The Top 10 Nutrition Name "Oh No You Didn'ts" and What You Can Do About It
Reading food labels is a skill I encourage my clients to not only learn, but to actually do every-time they put groceries in their cart. But reading a label doesnât just stop at the front of the package. In fact, doing so may actually lead into a false trust of the foodâs healthfulness. From âgreenâ juices containing minimal or no green vegetables, to âfruitâ snacks containing more added sugar than fruit, fellow Registered Dietitian and mentor Ashley Koff and I think these guys have some explaninâ to do!
Fortunately, there are products designed to meet your taste and nutrition needs â and they accurately portray the contents within the package as shown on the label outside. Letâs check out whoâs doing it right â or what you can do when no one is.
âEnergyâ Drinks.
Where some go wrong:
We know that the definition of âcaloriesâ is equivalent to âenergy,â so when energy drinks are calorie-free youâre really just getting a stimulant boost and not getting true energy.
Make it right:
âEnergy drinkâ the right way with Brassica Tea with truebroc (one sachet steeped in water gives you a little stimulant boost of caffeine (20-40mg) caffeine plus the powers of antioxidant glucoraphanin) and rely upon real, whole foods to give you the energy (aka: calories) you need â like an AB&B (almond butter and banana), an on-the-go balanced choice when you donât have the time nor energy to be in the kitchen.
Need a little bit more stimulant power to get you through? As an option, Runa offers a line of Clean Energy Drinks made with Guayusa (a plant native to the Amazon rainforest) with 120 mg of caffeine (as much as a cup of coffee. Keep in mind though that if you're looking for "energy," calories deliver so serve it up with a handful of trail mix to power through.
âProteinâ Bars.
Where some go wrong:
With <6 grams of protein, you can hardly consider some bars as a good source of the macro. And even if some actually do contain >6 grams, the source of protein matters.
Make it right:
I'm digging Rise Protein+ Bars - especially the Sunflower Cinnamon and Lemon Cashew Bars. They're made with 5 real food ingredients and have 15 grams of protein per bar, the amount a protein bar should have. Plus, they're made with non-GMO plant-based protein (from peas).
There are other bars like Natureâs Path Qiâa Bars that serve up 4-6 grams of protein per bar. Qiâa bars offer a quality source of protein (from ingredients like cashews, hemp seeds, and hazelnuts) and though 4-6 grams may not be enough for your eating occasion, you can easily add in handful of nuts to get a bigger protein bang.
âGreenâ Drinks.
Where some go wrong:
Including greens (kale, celery, spinach, Broccoleaf, cucumber, broccoli) as the very last ingredient â aka the ingredient present in the least amount â hardly qualifies a juice or smoothie as being a super source of greens.
Make it right:
Read the labels of your green juices to be sure youâre getting more greens than fruit juices or purees. One of my favorites is Daily Greens â each bottle contains up to 6 pounds of fresh produce, and no bottle leaves greens at the end. One of my faves is the Purity juice: itâs full of kale, parsley, broccoli, cucumber, celery, and basil (and lemon for a little zing!). Now that's green!
Alternative âWater.â
Where some go wrong:
Coconut, artichoke, maple, watermelon, birch, and even âfatâ water...Iâve written about several of them here, but none actually indicate pure water. This doesnât mean that theyâre all poor choices, but rather means that they donât necessarily deserve the health halo that accompanies them. If you do choose them, you need to be thoughtful about their use (theyâd be the carb choice in your nutrient-balanced eating occasions).
Make it right:
Water works great! Guzzle up a glass the first thing when you wake up in the morning, at each meal, and throughout the day. Need reminders to help you do just that? Keep an empty glass near your bed, grab it, and fill it up as soon as you arise and be sure to carry a water bottle with you throughout the day.
âSuperfoodâ Bites.
