Nearly a third said the same for fat content, 20% for trans fats, 24% for sugar, and 26% for serving size. Eye-tracking data, however, showed that only 9% of the participants looked at calorie content on roughly 80% of items and even fewer

Shari quoted in Fox News 12/5/11

2011-12-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

Marta Montenegro: Do the Caveman & Paleo Diet Mix with HIIT Workouts?

Written By Marta Montenegro

Published December 04, 2011

Fox News Latino

Andrew Meade
Andrew Meade

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If you work out regularly, you should be familiar high intensity intermittent training (HIIT). This type of training that alternate short periods of high intensity with same or longer recovery periods at low-moderate intensity for much shorter overall duration workout compared to the low intensity one hour steady state workout. This style has been linked to increase cardiovascular capacity and life span, and is faster for accelerating fat loss than traditional workouts.
As yogis have shown a tendency to practice mindful eating, HIIT followers have done their part by following the “caveman diet” or "paleo diet." Regardless the name, in general, both diets are based on mimicking the way our distant ancestors used to eat: mostly meat, seafood, nuts, fruits and veggies while avoiding grains, sugar, processed foods and dairy.
“Basically, eating lean proteins and any fruit/vegetable that was found pre-agricultural revolution. Very restrictive in other foods,” says Bob Seebohar, M.S, R.D, C.S.S.D, C.S.C.S., author of the book Nutrition Periodization for Athletes.
Working out at high intensity while following a diet like the "caveman diet" will definitely make you lose weight. However the questions are:
a) Is this the best diet to go with a type of HIIT workout?
b) Is this diet doable for a long time period?
And c) Does this diet provide all the nutrients and vitamins, minerals and fiber that the body need to function at its best?
No need to eliminate
A new study concludes that when subjects were given a high protein intake (3g/Kg) and worked at high intensity experimented less psychological stress and better recovery compared to normal protein intake (1.5 g/Kg). “Effect of Increased Dietary Protein on Tolerance to Intensified Training,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Journal.
It seems that programs such as Cross-Fit, Tabata workouts and other HIIT workouts are doing good promoting a protein rich diet. However, while the role of this nutrient has been well documented to keep a healthy body mass and metabolism, and to decrease body fat, experts advise on the health hazards of overconsumption, especially when other nutrients rich in fiber and vitamins and minerals are put aside.
Shari Portnoy, M.P.H., R.D., www.FoodLabelNutrition.com, says that The Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition recommends 1.2-1.7grams per Kg of body weight for athletes and those training. Non athletes need 0.8g per Kg of body weight.
“Any diet that eliminates a food group, eliminates essential nutrients,” says Portnoy. Indeed, this eating plan avoids grains and dairy and even though promotes fruit and vegetable intake; the overall carbohydrates consumption may be insufficient.
To Portnoy, the body needs carbohydrate meals to fuel and refuel properly, adding, “The brain runs on glucose only, a fuel received from carbohydrates. Using protein for fuel is inefficient because then what do you have left to build and repair muscle tissue?”
On this subject, Seebohar says, “If fruits and vegetables are consumed in good amounts (at least 10 servings), the carbohydrates needs can be somewhat met for shorter, intense exercise.”
However, when statistics show that Americans have a tough time to meet its five a day, it’s really hard to think that they’ll eat double the amount.
Portnoy explains that “protein does not provide more than 10-15% of the total energy requirement for an activity. It is not advantageous to use protein because it is crucial for building and repairing muscle tissue.”
Bring the carbs back!
There’s no doubt of the benefits to include the appropriate amount of protein when doing HIIT training. However, to make the most out of your workout, you need to provide the body the appropriate energy that carbohydrates – whole grains, high fiber types- only can supply. Even to efficiency metabolize protein, the body needs carbs to carry this nutrient to the muscles.
This is particularly important before and after working out. Seebohar says “usually eating 20 to 25 grams of protein with about 40 to 50 grams of carbohydrate within 1 to 2 hours pre workout then repeating it post workout is a good nutrient time system to decrease the loss of protein while doing HIIT type of training.”
Likewise, Portnoy adds that “protein consumed in close proximity to strength and endurance exercise can have gains on skeletal muscle. However, eating too much high protein foods before a workout can cause GI symptoms. Eating several protein containing meals and snacks throughout the day is better than one large meal.”
Mooooooo
Dairy products are usually excluded in this type of diet, which goes against to what research is showing about the benefits of including dairy such as fat-free milk and Greek yogurt in our diets. In fact, dairy is a source of the bran chain amino-acid leucine, which has been shown to enhance strength performance, as stated in a study from the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
In addition, dairy has whey protein, calcium and vitamin D which have also been related to decrease body fat and to maintain body mass. Equally, drinking milk after working out has proven to be an excellent recovery meal.
Bottom line: Weather you do HIIT training or not, eating close to earth can provide a healthy, weight loss/maintenance diet for the long run. This means eating lean meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, whole grains such as quinoa, amaranth, bulgur, beans, skim dairy food and healthy mono-saturated fats such as nuts, avocado and olive oil and Omega 3 fatty acids, while avoiding sugar and processed food. This is an eating plan that works for everyone, just adjust the serving sizes accordingly to your needs and if you workout make sure that you have a well balance pre- and post-workout meal.
Marta Montenegro is an exercise physiologist, certified strength and conditioning, coach and master trainer who is an adjunct professor at Florida International University. Marta has developed her own system of exercises used by professional athletes. Her personal website martamontenegro.com, combines fitness, nutrition and health tips, exercise routines, recipes and the latest news to help you change your life but not your lifestyle. She was the founder of nationally awarded SOBeFiT magazine and the fitness DVD series Montenegro Method.
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RD as the Vegetarian Expert

