More health stuff

Personal Care Products for Kids
Pamela Lundquist
Healthy Child Healthy World
Thursday, April 05, 2007

Kids of all ages have naturally wonderful skin and hair. Generally, keeping it clean is all that’s needed. Nevertheless, children use quite a few personal care products in addition to soap and shampoo, such as toothpaste, bubble bath, lotion, sunscreen and insect repellents. Parents may wonder what is in all these products and if they might affect children’s health.


Since many skin and hair care items contain a long list of ingredients with strange chemical names, it’s easy to understand the concern. A complex mix of fragrances, preservatives and colors are used in many hygiene and beauty products. In fact, a number of ingredients commonly used in products for children, such as parabens and quaternium 15, can cause skin and eye irritation or allergic reactions, such as hives, watery eyes, and breathing difficulties.1 Some chemicals, such as phthalates, and contaminants, like formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, have been linked to more serious health problems, including endocrine disruption and cancer.1

Despite these health concerns, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the government agency in charge of regulating personal care items, is limited in what it does to ensure safety of personal care products. FDA does not even require pre-market testing of personal care products. However, some ingredients are restricted from use in personal care products: nine are strictly prohibited by law, while industry trade associations recommend that manufacturers voluntarily avoid the use of nine additional chemicals. Any other raw ingredient — including hundreds of chemicals — can be used, without government testing or approval.

For the most part, FDA can only take action against products that contain prohibited ingredients, have been mislabeled, or are proven to be harmful to users.

There’s also the environmental impact to consider. Many chemicals used in personal care products are derived from petroleum and may pollute during production. Even synthetic chemicals derived from plants can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during production, which can affect air quality. Some chemicals also pollute the environment when they’re washed down the drain or simply thrown away.

Special Concerns About Fragrance Ingredients
Among the most problematic ingredients are fragrances, which are added to a wide range of grooming products. Like other ingredients found in personal care products, fragrances can cause allergic reactions and may trigger asthma attacks, but much is unknown about the health effects of fragrance ingredients. Consider that only within the past few years was it discovered that phthalates, used to extend the life of a fragrance on the skin, could interfere with hormonal activity.

Some fragrance facts:

Fragrances are not only inhaled, they’re also absorbed into the skin.
Tens, if not hundreds, of different chemicals can make up one fragrance formula.
Most fragrance chemicals have not been tested for safety, particularly for children, who are more vulnerable to the effects of foreign substances than adults.
Though ingredients must be listed on personal care products, the law permits manufacturers to use the generic term "fragrance" rather than specific fragrance ingredient names.
"Food" fragrances like strawberry may confuse a child into thinking it’s okay to eat the product.


Washing Up from Head to Toe
Probably the first product you’ll use on your child is soap. Many pediatricians recommend washing newborns and young infants with only warm water. As they get older, choose glycerin and castile soaps, traditionally made with olive oil, as they are generally mild.

Antibacterial soaps are unnecessary in most cases and can cause resistance to antibiotics and other germ fighters. (See Antibacterials and Disinfectants: Are They Necessary?) Soap and water work perfectly well for loosening dirt and germs so that they can be rinsed away.

As your child grows, there’s no doubt he or she will want to take bubble baths. Choose products that are intended for babies or children, since these generally have milder ingredients than those for adults. Some bath products, even those made specifically for children, contain harsh detergents, like sodium lauryl sulfate. Bubble baths have been associated with higher rates of urinary tract infections, so save them for special occasions.

Young children struggle to avoid the dreaded shampoo at bath time. Even baby shampoos can contain ingredients that irritate eyes. Shampoo is made up of one or two surfactants (detergents that lather well) and water. Other ingredients include additives that create the proper pH level so hair stays smooth, detanglers, thickeners, preservatives, scents or foaming agents.

Surfactants like cocamidopropyl betaine or cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine are among the mildest, causing the least eye or skin irritation. Harsher surfactants include sodium laureth sulfate, a chemical relative of sodium lauryl sulfate. In addition to being a strong detergent, the FDA lists it as an ingredient that may be contaminated with the probable carcinogen 1,4-dioxane. Another group of surfactants that have raised concern are alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). These detergents break down slowly in the wild and form compounds that are known to disrupt the endocrine systems of and cause reproductive effects in fish, birds, and mammals.

Brushing Up for a Perfect Smile
Regular brushing with toothpaste helps prevent cavities. But did you know that some toothpastes contain saccharin? Repeated tests on saccharin show that it causes cancer in laboratory animals.

Fluoride in toothpaste is a controversial ingredient. It is added to toothpaste because it’s been clinically shown to prevent tooth decay. However, if too much fluoride is ingested, it can cause fluorosis (white spots on permanent teeth), a condition which develops only when teeth are forming during childhood. Kids may be more likely to swallow artificially flavored toothpaste if it has an "edible" flavor like bubble gum or fruit flavor.

There are many unanswered questions about fluoride and its health effects. Fluoride Action Network and the American Dental Association are two reliable sources of information that have opposite views. After browsing both sites, you can make an informed decision for your own family.

Just for Baby
Baby wipes are often loaded with alcohol, fragrances or other ingredients that can irritate baby’s skin. Instead of these commercial products, you can use (and reuse) thin cotton washcloths to wipe baby’s bottom. Buy them by the dozen and you’ll always have one handy. A small spray bottle of gentle liquid baby soap or a wash of 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 cup of water helps clean the area.

Baby powders are often recommended to keep baby dry, since they absorb moisture. But talc can irritate the lungs and there is some suggestive evidence that it may cause cancer, especially with long-term usage in the genital area. Cornstarch is one alternative. You can dry baby’s bottom with a small cotton washcloth, as well.

To prevent or avoid diaper rash, keep the area dry and expose it to fresh air whenever possible. The baking soda wash mentioned above will keep yeast from growing, especially when your child is taking antibiotics. Aloe vera gel, available in tubes or bottles at natural foods stores, applied to the occasional rash is naturally soothing.

Using oils or creams can also help prevent a rash from developing. "They keep the skin protected by creating a barrier between the baby’s skin and everything else. This barrier keeps poop and pee off the skin, which naturally is irritating to the skin and harbors bacteria," says Dr. Harvey Karp, a pediatrician and HCHW board member, in Mothers & Others’ Guide to Natural Baby Care. Look for these oils, or products made with them: almond, apricot kernel, avocado and calendula.

The Great Outdoors
Covering up is the best protection from sun exposure and biting insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks, which can carry disease. Chances are, though, your child will protest wearing long pants in the heat of summer, especially at the beach, so sunscreens and insect repellents are the next best choice.

Unfortunately, there is no natural sunscreen, and botanical insect repellants (such as those containing citronella or herbs) are just not always as effective as their chemical counterparts, according to studies. The benefits provided by sunscreens and insect repellent typically outweigh the harm. What’s important is to use the products properly to minimize the risks.

In terms of sunscreen, the most effective "active ingredients" are zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and/or parsol. Put your baby in protective clothing including a hat, though, because sunscreen is not recommended for use on infants younger than six months.

Try natural insect repellants as a first recourse to battle bugs. If they seem ineffective in the given circumstance, apply DEET-free insect repellant (not on children under 6 months). Try applying it only on clothing to reduce direct skin absorption. NEVER spray it on a child’s face.

Stay away from combination sunscreen/insect repellants. Sunscreen is most effective when applied every two hours, but applying insect repellant this often could lead to overexposure.

Label Language
Many of the terms used on the labels of personal care products are not regulated. By that we mean that there are no government-recognized definitions for terms like natural, hypoallergenic, no synthetic chemicals, and other similar claims on personal care products. Different manufacturers may have different ideas about what these terms mean.

Sometimes, natural ingredients may be processed so much that they do not resemble what is found in nature. It’s also important to note that natural ingredients are not always necessarily safer ingredients. For example, some essential oils contain natural terpines that can cause headaches. Some herbal ingredients are allergens, respiratory irritants, or they may cause rashes or more serious health effects! One such natural ingredient is citrus oil. The active compound is d-limonene, which can cause breathing difficulty in asthmatics.

The Certified Organic label has been extended to cover personal care products in addition to food by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Certification, as regulated by the USDA, is supposed to mean that at least 70 to 100 percent of the ingredients are organic. The Organic Consumers Association has discovered that some companies are using the certified organic claim by using an ingredient called organic hydrosol, which is basically water "flavored" with an organic substance. Since these products are mostly water, only a small amount of organic ingredients may be present. In fact, many organic grooming products also contain the same preservatives, colors and fragrances found in their non-organic counterparts!

Indulge in Pampering
Like the rest of us, kids enjoy a little pampering now and then. It’s perfectly fine to have a hot bubble bath once in a while. Basically, the idea is to look for products with the mildest ingredients, fewest chemicals and fragrance-free formulas.

Other Resources
source

Rants continued......

Love YOAD....

I will start off this post by saying, I love You: On A Diet, but am very frustrated with the do's and dont's. I have made some cyber friends while doing this...not my first attempt at a healthy eating change. I was on The G.I. diet by Rick Gallop for over a year and a half, I really think my success is from exercising and counting calories. I didn't count calories on The G. I. diet and I had a bad foot so exercise didn't happen the whole time. With that said I still have the bad foot I just endure the pain. The don'ts in particular-Coconut oil
On the support group I belong to no ands ifs or buts...NO Coconut oil.
I wanna know why not...wish I could get Dr. Oz on the phone.

The Skinny on Fats
By Mary Enig, PhD, and Sally Fallon

From: Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, Second Edition by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD. © 1999 New Trends Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. To order contact www.newtrendspublishing.com

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Lipid Hypothesis
The "Evidence" Supporting the Lipid Hypothesis
Studies that Challenge the Lipid Hypothesis
Understanding the Chemistry of Fats
Classification of Fatty Acids by Saturation
Classification of Fatty Acids by Length
The Dangers of Polyunsaturates
Too Much Omega-6
Too Little Omega-3
The Benefits of Saturated Fats
What About Cholesterol?
The Cause and Treatment of Heart Disease
Modern Methods of Processing Fat
Nutrients in Butter
Composition of Different Fats
Summary
About the Authors
References
Introduction
Fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in the diet; they also provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormonelike substances. Fats as part of a meal slow down absorption so that we can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption and for a host of other processes.

Politically Correct Nutrition is based on the assumption that we should reduce our intake of fats, particularly saturated fats from animal sources. Fats from animal sources also contain cholesterol, presented as the twin villain of the civilized diet.

The Lipid Hypothesis
The theory—called the lipid hypothesis—that there is a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of coronary heart disease was proposed by a researcher named Ancel Keys in the late 1950's. Numerous subsequent studies have questioned his data and conclusions. Nevertheless, Keys' articles received far more publicity than those presenting alternate views. The vegetable oil and food processing industries, the main beneficiaries of any research that found fault with competing traditional foods, began promoting and funding further research designed to support the lipid hypothesis.

The most well-known advocate of the lowfat diet was Nathan Pritikin. Actually, Pritikin advocated elimination of sugar, white flour and all processed foods from the diet and recommended the use of fresh raw foods, whole grains and a strenuous exercise program; but it was the lowfat aspects of his regime that received the most attention in the media. Adherents found that they lost weight and that their blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure declined. The success of the Pritikin diet was probably due to a number of factors having nothing to do with reduction in dietary fat—weight loss alone, for example, will precipitate a reduction in blood cholesterol levels—but Pritikin soon found that the fat-free diet presented many problems, not the least of which was the fact that people just could not stay on it. Those who possessed enough will power to remain fat-free for any length of time developed a variety of health problems including low energy, difficulty in concentration, depression, weight gain and mineral deficiencies.1 Pritikin may have saved himself from heart disease but his lowfat diet did not spare him from cancer. He died, in the prime of life, of suicide when he realized that his Spartan regime was not curing his leukemia. We shouldn't have to die of either heart disease or cancer—or consume a diet that makes us depressed.

