Skip to main content

Miraculous Misconceptions: You say “Natural” or “Organic”, I say yeah right…..


 
As a dietitian, I have to say I become acutely aware of my surroundings when it comes to food.  I hear the discussions dictating what you should or shouldn’t eat.  I hear opinions about what a good or bad food is.  I see the mother tell their child they can’t eat that “bad” food and then watch that particular child inhale their Halloween candy or that piece of cake like it is their last meal.   I also see Pre Diabetes, high cholesterol, Cancer, and obesity with many clients who are eating what they “should” as well as clients with eating disorders who can recall issues with food as early as eight years old.

There are many reasons why Americans particularly have issues understanding foods predominant role of nourishment. When you combine any of these issues with the confusion of food labeling chaos sets in.  Our food labels are a complete mess and create confusion on many levels.

In an article in the NY Times this weekend, organic and natural hot dogs as well as additional processed meats were discussed.  Have you seen the “natural” or “organic” hot dogs?   Notice the label as it states “uncured” or “no nitrates or nitrites added.”   One would think this was a healthier option, no?  Apparently not, as rules dictate that if preservatives come from natural sources you can label as if no nitrates or nitrites are in the product.  Interestingly enough, the “natural” or “organic” hot dog can have one half or up to ten times the nitrite as compared to the regular hot dog. 

The USDA does require that the organic or natural hot dog versions state that it may contain a naturally occurring nitrate or nitrite but when this small print is combined with the label "no nitrates or nitrites” this becomes quite confusing.

The American Cancer Society recommends reducing processed meats secondary to many studies linking increased consumption to colon cancer.  In addition, it is thought that high consumption in processed meats promotes Diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Recent research suggests nitrates and nitrites provide some benefits to immune function and cardiovascular health.

Because the labeling is so confusing, manufacturers are asking to allow for more truthful labels for hot dogs and other processed meats.  The USDA states they are aware of the problems and may take a fresh look.  Until then, my best suggestion as a dietitian is to completely ignore any claims on any food.  If you want to understand what is truly in what you are eating, take the time to pull the product and read the ingredients.  The more ingredients it has, the less “natural”, “organic”, and “healthy” the food is.  Have any questions? Reach out to a dietitian.  We can decipher the confusion and give our expert opinions.  Good luck and be well.

Nitrates and Nitrites provide the red coloring in your hot dogs in addition to preservation
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Miraculous Misconceptions: Raspberry Ketones

The interwebs are abuzz about the supposedly “miraculous” Raspberry Ketone supplements. Raspberry Ketone popularity started with Dr. Oz's show in February 2012, when he nicknamed it a “miracle weight loss drug.” Some even credit Raspberry Ketones with stimulating hair growth, but for our purposes here, let’s talk about weight loss. Raspberry Ketones are derived from red raspberries. Proponents claim that the supplement will stimulate your metabolism causing weight loss. However, there are no reliable studies to prove this.   Specifically there is no scientific evidence to show how it alters metabolism to promote weight loss. There is also no scientific evidence to determine a proper dosage. If you find a study that claims otherwise, check the funding source. Most likely, that study was funded by a company who produces or funds raspberry ketone products. As far as I know, no major pharmaceutical companies are investing in Raspberry Ketone research. And it is my opinion ...
9 comments
Read more

Make it Happen

Parents, I see you. I see you putting everyone else's needs in front of yours. I see your dark circles under your eyes, your gray hair, that your wasting away, or that you've collectively gained weight over the years. It's time to put yourselves first because if you don't take care of yourself you won't be around to keep taking care of everyone else. So often friends, acquaintances, or clients say to me, "I don't know how you find the time to exercise." "How can you take the time away from everything else and get away to exercise?" "I wish I could actually focus on myself and exercise." Exercise to me is self care. It produces endorphins faster than any other activity I engage in. It  reduces my stress, keeps me healthy, increases flexibility, and gives me more energy to be on point with my busy kids and my demanding job. My exercise isn't extravagant and it doesn't take too much time. Here's my secret. I always ...
Post a Comment
Read more

To The Bones- A review from a dietitian

Friday July 14th, Netflix premiered the movie To The Bone.  Prior to the premier many had opinions of the movie. Some were fearful that it would glorify an Eating Disorder, some felt the movie would put too much focus on extremely thin patients with Eating Disorders neglecting those that are within normal weight but still extremely sick, and many had a lot of opinions about the lead actress who lost a significant amount of weight for the role disclosing she is in recovery for an Eating Disorder. My colleagues and I discussed the pretense of the movie, I communicated to families that the movie was coming out in case their daughters and sons watched the movie, and Friday I went home from work and viewed the movie. Although Hollywood has a way of sensationalizing everything there was a lot that the movie got right. The opening scene where Ellen counts the calories as soon as she sees the food is a good depiction of how someone with an Eating Disorder thinks. Food is not sensual ...
Post a Comment
Read more