2011-12-05T14:05:00.000-08:00

Thinking About Going Vegetarian? Registered Dietitians Are Your Best Source for Sound, Tailored Advice

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Media Contacts: Ryan O'Malley, Allison MacMunn
800/877-1600, ext. 4769, 4802 media@eatright.org
CHICAGO – As vegetarian diets become increasingly common, the American Dietetic Association's Evidence Analysis Library has published an evidence-based practice guideline for registered dietitians who work with individuals who follow or are interested in following a vegetarian dietary lifestyle.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that "Appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases." And vegetarian adaptations of the USDA food patterns are included in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with sample vegetarian food patterns that allow for additional flexibility in food group choices.
More information on following a vegetarian lifestyle is available on ADA's website.
ADA's practice guideline contains recommendations, based on scientific evidence, designed to assist practitioners on the appropriate nutrition care for vegetarians. The guideline includes recommendations for children, adolescents, adults and pregnancy, providing more than 30 nutrition recommendations related to vegetarian nutrition, including:

Macronutrients, including protein
Micronutrients, including vitamin B12
Knowledge, beliefs and motivations
Diet diversity
Nutrition counseling
Treating hyperlipidemia, obesity, Type 2 diabetes
Adherence to a vegetarian diet

ADA's guidelines support the use of evidence-based practice by RDs to improve the quality of care they provide to clients and patients. Guidelines are developed by expert work groups that include experienced practitioners and researchers and are reviewed by multidisciplinary teams consisting of health professionals such as RDs, physicians, pharmacists and registered nurses.
Since 2005, ADA has published guidelines on chronic kidney disease; HIV; adult weight management; celiac disease; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; critical illness; diabetes (types 1 and 2); gestational diabetes mellitus; heart failure; hypertension; oncology; pediatric weight management; spinal cord injury; and unintended weight loss for older adults.
Recommendations in ADA's guidelines, as well as grades assigned to the strength of the scientific evidence used in supporting the recommendations, should not be interpreted as endorsements by the American Dietetic Association of any brand-name product or service. Consumers who want to know more about nutrition and health are encouraged to consult with a registered dietitian in their area. Details on republishing information contained in ADA's guidelines are available on the vidence Analysis Library website.

Food Labeling and the Dietitian Consultant by ADA

2011-11-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

ADA Applauds Institute of Medicine's Front-of-Package Report, Reinforces Need for Consultations with Registered Dietitians

Friday, October 21, 2011

Media Contacts: Ryan O'Malley, Allison MacMunn
800/877-1600, ext. 4769, 4802 media@eatright.org

The American Dietetic Association supports a report released today by the Institute of Medicine calling for a standardized system for front-of-package food labeling that can be easily understood by most consumers. The report, "Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols," was authored under a committee of food, nutrition, business and communications professionals, including members of the American Dietetic Association, and intends to aid consumers in making informed and healthful decisions when they shop.
"As more and more nutrition information is thrust upon consumers from credible and non-credible sources alike, this report is a great step in the right direction to helping Americans decipher the healthfulness of the foods they buy," said registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association President Sylvia Escott-Stump. "Education of the public is our greatest tool in helping Americans lead healthier lives, and this proposed system is another means towards that end."
The report, which recommends eliminating the current front-of-package labels that research suggested did not resonate with consumers, outlines the need for a "shift in strategy, a move away from systems that mostly provide nutrition information without clear guidance about its healthfulness, and toward one that encourages healthier food choices through simplicity, visual clarity, and the ability to convey meaning without written information."
"We know that the numerous front-of-package labeling systems currently in use have not resonated with the public because of the variations from product to product and store to store. This new system is designed to provide clear, concise and consistent information across all products and stores," Escott-Stump said. "Ensuring everyone, no matter their age, education level or background, knows how the system works will be a key step to its acceptance and effectiveness."
According to ADA's Nutrition and You: Trends 2011 public opinion survey, 67 percent of consumers rate diet and nutrition as "very important," while 37 percent list food package labels as very credible sources of nutrition information

Put Labels Higher on Packages for Health

2011-10-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

Location of nutrition labels may determine how often they are viewed

A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that people report that they view nutrition labels more often than they actually do. In a simulated grocery shopping exercise, 203 participants observed 64 different grocery products displayed on a computer monitor. Each screen contained three elements, the well-known Nutrition Facts label, a picture and list of ingredients, and a description of the product with price and quantity information.
These three elements were presented so that one third of the participants each saw the Nutrition Facts label on the left, right, and center. Each subject was asked whether they would consider buying the product. Participants were aware that their eye movements would be tracked, but unaware that the study focus was nutrition information. Using a computer equipped with an eye-tracking device, University of Minnesota researchers observed that most consumers view label components at the top more than those at the bottom. Further data suggest that the average consumer reads only the top five lines on a Nutrition Facts label.
Self-reported viewing of Nutrition Facts label components was higher than objectively measured viewing. In fact, 33% of participants self-reported that they almost always look at calorie content on Nutrition Facts labels, 31% reported that they almost always look at the total fat content, 20% said the same for trans fat content, 24% for sugar content, and 26% for serving size. However, only 9% of participants actually looked at calorie count for almost all of the products in this study, and about 1% of participants looked at each of these other components (total fat, trans fat, sugar, and serving size) on almost all labels.
.
Consumers are more likely to view centrally located labels and nutrients nearer the label’s top. Because knowing the amounts of key nutrients that foods contain can influence consumers to make healthier purchases, prominently positioning key nutrients, and labels themselves, could substantially impact public health.”

