Nutrition Wise – stdghead

by Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN

Q: How can I avoid hydrogenated fats – they seem to be in everything.

A: Oils are hydrogenated in order to harden them. Their chemical structure is somewhat changed, to form trans-fatty acids. Although these “trans-fats” are unsaturated, they act more like the saturated fats that are known to raise blood cholesterol and may be linked to some cancers. If an ingredient is far down the listing on a food label, however, it may be present in such small amounts that its health effects are minimal. To avoid eating too many trans-fats, limit deep-fried foods like French fries and high-fat commercial baked goods like doughnuts, cookies, and crackers. Use a soft tub margarine (that contains no “trans-fat”) in moderation for table use and cook with olive or canola oil (in small amounts) whenever possible. Beyond that, don’t worry about every label that lists hydrogenated oils. A report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association noted that Americans’ consumption of saturated fat (found mainly in meat and high-fat dairy products) is much more of a problem than consumption of trans-fats.

Q: Do cappuccino and latte drinks contain enough calories to affect weight control?

A: A small serving of these coffee treats (usually eight to nine ounces) contains 60 to 110 calories if you don’t add sugar or flavored syrup. But, if you drink the larger sizes, the calories add up quickly. The mocha versions of cappuccino and latte usually contain about 160 calories in a small size. A large cup contains 300 to 350 calories. That’s equal to six or seven cookies. Vending machine and convenience store versions of cappuccino tend to be a bit higher in calories – 100 to 150 calories for a small cup and about 300 calories for a large one. A nine- to ten-ounce serving of the sweetened cold coffee drinks contains about 190 calories. Although an occasional treat of a specialty coffee won’t create weight problems, the bottom line is that frequent consumption of large servings can make weight control difficult – as surely as too much of a high-calorie dessert.

Q: How do shrimp, crab, and lobster fit into a healthy diet?

A: These shellfish are not as high in cholesterol as earlier, less accurate measurements led us to believe. More importantly, the cholesterol content is not nearly as important as the amount of the total – especially saturated – fat, which is extremely low in shellfish. The problem lies in how the shellfish are prepared. If they are deep-fried, dipped, or cooked in melted butter, or served with high-fat cream sauces, a moderate serving could contain 15 to 30 grams of fat. To keep shellfish the great low-fat food that they are, use very little or no fat in cooking. Steam, boil, or stir-fry, and serve with lemon juice, cocktail sauce, or other fat-free accompaniments.

Q: What does the “percent daily value” number on food labels mean?

A: The “daily value” of a nutrient is the proportion that we might find in the healthy diet of an average adult, based on Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) or other health recommendations. Scanning the percent of daily value figures on a food package is an easy way to assess a food’s nutritional content. If a particular food contains less than five percent of the daily value of a nutrient, it is not considered a significant source. A food is considered high in a nutrient if it supplies more than 20 percent of the daily value. That could be good news if it’s something you’re trying to boost – vitamins, minerals, or fiber. It could, however, signal caution if, for example, you’re trying to limit fat or salt.

Q: Now that the RDA for vitamin C has been increased, are supplements recommended?

A: No. The new Recommended dietary Allowance for vitamin C is 75 milligrams (mg) for women and 90 mg for men. Smokers are advised to get an additional 35 mg because of the increased oxidation damage caused by tobacco. (But remember that researchers emphasize that this step does not make smoking “safe.”) The new RDAs are higher than the previous figure of 60 mg, but supplements are not necessary to satisfy the current recommendation. The American Institute for Cancer Research emphasizes eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day as a key step in reducing the risk of cancer. By simply making one of those servings a food high in vitamin C, you can easily reach 100 mg of the daily recommended level. Fruits rich in vitamin C include oranges and grapefruit (fruit or juice), cantaloupe, honeydew melon, kiwi, strawberries, and raspberries. Vegetables plentiful in the vitamin include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, peppers, and tomato or tomato-vegetable juice.