How to read food labels for healthier living

 

http://www.hungryforchange.tv/images/sugar_detective.jpg

Riboflavin, cholesterol, krypton...ok, the last one is Superman's home planet, but the first two are items that show up on your food labels and may be intimidating enough to scare you form enquiring what is in the food you are buying.

Food manufacturers are required, by law, to display labels disclosing the quantities of macro and micro nutrients available in a serving of their product, which is good. But it is only good in the way that hieroglyphics are good for Indiana Jones. If you aren't trained at reading these labels, they may as well be giant eyes and stick figures with wolf heads. There is a lot of information on the label of a food container, but you don't have all day to pull out your abacus and calculate the percentage of your daily recommended intake of sodium a product consumes. Instead, it is better keep label reading simple.

Don't be fooled
The first thing you should know is what NOT to look for. With a recent health push in the grocery and food production industry, words like All Natural, Gluten free, Fat free, Sugar free, etc, are appearing on packages everywhere. Firstly, I know my potatoe is soy and gluten free, you don't need to throw a label on it telling me so. Second, Natural doesn't mean healthy. Companies are playing off of a new "Organic" movement that is gaining momentum in the western world (we are far behind Europe in this regard, by the way), and trying to insinuate that their product is wholesome. Don't buy it for a second. When label-reading, it is best to keep things simple (KISS sucka). When I label shop, I look at 5 categories: Trans fat, Sodium, Sugar, Fibre and Protein. That's right, I don't give a flying Fig about carbs!

 

http://www.labrada.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Nutrition-Label.jpg

Trans fat
You'll notice I didn't just say "Total Fat". That's because total fat is not the enemy. As I'm sure you have heard, a certain level of fats are good, and certain fats are even required. But Trans Fat is not required and does not occur frequently in natural (un-processed foods). Most trans fat is created through the hydrogenation process and consumption of this type of fat is directly linked to heart disease. Egg yolks have received a bad reputation over the years because they are high in cholesterol, but the fact is that eating cholesterol from natural sources is not really a big deal, however Trans Fat is directly responsible for raising cholesterol production in the body to dangerous levels, ultimately causing plaque build up in your arteries. Avoid foods that contain Trains Fat, there is simply no reason to eat it.

Sodium
Sodium is the culprit for a lot of health issues in today's eat on the go world. The thing about sodium is that our body loves the taste of it. It gives us an instant blood pressure spike (contributing to elevated levels, over time), and can lead to kidney stones and kidney failure. Sodium isn't all bad though, in tandem with potassium, it is a necessary electrolyte that facilitates innervation of our muscles, and contributes to enhanced recovery time in athletes. The issue is that the general population consumes way too much sodium. For instance, the average person should not consume sports drinks, like Gatorade. Processed, manufactured, and "fast" foods are packed with sodium because it helps enhance shelf life and taste. To give you an idea, the maximal daily recommended intake of sodium is around 2300mg; a double cheeseburger from McDonalds has 1090mg of sodium alone, and Kraft dinner has 561mg of sodium per 70g serving size (roughly the size of half a bagel). When selecting an item, try to choose a product with single digit percentages of daily value, per serving (<300mg). 

Sugar
Sugar is the main culprit for people becoming addicted to food and is why we struggle with obesity on such a massive scale. It is in all foods and is unavoidable. Don't be fooled though, there is a big difference between the sugars you eat in a red pepper, and the silky white sugar you sprinkled on your Sugar Frosted Crisps (I didn't get name brand cereal as a child). Studies have actually shown that consuming table sugar (usually made of beets or cane) lights up the same area of the brain in obese people as heroin does for addicts[1]. For the record, sugar is a carbohydrate (simple carb) and provides instant energy, however, if we consume too much sugar (levels that exceed our activity level) our body stores it as fat. When purchasing food products, look for grams (g) of sugar in single digits, per serving. Any higher and you are just eating junk-food.

Fibre
Poo. And hunger. Poo and hunger is why you should look carefully at the amount of fibre in your food. Fibre is divided in to two types, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre contains a low 4 calories per gram. A diet high in fibre cleans out your clock, so to speak, and contributes to good colon health. Insoluble fibre, by definition, cannot be metabolized by the human digestive system, and is therefore pooped out, with the body consuming a whopping 0 calories. The reason fibre is so critical to those looking to lose weight, is that while it is a consumable food, and thus contributes to feelings of satiety (fullness), it is low in, or absent of, calories. Foods with 2g or more of fibre should be targeted, though it is difficult/impossible to get your daily quota in one sitting. That is why you should aim to have a significant source of fibre in every snack and meal. Poo and hunger.