More Restaurants using food labeling LA Times 10-22-11

2011-10-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

By Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times

October 22, 2011

.

Americans are craving more information about the food they are served, and fast-food companies, as well as casual restaurants, are increasingly obliging, many going well beyond legally mandated calorie counts.

They are updating their signs and menus for diet-conscious customers, and they also are highlighting potential problems for those with food allergies or other dietary restrictions.

Although responding to demand, quick-service restaurants also see that providing the additional information can help them stand out in the highly competitive marketplace.

"If you can demonstrate to families that you can offer them a safe meal, you establish a tremendous sense of loyalty and create repeat customers," said Chris Weiss, a vice president at the nonprofit Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. "As we look to the future, we'll definitely see more restaurants doing this."

Healthful eating is already at the forefront of the food industry. California requires large chains to disclose calorie counts for each meal, and similar federal rules are coming next year.

Healthy food isn't more expensive,,,verified by NY times

2011-10-11T13:31:00.000-07:00

Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?

By MARK BITTMAN

Published: September 24, 2011

THE “fact” that junk food is cheaper than real food has become a reflexive part of how we explain why so many Americans are overweight, particularly those with lower incomes. I frequently read confident statements like, “when a bag of chips is cheaper than a head of broccoli ...” or “it’s more affordable to feed a family of four at McDonald’s than to cook a healthy meal for them at home.”

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This is just plain wrong. In fact it isn’t cheaper to eat highly processed food: a typical order for a family of four — for example, two Big Macs, a cheeseburger, six chicken McNuggets, two medium and two small fries, and two medium and two small sodas — costs, at the McDonald’s a hundred steps from where I write, about $28. (Judicious ordering of “Happy Meals” can reduce that to about $23 — and you get a few apple slices in addition to the fries!)
In general, despite extensive government subsidies, hyperprocessed food remains more expensive than food cooked at home. You can serve a roasted chicken with vegetables along with a simple salad and milk for about $14, and feed four or even six people. If that’s too much money, substitute a meal of rice and canned beans with bacon, green peppers and onions; it’s easily enough for four people and costs about $9. (Omitting the bacon, using dried beans, which are also lower in sodium, or substituting carrots for the peppers reduces the price further, of course.)
Another argument runs that junk food is cheaper when measured by the calorie, and that this makes fast food essential for the poor because they need cheap calories. But given that half of the people in this country (and a higher percentage of poor people) consume too many calories rather than too few, measuring food’s value by the calorie makes as much sense as measuring a drink’s value by its alcohol content. (Why not drink 95 percent neutral grain spirit, the cheapest way to get drunk?)
Besides, that argument, even if we all needed to gain weight, is not always true. A meal of real food cooked at home can easily contain more calories, most of them of the “healthy” variety. (Olive oil accounts for many of the calories in the roast chicken meal, for example.)In comparing prices of real food and junk food, I used supermarket ingredients, not the pricier organic or local food that many people would consider ideal. But food choices are not black and white; the alternative to fast food is not necessarily organic food, any more than the alternative to soda is Bordeaux.
The alternative to soda is water.

I said it all along, it is cheap to eat HEALTHY!

Wall Street Journal Sept 20. 2011 "Natural," Claim

2011-09-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

But some recent consumer lawsuits claim that food companies are playing fast-and-loose with the “all natural” designation, effectively committing fraud against the shopping public, WSJ’s Ashby Jones reports.

The litigation begs the question: What properly qualifies as “all natural”?

It’s hard to say, because the FDA largely has declined to define “natural,” according to WSJ.

“The word hasn’t been defined well enough at all, so for years companies have been able to get away with basically defining it themselves,” said Michele Simon, an author and food-policy expert.

More than 20 years ago, the FDA issued an “informal policy” defining natural to mean that “nothing artificial or synthetic” has been included in or added to a product, but the distinction between “artificial” or “synthetic” and “natural” isn’t so clear, according to WSJ.

“With the few precious dollars the FDA has, we largely choose to focus on topics that affect public safety,” an FDA spokeswoman told WSJ. “The ‘natural’ issue doesn’t. That’s not to say it’s not important, but we frankly have more pressing things to deal with.”

Wesson cooking oils and Kashi cereals are among the products named in recent lawsuits challenging the natural designation.

ConAgra Foods, maker of Wesson oils, said that it stands “behind the accuracy of our labeling.”

A spokesman for Kashi, a unit of Kellogg Co, told WSJ: “Kashi provides comprehensive information about our foods to enable people to make well-informed choices. We stand behind our advertising and labeling practices.”

Although the labeling cases haven’t been particularly lucrative for plaintiffs’ lawyers, a few of the reported settlements have reached the seven-figure level, WSJ reports.

As PT Barnum said, "There is a fool born every day."
Those who pay more because the food is labeled natural, when the word hasn't been defined, is who Mr. Barnum is talking about.

