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Supermarket Shenanigans
See through the haze to make the healthiest food choices
By Timothy Fritz
Are you a savvy supermarket shopper? Chances are, if you’re watchful of your health and appearance, you know more than the average food buyer. But how much do you really know? Is it possible you think you’re making wise food decisions, when in fact your choices are based on habit or misleading product information instead of real facts? Read on to see how your grocery shopping skills rate.
Food for thought
Exercise and nutrition are the two most crucial components of good health, regardless if you’re trying to gain muscle, lose fat or just stay fit. Everybody knows this, but many continue to look for simpler, more convenient, outright lazy ways to achieve their fitness goals. Supplements have their place but do not replace the nutritional content of wholesome foods. Even when you’ve realized the importance of good eating habits, making the best choices is still not easy. .
You don’t need a Ph.D. in nutrition to be a smart food buyer, although it may seem like it. You do need to have certain knowledge and skills, however, and being "supermarket streetwise" doesn’t hurt either. If you can read food labels and distinguish nutrient-dense foods from junk, you’ll be well on your way. You’ll eat better, feel better and look better.
What’s in a label?
Everything you need to know (virtually) about a food is on the label. Yes, there’s a lot of information there, but you don’t necessarily have to read it all. A quick glance at key details gives you a good synopsis of that food’s nutrient content.
"To me, the most important part of the label is the information on the top: serving size and servings per container," says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Quite frankly this is one of the best ways to achieve portion control. Also the actual numbers—calories and grams of fat, carbohydrate and protein are far more useful than the `percent daily value’ for tracking one’s own daily intake."
The front of the food package may also contain useful information, but more care and discernment must be used to interpret it. Manufacturers often make claims that are sensationalized or misleading. For example, "If a peanut butter is labeled as `cholesterol free,’ the manufacturer is taking advantage of uninformed consumers," says Jeff Hampl, Ph.D., R.D., department of nutrition at Arizona State University, and spokesmen for the American Dietetic Association. "It’s true—the peanut butter is cholesterol free—but all peanut butters are, as are all vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, canola, etc.). They’re using their labels to draw attention to their brand."
"Look at the list of ingredients," says Hampl. "These are listed in descending order by weight. If `sugar’ is the first or second ingredient (as is true for many breakfast cereals), it’s probably not the best choice. If you’re not sure what an ingredient on a label is, check out the American Dietetic Association’s web site at http://www.eatright.org."
Good vs. bad food
A critical component of food choice is "nutrient density." A nutrient-dense food has more nutrients per calorie than another food. For comparison, take a can of Coca-Cola and a 12-ounce glass of skim milk, each providing about 140 calories. The calories in Coke are entirely from sugar (39 grams); milk has some sugar (about 12 grams), but also contains protein (about 9 grams) and a number of other nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D. Even though the calorie content is the same, milk is more nutrient-dense, and therefore a better food choice.
It’s also important to consider all the information when reading food labels. We’re trained to concentrate on the total calories and grams of fat, but those numbers can be brought into perspective by the presence of other nutrients. "The goal is the whole package (i.e., the fiber, the calories, the serving size, taste and enjoyment)," says Bonci. One item does not make a diet, so think about the entire day and what foods to include to help you meet your daily needs instead of thinking about eating food by food."
Time to checkout
Acquiring good food shopping skills takes time and patience. The tips below serve as guidelines but are certainly not all-inclusive. Take some extra time at the supermarket to read labels, ask questions and stay well informed. Over time, smart food choices will come easier and faster, soon becoming second nature. Here’s to healthy shopping and living!Tips for healthier grocery shoppingFats and Oils
"Fat" is a dirty word in today’s society. It’s also an essential nutrient, so don’t try to eliminate it completely from your diet.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are linked to cardiovascular disease. Transfatty acids have similar properties, primarily used in processed foods that are solid at room temperature (but they’re not specifically listed on food labels). Look for "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils in the ingredients, either one is a good indication that transfatty acids are present.
Monounsaturated fats are those believed to have the some health benefits, including the ability to lower blood cholesterol levels. Of the different fats, monounsaturated are the most desirable.- Better choices: Margarines, oils and other high-fat food items that are higher in monounsaturated fats and lower in saturated fats. Olive, canola and peanut oils are high in monounsaturated oils.
- Worse choices: Foods high in saturated fat or those made from hydrogenated oils. Palm and coconut oils are particularly high in saturated fat. Margarines, commercial bakery items, canned soups and frozen convenience foods (pizzas, burritos, etc.) are foods commonly loaded with saturated fat and/or transfatty acids.
Whole-Grain Foods
Whole-grain foods have not had the bran and germ removed, which means most of the fiber and nutrients (respectively) have remained intact. You also get the health benefits of the phytochemicals (antioxidants) and phytoestrogens (linked to reducing the incidence of chronic disease) associated with foods of plant origin.
"Unrefined carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, cereals, rice, oats, wheat, rye, barley and brown rice do have a higher nutritional value," says Bonci. "Consumers should look for the words `100 percent whole grain’ as the first item on the ingredient list."- Better choices: Foods whose primary ingredient is whole grain, including breads, cereals, rice, pastas and other grain products or derivatives.
- Worse choices: Refined grains, even though they’re enriched and are often nutritious foods, typically have less fiber than their whole grain counterparts. If you’re unsure, you can usually assume a grain product is refined.
100 Percent Fruit Juice
This is one of the slickest grocery marketing schemes. Regardless if a juice is 100 percent fruit juice or no fruit juice, they’re both primarily sugar. The difference is in the source, either from fruit (apple, grape, pear, etc.) or not (high fructose corn syrup, for example). Your body sees them both the same—as sugar of some form. Some juices have vitamins and other nutrients added, but many have little nutrient value.