Protein  
Protein is the darling of pop culture weight-loss and receives all of the acclaim that it could possibly need. My contribution will be thusly, while protein is great for muscle repair and contributing to feelings of fullness, an excess of consumed protein will turn to fat. An average person does not need to consume more than 0.6g of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight. If you are crazy active, work out 6 days per week and play in sport leagues, maybe (maybe) you need 1g per kg. Those who work out hard, and are looking to gain muscle, as well as elite level athletes, may want to consume 1.2-1.4g/kg. Beyond that, it is overkill, and you aren't doing your kidneys, bone density, or hydration levels any favours either. Most of us get more than enough protein in our diets, but if you must have a number, then, threeve.

Labels can be intimidating, but they certainly don't have to be. Keep it simple, break it down to the five categories we looked at and try keep the Trans fat, sodium & sugar low, while aiming to have the fibre and protein high. For quick reference, here is what a good label (to me) would consist of: Trans Fat: 0g, Sodium: 250mg, Sugar: 4g, Fibre: 4g, Protein: 7g

@BrendanRolfe      

References
[1]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/

Want underwear model abs?



Of course you do. They're fun to look at, fun to play with, and I'm not going to lie, they are fun to own. I owe a lot to my abs. They've made me memorable, they've made me money, and I'm 99% sure that my wife wouldn't have married me unless all 8 were present and accounted for on the blessed day.
I'm not trying to brag, I'm just saying, life is better with abs.

Here's a template of how I got mine, with variations underneath:


*walk dogs 20 mins

6am - Breakfast: 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 scoop EPIQ Isolate Vanilla, Chia seeds, Raisins, Cinnamon, 250mL water

*walk 20 mins to gym

7:30am - Workout: Supersetted, 3 sets, 8-10 reps of: Back squats/Pullups, Deadlift/Bench Press, Db Shoulder Press/Any ab exercise (20 reps), EPIQ Rush w/500mL water

*walk 15 min to work

1:30pm - Lunch: 3 cups mixed greens, 1 fish fillet, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, 1 handful grated cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp. dressing (vinaigrette), 1L water

*walk 20 mins to home

6pm - Dinner: Lettuce wrap chicken fajitas, 1 handful shredded cheddar cheese, oven baked yellow potatoe French fries w/vinegar, Green peas, 250mL water

7:30pm - 2 cups plain Greek yogurt, 1/3 scoop EPIQ Isolate Chocolate, 1 handful raisins, 1 tbsp raw honey, 250mL water

8pm - EPIQ green monster shake, 2 handfuls spinach, 1 scoop EPIQ Isolate Chocolate, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 500mL water

*walk dogs 30 mins


Variations
For the most part, my breakfast always remains the same. I wake up ravenous, and I not only look forward to breakfast...it is my favourite meal of the day. On occasion I may substitute steel cut oats for brown rice...but I'm not happy about it.

Lunch: Sometimes I skip lunch. There. I said it. I don't skip it so much because I am intentionally doing an intermittent fast (though I sometimes mark it down as much), but because I am too lazy to pack one (I regret it every time, but confounding enough, still choose laziness).

Dinner: 1) Turkey bacon, chicken cesar salad with a vinaigrette cesar dressing 2) Ground turkey, rice pasta penne with tomatoe sauce and green peas 3) Bass or Tilapia filet on Quinoa and Edamame beans 4) Iceberg lettuce salad bun, chicken burger with avocado, turkey bacon and grated cheese, and baked potatoe wedges 5) Shredded chicken pita with green peppers, cucumbers, spinach, vinaigrette, and carrots 6) the occasional pepperoni pizza or 7) salmon burger on sliders (2 or 3 times per month on a Friday).

Workouts: I workout 4 or 5 times per week in the gym and practice/play a sport once twice per week. My workouts involve as little rest as possible and are ALWAYS super-setted, but they rarely last more than 50 minutes in length.

Abs are about quality, not quantity: It's about the quality of your workout and about the quality of food you eat.

How do you get your abs?

@BrendanRolfe

Gluten-free might be killing you!

http://www.shadesofzero.com/tales-from-the-nerd-side/

One of the beauties of social media and the internet is the distribution of thoughts and information at pace never before seen by humankind. The answers to your questions are at that tips of your fingers! Eat this, don't do that; this will heal you, this will kill you. You have access to websites and "professionals" from all over the world, telling you what is wrong with you and what has to be done with your health so you can lose weight, live longer, and be happier. There's always something 'new', and it always contradicts what you've been told just a moment ago. So what to believe?