Food companies are blaming the FDA for not defining the term. It isn't an easy task when you realize that Cyanide is natural in some fruits.
Blameing the FDA for lack of a more solid defination is like blameing a store with a loose lock instead of the theif that breaks in!!!

NY Times on Portion Size

2011-09-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

August 2, 2011, 6:29 pm

The Problem With Serving Sizes

By ANAHAD O'CONNOR

Tony Cenicola/The New York TimesFrom left, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes has a serving size of 3/4 cup. Healthy Choice Chicken Tortilla Soup (microwaveable bowl) has a serving size of one cup, and Ritz Crackers have a serving size of five crackers.

According to its label, a pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream contains four servings. But when was the last time you measured out a fourth of a container of Cookies & Cream, then put the rest away for another day?
For many people, the reality is that much of a pint can easily vanish in one sitting. A large package of Cool Ranch Doritos lists a single serving as one ounce, or roughly 12 chips, but it’s hard to imagine keeping count of every last chip as you dig into a bag. And while 160 calories and two grams of saturated fat may sound like a small price to pay for a serving of Oreo cookies, keep in mind that technically speaking, a serving is a paltry three cookies.
In the face of mounting criticism, the Food and Drug Administration has been under pressure for years to force food makers to include more realistic serving-size information on their labels. The agency regulates the serving sizes that can be listed on packages by providing food makers with detailed guidelines to follow, which list the amounts of a specific food that a person would “customarily consume” in a typical sitting. But critics say these so-called reference amounts are often laughably small because they’re based in part on surveys of eating behavior that were carried out in the 1970s, when Americans ate less food and portions had not been supersized.
Now, in an effort to highlight the problems with some labels, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group, has singled out what it says are some of the worst offenders.
At the top of its list are labels for canned soups, ice cream, coffee creamers and nonstick cooking sprays — all of which grossly understate the calories, sodium and saturated fat the average person typically consumes when eating these foods.
Canned soup may be one of the more stark examples. According to its label, a single serving of Campbell’s Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle soup is one cup — just under half a can — and contains about 790 milligrams of sodium. But in a national survey of 1,000 consumers, only 10 percent of people said they would eat a one-cup portion. Most, about 64 percent, said they would eat an entire can at one time, taking in 1,840 milligrams of sodium in a sitting. That is roughly 80 percent of the 2,300 milligrams recommended as the upper limit for daily salt intake under the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, and well above the 1,500 milligrams that health officials have said about half the population should adhere to (those with hypertension, African-Americans and people over 50).
A similar number of the people asked, 61 percent, said they would also eat the entire can of a condensed soup, like Campbell’s Chicken Noodle, which lists 2.5 servings per can. A single serving contains 890 milligrams of sodium, and the full can has 2,390 milligrams. About 27 percent of respondents said they would eat just half a can in one sitting.
The group also took issue with the “Healthy Request” labels, which are for soups that fall below 480 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Study: Foods To Lower Cholesterol WSJ 8/24/11

2011-08-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

NYC Calorie Labeling Law---IT works!!!

2011-08-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON | Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:07am EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New York City's requirement that fast-food restaurants post calorie counts on menus led one in six customers to notice the information and buy foods with fewer calories, according to new research released on Tuesday.

While overall calorie consumption for the thousands of people tracked did not change, customers of McDonald's, Au Bon Pain and Yum Brands Inc's KFC were shown to make significant modifications, according to the study funded by the city of New York and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The report, published in the British Medical Journal, is one of the first to show a 2008 New York City law, requiring restaurant chains to prominently post calorie information, changed customer buying habits

Way to go NYC for getting your people to read labels!!!

8/16/11 Fruits and Vegetables--stop spending more--IFT

2011-08-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

The IFT (Institute of Food Technology) posted this article. Finally someone agrees with me. Stop buying into market and just buy fruits and vegetables. Whatever the outside fruit and vegetable stand on my corner has, I buy. It is cheap and full of nutrients.

The researchers analyzed USDA Pesticide Data Program (PDP) results to identify the 10 most frequently detected pesticides on each of the 12 foods. Then, the probabilistic modeling method was used to determine the mean exposure of each pesticide for each food. The researchers compared this mean exposure estimate to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) chronic reference dose, which is the estimated amount of a chemical that a person could be exposed to on a daily basis throughout the person’s lifetime without causing harm.

Winter and Katz found that the EPA’s reference doses for each of the pesticides exceeded the mean exposure estimates in all cases. In addition, the reference doses were more than 1,000 times higher than the exposure estimates in more than 90% of the comparisons.

“Such findings suggest that the potential consumer risks from exposure to the most frequently detected pesticides on the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of foods are negligible and cast doubts as to how consumers avoiding conventional forms of such produce items are improving their health status,” wrote the authors.

Specifically, the researchers found that blueberries, cherries, and kale had reference doses that were 30,000 times higher than the exposure estimates for all of the 10 most frequently detected pesticides. Therefore, they concluded that these three commodities shouldn’t appear on the “Dirty Dozen” list. In addition, the researchers stressed that organic produce is not pesticide-free produce. In fact, while conventional produce was between 2.9–4.8 times more likely to contain detectable pesticide residues than organic produce, 23% of organic food samples still tested positive for pesticide residues.