Where some go wrong:
If itâs a âsuperfoodâ jellybean it likely contains more sugar than fruit. Same goes for dark-chocolate covered acai and pomegranate bites that use "fruit flavors" instead of the superfood itself.
Make it right:
Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and oranges are superfoods, too. Enjoy them as part of a nutrient balanced meal or snack or dip them in a respectful amount of quality dark chocolate or in a bowl with cacao nibs sprinkled overtop. You may also want to try the Power Snacks from Navitas Naturals. They're full of nutrient-dense, delicious ingredients like hemp, cashew, maca, camu camu, and goldenberries -- not artificial superfood flavors.
âFruitâ Snacks.
Where some go wrong:
Containing less than 2% of fruit juice? Oh no you didn't just name your snack "fruit snacks" Chews, bites, leathers, strips, and bars - if there's no real fruit, it's more so a sugar bomb than a nutrient-dense offering.
Make it right:
Snack on nature's candy -- apples, grapes, berries, kiwi, and pineapple -- for your real "fruit snacks." But if a fruit leather or strip has you hooked, look for dried fruit (no sugar added) in the bulk bins of your grocery or check out choices like Matt's Munchies.
âVegetableâ Straws and Chips.
Where some go wrong:
Primarily made with potato starch and perhaps a couple of vegetable "powders" (like spinach and tomato), many "vegetable" straws and chips are a far cry from the real deal. Plus the extrusion process (aka: the process that makes the potato starch puff) makes it hard for the final product to retain any nutrients.
Make it right:
I don't think I need to tell you the better choice on this one, but I will anyway...raw (or cooked if desired) vegetables! While you can't give the "vegetable" straws or chips to your kids and have it count as a serving of vegetables, you can make snacktime more "fun" for them by chopping carrots into coins, green peppers into matchsticks, or zucchini into noodles. You'll still get that CRUNCH you're looking for in a chip.
âDietâ Soda.
Where some go wrong:
It's not funny that many view people diet soda as a can with a health halo, when in actuality artificial sweeteners may disrupt glucose tolerance. Diet soda may save you calories in the short-term, but the long term evidence of diet soda's advantages are not known. A healthy "diet" in my eyes is one that's filled with nutrient-dense options (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins and fats), not a beverage offering no nutritional value drummed up in a chemistry lab.
Make it right:
Grab the H20 if you're feeling thirsty and toss in fruit (lemon, orange, berries), vegetables (cucumber), or herbs (mint, basil) to infuse a refreshing flavor into your aqua. Want it bubbly? I gotcha. Ayala's Herbal Water offers a crisp and tasty option.
âAspartame-Freeâ Yogurt.
Where some go wrong:
Itâs like calling Twizzlers âfat-freeâ â the ploy to make it look like the red vines are a good choice when in actuality theyâre simply sugar and artificial color. Calling yogurt âaspartame-freeâ then keeping other artificial sugars like acesulfame-K and sucralose is just plain wrong!
Make it right:
Go organic, choose full fat or low-fat, and select the âplainâ flavor then jazz-it-up on your own. Select options like Stonyfieldâs Organic Plain Greek Yogurt at the store then flavor with your own fruits (frozen blueberries, fresh raspberries, even peach slices work!). Read this for a deeper look into whatâs in your âyog.
âPumpkinâ Lattes, Creams, Yogurts.
Where some go wrong:
See your favorite latte or creamer in pumpkin flavors now that fall is (almost) here? If the product chooses artificial flavor instead of real pumpkin, or uses just a pinch of pumpkin spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice), itâs probably best to leave it on the shelf (or with the barista), k pumpkin?
Make it right:
Add organic pumpkin puree to your smoothie or oatmeal to get the fall-inspired flavors you love. You can even use pumpkin puree as part of a chia pudding, with a bit of EVOO, salt, and pepper as a savory sauce for your whole grain noodles (or organic bean pastas), or in these Pumpkin Power Egg Muffins. Want more pumpkin? Read here.