When problems with the no-fat regime became apparent, Pritikin introduced a small amount of fat from vegetable sources into his diet—something like 10% of the total caloric intake. Today the Diet Dictocrats advise us to limit fats to 25-30% of the caloric intake, which is about 2 1/2 ounces or 5 tablespoons per day for a diet of 2400 calories. A careful reckoning of fat intake and avoidance of animal fats, they say, is the key to perfect health.

The "Evidence" Supporting the Lipid Hypothesis
These "experts" assure us that the lipid hypothesis is backed by incontrovertible scientific proof. Most people would be surprised to learn that there is, in fact, very little evidence to support the contention that a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat actually reduces death from heart disease or in any way increases one's life span. Consider the following:

Before 1920 coronary heart disease was rare in America; so rare that when a young internist named Paul Dudley White introduced the German electrocardiograph to his colleagues at Harvard University, they advised him to concentrate on a more profitable branch of medicine. The new machine revealed the presence of arterial blockages, thus permitting early diagnosis of coronary heart disease. But in those days clogged arteries were a medical rarity, and White had to search for patients who could benefit from his new technology. During the next forty years, however, the incidence of coronary heart disease rose dramatically, so much so that by the mid fifties heart disease was the leading cause of death among Americans. Today heart disease causes at least 40% of all US deaths. If, as we have been told, heart disease results from the consumption of saturated fats, one would expect to find a corresponding increase in animal fat in the American diet. Actually, the reverse is true. During the sixty-year period from 1910 to 1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83% to 62%, and butter consumption plummeted from eighteen pounds per person per year to four. During the past eighty years, dietary cholesterol intake has increased only 1%. During the same period the percentage of dietary vegetable oils in the form of margarine, shortening and refined oils increased about 400% while the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased about 60%.2

The Framingham Heart Study is often cited as proof of the lipid hypothesis. This study began in 1948 and involved some 6,000 people from the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. Two groups were compared at five-year intervals—those who consumed little cholesterol and saturated fat and those who consumed large amounts. After 40 years, the director of this study had to admit: "In Framingham, Mass, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person's serum cholesterol. . . we found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active."3 The study did show that those who weighed more and had abnormally high blood cholesterol levels were slightly more at risk for future heart disease; but weight gain and cholesterol levels had an inverse correlation with fat and cholesterol intake in the diet.4

In a multi-year British study involving several thousand men, half were asked to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in their diets, to stop smoking and to increase the amounts of unsaturated oils such as margarine and vegetable oils. After one year, those on the "good" diet had 100% more deaths than those on the "bad" diet, in spite of the fact that those men on the "bad" diet continued to smoke! But in describing the study, the author ignored these results in favor of the politically correct conclusion: "The implication for public health policy in the U.K. is that a preventive programme such as we evaluated in this trial is probably effective. . . ."5

The U.S. Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, (MRFIT) sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, compared mortality rates and eating habits of over 12,000 men. Those with "good" dietary habits (reduced saturated fat and cholesterol, reduced smoking, etc.) showed a marginal reduction in total coronary heart disease, but their overall mortality from all causes was higher. Similar results have been obtained in several other studies. The few studies that indicate a correlation between fat reduction and a decrease in coronary heart disease mortality also document a concurrent increase in deaths from cancer, brain hemorrhage, suicide and violent death.6

The Lipid Research Clinics Coronary Primary Prevention Trial (LRC-CPPT), which cost 150 million dollars, is the study most often cited by the experts to justify lowfat diets. Actually, dietary cholesterol and saturated fat were not tested in this study as all subjects were given a low-cholesterol, low-saturated-fat diet. Instead, the study tested the effects of a cholesterol-lowering drug. Their statistical analysis of the results implied a 24% reduction in the rate of coronary heart disease in the group taking the drug compared with the placebo group; however, nonheart disease deaths in the drug group increased—deaths from cancer, stroke, violence and suicide.7 Even the conclusion that lowering cholesterol reduces heart disease is suspect. Independent researchers who tabulated the results of this study found no significant statistical difference in coronary heart disease death rates between the two groups.8 However, both the popular press and medical journals touted the LRC-CPPT as the long-sought proof that animal fats are the cause of heart disease, America's number one killer.

Studies that Challenge the Lipid Hypothesis
While it is true that researchers have induced heart disease in some animals by giving them extremely large dosages of oxidized or rancid cholesterol—amounts ten times that found in the ordinary human diet—several population studies squarely contradict the cholesterol-heart disease connection. A survey of 1700 patients with hardening of the arteries, conducted by the famous heart surgeon Michael DeBakey, found no relationship between the level of cholesterol in the blood and the incidence of atherosclerosis.9 A survey of South Carolina adults found no correlation of blood cholesterol levels with "bad" dietary habits, such as use of red meat, animal fats, fried foods, butter, eggs, whole milk, bacon, sausage and cheese.10 A Medical Research Council survey showed that men eating butter ran half the risk of developing heart disease as those using margarine.11

Mother's milk provides a higher proportion of cholesterol than almost any other food. It also contains over 50% of its calories as fat, much of it saturated fat. Both cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for growth in babies and children, especially the development of the brain.12 Yet, the American Heart Association is now recommending a low-cholesterol, lowfat diet for children! Commercial formulas are low in saturated fats and soy formulas are devoid of cholesterol. A recent study linked lowfat diets with failure to thrive in children.13

Numerous surveys of traditional populations have yielded information that is an embarrassment to the Diet Dictocrats. For example, a study comparing Jews when they lived in Yemen, whose diets contained fats solely of animal origin, to Yemenite Jews living in Israel, whose diets contained margarine and vegetable oils, revealed little heart disease or diabetes in the former group but high levels of both diseases in the latter.14 (The study also noted that the Yemenite Jews consumed no sugar but those in Israel consumed sugar in amounts equaling 25-30% of total carbohydrate intake.) A comparison of populations in northern and southern India revealed a similar pattern. People in northern India consume 17 times more animal fat but have an incidence of coronary heart disease seven times lower than people in southern India.15 The Masai and kindred tribes of Africa subsist largely on milk, blood and beef. They are free from coronary heart disease and have excellent blood cholesterol levels.16 Eskimos eat liberally of animal fats from fish and marine animals. On their native diet they are free of disease and exceptionally hardy.17 An extensive study of diet and disease patterns in China found that the region in which the populace consumes large amounts of whole milk had half the rate of heart disease as several districts in which only small amounts of animal products are consumed.18 Several Mediterranean societies have low rates of heart disease even though fat—including highly saturated fat from lamb, sausage and goat cheese—comprises up to 70% of their caloric intake. The inhabitants of Crete, for example, are remarkable for their good health and longevity.19 A study of Puerto Ricans revealed that, although they consume large amounts of animal fat, they have a very low incidence of colon and breast cancer.20 A study of the long-lived inhabitants of Soviet Georgia revealed that those who eat the most fatty meat live the longest.21 In Okinawa, where the average life span for women is 84 years—longer than in Japan—the inhabitants eat generous amounts of pork and seafood and do all their cooking in lard.22 None of these studies is mentioned by those urging restriction of saturated fats.

The relative good health of the Japanese, who have the longest life span of any nation in the world, is generally attributed to a lowfat diet. Although the Japanese eat few dairy fats, the notion that their diet is low in fat is a myth; rather, it contains moderate amounts of animal fats from eggs, pork, chicken, beef, seafood and organ meats. With their fondness for shellfish and fish broth, eaten on a daily basis, the Japanese probably consume more cholesterol than most Americans. What they do not consume is a lot of vegetable oil, white flour or processed food (although they do eat white rice.) The life span of the Japanese has increased since World War II with an increase in animal fat and protein in the diet.23 Those who point to Japanese statistics to promote the lowfat diet fail to mention that the Swiss live almost as long on one of the fattiest diets in the world. Tied for third in the longevity stakes are Austria and Greece—both with high-fat diets.24

As a final example, let us consider the French. Anyone who has eaten his way across France has observed that the French diet is just loaded with saturated fats in the form of butter, eggs, cheese, cream, liver, meats and rich patés. Yet the French have a lower rate of coronary heart disease than many other western countries. In the United States, 315 of every 100,000 middle-aged men die of heart attacks each year; in France the rate is 145 per 100,000. In the Gascony region, where goose and duck liver form a staple of the diet, this rate is a remarkably low 80 per 100,000.25 This phenomenon has recently gained international attention as the French Paradox. (The French do suffer from many degenerative diseases, however. They eat large amounts of sugar and white flour and in recent years have succumbed to the timesaving temptations of processed foods.)

A chorus of establishment voices, including the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the Senate Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, claims that animal fat is linked not only with heart disease but also with cancers of various types. Yet when researchers from the University of Maryland analyzed the data they used to make such claims, they found that vegetable fat consumption was correlated with cancer and animal fat was not.26

Understanding the Chemistry of Fats
Clearly something is wrong with the theories we read in the popular press—and used to bolster sales of lowfat concoctions and cholesterol-free foods. The notion that saturated fats per se cause heart disease as well as cancer is not only facile, it is just plain wrong. But it is true that some fats are bad for us. In order to understand which ones, we must know something about the chemistry of fats.

Fats—or lipids—are a class of organic substances that are not soluble in water. In simple terms, fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms filling the available bonds. Most fat in our bodies and in the food we eat is in the form of triglycerides, that is, three fatty-acid chains attached to a glycerol molecule. Elevated triglycerides in the blood have been positively linked to proneness to heart disease, but these triglycerides do not come directly from dietary fats; they are made in the liver from any excess sugars that have not been used for energy. The source of these excess sugars is any food containing carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour.

Classification of Fatty Acids by Saturation
Fatty acids are classified in the following way:

Saturated: A fatty acid is saturated when all available carbon bonds are occupied by a hydrogen atom. They are highly stable, because all the carbon-atom linkages are filled—or saturated—with hydrogen. This means that they do not normally go rancid, even when heated for cooking purposes. They are straight in form and hence pack together easily, so that they form a solid or semisolid fat at room temperature. Your body makes saturated fatty acids from carbohydrates and they are found in animal fats and tropical oils.

Monounsaturated: Monounsaturated fatty acids have one double bond in the form of two carbon atoms double-bonded to each other and, therefore, lack two hydrogen atoms. Your body makes monounsaturated fatty acids from saturated fatty acids and uses them in a number of ways. Monounsaturated fats have a kink or bend at the position of the double bond so that they do not pack together as easily as saturated fats and, therefore, tend to be liquid at room temperature. Like saturated fats, they are relatively stable. They do not go rancid easily and hence can be used in cooking. The monounsaturated fatty acid most commonly found in our food is oleic acid, the main component of olive oil as well as the oils from almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts and avocados.

Polyunsaturated: Polyunsaturated fatty acids have two or more pairs of double bonds and, therefore, lack four or more hydrogen atoms. The two polyunsaturated fatty acids found most frequently in our foods are double unsaturated linoleic acid, with two double bonds—also called omega-6; and triple unsaturated linolenic acid, with three double bonds—also called omega-3. (The omega number indicates the position of the first double bond.) Your body cannot make these fatty acids and hence they are called "essential." We must obtain our essential fatty acids or EFA's from the foods we eat. The polyunsaturated fatty acids have kinks or turns at the position of the double bond and hence do not pack together easily. They are liquid, even when refrigerated. The unpaired electrons at the double bonds makes these oils highly reactive. They go rancid easily, particularly omega-3 linolenic acid, and must be treated with care. Polyunsaturated oils should never be heated or used in cooking. In nature, the polyunsaturated fatty acids are usually found in the cis form, which means that both hydrogen atoms at the double bond are on the same side.

All fats and oils, whether of vegetable or animal origin, are some combination of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated linoleic acid and linolenic acid. In general, animal fats such as butter, lard and tallow contain about 40-60% saturated fat and are solid at room temperature. Vegetable oils from northern climates contain a preponderance of polyunsaturated fatty acids and are liquid at room temperature. But vegetable oils from the tropics are highly saturated. Coconut oil, for example, is 92% saturated. These fats are liquid in the tropics but hard as butter in northern climes. Vegetable oils are more saturated in hot climates because the increased saturation helps maintain stiffness in plant leaves. Olive oil with its preponderance of oleic acid is the product of a temperate climate. It is liquid at warm temperatures but hardens when refrigerated.