Study

Calorie labeling may help change meal choices 8/3/11 Institute of Food Technology

2011-08-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Calorie labeling may help change meal choices 8/3/11-Institute of Food Technology

A study published in the British Medical Journal shows that calorie counts on New York City fast-food menus may help people modify their meal choices. While overall calorie consumption for the thousands of people tracked did not change, customers of McDonald’s, Au Bon Pain, and KFC were shown to make modifications.
The researchers surveyed the lunchtime crowd at 168 randomly selected locations of the top 11 fast-food chains in New York City during lunchtime hours. They interviewed 7,309 adult customers 12 months before the law took effect and 8,489 customers in 2009 (nine months after the law was implemented). For the three main restaurant chains studied, customers on average bought 44 fewer calories at McDonald’s, 80 fewer calories at Au Bon Pain, and 59 fewer calories at KFC.
Subway, the popular sandwich chain, saw a significant increase in calories consumed during the survey because of its promotional offer for a $5, foot-long sandwich. The other chains saw little change in their customers’ purchases.
The researchers concluded that although no overall decline in calories purchased was observed for the full sample, several major chains saw significant reductions. After regulation, one in six lunchtime customers used the calorie information provided, and these customers made lower calorie choices.
Study

8/2/11 Food Labeling New York Times

2011-08-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/designing-a-better-food-label/

Designing a Better Food Label

By TARA PARKER-POPE

How should the government improve the food label?
A project at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Journalism has taken on the task of designing a better food label, asking for ideas to replace the current black and white Nutrition Facts label that appears on every food package. Although the designs aren’t part of the official effort to redesign food packages, the Berkeley project has generated dozens of new ideas that are likely to be considered by the United States Food and Drug Administration, which is in the process of revising the existing food label. This fall, the Institute of Medicine is expected to release its own report on food packaging and labeling.
“We asked food thinkers and design minds to come together and give advice on how they might rethink the food label and bring some insight into how design impacts choice,’’ said Lily Mihalik, co-creator of the project and a fellow in the News21 program, which is a journalism fellowship supported by the Carnegie and Knight Foundations. “There are a lot of things right with the current label, but at the same time people are confused. The question is whether a new nutrition facts label could help people make more educated decisions.’’

Renee WalkerClick on the photo for more.

The panel of judges included the food writer Michael Pollan; the consumer health activist Michael Jacobson; Dr. Robert Lustig, a San Francisco pediatrician; Laura Brunow Miner, a San Francisco graphic designer; and Andrew Vande Moere, a Belgian design professor.
The winning entry, from a San Francisco visual designer, Renee Walker, uses colorful boxes to depict the relative proportion of ingredients in a product. (Click on the photo to see four different examples of the label.)
“Walker’s design is dramatic, intriguing and holds great promise,’’ said Mr. Pollan. “I liked being able to see the visual breakdown of foods, although I wonder how her design would work with more complicated products, like Lucky Charms, say, or a PowerBar. Even so, it’s a step in the right direction. What I’d like to see next is some sort of color coding for the food groups and some attempt to show the degree of processing of various foods. Eating doesn’t have to be complicated; figuring out what’s in your food shouldn’t be

The articles is about new designs for the food label. Some graphic design students are working on for a class project. Who are their consultants? An author and a designer, not anyone involved in working with the public on nutrition.
Maybe RDs aren't seen as the experts.

Caught for not labeling Food--FDA June 2011

2011-08-01T19:13:00.001-07:00

Your labeling violations include:

1. Your Diet to Go Tuna Meltover and New Century Foods Wahoo Burger products are misbranded within the meaning of section 403(w) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 343(w)] in that the labels fail to declare all major food allergens present in the products, as required by section 403(w)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 343(w)(1)].

Section 201(qq) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(qq)] defines milk, egg, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, and soybeans, as well as any food ingredient that contains protein derived from one of these foods, with the exception of highly refined oils, as “major food allergens.” A food is misbranded if it is not a raw agricultural commodity and it is, or it contains an ingredient that bears or contains, a major food allergen, unless either:

The word “Contains” followed by the name of the food source from which the major food allergen is derived, is printed immediately after or adjacent to the list of ingredient [section 403(w)(1)(A) of the Act, [21 U.S.C. § 343(w)(1)(A)], or
The common or usual name of the major food allergen in the list of ingredients is followed in parentheses by the name of the food source from which the major food allergen is derived (e.g. “wheat”), except that the name of the food source is not required when either the common or usual name of the ingredient uses the name of the food source or the name of the food source appears elsewhere in the ingredient list (unless the name of the food source that appears elsewhere in the ingredient list appears as part of the name of an ingredient that is not a major food allergen) [section 403(w)(1)(B) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 343(w)(1)(B)].

Your food labels fail to declare the following major food allergens specified by the Act:

Diet to Go Tuna Meltover: Your product contains the allergens, fish, milk, wheat and soy; however you fail to declare them on the product label.
New Century Foods Wahoo Fish Burger: Your product declares “fish” in the “Contains” statement; however it fails to declare the species of fish, i.e., wahoo and pollock, on its label as specified in the Act. Additionally, your product declares that it contains cod powder. If the ingredient contains cod protein, it must also be listed in the “Contains” statement.

2. Your Diet to Go Tuna Meltover and New Century Foods Wahoo Fish Burger are misbranded within the meaning of section 403(q) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 343(q)] in that your products fail to bear a nutrition facts panel on the product label as required by 21 CFR 101.9. Your website advertises these products as being part of your “low fat” diet food plan. These products are required to bear a nutrition facts panel because the product labeling bears a nutrient content claim. A nutrient content is a claim that characterizes the level of a nutrient (i.e., fat) which is of the type required to be in the labeling of the food.