Believe this

Gluten-Free is Healthy - or is it?

This one has gotten out of hand in the last couple of years. People are all about being gluten-free and many people are either self-diagnosing or assuming that they are automatically making a healthier choice by eating gluten-free products. But do you really know what gluten is? Gluten is a protein used in breads, cereals and wheats as a binding agent and is what gives bread its chewiness. Truth is, only 0.7% of the population[1] (roughly 1 out of 141 people) actually suffer from Celiac's Disease (the clinical diagnosis for gluten sensitivity causing malnourishment). To top it off, gluten-free processed foods (which normally would contain gluten, like bread or cookies) have to substitute something else for the missing gluten. Believe it or not, that filler (a starch product) usually has more calories than the non-gluten counterpart. Plus, the grocer is charging you, on average, 242% more for a gluten free product vs. the regular option[2]!. Granted, those diagnosed with Celiac's suffer greatly from exposure to gluten, but for the rest of us...come on, get a grip. 

Advice: Don't get caught in this trap. If you aren't medically diagnosed as Celiac, eating gluten-free products is not always healthier nor affordable. 

A Glass of Wine per Day - or Two, or Three...

Let's face it. You aren't drinking wine because it's good for you. But if you are, you should know that 250mL is the maximum recommended serving to take advantage of these healthful benefits. Beyond that, it is just self-gratification. Proponents of wine will preach about how it protects from various cancers (as a result of containing an antioxidant known as Resveratrol -- also found in grapes, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and peanuts, by the way), it's anti-ageing properties (Resveratrol again), and reducing the risk of depression (the chicken or the egg?). The fact of the matter is, you are consuming about 200 calories per glass of wine and when you imbibe too much -- 2 to 3 ounces (100mL) of alcohol every day -- your stomach does not absorb calcium adequately (and leaches calcium from the bones) which can lead to a much higher risk of osteoporosis (pathetically brittle bones) later in life. In addition, there's an increase in two potentially bone-damaging hormones, cortisol (which is proven to contribute to fat retention and hypertension) and parathyroid hormone, as well as studies to suggest that alcohol decreases estrogen and can lead to irregular periods[3].

Advice: I'm not saying don't drink, I'm just saying there are better sources of the healthful agents. When in doubt, most foods and beverages that can be addictive, are not that great for you.

Caffeine

I've got news for you- if you can't function each day without a morning coffee, you are a drug addict. Period. 

Advice: Get off the smack.

The Best Fruits to Have

Those entrenched in this debate clearly miss the forest for the trees. If the real issue for those interested in weight-loss was which fruits to eat/avoid...their goal wouldn't be weight-loss. Fruit doesn't make you gain weight, and even if it was theoretically possible, how many of you can say you eat too much? Bananas, for instance, have received a really bad reputation among the weight loss community because they are "high in calories" (about 100) and sugar (12g). The thing that most people don't realize about bananas and many fruits is that the energy they provide (calories=energy), is dispersed over a longer period of time so that rather than excess calories being stored as fat, bananas provide sustained energy for a greater period of time, never mind the crucial potassium, fibre and vitamin B6. Get off of banana's nuts...it's healthy. Bottom line is that I will tell me clients to eat a whole pineapple over a cheese burger 100% of the time.

Advice: If you are looking to lose weight, don't worry about the fruit you are eating, worry about the processed foods you are unnecessarily consuming.

Social mores

The real moral of this story is that nobody is 100% right, and nobody is 100% wrong. Do I know what I am talking about? As a certified professional in my field, most people accept that I do. I do my research and practice due-diligence before I back something publicly. But to be perfectly honest, you should accept what I say with a grain of salt as well. I am citing research that I haven't personally done (someone else has) and I chose to accept their findings. When someone comes on social media and says that 100% this is how things are because so and so said it was, or when research finds that someone else is 'wrong' about something and people bash them without shame, I just shake my head. Because what is right today, will be wrong tomorrow. The only staples I live by are: eat from the source whenever possible, be active every day, and smile and laugh as much as possible because only you get to choose if you are happy or not.

1 http://www.livescience.com/39726-what-is-gluten.html

2 http://www.celiac.com/articles/22706/1/Prices-of-Gluten-Free-versus-Regular-Foods---What-to-Do/Page1.html

3 http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/alcohol