One of the hottest buzzwords in nutrition and health circles, fiber is the indigestible portion of plant foods. It helps us feel full and decreases our appetite. Fiber helps the intestines function smoothly, regulates blood sugar levels, and lowers bad cholesterol.

As you probably know, fiber rich foods include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. The rule of thumb is that the less processed the food, the more fiber. The problem is that these unprocessed foods are not always popular with consumers. They require some preparation (peeling an orange vs drinking Tropicana), are less tasty than processed foods (whole grain rice vs white rice, beans vs a steak), and are harder to chew (wonder bread vs rye bread).

As a result, most Americans are far from reaching the required daily consumption of 25 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men. This means a huge opportunity for the food industry, which now adds fiber to many processed foods.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Some foods, such as whole wheat bread, are naturally high in fiber. A growing number of products, however, proudly proclaim their high-fiber content, such as Arnold’s Double Fiber Bread and Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt, getting some or all of their fiber from so-called isolated or functional fibers — ingredients with names like inulin, maltodextrin and polydextrose — that manufacturers intentionally add to foods to boost total fiber content. read more…

But questions are being asked about the utility of these functional fibers as compared to the real thing. When we consume fiber directly from the source, we’re getting the additional benefits of micronutrients in the whole grain or fruit. Once isolated from its nutrient buddies in a plant and injected into a yogurt or juice, the health benefit of inulin may not be the same as a similar amount of fiber in a whole food.

What to do at the supermarket:

If you are seeking fiber, don’t look just at the nutrition facts panel. Read the ingredient list to find whole grains at the beginning. A heavily processed food with a long ingredient list that includes inulin or maltodextrin is less beneficial than a less processed product with whole grain.

Bran (the hard outer layer of a grain) in the ingredient list is a good thing to find. In breakfast cereals, products that include bran and whole grain have better fiber content than those based on processed grains.

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1. Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive. A polysaccharide is a type of carbohydrate.

2. It appears as a white powder.

3. Maltodextrin is produced from starches of corn, wheat, potatoes or rice.

4. Its flavor can be slightly sweet or almost flavorless.

5. Maltodextrin is used as a bulking base for artificial sweeteners, for example in Jell-o it is used in conjunction with Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium. It is also the bulking agent in Splenda.

6. It is also used as a thickener for soups, gravies, and salad dressings.

7. The plant source of maltodextrin in products is a pain point for people suffering from celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Wheat derived maltodextrin may contain traces of gluten. Other than this issue, maltodextrin is considered a safe product.

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photo credit: avlxyz

A venerable foodstuff that has been relegated to the checkout counter in gas stations and convenience stores, beef jerky actually has a proud heritage. Here are somethings you might want to know.

1. Jerky is a means to preserve meat without refrigeration.

2. Traditionally meat was dried and/or smoked and/or salted. Marinading is another technique used to add additional flavoring.

3. Although beef is the most common type of jerky, one can also find jerky from wild game such as venison, elk, caribou, and moose. Even kangaroo meat.

4. The origin of the word Jerky is from Native American “Charqui” which means “to burn meat”.

5. Jerky quality varies greatly and depends on the choice of meat, the preservatives, and the preservation technique.

6. There are many jerky-like products that consist of highly processed, chopped and formed meat, rather than traditional sliced, whole-muscle meat. Try to stay away from them.

7. A good jerky is very lean; fat usually causes spoilage. In cheap products with high fat and water content, many chemicals are added as preservatives to prevent spoilage.

8. Here’s the ingredient list of a leading brand of jerky (Jack’s Links)
Beef, Water, Sugar, Less than 2% Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Dried Soy Sauce (Soybeans, Salt, Wheat), Hydrolyzed Corn and Soy Protein, Monosodium Glutamate, Maltodextrin, Flavorings, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite.
Unfortunately the consumer can’t tell what the beef quality is from the ingredient list. The package does state that it 97% fat free though.

9. Nutritionally, jerky is low in fat and high in protein. The major issue is the exorbitant amount of sodium. A 1 oz serving contains up to 15 grams of protein (25% of the daily value), but 600mg of sodium (25% of the daily maximum). The protein is nice to have, but as most Americans are getting enough protein in their diet, it’s the excess sodium that should be of concern.

10. Many jerky products are sold in 3 oz packages, so people who finish off an entire bag end up consuming 3 servings at once (usually gulping down a sugary soft drink to combat the major salt deposits from the jerky).

11. Beef Jerky is astronaut food! NASA has been providing Space shuttle crews this lightweight high protein treat since the mid nineties.

12. Many people are very passionate about Jerky. Here is one – with a blog dedicated to reviewing all jerky products out there.

13. A tragic explosion in a ConAgra manufacturing facility last month has created a shortage of the wildly popular Slim Jim brand jerky nationwide.

What to do at the supermarket:

Look for the higher quality brands made from low fat beef strips, not processed beef. Also, watch the sodium.

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A California judge threw out a lawsuit yesterday filed by a woman who claimed to have been misled by the Quaker Oats Company. Apparently, she had been eating Crunchberries cereal for the past few years, thinking she was getting wholesome crunchberry fruit with each serving.

Although this news flash is deemed a comic relief by most of us, taking a look at what’s inside Crunchberries is more of a Greek tragedy. Read more…

Lean Cuisine, A Nestle brand of frozen dinners, is very popular with dieters. “Lean Cuisine” is considered a nutrient content claim by the FDA, so all products under this brand are required to meet the “lean” criteria per serving: less than 10 grams of fat, less than 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol.

We decided to take a look at Lean Cuisine’s Shrimp and Angel Hair Pasta described by Nestle as:

Shrimp and angel hair pasta in a creamy seafood sauce with accents of sherry, tossed with red peppers.

Read more…

Last month, Nestle Nutrition, a subsidiary of Nestle, launched BOOST Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink. According to Nestle’s press release:

…parents have a new way of providing their children with optimal nutrition and protective benefits… the only nutritionally complete drink that gives kids ages 1 through 13 the power of immune-strengthening probiotics plus complete, balanced nutrition…fortifies a child’s diet with 25 essential vitamins and minerals, seven grams of muscle-building protein, key antioxidants and 244 energy-packed calories.

BOOST Kid Essentials Drink can fill in nutritional gaps and help support the strong growth and healthy immune system every child deserves. As a refreshing treat or meal, BOOST Kid Essentials Drink can be part of a child’s daily diet.

“Parents can feel good knowing they are building the right health foundation for their children with this one-of-a-kind product,…”

What you need to know:

All of the above is great, but we’d like to know what’s in inside. Specifically – how do they get kids to like it.

Especially because the press release boasts:

does not contain high-fructose corn syrup

A look at the ingredient list, reveals that 3 out of the first four ingredients are sugar:

Ingredients: WATER, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, FRUCTOSE,…

In fact, in an email response to our question, Nestle Consumer Services stated that an 8 fl oz (1 cup) serving contains 24 grams of sugars. That’s the equivalent of FIVE TABLESPOONS of sugar!

Is this a sweet deal for parents?

At $2.50 a pop (a 6 pack costs $14.99 at Walgreens), this sounds more like expensive candy juice with a torrent of nutrients thrown in.

Can’t kids get their vitamins and minerals from real food?

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