Additionally, the nutritional information listed on your website for your Tuna Meltover and Wahoo Fish Burger products is not declared in accordance with 21 CFR 101.9. For example:

The calories from fat are not declared as required by 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)(ii).
The Trans fat content is not declared as required by 21 CFR 101.9(c)(2)(ii).

The Vitamins and Minerals are not declared as required by 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iii).
The sugar content is not declared as required by 21 CFR 101.9(c)(6)(ii).
The % Daily Values for all of the required nutrients are not declared.
The units for the declared fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber and protein content are not declared.

In addition to meeting the requirements of 21 CFR 101.9, your products must also meet the requirements set forth in 21 CFR 105.66 because they are represented for special dietary use in reducing body weight. Your firm’s products are represented as being useful in reducing or maintaining body weight because the menu and nutrition information on your website present the foods as part of meal plans such as “Low-Fat Traditional 1200 Calorie” and “Low-Fat Traditional 1600 Calorie.”

3. Your Diet to Go Tuna Meltover and New Century Foods Wahoo Fish Burger products are misbranded within the meaning of section 403(e)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 343(e)(1)] in that the labels do not contain the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor in accordance with 21 CFR 101.5.

4. Your Diet to Go Tuna Meltover and New Century Foods Wahoo Fish Burger products are misbranded within the meaning of section 403(e)(2) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 343(e)(2)] in that the labels fail to bear an accurate statement of the net quantity of contents in terms of weight, measure, or numerical count as required by 21 CFR 101.105. Your Diet to Go Tuna Meltover fails to declare a net weight and your New Century Foods Wahoo Fish Burger fails to declare the net weight in terms of pounds and ounces as required by 21 CFR 101.105(b)(2).

5. Your Diet to Go Tuna Meltover product is misbranded within the meaning of section 403(i)(2) of the Act [21 U.S.C. § 343(i)(2)] in that the product is fabricated from two or more

Food Labels Matter 6/30/11 in Food And Beverage Packaging

2011-07-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

Labels matter to your customers and competitors
June 30, 2011

by Steven Kronenberg, guest columnist and attorney for Murphy, Pearson, Bradley& Feeney.

Although properly-documented health and nutrient content claims may promote food product sales, consumers and competitors may sue your company for false advertising and unfair competition if it exaggerates those claims. The Food and Drug Administration may also issue a warning letter that may require costly remedial measures. Proactively determining that your product’s claims are truthful, accurate, and well-documented may help your company promote its product while reducing the risk (and expense) of litigation and government investigation.

Consumers read product labeling and health/nutrient claims

Some studies have found that72% of consumers “often” or “sometimes” rely on food labeling nutrient claimslike “low fat” when deciding whether to buy a product. Similarly,a recent poll found that almost 70% of consumers read product nutrition facts and ingredients .

Consumers and competitors can sue companies for falsely advertising health/nutrient claims

The California Supreme Court recently held that plaintiffs who can truthfully allege that a product’s label deceived them into buying a product they would not have otherwise purchased can sue that product’s manufacturer for false advertising and unfair competition. (Kwikset v. Sup. Ct. (Benson) (2011) 51 Cal.4th 310, 316 [“Kwikset”].) In Kwikset, the plaintiffs alleged the Kwikset Corporation falsely labeled and advertised its locksets as “Made in U.S.A.,”although it manufactured some parts in other countries. (Id.) These alleged false representations purportedly violated country of origin labeling laws. (Id.) Plaintiffs claimed they relied on the company’s alleged misrepresentations in choosing to buy the locksets. (Id. at p. 319.)

7/12/11 Michell Obama--Why not use RDs?

2011-07-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

Michelle Obama's Shake Shack Burger Indulgence Defended by Nutritionists

First Lady Michelle Obama, a well-known advocate for healthy living and child nutrition, was seen indulging in a meal at Shake Shack, July 11, 2011. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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By MIKAELA CONLEY

July 12, 2011

Stop the presses, Michelle Obama might have eaten a hamburger.
The blogosphere erupted with criticism almost immediately after the Washington Post reported Monday that the first lady sat down at a newly opened Shake Shack in Washington D.C., where she ordered a ShackBurger, fries, a chocolate shake and a Diet Coke. According to the popular burger joint's website, that's a 1,556-calorie meal.
Many critiqued the first lady's public display of Shake Shack love as she continues to advocate for her Let's Move! campaign, an initiative to eliminate childhood obesity.
But even as the first lady-turned-health-advocate chowed down on a meal that contains almost an entire day's recommended calorie intake, most nutrition experts are telling people to relax.
"[This is an] unfortunate invasion of privacy for Mrs. Obama," said Alice Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts School of Medicine in Boston. "She has kept her weight constant and engages in regular physical activity. An occasional indulgence is fine. For many people, that is what helps them keep on track most of the time."
Most experts agreed with Lichtenstein, while saying that the first lady's lunch is being unnecessarily scrutinized.

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

First Lady Michelle Obama, a well-known... View Full Size

Greg Fiume/Getty Images

First Lady Michelle Obama, a well-known advocate for healthy living and child nutrition, was seen indulging in a meal at Shake Shack, July 11, 2011.