Classification of Fatty Acids by Length
Researchers classify fatty acids not only according to their degree of saturation but also by their length.

Short-chain fatty acids have four to six carbon atoms. These fats are always saturated. Four-carbon butyric acid is found mostly in butterfat from cows, and six-carbon capric acid is found mostly in butterfat from goats. These fatty acids have antimicrobial properties—that is, they protect us from viruses, yeasts and pathogenic bacteria in the gut. They do not need to be acted on by the bile salts but are directly absorbed for quick energy. For this reason, they are less likely to cause weight gain than olive oil or commercial vegetable oils.27 Short-chain fatty acids also contribute to the health of the immune system.28

Medium-chain fatty acids have eight to twelve carbon atoms and are found mostly in butterfat and the tropical oils. Like the short-chain fatty acids, these fats have antimicrobial properties; are absorbed directly for quick energy; and contribute to the health of the immune system.

Long-chain fatty acids have from 14 to 18 carbon atoms and can be either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Stearic acid is an 18-carbon saturated fatty acid found chiefly in beef and mutton tallows. Oleic acid is an 18-carbon monounsaturated fat which is the chief component of olive oil. Another monounsaturated fatty acid is the 16-carbon palmitoleic acid which has strong antimicrobial properties. It is found almost exclusively in animal fats. The two essential fatty acids are also long chain, each 18 carbons in length. Another important long-chain fatty acid is gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which has 18 carbons and three double bonds. It is found in evening primrose, borage and black currant oils. Your body makes GLA out of omega-6 linoleic acid and uses it in the production of substances called prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones that regulate many processes at the cellular level.

Very-long-chain fatty acids have 20 to 24 carbon atoms. They tend to be highly unsaturated, with four, five or six double bonds. Some people can make these fatty acids from EFA's, but others, particularly those whose ancestors ate a lot of fish, lack enzymes to produce them. These "obligate carnivores" must obtain them from animal foods such as organ meats, egg yolks, butter and fish oils. The most important very-long-chain fatty acids are dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) with 20 carbons and three double bonds; arachidonic acid (AA) with 20 carbons and four double bonds; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with 20 carbons and five double bonds; and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with 22 carbons and six double bonds. All of these except DHA are used in the production of prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones that direct many processes in the cells. In addition, AA and DHA play important roles in the function of the nervous system.29



The Dangers of Polyunsaturates
The public has been fed a great deal of misinformation about the relative virtues of saturated fats versus polyunsaturated oils. Politically correct dietary gurus tell us that the polyunsaturated oils are good for us and that the saturated fats cause cancer and heart disease. The result is that fundamental changes have occurred in the Western diet. At the turn of the century, most of the fatty acids in the diet were either saturated or monounsaturated, primarily from butter, lard, tallows, coconut oil and small amounts of olive oil. Today most of the fats in the diet are polyunsaturated from vegetable oils derived mostly from soy, as well as from corn, safflower and canola.

Modern diets can contain as much as 30% of calories as polyunsaturated oils, but scientific research indicates that this amount is far too high. The best evidence indicates that our intake of polyunsaturates should not be much greater than 4% of the caloric total, in approximate proportions of 1 1/2 % omega-3 linolenic acid and 2 1/2 % omega-6 linoleic acid.30 EFA consumption in this range is found in native populations in temperate and tropical regions whose intake of polyunsaturated oils comes from the small amounts found in legumes, grains, nuts, green vegetables, fish, olive oil and animal fats but not from commercial vegetable oils.

Excess consumption of polyunsaturated oils has been shown to contribute to a large number of disease conditions including increased cancer and heart disease; immune system dysfunction; damage to the liver, reproductive organs and lungs; digestive disorders; depressed learning ability; impaired growth; and weight gain.31

One reason the polyunsaturates cause so many health problems is that they tend to become oxidized or rancid when subjected to heat, oxygen and moisture as in cooking and processing. Rancid oils are characterized by free radicals—that is, single atoms or clusters with an unpaired electron in an outer orbit. These compounds are extremely reactive chemically. They have been characterized as "marauders" in the body for they attack cell membranes and red blood cells and cause damage in DNA/RNA strands, thus triggering mutations in tissue, blood vessels and skin. Free radical damage to the skin causes wrinkles and premature aging; free radical damage to the tissues and organs sets the stage for tumors; free radical damage in the blood vessels initiates the buildup of plaque. Is it any wonder that tests and studies have repeatedly shown a high correlation between cancer and heart disease with the consumption of polyunsaturates?32 New evidence links exposure to free radicals with premature aging, with autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and with Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, Alzheimer's and cataracts.33

Too Much Omega-6
Problems associated with an excess of polyunsaturates are exacerbated by the fact that most polyunsaturates in commercial vegetable oils are in the form of double unsaturated omega-6 linoleic acid, with very little of vital triple unsaturated omega-3 linolenic acid. Recent research has revealed that too much omega-6 in the diet creates an imbalance that can interfere with production of important prostaglandins.34 This disruption can result in increased tendency to form blood clots, inflammation, high blood pressure, irritation of the digestive tract, depressed immune function, sterility, cell proliferation, cancer and weight gain.35

Too Little Omega-3
A number of researchers have argued that along with a surfeit of omega-6 fatty acids the American diet is deficient in the more unsaturated omega-3 linolenic acid. This fatty acid is necessary for cell oxidation, for metabolizing important sulphur-containing amino acids and for maintaining proper balance in prostaglandin production. Deficiencies have been associated with asthma, heart disease and learning deficiencies.36 Most commercial vegetable oils contain very little omega-3 linolenic acid and large amounts of the omega-6 linoleic acid. In addition, modern agricultural and industrial practices have reduced the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in commercially available vegetables, eggs, fish and meat. For example, organic eggs from hens allowed to feed on insects and green plants can contain omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the beneficial ratio of approximately one-to-one; but commercial supermarket eggs can contain as much as nineteen times more omega-6 than omega-3!37

The Benefits of Saturated Fats
The much-maligned saturated fats—which Americans are trying to avoid—are not the cause of our modern diseases. In fact, they play many important roles in the body chemistry:

Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes. They are what gives our cells necessary stiffness and integrity.


They play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of the dietary fats should be saturated.38


They lower Lp(a), a substance in the blood that indicates proneness to heart disease.39 They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, such as Tylenol.40


They enhance the immune system.41


They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids.
Elongated omega-3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues when the diet is rich in saturated fats. 42


Saturated 18-carbon stearic acid and 16-carbon palmitic acid are the preferred foods for the heart, which is why the fat around the heart muscle is highly saturated.43 The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of stress.


Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.
The scientific evidence, honestly evaluated, does not support the assertion that "artery-clogging" saturated fats cause heart disease.44 Actually, evaluation of the fat in artery clogs reveals that only about 26% is saturated. The rest is unsaturated, of which more than half is polyunsaturated.45

What about Cholesterol?
And what about cholesterol? Here, too, the public has been misinformed. Our blood vessels can become damaged in a number of ways—through irritations caused by free radicals or viruses, or because they are structurally weak—and when this happens, the body's natural healing substance steps in to repair the damage. That substance is cholesterol. Cholesterol is a high-molecular-weight alcohol that is manufactured in the liver and in most human cells. Like saturated fats, the cholesterol we make and consume plays many vital roles:

Along with saturated fats, cholesterol in the cell membrane gives our cells necessary stiffness and stability. When the diet contains an excess of polyunsaturated fatty acids, these replace saturated fatty acids in the cell membrane, so that the cell walls actually become flabby. When this happens, cholesterol from the blood is "driven" into the tissues to give them structural integrity. This is why serum cholesterol levels may go down temporarily when we replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated oils in the diet.46


Cholesterol acts as a precursor to vital corticosteroids, hormones that help us deal with stress and protect the body against heart disease and cancer; and to the sex hormones like androgen, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone.


Cholesterol is a precursor to vitamin D, a very important fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy bones and nervous system, proper growth, mineral metabolism, muscle tone, insulin production, reproduction and immune system function.


The bile salts are made from cholesterol. Bile is vital for digestion and assimilation of fats in the diet.


Recent research shows that cholesterol acts as an antioxidant.47 This is the likely explanation for the fact that cholesterol levels go up with age. As an antioxidant, cholesterol protects us against free radical damage that leads to heart disease and cancer.


Cholesterol is needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain.48 Serotonin is the body's natural "feel-good" chemical. Low cholesterol levels have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies.


Mother's milk is especially rich in cholesterol and contains a special enzyme that helps the baby utilize this nutrient. Babies and children need cholesterol-rich foods throughout their growing years to ensure proper development of the brain and nervous system.


Dietary cholesterol plays an important role in maintaining the health of the intestinal wall.49 This is why low-cholesterol vegetarian diets can lead to leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal disorders.
Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease but rather a potent antioxidant weapon against free radicals in the blood, and a repair substance that helps heal arterial damage (although the arterial plaques themselves contain very little cholesterol.) However, like fats, cholesterol may be damaged by exposure to heat and oxygen. This damaged or oxidized cholesterol seems to promote both injury to the arterial cells as well as a pathological buildup of plaque in the arteries.50 Damaged cholesterol is found in powdered eggs, in powdered milk (added to reduced-fat milks to give them body) and in meats and fats that have been heated to high temperatures in frying and other high-temperature processes.

High serum cholesterol levels often indicate that the body needs cholesterol to protect itself from high levels of altered, free-radical-containing fats. Just as a large police force is needed in a locality where crime occurs frequently, so cholesterol is needed in a poorly nourished body to protect the individual from a tendency to heart disease and cancer. Blaming coronary heart disease on cholesterol is like blaming the police for murder and theft in a high crime area.

Poor thyroid function (hypothyroidism) will often result in high cholesterol levels. When thyroid function is poor, usually due to a diet high in sugar and low in usable iodine, fat-soluble vitamins and other nutrients, the body floods the blood with cholesterol as an adaptive and protective mechanism, providing a superabundance of materials needed to heal tissues and produce protective steroids. Hypothyroid individuals are particularly susceptible to infections, heart disease and cancer.51

The Cause and Treatment of Heart Disease
The cause of heart disease is not animal fats and cholesterol but rather a number of factors inherent in modern diets, including excess consumption of vegetables oils and hydrogenated fats; excess consumption of refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar and white flour; mineral deficiencies, particularly low levels of protective magnesium and iodine; deficiencies of vitamins, particularly of vitamin C, needed for the integrity of the blood vessel walls, and of antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E, which protect us from free radicals; and, finally, the disappearance of antimicrobial fats from the food supply, namely, animal fats and tropical oils.52 These once protected us against the kinds of viruses and bacteria that have been associated with the onset of pathogenic plaque leading to heart disease.

While serum cholesterol levels provide an inaccurate indication of future heart disease, a high level of a substance called homocysteine in the blood has been positively correlated with pathological buildup of plaque in the arteries and the tendency to form clots—a deadly combination. Folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and choline are nutrients that lower serum homocysteine levels.53 These nutrients are found mostly in animal foods.

The best way to treat heart disease, then, is not to focus on lowering cholesterol—either by drugs or diet—but to consume a diet that provides animal foods rich in vitamins B6 and B12; to bolster thyroid function by daily use of natural sea salt, a good source of usable iodine; to avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies that make the artery walls more prone to ruptures and the buildup of plaque; to include the antimicrobial fats in the diet; and to eliminate processed foods containing refined carbohydrates, oxidized cholesterol and free-radical-containing vegetable oils that cause the body to need constant repair.