"When all is said and done, 8 ounces of juice, 100 percent or 10 percent, or a fruit drink, or a soda all have about the same amount of calories as well as sugar," confirms Bonci. "Beverages don’t help the body to feel full, and they can add up in the calorie department."- Better choices:Choose citrus or tomato juices (which are high in vitamin C), or other juices that are fortified with vitamin C or calcium. Remember to watch the portion sizes. Bonci recommends, "Go for seltzer water with a little splash of juice, or better yet, fruit instead of juice, or if you must, choose a juice glass instead of a larger glass."
- Worse choices: Juices with no nutritional value. Even 100 percent apple juice is mostly sugar with little other value. Read and compare labels.
Deli Meats
Deli meats are tricky because they must be processed and need some preservatives to keep them from spoiling. Many deli meats, in addition to being high in fat, contain a great deal of sodium. Cured meats contain nitrites, which can covert to potentially harmful nitrosamines once ingested. You’ll have to compare labels and ask the person behind the deli counter lots of questions.- Better choices: Uncured, low-fat, low-sodium deli meats. Instead of processed meats, buy a turkey breast or your other favorite animal protein, then cook and cut your own meat.
- Worse choices: Cured meats or those molded from animal parts of "unknown" origin. Avoid canned meats like Spam, even the turkey variety.
Protein Bars
Protein bars, along with the high-protein diet craze, have swept the country and infiltrated supermarkets and convenient stores alike. There’s nothing wrong with protein bars, but eating some of these products is not much different than eating a candy bar. Eating others is not unlike eating a handful of dirt. Granted, they generally contain the vitamins and minerals missing from a Snickers bar, yet their cost and overall nutrient content do not warrant consumption on a regular basis.- Better choices: Wholesome and unprocessed foods. Fruits and certain snack items (pretzels, bagels, yogurt, etc.) are just as convenient, better for you and a lot cheaper.
- Worse choices: Bars that do not have a big percentage of the recommended daily allowance of major vitamins and minerals. If you’re going to eat these things, they might as well be loaded with nutrients.
Low-Fat and Fat-Free Foods
The stores are now inundated with a great selection of reduced-fat foods that taste good and are good for you. The two main problems with these foods are:- many people indulge, ultimately consuming as many or more calories;
- and a number of products still contain as many calories, even though the fat content is less.
- Better choices: Products where the fat and the calories are less than the original food (or comparable product). Fat-free and low-fat dairy products are always great choices.
- Worse choices: Reduced-fat foods that still contain a lot of calories or have little nutrient value.
All-Natural Foods
"Overall, what you see is not always what you get," warns Bonci. "When you see the word `natural’ on the label, think about what the product is. Natural jellybeans? I don’t think so." Not only that, but "natural" doesn’t necessarily mean nutritious, low-fat or low-calorie. Sometimes natural is good, but it’s not a guarantee.- Better choices: Natural foods that are also nutritious.
- Worse choices: Foods that don’t make sense to be called "natural" or that are nutritionally unsound.
Dairy Products
Dairy products always seem to get a bad rap. Bodybuilders tend to avoid them, women often don’t drink milk and many people associate dairy with high fat. Dairy products made from whole milk do have a high-fat content, but they’re also nutrient dense. Nowadays, nearly every dairy product has a reduced-fat or fat-free version. - Better choices: Reduced-fat, low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Watch the sugar content on some products, especially yogurt and ice cream.
Worse choices: Whole milk, cream and cheese are laden with fat, especially saturated fat. Even though they may not be the best choice, high-fat dairy products are usually considered "good" choices due to their protein content and overall nutrient value.
Organic Foods
It used to be that you had to go to a special store to purchase organic foods. Now you can buy them in most grocery stores, albeit the selection and variety are not as good. You might think that organic foods are more nutritious than non-organic due to the natural way in which they’re grown. In fact, there’s no evidence to prove that’s true. Organic foods are better for the environment, however, so in that sense they are a better choice (if you can afford it).- Better/worse choices: None, from a nutrient perspective.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other health-promoting substances that we’re learning more about every day. Regardless of what you hear about the high-sugar (fructose) content of most fruits, they’re still a good food choice. Fruits and vegetables are easy to eat on the run and require little preparation. And unlike virtually every other food, you can practically eat as much as you like, especially vegetables.- Better choices: All raw fruits and vegetables (or moderately cooked vegetables).
- Worse choices: Canned fruits and vegetables are better than nothing, but fresh is always best. Canned fruit in heavy syrup adds unwanted sugar to an already sweet food. Overcooked vegetable lose their unique texture and taste; those smothered in cheese or other sauces retain their nutrient content but become high-fat foods.
Snacks and Desserts
The words "snack" and "dessert" typically bring to mind high-fat foods. That doesn’t have to be the case with all the reduced-fat "treats" now available.
Snacks are a fact of life, and there’s nothing wrong with them as long as you make wise choices. The same is true for desserts. It’s OK to indulge on a rich treat or dessert on occasion, but the everyday occurrence should be much more practical (that means low-fat and nutrient dense).- Better choices: Fruits, vegetables, pretzels, low-fat cheeses, yogurt, bagels and crackers make good snacks. Remember, a snack is just that—don’t pig out!
- Worse choices: Chips, candy bars, sodas, cookies, cakes and other fat-filled foods. Diet sodas are all right and some of the new low-fat/fat-free chips are acceptable, but use common sense and moderation.
Tim Fritz is a freelance health & fitness writer in southeastern Florida. He has a B.S. in Nutrition Science and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.
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