Michelle Obama Remarks on Childhood Obesity Watch Video

The First Lady Keeps On Moving Watch Video

Michelle Obama Announces Nutrition Agreement Watch Video

"While the goal for healthy eating is to limit choices like fries and shakes, occasional treats won't hurt. The problem is that many Americans do this more than occasionally," said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. "It is good to see that even someone as committed to health as the first lady knows that healthy eating is about balance not perfection."
One meal does not make up a dietary pattern, said Dr. David Katz, founder of the Yale Prevention Center.
"She ordered it, but we don't know how much she ate," he said. "Perhaps she did what is often advised under such circumstances; eat half, and wrap up the rest."
Dr. Randall Zusman, director of hypertension at Massachusetts General Hospital, said, "The problem for many persons is that their baseline diets and lifestyles are unhealthy; the norm for them is unhealthy and in that setting, a 1,500-cal lunch is only a small part of a much larger problem."
The first lady has acknowledged her occasional splurge on such foods in the past. Last year, she told ABC News' Robin Roberts, "I love burgers and fries, you know? And I love ice cream and cake. So do most kids. We're not talking about a lifestyle that excludes all that. That's the fun of being a kid. That's the fun of being a human."
Not to say that all medical experts were completely without their concerns.
"There are immediate adverse effects independent of weight," noted Dr. Peter McCullough, consultant cardiologist and chief academic and scientific officer at St. John Providence Health System, Providence Park Heart Institute, Warren, Mich., while citing the immediate cardiovascular implications of the meal.
And Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical, advised via email: "Shake OR fries OR burger, not all 3 at once!"
But Katz of the Yale Prevention Center had advice for those who sought to make an example of the first lady's lunch.
"I invite only those whose diets are housed with no walls of glass to hurl a burger in the first lady's direction on the basis of this one lunch," Katz said.

News.

Radioactive beef, not radioactive Tofu WSJ July 2011

2011-07-13T14:25:00.001-07:00

Radioactive beef discovered in Japan

According to The Wall Street Journal, on July 12, Japanese authorities found that beef contaminated with radioactive cesium had been shipped to shops and restaurants throughout the country. The beef, from six cattle raised on a farm near the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, registered radioactive-cesium levels up to seven times that permitted by Japanese food safety standards. Some of the meat had already likely been eaten, government officials said.
Although experts said the level was too low to create health problems in people who ate just one or two servings, the report has reignited worries that the damaged Fukushima reactors could be poisoning staples from water to produce to fish. A month ago Japanese testers found higher-than-permitted levels of radioactive material in tea leaves that grew more than 200 miles from the nuclear plant—a sign contamination had spread farther than previously thought.
The six cattle—which had all passed external radiation tests—had been shipped earlier to Tokyo butchers, who had gone on to sell the meat to wholesalers and retail shops in eight prefectures, or states, and metropolitan areas. The farm that produced the contaminated meat had said it hadn’t given its cattle contaminated feed. The farmer later admitted he had fed his cattle straw that had been exposed to the elements—as well as radiation fallout—and that subsequent tests found to contain extremely high levels of radioactive cesium. That caused internal contamination that wasn’t detectable by the external radiation screening.
The Wall Street Journal article

New FDA labeling Post about regulations 7/12/11

2011-07-13T14:22:00.001-07:00

Restaurant trade group asks FDA for flexibility on calorie posting

The National Council of Chain Restaurants has filed comments responding to menu labeling regulations proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), welcoming the proposal but asking for flexibility that would recognize differences between the restaurant industry and other foodservice sectors.
“Our members strongly supported adoption of a national menu labeling law, and we look forward to the orderly implementation of these requirements,” said NCCR Vice President Scott Vinson. “However, we have grave concerns regarding certain of the FDA’s proposed interpretations of the legislation Congress passed and the President signed into law. We hope the FDA will carefully consider our comments and adjust the final regulations to be consistent with the statute.”
In one example cited by NCCR in its 53 pages of comments, the FDA proposal includes an enforcement mechanism intended for the packaged food industry rather than the chain restaurant industry where food is prepared by hand and not machines. NCCR contends that the standard would be impossible for chain restaurants to comply with and would expose the industry’s thousands of small business franchisees to massive legal liability.
In addition, the NCCR asked that the FDA modify its initial proposal to ensure a smooth program rollout to the diverse array of chain restaurant concepts and similar retail food establishments. According to the NCCR, the FDA’s final regulations should incorporate a flexible approach in several key areas so that restaurants and other covered retailers are not burdened with unnecessary expenses and complexities, and consumers are provided information in ways that make sense and are easy to understand.
Press release
NCCR comments to FDA (pdf)

6/30/11 Wall Street Jouranl-Tour de France champ a Vegetarian

2011-06-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

By REED ALBERGOTTI 6/30/11

To climb the Tour de France's steep mountain passes and cross its scorching plains, cyclists have tried stuffing themselves full of steak and pasta, gulping down wine and cognac, smoking cigarettes, taking amphetamines and, of course, using other drugs during the race's 107-year history. On Saturday, American David Zabriskie plans to try something entirely new: Riding the Tour on a vegan diet.