Modern Methods of Processing Fats
It is important to understand that, of all substances ingested by the body, it is polyunsaturated oils that are most easily rendered dangerous by food processing, especially unstable omega-3 linolenic acid. Consider the following processes inflicted upon naturally occurring fatty acids before they appear on our tables:

Extraction: Oils naturally occurring in fruits, nuts and seeds must first be extracted. In the old days this extraction was achieved by slow-moving stone presses. But oils processed in large factories are obtained by crushing the oil-bearing seeds and heating them to 230 degrees. The oil is then squeezed out at pressures from 10 to 20 tons per inch, thereby generating more heat. During this process the oils are exposed to damaging light and oxygen. In order to extract the last 10% or so of the oil from crushed seeds, processors treat the pulp with one of a number of solvents—usually hexane. The solvent is then boiled off, although up to 100 parts per million may remain in the oil. Such solvents, themselves toxic, also retain the toxic pesticides adhering to seeds and grains before processing begins.

High-temperature processing causes the weak carbon bonds of unsaturated fatty acids, especially triple unsaturated linolenic acid, to break apart, thereby creating dangerous free radicals. In addition, antioxidants, such as fat-soluble vitamin E, which protect the body from the ravages of free radicals, are neutralized or destroyed by high temperatures and pressures. BHT and BHA, both suspected of causing cancer and brain damage, are often added to these oils to replace vitamin E and other natural preservatives destroyed by heat.

There is a safe modern technique for extraction that drills into the seeds and extracts the oil and its precious cargo of antioxidants under low temperatures, with minimal exposure to light and oxygen. These expeller-expressed, unrefined oils will remain fresh for a long time if stored in the refrigerator in dark bottles. Extra virgin olive oil is produced by crushing olives between stone or steel rollers. This process is a gentle one that preserves the integrity of the fatty acids and the numerous natural preservatives in olive oil. If olive oil is packaged in opaque containers, it will retain its freshness and precious store of antioxidants for many years.

Hydrogenation: This is the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature—margarine and shortening. To produce them, manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils—soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process—and mix them with tiny metal particles—usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to hydrogen gas in a high-pressure, high-temperature reactor. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine's natural color, an unappetizing grey, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food.

Partially hydrogenated margarines and shortenings are even worse for you than the highly refined vegetable oils from which they are made because of chemical changes that occur during the hydrogenation process. Under high temperatures, the nickel catalyst causes the hydrogen atoms to change position on the fatty acid chain. Before hydrogenation, pairs of hydrogen atoms occur together on the chain, causing the chain to bend slightly and creating a concentration of electrons at the site of the double bond. This is called the cis formation, the configuration most commonly found in nature. With hydrogenation, one hydrogen atom of the pair is moved to the other side so that the molecule straightens. This is called the trans formation, rarely found in nature. Most of these man-made trans fats are toxins to the body, but unfortunately your digestive system does not recognize them as such. Instead of being eliminated, trans fats are incorporated into cell membranes as if they were cis fats—your cells actually become partially hydrogenated! Once in place, trans fatty acids with their misplaced hydrogen atoms wreak havoc in cell metabolism because chemical reactions can only take place when electrons in the cell membranes are in certain arrangements or patterns, which the hydrogenation process has disturbed.

In the 1940's, researchers found a strong correlation between cancer and the consumption of fat—the fats used were hydrogenated fats although the results were presented as though the culprit were saturated fats.54 In fact, until recently saturated fats were usually lumped together with trans fats in the various U.S. data bases that researchers use to correlate dietary trends with disease conditions.55 Thus, natural saturated fats were tarred with the black brush of unnatural hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Altered partially hydrogenated fats made from vegetable oils actually block utilization of essential fatty acids, causing many deleterious effects including sexual dysfunction, increased blood cholesterol and paralysis of the immune system.56 Consumption of hydrogenated fats is associated with a host of other serious diseases, not only cancer but also atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, immune system dysfunction, low-birth-weight babies, birth defects, decreased visual acuity, sterility, difficulty in lactation and problems with bones and tendons.57 Yet hydrogenated fats continue to be promoted as health foods. The popularity of partially hydrogenated margarine over butter represents a triumph of advertising duplicity over common sense. Your best defense is to avoid it like the plague.

Homogenization: This is the process whereby the fat particles of cream are strained through tiny pores under great pressure. The resulting fat particles are so small that they stay in suspension rather than rise to the top of the milk. This makes the fat and cholesterol more susceptible to rancidity and oxidation, and some research indicates that homogenized fats may contribute to heart disease.58

The media's constant attack on saturated fats is extremely suspect. Claims that butter causes chronic high cholesterol values have not been substantiated by research—although some studies show that butter consumption causes a small, temporary rise—while other studies have shown that stearic acid, the main component of beef fat, actually lowers cholesterol.59 Margarine, on the other hand, provokes chronic high levels of cholesterol and has been linked to both heart disease and cancer.60 The new soft margarines or tub spreads, while lower in hydrogenated fats, are still produced from rancid vegetable oils and contain many additives.

Nutrients in Butter
The Diet Dictocrats have succeeded in convincing Americans that butter is dangerous, when in fact it is a valued component of many traditional diets and a source of the following nutrients:

Fat-Soluble Vitamins: These include true vitamin A or retinol, vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E as well as all their naturally occurring cofactors needed to obtain maximum effect. Butter is America's best source of these important nutrients. In fact, vitamin A is more easily absorbed and utilized from butter than from other sources.61 Fortunately, these fat-soluble vitamins are relatively stable and survive the pasteurization process.

When Dr. Weston Price studied isolated traditional peoples around the world, he found that butter was a staple in many native diets. (He did not find any isolated peoples who consumed polyunsaturated oils.) The groups he studied particularly valued the deep yellow butter produced by cows feeding on rapidly growing green grass. Their natural intuition told them that its life-giving qualities were especially beneficial for children and expectant mothers. When Dr. Price analyzed this deep yellow butter he found that it was exceptionally high in all fat-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin A. He called these vitamins "catalysts" or "activators." Without them, according to Dr. Price, we are not able to utilize the minerals we ingest, no matter how abundant they may be in our diets. He also believed the fat-soluble vitamins to be necessary for absorption of the water-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A and D are essential for growth, for healthy bones, for proper development of the brain and nervous systems and for normal sexual development. Many studies have shown the importance of butterfat for reproduction; its absence results in "nutritional castration," the failure to bring out male and female sexual characteristics. As butter consumption in America has declined, sterility rates and problems with sexual development have increased. In calves, butter substitutes are unable to promote growth or sustain reproduction.62

Not all the societies Dr. Price studied ate butter; but all the groups he observed went to great lengths to obtain foods high in fat-soluble vitamins—fish, shellfish, fish eggs, organ meats, blubber of sea animals and insects. Without knowing the names of the vitamins contained in these foods, isolated traditional societies recognized their importance in the diet and liberally ate the animal products containing them. They rightly believed such foods to be necessary for fertility and the optimum development of children. Dr. Price analyzed the nutrient content of native diets and found that they consistently provided about ten times more fat soluble vitamins than the American diet of the 1930's. This ratio is probably more extreme today as Americans have deliberately reduced animal fat consumption. Dr. Price realized that these fat-soluble vitamins promoted the beautiful bone structure, wide palate, flawless uncrowded teeth and handsome, well-proportioned faces that characterized members of isolated traditional groups. American children in general do not eat fish or organ meats, at least not to any great extent, and blubber and insects are not a part of the western diet; many will not eat eggs. The only good source of fat-soluble vitamins in the American diet, one sure to be eaten, is butterfat. Butter added to vegetables and spread on bread, and cream added to soups and sauces, ensure proper assimilation of the minerals and water-soluble vitamins in vegetables, grains and meat.

The Wulzen Factor: Called the "antistiffness" factor, this compound is present in raw animal fat. Researcher Rosalind Wulzen discovered that this substance protects humans and animals from calcification of the joints—degenerative arthritis. It also protects against hardening of the arteries, cataracts and calcification of the pineal gland.63 Calves fed pasteurized milk or skim milk develop joint stiffness and do not thrive. Their symptoms are reversed when raw butterfat is added to the diet. Pasteurization destroys the Wulzen factor—it is present only in raw butter, cream and whole milk.

The Price Factor or Activator X: Discovered by Dr. Price, Activator X is a powerful catalyst which, like vitamins A and D, helps the body absorb and utilize minerals. It is found in organ meats from grazing animals and some sea food. Butter can be an especially rich source of Activator X when it comes from cows eating rapidly growing grass in the spring and fall seasons. It disappears in cows fed cottonseed meal or high protein soy-based feeds.64 Fortunately, Activator X is not destroyed by pasteurization.

Arachidonic Acid: A 20-carbon polyunsaturate containing four double bonds, found in small amounts only in animal fats. Arachidonic acid (AA) plays a role in the function of the brain, is a vital component of the cell membranes and is a precursor to important prostaglandins. Some dietary gurus warn against eating foods rich in AA, claiming that it contributes to the production of "bad" prostaglandins, ones that cause inflammation. But prostaglandins that counteract inflammation are also made from AA.

Short- and Medium-Chain Fatty Acids: Butter contains about 12-15% short- and medium-chain fatty acids. This type of saturated fat does not need to be emulsified by bile salts but is absorbed directly from the small intestine to the liver, where it is converted into quick energy. These fatty acids also have antimicrobial, antitumor and immune-system-supporting properties, especially 12-carbon lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid not found in other animal fats. Highly protective lauric acid should be called a conditionally essential fatty acid because it is made only by the mammary gland and not in the liver like other saturated fats.65 We must obtain it from one of two dietary sources—small amounts in butterfat or large amounts in coconut oil. Four-carbon butyric acid is all but unique to butter. It has antifungal properties as well as antitumor effects.66

Omega-6 and Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids: These occur in butter in small but nearly equal amounts. This excellent balance between linoleic and linolenic acid prevents the kind of problems associated with overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid: Butter from pasture-fed cows also contains a form of rearranged linoleic acid called CLA, which has strong anticancer properties. It also encourages the buildup of muscle and prevents weight gain. CLA disappears when cows are fed dry hay or processed feed.67

Lecithin: Lecithin is a natural component of butter that assists in the proper assimilation and metabolization of cholesterol and other fat constituents.

Cholesterol: Mother's milk is high in cholesterol because it is essential for growth and development. Cholesterol is also needed to produce a variety of steroids that protect against cancer, heart disease and mental illness.

Glycosphingolipids: This type of fat protects against gastrointestinal infections, especially in the very young and the elderly. For this reason, children who drink skimmed milk have diarrhea at rates three to five times greater than children who drink whole milk.68

Trace Minerals: Many trace minerals are incorporated into the fat globule membrane of butterfat, including manganese, zinc, chromium and iodine. In mountainous areas far from the sea, iodine in butter protects against goiter. Butter is extremely rich in selenium, a trace mineral with antioxidant properties, containing more per gram than herring or wheat germ.

One frequently voiced objection to the consumption of butter and other animal fats is that they tend to accumulate environmental poisons. Fat-soluble poisons such as DDT do accumulate in fats; but water-soluble poisons, such as antibiotics and growth hormones, accumulate in the water fraction of milk and meats. Vegetables and grains also accumulate poisons. The average plant crop receives ten applications of pesticides—from planting to storage—while cows generally graze on pasture that is unsprayed. Aflatoxin, a fungus that grows on grain, is one of the most powerful carcinogens known. It is correct to assume that all of our foods, whether of vegetable or animal origin, may be contaminated. The solution to environmental poisons is not to eliminate animal fats—so essential to growth, reproduction and overall health—but to seek out organic meats and butter from pasture-fed cows, as well as organic vegetables and grains. These are becoming increasingly available in health food stores and supermarkets and through mail order and cooperatives.

Composition of Different Fats
Before leaving this complex but vital subject of fats, it is worthwhile examining the composition of vegetable oils and other animal fats in order to determine their usefulness and appropriateness in food preparation:

Duck and Goose Fat are semisolid at room temperature, containing about 35% saturated fat, 52% monounsaturated fat (including small amounts of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid) and about 13% polyunsaturated fat. The proportion of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids depends on what the birds have eaten. Duck and goose fat are quite stable and are highly prized in Europe for frying potatoes.