View Full Image

Associated Press (Zabriskie); Reuters (tomato); Getty Images (Artichoke, Carrot)

David Zabriskie

Zabriskie's Vegan Menu

Here's what the cyclist plans to eat on race days during the Tour.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal with black strap molasses; whole food optimizer; cacao nibs; nuts; cinnamon; two tablespoons of coconut butter; an apple; hemp seeds and flax seeds
On-the-Bike Snacks:
Six Clif Bar Z bars (vegan); two Clif Bar shot blocks (vegan); two Clif Bar gels (vegan); dates; six to eight bottles of special team race drink
On the Bus, Post-Race:
White rice with maple syrup and cinnamon; vegan protein shake;
two bottles of special team recovery protein drink; goji berries
Before Dinner:
Vegan protein shake
Dinner:
White rice or pasta; salad with leafy greens; vegetables —including broccoli, spinach, carrots and beets.
Dessert:
Fresh fruit and a vegan protein shake before bed

Experts say he is the first cyclist to attempt the most difficult bike race in the world sans meat, dairy or eggs. (He will cheat slightly, he says, because he plans to eat small amounts of salmon two days per week to increase iron absorption).

Cyclists in the Tour de France can burn 8,000 calories a day—so many that some riders, already lean from their training, are unable to eat enough food to keep up with calorie loss.

The conventional wisdom is that eating plenty of meat and dairy provides protein to help cyclists' muscles recover, and that the iron in red meat keeps the body producing ample amounts of hemoglobin, part of the all-important red blood cells that transport oxygen to the muscles. Iñigo San Millán, a sports-medicine professor at the University of Colorado and a former physiologist on Zabriskie's team, calls the cyclist's desire to go vegan "a strange concept." To many
Before last season, Zabriskie, who rides for the U.S.-based Garmin-Cervélo team, was a typical meat-eating athlete, scarfing down whatever he wanted so long as it didn't make him fat. But at the beginning of last season, his team's chiropractor gave him a blood test that screened his sensitivity to certain types of foods. The chiropractor, Matt Rabin, told Zabriskie he had the highest sensitivity to food on the team. Another blood test showed Zabriskie had the highest inflammation of his muscles.

During last year's Tour de France, Zabriskie turned down the red meat being passed around the dinner table because he thought it required too much energy to digest. In the late summer of last year, he began phasing out all meat from his diet and by October, he had also cut out dairy.

View Full Image

Getty Images

Dave Zabriskie in May.

After nine months on the diet, Zabriskie says he's feeling better than ever. He has had some of the best results of his career and says he feels more focused. "I think a lot of people see food in terms of whether it's going to make them fat or make them skinny," he says. "I'm seeing food in terms of how it's going to make me think and will it give me clarity." Zabriskie says he's noticed that even small ailments, like canker sores and a persistent rash he used to get, have all gone away. Even his vision has improved, he says.

This winter, Zabriskie's team director, Jonathan Vaughters, caught wind of his new
Vaughters says he was surprised when blood tests early this season showed Zabriskie's ferritin levels had remained stable on the vegan diet—which means his hemoglobin and red blood cell counts also remained normal. He says he's been pleasantly surprised by his performance. "He's won more time trials this year than he has in his career," Vaughters says. "The proof is in the pudding."

To get guidance on the diet, Zabriskie consulted with Brendan Brazier, a triathlete and author of "The Thrive Diet," a guide to vegan diets in sports that has become something of a bible for the cyclist. Brazier lives near Zabriskie in the outskirts of Los Angeles and began joining him on rides.

MY COMMENTS:

GREAT JOB, I CAN EXCUSE THE BARS JUST FOR YOU AND YOU ONLY. IF YOU NEED 8,000 CALORIES A DAY AND YOU ARE ON THE GO, BARS ARE OK. BARS ARE NOT OK FOR REGULAR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD. NO SHORTAGE OF THAT IN NEW YORK CITY. IN A 3 MINUTE RADIUS, I HAVE ABOUT 25 RESTAURANTS AND GROCERIES. FOR ANYONE WHO THINKS YOU NEED MEAT, HERE IS YOUR PROOF!

RealNutritionandFitness

2/17/12 Shari quoted on Channel 7-Children and Iron

Shari in the Miami Herald in 2009

Shari in the Wall Street Journal 1/3/12

Shari on Fox News 1/13/12

Marta Montenegro: What to Eat and What to Bring at the Finish Line

Shari in the Wall Street Journal 1/3/12 Making Healthy Food Tasty and Attractive

Making Healthy Food Tasty and Attractive

WSJ 12/13/11 Low Readership of Nutrition Labels

Wall Street Jouranl Health and Wellness 12/13/11

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Shari quoted in Fox News 12/5/11

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Study: Foods To Lower Cholesterol WSJ 8/24/11

Study: Foods To Lower Cholesterol

BY SHIRLEY S. WANG

NYC Calorie Labeling Law---IT works!!!

8/16/11 Fruits and Vegetables--stop spending more--IFT

Calorie labeling may help change meal choices 8/3/11 Institute of Food Technology

8/2/11 Food Labeling New York Times

Designing a Better Food Label

Caught for not labeling Food--FDA June 2011

Food Labels Matter 6/30/11 in Food And Beverage Packaging

7/12/11 Michell Obama--Why not use RDs?

Michelle Obama's Shake Shack Burger Indulgence Defended by Nutritionists

Radioactive beef, not radioactive Tofu WSJ July 2011

New FDA labeling Post about regulations 7/12/11

6/30/11 Wall Street Jouranl-Tour de France champ a Vegetarian

By REED ALBERGOTTI 6/30/11

Zabriskie's Vegan Menu