Chicken Fat is about 31% saturated, 49% monounsaturated (including moderate amounts of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid) and 20% polyunsaturated, most of which is omega-6 linoleic acid, although the amount of omega-3 can be raised by feeding chickens flax or fish meal, or allowing them to range free and eat insects. Although widely used for frying in kosher kitchens, it is inferior to duck and goose fat, which were traditionally preferred to chicken fat in Jewish cooking.

Lard or pork fat is about 40% saturated, 48% monounsaturated (including small amounts of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid) and 12% polyunsaturated. Like the fat of birds, the amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids will vary in lard according to what has been fed to the pigs. In the tropics, lard may also be a source of lauric acid if the pigs have eaten coconuts. Like duck and goose fat, lard is stable and a preferred fat for frying. It was widely used in America at the turn of the century. It is a good source of vitamin D, especially in third-world countries where other animal foods are likely to be expensive. Some researchers believe that pork products should be avoided because they may contribute to cancer. Others suggest that only pork meat presents a problem and that pig fat in the form of lard is safe and healthy.

Beef and Mutton Tallows are 50-55% saturated, about 40% monounsaturated and contain small amounts of the polyunsaturates, usually less than 3%. Suet, which is the fat from the cavity of the animal, is 70-80% saturated. Suet and tallow are very stable fats and can be used for frying. Traditional cultures valued these fats for their health benefits. They are a good source of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid.

Olive Oil contains 75% oleic acid, the stable monounsaturated fat, along with 13% saturated fat, 10% omega-6 linoleic acid and 2% omega-3 linolenic acid. The high percentage of oleic acid makes olive oil ideal for salads and for cooking at moderate temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in antioxidants. It should be cloudy, indicating that it has not been filtered, and have a golden yellow color, indicating that it is made from fully ripened olives. Olive oil has withstood the test of time; it is the safest vegetable oil you can use, but don't overdo. The longer chain fatty acids found in olive oil are more likely to contribute to the buildup of body fat than the short- and medium-chain fatty acids found in butter, coconut oil or palm kernel oil.

Peanut Oil contains 48% oleic acid, 18% saturated fat and 34% omega-6 linoleic acid. Like olive oil, peanut oil is relatively stable and, therefore, appropriate for stir-frys on occasion. But the high percentage of omega-6 presents a potential danger, so use of peanut oil should be strictly limited.

Sesame Oil contains 42% oleic acid, 15% saturated fat, and 43% omega-6 linoleic acid. Sesame oil is similar in composition to peanut oil. It can be used for frying because it contains unique antioxidants that are not destroyed by heat. However, the high percentage of omega-6 militates against exclusive use.

Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils all contain over 50% omega-6 and, except for soybean oil, only minimal amounts of omega-3. Safflower oil contains almost 80% omega-6. Researchers are just beginning to discover the dangers of excess omega-6 oils in the diet, whether rancid or not. Use of these oils should be strictly limited. They should never be consumed after they have been heated, as in cooking, frying or baking. High oleic safflower and sunflower oils, produced from hybrid plants, have a composition similar to olive oil, namely, high amounts of oleic acid and only small amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids and, thus, are more stable than traditional varieties. However, it is difficult to find truly cold-pressed versions of these oils.

Canola Oil contains 5% saturated fat, 57% oleic acid, 23% omega-6 and 10%-15% omega-3. The newest oil on the market, canola oil was developed from the rape seed, a member of the mustard family. Rape seed is unsuited to human consumption because it contains a very-long-chain fatty acid called erucic acid, which under some circumstances is associated with fibrotic heart lesions. Canola oil was bred to contain little if any erucic acid and has drawn the attention of nutritionists because of its high oleic acid content. But there are some indications that canola oil presents dangers of its own. It has a high sulphur content and goes rancid easily. Baked goods made with canola oil develop mold very quickly. During the deodorizing process, the omega-3 fatty acids of processed canola oil are transformed into trans fatty acids, similar to those in margarine and possibly more dangerous.69 A recent study indicates that "heart healthy" canola oil actually creates a deficiency of vitamin E, a vitamin required for a healthy cardiovascular system.70 Other studies indicate that even low-erucic-acid canola oil causes heart lesions, particularly when the diet is low in saturated fat.71

Flax Seed Oil contains 9% saturated fatty acids, 18% oleic acid, 16% omega-6 and 57% omega-3. With its extremely high omega-3 content, flax seed oil provides a remedy for the omega-6/omega-3 imbalance so prevalent in America today. Not surprisingly, Scandinavian folk lore values flax seed oil as a health food. New extraction and bottling methods have minimized rancidity problems. It should always be kept refrigerated, never heated, and consumed in small amounts in salad dressings and spreads.

Tropical Oils are more saturated than other vegetable oils.

Palm oil is about 50% saturated, with 41% oleic acid and about 9% linoleic acid.
Coconut oil is 92% saturated with over two-thirds of the saturated fat in the form of medium-chain fatty acids (often called medium-chain triglycerides). Of particular interest is lauric acid, found in large quantities in both coconut oil and in mother's milk. This fatty acid has strong antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil protects tropical populations from bacteria and fungus so prevalent in their food supply; as third-world nations in tropical areas have switched to polyunsaturated vegetable oils, the incidence of intestinal disorders and immune deficiency diseases has increased dramatically. Because coconut oil contains lauric acid, it is often used in baby formulas.
Palm kernel oil, used primarily in candy coatings, also contains high levels of lauric acid. These oils are extremely stable and can be kept at room temperature for many months without becoming rancid. Highly saturated tropical oils do not contribute to heart disease but have nourished healthy populations for millennia.72 It is a shame we do not use these oils for cooking and baking—the bad rap they have received is the result of intense lobbying by the domestic vegetable oil industry.73
Red palm oil has a strong taste that most will find disagreeable—although it is used extensively throughout Africa—but clarified palm oil, which is tasteless and white in color, was formerly used as shortening and in the production of commercial French fries, while coconut oil was used in cookies, crackers and pastries.
The saturated fat scare has forced manufacturers to abandon these safe and healthy oils in favor of hydrogenated soybean, corn, canola and cottonseed oils.

Summary
In summary, our choice of fats and oils is one of extreme importance. Most people, especially infants and growing children, benefit from more fat in the diet rather than less. But the fats we eat must be chosen with care. Avoid all processed foods containing newfangled hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated oils. Instead, use traditional vegetable oils like extra virgin olive oil and small amounts of unrefined flax seed oil. Acquaint yourself with the merits of coconut oil for baking and with animal fats for occasional frying. Eat egg yolks and other animal fats with the proteins to which they are attached. And, finally, use as much good quality butter as you like, with the happy assurance that it is a wholesome—indeed, an essential—food for you and your whole family.

Organic butter, extra virgin olive oil, and expeller-expressed flax oil in opaque containers are available in health food stores and gourmet markets. Edible coconut oil can be found in Indian or Caribbean markets.

About the Authors:

Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. is an expert of international renown in the field of lipid biochemistry. She has headed a number of studies on the content and effects of trans fatty acids in America and Israel, and has successfully challenged government assertions that dietary animal fat causes cancer and heart disease. Recent scientific and media attention on the possible adverse health effects of trans fatty acids has brought increased attention to her work. She is a licensed nutritionist, certified by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, a qualified expert witness, nutrition consultant to individuals, industry and state and federal governments, contributing editor to a number of scientific publications, Fellow of the American College of Nutrition and President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association. She is the author of over 60 technical papers and presentations, as well as a popular lecturer. Dr. Enig is currently working on the exploratory development of an adjunct therapy for AIDS using complete medium chain saturated fatty acids from whole foods. She is the mother of three healthy children brought up on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.


Sally Fallon is the author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), a well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods with a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. She joined forces with Enig again to write Eat Fat, Lose Fat, and has authored numerous articles on the subject of diet and health. The President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and founder of A Campaign for Real Milk, Sally is also a journalist, chef, nutrition researcher, homemaker, and community activist. Her four healthy children were raised on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.



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Koga, Y et al, "Recent Trends in Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Factors in the Seven Countries Study: Japan," Lessons for Science from the Seven Countries Study, H Toshima, et al, eds, Springer, New York, NY, 1994, 63-74
Moore, Thomas J, Lifespan: What Really Affects Human Longevity, 1990, Simon and Schuster, New York, NY
O'Neill, Molly, NY Times, Nov 17, 1991
Enig, Mary G, Ph D, et al, Fed Proc, Jul 1978, 37:9:2215-2220
Portillo, M P, et al, Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord, Oct 1998, 22(10):947-9; Dulloo, A G, et al, Metabolism, Feb 1995, 44(2):273-9
Kabara, J J, The Pharmacological Effects of Lipids, The American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign, IL, 1978, 1-14; Cohen, L A, et al, J Natl Cancer Inst ,1986, 77:43
Prev Med, Mar-Apr 1998, 27(2); 189-94; The Lancet, 1998, 352:688-91; "Good Fats Help Children's Behavioral Problems," Let's Live, September 1997, 45
Lasserre, M, et al, Lipids, 1985, 20:4:227
A general review of citations for problems with polyunsaturate consumption is found in Pinckney, Edward R, MD, and Cathey Pinckney, The Cholesterol Controversy, 1973, Sherbourne Press, Los Angeles, 127-131; Research indicating the correlation of polyunsaturates with learning problems is found in Harmon, D, et al, J Am Geriatrics Soc, 1976, 24:1: 292-8; Meerson, Z, et al, Bull Exp Bio Med, 1983, 96:9:70-71;Regarding weight gain, levels of linoleic acid in adipose tissues reflect the amount of linoleic acid in the diet. Valero, et al, Ann NutrMetabolism, Nov/Dec 1990, 34:6:323-327; Felton, C V, et al, Lancet, 1994, 344:1195-96
Pinckney, Edward R, MD, and Cathey Pinckney, The Cholesterol Controversy, 1973, Sherbourne Press, Los Angeles, 130; Enig, Mary G, Ph D, et al, Fed Proc, July 1978, 37:9:2215-2220
Machlin, I J, and A Bendich, FASEB Journal, 1987, 1:441-445
Kinsella, John E, Food Technology, October 1988, 134 ; Lasserre, M, et al, Lipids, 1985, 20:4:227
Horrobin, D F, Reviews in Pure and Applied Pharmacological Sciences, Vol 4, 1983, Freund Publishing House, 339-383; Devlin, T M, ed, Textbook of Biochemistry, 2nd Ed, 1982, Wiley Medical, 429-430; Fallon, Sally, and Mary G Enig, PhD, "Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways," Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation Health Journal, 1996, 20:3:5-8
Okuyama, H, et al, Prog Lipid Res, 1997, 35:4:409-457
Simopoulos, A P, and Norman Salem, Am J Clin Nutr, 1992, 55:411-4
Watkins, B A, et al, "Importance of Vitamin E in Bone Formation and in Chrondrocyte Function" Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, AOCS Proceedings, 1996; Watkins, B A, and M F Seifert, "Food Lipids and Bone Health," Food Lipids and Health, R E McDonald and D B Min, eds, p 101, Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, NY, 1996
Dahlen, G H, et al, J Intern Med, Nov 1998, 244(5):417-24; Khosla, P, and K C Hayes, J Am Coll Nutr, 1996, 15:325-339; Clevidence, B A, et al, Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 1997, 17:1657-1661
Nanji, A A, et al, Gastroenterology, Aug 1995, 109(2):547-54; Cha, Y S, and D S Sachan, J Am Coll Nutr, Aug 1994, 13(4):338-43; Hargrove, H L, et al, FASEB Journal, Meeting Abstracts, Mar 1999, #204.1, p A222.
Kabara, J J, The Pharmacological Effects of Lipids, The American Oil Chemists Society, Champaign, IL, 1978, 1-14; Cohen, L A, et al, J Natl Cancer Inst, 1986, 77:43
Garg, M L, et al, FASEB Journal, 1988, 2:4:A852; Oliart Ros, R M, et al, "Meeting Abstracts," AOCS Proceedings, May 1998, 7, Chicago, IL
Lawson, L D and F Kummerow, Lipids, 1979, 14:501-503; Garg, M L, Lipids, Apr 1989, 24(4):334-9
Ravnskov, U, J Clin Epidemiol, Jun 1998, 51:(6):443-460. See also http://home2.swipnet.se/~w-25775/
Felton, C V, et al, Lancet, 1994, 344:1195
Jones, P J, Am J Clin Nutr, Aug 1997, 66(2):438-46; Julias, A D, et al, J Nutr, Dec 1982, 112(12):2240-9
Cranton, E M, MD, and J P Frackelton, MD, Journal of Holistic Medicine, Spring/Summer 1984, 6-37
Engelberg, Hyman, Lancet, Mar 21, 1992, 339:727-728; Wood, W G, et al, Lipids, Mar 1999, 34(3):225-234
Alfin-Slater, R B, and L Aftergood, "Lipids," Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 6th ed, R S Goodhart and M E Shils, eds, Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia 1980, 134
Addis, Paul, Food and Nutrition News, March/April 1990, 62:2:7-10
Barnes, Broda, and L Galton, Hyprthyroidism, The Unsuspected Illness, 1976, T Y Crowell, New York, NY
Fallon, Sally, and Mary G Enig, PhD, "Diet and Heart Disease—Not What You Think," Consumers' Research, July 1996, 15-19
Ubbink, J B, Nutr Rev, Nov 1994, 52:11:383-393
Enig, Mary G, PhD, Nutr Quarterly, 1993, 17:(4):79-95
Enig, Mary G, PhD, Trans Fatty Acids in the Food Supply: A Comprehensive Report Covering 60 Years of Research, 2nd Edition, Enig Associates, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 1995, 148-154; Enig, Mary G, PhD, et al, J Am Coll Nutr, 1990, 9:471-86
Holman, R T, Geometrical and Positional Fatty Acid Isomers, E A Emkin and H J Dutton, eds, 1979, American Oil Chemists' Society, Champaign, IL, 283-302; Science News Letter, Feb 1956; Schantz, E J, et al, J Dairy Sci, 1940, 23:181-89;
Enig, Mary G, PhD, Trans Fatty Acids in the Food Supply: A Comprehensive Report Covering 60 Years of Research, 2nd Edition, Enig Associates, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, 1995; Watkins, B A et al, Br Pouli Sci, Dec 1991, 32(5):1109-1119
Zikakis, et al, J Dairy Sci, 1977, 60:533; Oster, K, Am J Clin Res, Apr 1971, Vol II(I)
Bonanome, A, and S C Grundy, NEJM, 1988, 318:1244
Nutr Week, Mar 22, 1991, 21:12:2-3
Fraps, G S, and A R Kemmerer, Texas Agricultural Bulletin, Feb 1938, No 560
Schantz, E J, et al, J Dairy Science, 1940, 23:181-89
van Wagtendonk, W J and R Wulzen, Arch Biochemistry, Academic Press, Inc, New York, NY, 1943, 1:373-377
Personal communication, Pat Connolly, Executive Director, Price Pottenger Nutrition Foundation
Enig, Mary G, PhD, "Health and Nutritional Benefits from Coconut Oil," Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation Health Journal, 1998, 20:1:1-6
Prasad, K N, Life Science, 1980, 27:1351-8; Gershon, Herman, and Larry Shanks, Symposium on the Pharmacological Effect of Lipids, Jon J Kabara, ed, American Oil Chemists Society, Champaign, IL, 1978, 51-62
Belury, M A, Nutr Rev, April 1995, 53:(4)83-89; Kelly, M L, et al, J Dairy Sci, Jun 1998, 81(6):1630-6
Koopman, J S, et al, AJPH, 1984, 74:12:1371-1373
Personal communication, Mary G Enig, PhD
Sauer, F D, et al, Nutr Res, 1997, 17:2:259-269
Kramer, J K G, et al, Lipids, 1982, 17:372-382; Trenholm, H L, et al, Can Inst Food Sci Technol J, 1979, 12:189-193
Prior, I, et al, Am J of Clin Nutr, 1981, 34:1552
Personal communication, Mary G Enig, PhD. This lobbying against tropical oils is largely channeled through the Institute for Shortening and Edible Oils.

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html#poly

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Bacon

Although bacon's nearly carb-free status gained it 15 minutes of fame back when the Atkins diet was hot, no one with a health conscience can look at it today and see anything more than strips of saturated fat and salt. But that doesn't mean we don't crave it! To assuage our longing for crispy, smoky bacon, we gave a lot of alternatives a taste test. Five made the cut with our die-hard bacon lovers. BLTs, anyone?!


Good News for Bacon Lovers!

THE REAL THING
2 strips = 80 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g sat. fat), 300 mg sodium, 4 g protein
If you're going to indulge in gen-u-ine bacon, it's not so much the calories you'll regret. It's the hit of skin-aging, heart-threatening, well-salted, grease-dripping saturated fat.

THE WINNERS!
Morning Star Bacon Strips
2 strips = 60 calories, 4.5 g fat (.5 g sat. fat), 220 mg sodium, 2 g protein
Of all the veggie bacons we tried, this was the only one that made the grade with our testers. Not only do these soy-based strips smell like bacon as you fry them up, they taste surprisingly close to the real thing. And they cook up much crispier than you would expect, despite having almost no bad fat. Find them in your freezer section.

Trader Joe's Applewood-Smoked Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 60 calories, 2.5 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 250 mg sodium, 7 g protein
Surprisingly, turkey bacons don't fry up to nearly the same crispiness as the Morning Star strips. The texture is softer and chewier -- more like Canadian bacon -- but the taste is rich and smoky, and it nicely flavors an egg sandwich.

Wellshire Farms Uncured All Natural Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 40 calories, 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 360 mg sodium, 6 g protein
This all-natural brand tastes so hearty, it's hard to believe each strip -- and they're big -- contains only 20 calories and just a trace of fat. If you can live without the crunch of pork bacon, this one tastes the most indulgent while doing the least diet damage. Plus, there are no preservatives, antibiotics, or nitrates, though it's high on the sodium side.

THE RUNNERS-UP
Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 40 calories, 0 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 280 mg sodium, 6 g protein
Like the other turkey bacons, this extra-lean variety isn't a clone of the real thing, but if you think "chewy" rather than "crispy," the rich, smoked flavor will liven up a sandwich or spinach salad. And it's hard to knock 0 fat grams.

Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon
2 strips = 70 calories, 6 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 380 mg sodium, 4 g protein
This one comes closest to matching the true aroma and flavor of pork bacon (maybe it's all that salt). Tip: It cooks up super fast in the microwave, so if you're not careful, you’ll have bacon chips instead of strips. But don't toss them if that happens -- crumbled up, the bacon bits make a tasty topping for a salad or baked potato.

At RealAge, there's a reason we call saturated fat -- the artery-clogging kind that, appropriately, saturates meat and whole-milk dairy foods -- an aging fat: Avoiding it can make your RealAge more than 4 years younger!

RealAge

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7 Super Foods to Improve Cholesterol

7 Super Foods to Improve Cholesterol
Whole foods and great recipes for a healthy heart


The best meal for anyone worried about their cholesterol is a meal low in saturated fat and abundant in fruits and vegetables. And although there are no magic bullets beyond that healthy prescription, certain foods have been shown to give cholesterol levels an extra nudge in the right direction.

Weave some of these whole foods, all pinpointed by research as cholesterol-friendly, into your daily diet, and be sure to try some of our heart-healthy recipes below.



Alcohol
Drinking a glass of wine with dinner—any alcoholic beverage, in fact—has been shown to raise good-cholesterol levels and lower the risk of a heart attack. (Excessive drinking, however, raises heart-disease danger.)

Almonds
Substances in almond skins help prevent LDL “bad” cholesterol from being oxidized, a process that can otherwise damage the lining of blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk.

• Sprinkle almonds on cereals and salads, nibble on a handful for an afternoon snack.

Avocados
The monounsaturated fats in avocados have been found to lower “bad” LDLs and raise “good” HDLs, especially in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.

• Slice avocadoes into sandwiches and salads or mash with garlic, lemon juice and salsa for a terrific guacamole.

Barley
When volunteers in a USDA study added barley to the standard American Heart Association diet, LDL “bad” cholesterol levels fell more than twice as far.

• Barley makes a great substitute for rice, adds depth to soups and is terrific combined with dried fruits, nuts and a little oil and vinegar for a hearty salad.

Beans & Lentils
From a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, LDL “bad” cholesterol levels fell almost twice as far in those volunteers on a low-fat diet who added beans and lentils (along with more whole grains and vegetables) to the menu.

• Experiment with beans in soups, salads, and dips. Tuck them into burritos, lasagnas and casseroles.

Blueberries
Blueberries contain a powerful antioxidant called pterostilbene that may help lower LDL cholesterol.

• Toss a cup of frozen blueberries together with a half-cup of orange juice and vanilla-flavored yogurt into the blender for a healthy breakfast drink. Sprinkle fresh blueberries on cereals and eat them by the handfuls for snacks.

Oats
When women in a University of Toronto study added oat bran to an already heart-healthy diet, HDL-cholesterol levels—the beneficial kind—climbed more than 11 percent.

• Consider a daily bowl of oat bran hot cereal or old-fashioned oatmeal for breakfast. Oat bran muffins can also pack a tasty dose into your day.

Eating Well

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Nutrition Action Healthletter

I found this article a great read!

10 Mega-Trends in the Supermarket
If it’s not Sugar Free Milanos, it’s whole-grain Cocoa Puffs. If it’s not calcium-enriched Goldfish Crackers, it’s Pringles in 100-calorie packs. You can get cereal, oatmeal, and orange juice with antioxidants. Yogurt comes with added fiber or cholesterol-lowering phytosterols. Pasta, eggs, and bread have added omega-3 fats.

Why the sudden flood of healthy-sounding foods? It’s a perfect storm—a confluence of forces striking the food industry.

The pressure to sell health.
Food marketers must be feeling the heat. With an obesity epidemic that’s left two out of three adults and one out of six children overweight, companies know that they’re vulnerable to lawsuits of regulations.

Obesity isn’t the only issue. By January 1, 2006, all Nutrition Facts labels on food packages will have to disclose trans fat, so some companies are trying to eliminate it by then.

And it’s not just fear that’s motivating the industry. When companies like General Mills boost the whole grains in their foods, they must see a marketing opportunity. Ditto for companies that are adding antioxidants, calcium, and other nutrients.
Leftovers from the low-carb craze.
Last year, companies tripped over themselves trying to churn out foods to please low-carb dieters. The craze launched a rush to replace the usual carbs (sugars and white flour) with whole grains or “good” carbs (like artificial sweeteners, fiber, and sugar alcohols) that purportedly don’t raise blood sugar levels.

When the craze petered out—not surprisingly, since many lower-carb foods were no lower in calories—companies still had plenty of reformulated products in the pipeline, especially low-sugar foods made with Splenda (sucralose). It’s the first artificial sweetener that hasn’t been dogged by safety questions. And unlike NutraSweet (aspartame), Splenda works in cooked foods. Now it’s showing up everywhere.Looser claims.
Lawsuits, the business-friendly Bush Administration, and pressure from the food industry have let the Food and Drug Administration to allow more health claims on foods.

The FDA used to require “significant scientific agreement” before a company could claim that a food could reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, or other illness. Now it allows those claims when the evidence is skimpier, as long as the label says something like “scientific evidence suggests but does not prove…”

Mix these three forces together, sprinkle in the need to get an edge over your competitors, and you’ve got a revolution in the supermarket. Or do you? Are we talking healthier foods or just trans-free Oreos in smaller packages? Here’s how to spot the difference in 10 trends that have invaded the grocery store.

1. MORE WHOLE GRAINS
“All General Mills Cereals Are Made With WHOLE GRAIN!” scream the boxes. GM made a big splash with its announcement last September, but the change isn’t quite dramatic as it sounds.

General Mills replaces some, but not all, of the refined flour in some of its cereals like Trix, Golden Grahams, Lucky Charms, and Rice Chex with whole grain. (Whole-grain cereals like Wheaties weren’t touched.)

But few of the reformulated cereals have more than 1 gram of fiber per serving. Fiber isn’t the only reason to eat whole grains, but it can be a good indicator of how much whole grain a food contains.

What’s more, even if a cereal had no white flour, that alone wouldn’t make it a health food. Cereals like Boo Berry, Lucky Charms, Count Chocula, and Cocoa Puffs are nearly half sugar. With or without whole grains, they’re nothing more than breakfast candy.
General Mills aside, whole grains are showing up throughout the supermarket. Boboli makes a 100% Whole Wheat pizza crust. Thomas’ and Pepperidge Farm make 100% Whole Wheat English Muffins. Lean Cuisine’s line of Spa Cuisine entrees uses only 100% whole-wheat pasta or brown rice. San Giorgio and Ronzoni make Healthy Harvest pasta that part whole-grain (the companies won’t say how much).

Keep in mind:
Claims may sound alike, but they don’t all mean the same thing:

“100% whole grain” means no refined flour
“Made with whole grain” means the food may be made with either a lot or a little.
“Whole grain” may mean that only 51 percent of the flour is whole-grain. (That’s the minimum a food needs to carry a health claim like “whole grains may reduce the risk of heart disease.”)
“Good source of whole grain” means there may be as little as 8 grams of whole grains per serving. An “excelled source” means as little as 16 grams per serving. (That’s what General Mills has asked the FDA to require. Several companies are using those minimums while waiting for the feds to set official levels.) So a breakfast cereal—which usually weighs 30 to 55 grams per serving—could be “a good source of whole grain” if only 15 to 20 percent of its grain is whole (and 75 to 85 percent is refined).
"Multigrain" means a mixture of grains, so it could be mostly refined grain plus a sprinkling of whole grains.
2. LESS SUGAR
“Not for weight control,” says the tiny type on the label of Pepperidge Farm Sugar Free Milanos. That’s for sure. Each cookie has only 3 fewer calories than a regular Milano, even though the regular’s 4 grams of sugar are gone.

The same “not for weight control” (required by the FDA for “sugar-free” foods that aren’t low-calorie) appears on SnackWell’s Sugar Free Fudge Brownie or Oatmeal Cookies. No kidding. At 90 calories a cookie, it’s no diet food.

The low-carb craze has left its legacy. Fewer consumers have blind faith that any food with a carb claim will restore their college physique. But they do seem to recognize that excess sugar is no friend to anyone’s fanny.

Also fueling the sugar-free boom: companies can sweeten their foods with Splenda (sucralose), which the Atkins and South Beach diet books recommend. At this point, Splenda’s manufacturers can’t keep up with demand.

Keep in mind:
Is it lower in calories? Sometimes. Expect half the calories in the lower-sugar drinks like Minute Maid Light and Tropicana Light ‘n Healthy orange juice with artificially sweetened water. Ditto for Pepsi Edge and Coca Cola’s C2, which also have half the sugar.
But beyond beverages, you can’t assume that cutting sugar means saving calories. Each Sugar Free Entenmann’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, for example, has only 3 fewer calories than its regular counterpart. And General Mills Reduced Sugar Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal has only 10 fewer calories per ¾-cup serving than the regular.

In contrast, you save about a quarter of the calories by switching from regular to Pillsbury Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Hershey’s Sugar Free Chocolate Candy, Chocolate Candy with Almonds, Dark Chocolate Candy and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups also saves you about a quarter of the calories versus a similar serving of the regular versions.

Why not more? Most companies replace the sugar not just with artificial sweeteners, but with sugar alcohols (like maltitol), polydextrose, inulin, maltodextrin, and other carbohydrates. They’re safe—though the sugar alcohols can have what the labels delicately call “a laxative effect.” And while most of the sugar substitutes have fewer calories than sugar, they’re not calorie-free.

Has the serving size changed? If you calculate the calorie savings, make sure you’re comparing equal servings. For example, both Kellog’s 1/3 Less Sugar Frosted Flakes and regular Frosted Flakes have 120 calories, according to the labels. But if you eat ¾ cup of each, the regular still has 120 calories but the 1/3 Less Sugar has only 90 calories.
And once you adjust to a similar serving size (1/8 cake), Entenmann’s Sugar Free Butter Loaf has about as many calories as its regular All Butter Loaf Cake.

Does it use only Splenda? Minute Maid Light orange juice, Breyer’s CarbSmart ice cream, and many other foods use both Splenda and acesulfame potassium, a sweetener that may not be safe. Always check the ingredients list.
Is it junk anyway?
If you’re talking about healthful foods—like orange juice, yogurt, and whole-grain cereals—it’s worth looking for less sugar. But cookies, chocolate candy, and refined-grain cereal are junk foods with or without sugar. The least thing you need is an excuse to pop an extra Milano in your mouth.
3. NO TRANS
“New! 0 grams Trans Fat” boasts the label of York Dark Chocolate Dipped Cookies. Hershey slaps the same claim on its three Milk Chocolate Dipped Cookies (with Almonds, Almond Joy, and Reese’s).

“Trans-free” is showing up on more and more labels (whether or not the food ever had trans fat). And manufacturers of some foods that contain trans seem to be overhauling their recipes to get rid of it by the January 2006 deadline, when all Nutrition Facts labels must disclose trans.

Less trans is good news, since the fat—which comes largely from partially hydrogenated oil—promotes heart disease at least as much as saturated fat does. But don’t assume that all trans-free foods are a gift for your heart.

Hershey’s new Chocolate Dipped cookies have about 5 grams of saturated fat per serving (that’s two cookies at 80 calories each). Who needs a quarter of a day’s sat fat in a couple of bites? And the company’s sat-fat-laden Chocolate Dipped York cookies may trip up fans of York Peppermint Patties, which are one of the few chocolate candies that are fairly low in sat fat (1 ½ grams per patty).

Keep in mind:
Did it ever have any? It’s easy to eliminate trans fat from breads, chips, oils, salad dressings, and cereals, since most never had much to begin with. It’s tougher to get trans fat out of crackers, margarine, cookies, pastries, and cakes. Hardest of all is replacing the more-solid, trans-heavy fats in foods like chocolate coatings, cake icings, and pie crusts.
Is it high in saturated fat? So far, it looks like most companies are replacing trans fat with an equal amount of saturated fat, mostly from palm and lam kernel oil. But too much of either fat is bad news for arteries.
A food’s saturated and trans fat shouldn’t add up to more than 4 grams (more is considered “high”) and should preferably be 1 gram or less (that’s “low”). One gram doesn’t sound like much, but with a sat-plus-trans limit of 20 grams a day, it adds up.

Is it really trans-free? “Trans-free” or “0 grams trans fat” means less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. But if a serving of, say, three cookies has 0.49 grams trans fat and you eat, say, six cookies, you’re getting close to one gram of trans. That’s not trivial.
An advisory panel to the FDA recommended earlier this year that the agency set a limit of 2 grams of trans fat a day (for people who eat a typical 2,000-calorie diet.) So watch out for foods—even “trans-free” foods—that have partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients list, especially if you think you’ll eat more than the serving size.

Is it junk anyway? Just because your cookies, chips, or doughnuts are trans-free, that’s no excuse to sink your teeth in.
4. MORE FUNCTIONAL FIBER
How does Hannon get fiber into its new Light ‘n Fit Yogurt with Fiber? Many people will assume that it’s from the apple, peach, or strawberries pictured on the labels.

In fact, it’s not the yogurt’s fruit, but its maltodextrin, that adds 3 grams of fiber to each ½ cup serving. Maltodextrin is what scientists call a functional fiber—a non-digestible carbohydrate that’s isolated from foods, rather than the dietary fiber that occurs naturally in foods. (In theory, functional fibers should have some benefit, but it’s too early to say whether they all do.)

Maltodextrin is just one of the many functional fibers that are popping up in dozens of foods, thank, in part, to the low-carb craze. (Manufacturers don’t count fiber in their “net carb” totals, and some fibers can replace the bulk that sugars add to foods.)

Other functional fibers: Breyer’s CarbSmart ice cream has 3 grams of fiber per serving from polydextrose, a chemical combination of dextrose (corn sugar) and sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) that’s poorly digested (which is what make it count as a fiber). Quaker boosts the fiber in its Take Heart Oatmeal with inulin, an extract of chicory root.

And dozens of breads now contain cellulose, a functional fiver supplied by ingredients like oat hull fiber, wheat fiber, pea fiber, soy fiber, and cottonseed fiber. (“Light” breads used to get their cellulose from wood pulp.)

Functional fibers are safe, but they may not confer all the benefits of fruits, vegetables, and wheat bran, which is the fiber-rich outer layer of the wheat kernel.

“My guess is that these isolated fibers are low in the phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other constituents of wheat bran,” say Joanne Slavin, a fiber expert at the University of Minnesota. “When you isolate fiber, you get rid of as much of its phytochemicals as you can.”

Keep in mind:
How much fiber? Women need 25 grams of fiber a day (21 grams if they’re over 50). Men need 38 grams a day (30 grams if they’re over 50). The typical American gets half that much.
Is it naturally occurring fiber? The evidence that fiber can lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer comes almost exclusively from studies of people who ate dietary, not functional, fiber. So your best bet is to get most of your fiber from wheat bran, whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruit.
Is it functional fiber? It’s not clear what isolated fibers can do, but so far, it looks like cellulose does, maltodextrin doesn’t, and polydextrose and insulin may help prevent constipation (though cellulose doesn’t work as well as bran does).
Could it cause cramps or diarrhea? The FDA requires food with high levels of some sugar alcohols to warn consumers that “excess consumption may have a laxative effect.”
5. WEAKER CLAIMS
“Scientific evidence suggests but does not probe that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts… may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease,” says the label of Planters NUT-rition Heart-Healthy Mix.

“Suggests but does not prove”? Are consumers supposed to rush to the library to evaluate the evidence themselves?

Until the early 1980s, food labels couldn’t mention high blood pressure or a disease like cancer or heart disease. Then Congress passed a law that allowed claims about disease (called “health claims”), but only if the FDA determined that the claim was back by “significant scientific agreement.”

No longer. The FDA now also allows claims based on weaker evidence (so-called “qualified health claims”), as long as the claim contains a phrase like “suggests but does not prove” or “the evidence is limited and not conclusive.”

So far, the FDA has permitted only a few “qualified” claims for foods—nuts, EPA and DHA omega-3 fats, and olive oil. All promise to lower the risk of heart disease.

But many companies take the easy way out and use claims like “supports healthy arteries” or “promotes a healthy immune system.” Because they don’t mention a disease, these so-called “structure or function” claims require no approval.

It’s no wonder shoppers are befuddled. According to a new food-industry study, consumers have difficulty distinguishing between solid claims—ones supported by “significant scientific agreement”—and claims based on far weaker evidence.

Keep in mind:
Structure or function claims. Words like “supports,” “maintains,” or “promotes” a healthy heart, immune system, blood pressure, cholesterol, bones, etc., are usually part of a structure or function claim. They require little or no evidence. And they can appear on any food, no matter how junky or high in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, or cholesterol.
Qualified health claims. These claims say that a food “may help reduce the risk” of a disease, but caution that “the evidence suggests but does not prove,” “the evidence is limited and not conclusive,” or something similarly vague.
At least the FDA prohibits qualified health claims on foods that are junky or too high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium.

Health claims. If the label says a food “may help reduce the risk” of a disease but says nothing else about iffy evidence, the claim is backed by reasonably good science and the food is decent.
6. MORE OMEGA-3 FATS
“Rich in Heart Healthy Omega-3,” crow the Barilla Plus pasta labels. “The ground flaxseeds in Barilla Plus are the highest plant source of Omega-3, an essential fatty acid that promoted heart health.”

What’s more, the labels compare the amount of omega-3s in the pasta (360 milligrams per ¼ box) to the amount in shrimp (375 mg in 3 ounces) and salmon (1725 mg in 3 ounces), even though a typical restaurant serves 8 ounces of salmon. “Enjoying Barilla Plus several times per week provides as much Omega-3 as a serving of fish,” says the small print.

Well, sort of. Barilla Plus’s omega-3s come from ground flaxseed, which is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It’s not clear if ALA can lower the risk of sudden death heart attacks as well as the longer-chain omega-3 fats in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

So even if you have “several servings” of Barilla Plus each week, it may not protect your heart as much as a serving of salmon.

Barilla can still make the “heart healthy” claim because of a loophole: as long as the claim doesn’t mention disease, it’s a “structure or function” claim that needs no approval by the FDA.

Barilla is also sneaky with its serving size. The Nutrition Facts panel says a serving is 1/8 box (about 1 cup cooked), but elsewhere on the package Barilla uses ¼ box as one serving. That’s probably more realistic, but a harried shopper might inadvertently compare the protein, fiber and other nutrients in ¼ box of Barilla to 1/8 box of other pasta.

Omega-3s are also showing up in spreads (like Smart Balance), breads (like Healthy Life Flaxseed), eggs (like Eggland’s Best), and bars (like Odwalla GoMega). In several years, Kellogg’s plans to roll out cereals fortified with DHA.

Keep in mind
Which omega-3 does it have? Check the ingredients list to see if the omega-3s come from fish oil or flaxseed. The ALA in flaxseed may lower the risk of cardiac arrest as well as fish oil, but it’s too early to say.
And be careful. The front of the Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread package says “now with flax oil,” while the front of Smart Balance Omega Plus Buttery Spread says “with…organic menhaden oil.” (Menhaden is a fatty fish.)

But only 150 mg of every 550 mg of omega-3s in each tablespoon of Omega Plus is from fish oil. The rest is from “plant sources” (the ALA in canola and soy oil). And there’s no way for shoppers to tell that from the confusing label, unless they know that “long-chain” omega-3s come from fish oil and “short-chain” omega-3s come from plant sources.
How much will you get per day? The American Heart Association recommends about 1 gram of EPA plus DHA per day (preferably from fatty fish) for people with heart disease. That’s because fish oil cut the risk of a second heart attack in some studies. Everyone else should eat a variety of (preferably fatty) fish at least twice a week, says the Heart Association. It also recommends ALA-rich foods like flaxseed, canola and soy oils, and walnuts, but doesn’t say how much to shoot for. However, the National Academy of Sciences recommends at least 1.1 grams of ALA a day for women and 1.6 grams for men. Most people can reach those levels by eating foods that contain canola oil (1.3 grams per tablespoon) or soy oil (0.9 grams). The list includes most salad dressings, mayonnaise, and anything sautéed in either canola or soy oil.
7. Self-Styled Symbols
Quaker, Frito Lay, Aunt Jemima, Tropicana, Gatorade, Dole, SoBe, and other Pepsi-owned brands have a “Smart Choices Made Easy” logo on selected products.

Minute Rice, DiGiorno, Tombstone, Boca, Breakstone’s, Kool-Aid, VeryFine, Crystal Light, Nabisco, Stella D’Oro, Jell-O, Miracle Whip, Louis Rich, Oscar Mayer, Planters, and other brands owned by Krafts have a “Sensible Solution” flag on the labels.

Kellogg’s has a “Healthy Beginnings” program that slaps on of five logos – Heart Health, Fiber, Shape Management, Well-Being & Energy, or Pregnancy – on some of its cereals. General Mills puts symbols like “whole grain” or “low saturated fat” on the “Goodness Corner” of its boxes.

What’s going on?

Stung by criticism that they’re feeding the obesity epidemic by selling high-calorie junk, several giants are trying to highlight their healthier products.

And it may help consumers to see logos on Tropicana juice, Quaker Oatmeal, and Boca Burgers, or on Light (but not regular) Oscar Mayer Wieners, Sugar Free (but not regular) Jell-O, Baked or Light (but not regular) Doritos, Fat Free or Light Done Right (but not regular) Kraft salad dressing, and Lite or Low Calorie (but not regular) Aunt Jemima syrup. If the logos catch on, they may even spur companies to develop more of those foods.

But by coming up with their own criteria for logos, companies are taking the easy way out. They’ve ignored the FDA’s criteria for “healthy” foods, which exclude a food that’s, say, low in fat but high in salt. Nor can “healthy” appear on empty-calorie junk foods, like sugar-free Kool-Aid or Diet Coke, even if the company has tossed in some vitamin C.

Instead, companies make up their own criteria for their symbols, complete with plenty of weasel room. For example, Pepsi products can use a “Smart Choices Made Easy” logo if they’re “fortified and contain other wholesome ingredients.” Kraft products get a “Sensible Solution” flag if they have 25% less calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, or sodium than an “appropriate reference product.”

Translation: “Smart Choices” goes on decent foods like oatmeal and orange juice, but also on Quaker Sour Cream and Onion Potato Stix, Baked Cheetos, and Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch cereal. And “Sensible Solution” appears on Premium Fat Free Saltines, Fat Free Fig Newtons, and Sugar Free Jell-O. None would qualify as “healthy” food because they don’t have enough naturally occurring nutrients.

Keep in mind.
Look for “healthy” foods. But since only a few companies – like Healthy Choice – make “healthy” claims, it’s also worth scanning the shelves for foods with company symbols. Just remember that they may appear on slightly-better-but-still-flawed products.
Watch out for vague promises. If the symbol makes a straightforward promise (like a “Fiber” symbol on Kellogg’s cereals), it’s probably trustworthy. Watch out for fuzzier, more-grandiose promises, like Kellogg’s “Well-Being & Energy” symbol. The company puts it on cereals that are high in carbs (like any cereal) and are fortified with extra B-vitamins, even though there’s no good evidence that those nutrients make people more energetic.
Hit the produce aisle. Concentrate on eating more fruits and vegetables (not “fruit” snacks or drinks or fruit-and-cereal bars).
8. More Phyto-sterols
“Helps Lower Cholesterol,” announces the label of Yoplait Healthy Heart (the “lowfat yogurt with plant sterols”). How?

Phytosterols are safe plant compounds that occur naturally in small amounts in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans. At higher levels, they can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 10 percent by keeping the cholesterol in your gut from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Pytosterols are no in the same ballpark as prescription statin drugs, which can cut LDL cholesterol by 20 to 50 percent. But if you can lose a little cholesterol just by choosing one orange juice over another, why not?

When the FDA approved a health claim for phytosterols in 2000, only two spreads – Benecol and Take Control – could carry it. Now you can get phytosterols in Minute Maid Heart Wise orange juice, Yoplait Heart Healthy yogurt, Rice Dream Heartwise Rice Drink, and Lifetime Low Fat cheese. And the list is likely to grow.

Keep in Mind.
How much is enough? The FDA allows a health claim on foods with at least 0.4 grams of sterols per serving. The label must explain how much plant sterols each serving contains and how much you need per day to lower the risk of heart disease (at least 0.8 grams).
Twice a day. Phytosertols work by trapping cholesterol in the gut, so it’s better to eat them at least twice a day with meals, according to the FDA.
More isn’t better. One you exceed about 3 grams of plant sterols a day, cholesterol doesn’t drop further.
9. Added Vitamins & Minerals
Forget regular oatmeal. Quaker now sells “Advanced Nutrition for your Heart.” Its new Take Heart oatmeal is low in sodium and has added potassium “to maintain healthy blood pressure” and “antioxidant vitamins E & C plus B vitamins to help support healthy arteries.”

Never mind that there isn’t much evidence that extra C and E protect your heart. Never mind that anyone could get the same day’s worth of B-vitamins (B-6, B-12, and folic acid) from an ordinary multivitamin (though the multi would supply many more nutrients). When it comes to marketing, none of that matters.

Kellogg’s uses a similar strategy to sell its Smart Start Antioxidants. The cereal has antioxidants “to support a healthy immune system,” says the label. And that “could help slow age damage to the body and help prevent disease,” say the company Web site.

Again, you’re better off taking a multi that getting a handful of vitamins and minerals from your cereal. The extra vitamins won’t hurt you, but the extra iron and zinc may.

Each cup of Smart Start Antioxidants has 18 mg of iron and 15 mg of zinc. Take a typical multi and you get the same amount of each.

So even without what you get from other foods, that’s 36 mg of iron – far more than the 18 mg recommended for premenopausal women or the 8 mg recommended for other adults. And it’s not too far from 45 mg – the maximum you can take without risking gastrointestinal distress.

Similarly, 30 mg of zinc is well over the 11 mg recommended for men and the 8 mg recommended for women. And it’s not too far from the 40 mg maximum. More than that interferes with the absorption of copper and may impair immunity. So much for Smart Start Antioxidants’ claims about “supporting a healthy immune system.”

The latest nutrient-of-the-month may be potassium. Quaker adds potassium gluconate to Take Heart and Kellogg’s adds potassium chloride to Smart Start Healthy Heart. Both kinds of potassium can help lower blood pressure, but only gluconate (and citrate) can also protect against kidney stones and osteoporosis (see Dec. 2004, p. 8).

Keep in Mind.
Is it junk anyway? Who cares if Hershey adds calcium to its chocolate syrup or Pepperidge Farm adds calcium to its Goldfish Crackers? Fortified junk food is still junk.
Do you need it? If you take a multivitamin, odds are that you don’t need the added vitamins and minerals in fortified foods, which are often less than a day’s worth. Exceptions: a multi rarely has a day’s worth of calcium and has less than a day’s worth of vitamin D for people over 70.
Are you getting too much? If you take a multivitamin and eat fortified foods, you might get too much of nutrients like iron and zinc. That’s no reason to drop the multi, though. It’s more complete than the fortified food.
10. Re-Packaging
“Counting calories? Count with Pringles!” suggests the cheery label on Pringles Original 100 Calorie Packs.

Portion control can help dieters, but Procter & Gamble deserves the American Landfill Association’s 2005 Overpackaging Award for stuffing six (overpriced) plastic tubs into each box. Smaller portions don’t make snacks good for you. Pringles are mostly dried potato chips and oil – not exactly foods that Americans need to eat more of.

Nabisco’s 100 Calorie Packs – Thin Crisps (wafers flavored like Chips Ahoy, Kraft Cheese Nips, Honey Maid Cinnamon, or Oreos), Ritz Snack Mix, Wheat Thins Minis, and Fruit Snacks – are mostly white flour, except for the Fruit Snacks, which are mostly sugar.

Yes, they’re all low in fat, and the Thin Crisps are less fatty than original Chips Ahoys or Oreos. But they’re not exactly baby carrots, peaches, and cantaloupe chunks.

Keep in Mind.
Snack on fruits and vegetables. Experts now recommend 8 to 10 servings – that’s 4 to 5 cups – of fruits and vegetables a day. It’s not easy to hit that target if your snacks are cookies and candy.
Make you own snack packs. If you want portion control, fill some small (reusable) plastic containers with berries, grape tomatoes, pineapple or melon chunks, or any other fruit or vegetable. An apple, a pear, an orange, or a banana is nature’s own 100-calorie “snack pack.”
Go for whole grains. For something more substantial than fruit or veggies, try a handful of nuts or some whole-grain crackers. All nine Triscuit varieties are 100 percent whole-grain, and all but the Cheddar are trans-free.
Keep the dairy light. If you want small portions, grab a light yogurt or an individually wrapped light string cheese.
- Nutrition Action Healthletter, Vol 32, No 4, May 2005.

http://www.hhs.oregonstate.edu/outrch/fsf/articles/2005/10Mega-TrendsJuly05.html

Rants continued......