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How to Read Labels It is imperative that we become familiar with these food additives and learn what damage they can do. That is why we must learn to read labels and demand better from our food suppliers. Labels list ingredients in descending order of predominance or weight. If the first ingredients on the label are sugar, white flour, fat or water, it isn't something you will want to feed your family. Always be on the lookout for harmful additives that may be hiding in the product. It is common for products to have claims such as "All Natural Ingredients," etc. on the package in large, bold print, but don't let that mislead you. Look at the fine print, which actually lists the ingredients. Many products claiming to be "all natural" have white flour, sugar and other harmful substances among their primary ingredients. It is also important to realize that the labels on processed food provide nutritional information as a "serving." Sometimes a "serving" is defined as an unrealistically small amount (such as a half-cup of cereal) to bolster claims such as "low in fat," "low- sodium," etc. That means in order to accurately determine how much fat, sodium, etc. you are getting from this food, you must determine whether the serving size listed is what you are actually consuming. If not, be sure to adjust all of the nutritional information accordingly. Every label should list the fat, sodium, sugar and ingredients of the contents of the item you are purchasing. Fat - Labels will tell you the amount of total fat grams along with the "percent daily value" which is the maximum amount of fat one should eat in a 2,000-calorie diet. Saturated fat as well as total fat should be listed. Remember that saturated fat goes right into the arteries, leading to many health problems. Sodium - Labels also list the amount of sodium per serving. This sodium is almost always in the form of sodium chloride and thus harmful to the body (as opposed to the sodium in celery, which is beneficial). Sugar - Sugar on labels is listed in grams. To convert the grams to teaspoons divide the number of grams listed by four. Remember that sugar also can be listed by using other words for sugar - such as glucose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, etc. Some breakfast cereals have as many as six different names for sugar listed on the ingredients label in an effort to prevent the public from realizing how much sugar is contained in their cereal. The National Research Council (NRC) stated recently; "The average consumer is exposed to pesticide residues, although in minute quantities, in nearly every food, including meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, sugar, coffee, oils, dried goods, and most processed foods." Imported produce items have often been treated with pesticides which are banned in the USA, according to the FDA. These imported fruits and vegetables should be avoided. A report by Donald Reed of the FDA states that in the United States, farmers apply approximately 700 million pounds of more than 300 different pesticides to their crops to destroy weeds, insects, fungi, bacteria and rodents. According to the National Research Council, fruits and vegetables may be sprayed dozens of times with six or more different active ingredients, some of which are systemic (can't be washed or peeled oft'). The FDA insists that small amounts of pesticides pose no health threat. By contrast, the Environmental Protection Agency rates pesticides as the third-highest risk for causing cancer. In a February 1987 EPA report, they estimated that pesticides caused cancer in 6,000 Americans each year. At a subcommittee hearing on health in June 1991, concern was also voiced that pesticides are contributing to suppressed immune systems and neurotic behavior. According to the "Residue Monitoring 1992" FDA report, only about half of the pesticides applied to food can be detected by routine tests, and only a small fraction of the nation's food supply is actually tested for pesticide levels. This report indicates that in 1992 only 413 samples of apples across the entire country were tested. Only 21 samples of raspberries, 90 samples of watermelon, 78 samples of tomatoes, and 37 samples of eggplant were tested. It is vitally important to thoroughly scrub all produce with a brush and a biodegradable detergent. Rinse thoroughly after washing. Cabbages can have the outer leaves removed and discarded. Apples, peaches, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables with skins can be peeled. Buy organic produce (grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers) whenever possible. If this is not an option, check for a local farmers market. Area farmers usually don't use the waxes or pesticides required when produce will be sitting in warehouses. There are two types of cholesterol. The low-density lipoproteins (LDL), commonly called "bad cholesterol," is found in all animal products. In addition to animal products, saturated fats such as those found in coconut oil, cause the body to manufacture LDL. The LDL molecules carry cholesterol from the liver to all of the cells in the body. The high-density lipoproteins (HDL) commonly referred to as "good cholesterol" carry very little cholesterol and circulate in the bloodstream removing excess cholesterol from the blood and tissues. If there is too much cholesterol for the HDL to handle or if there is insufficient HDL to accomplish removal of the LDL cholesterol, plaque can form, which sticks to the artery walls and may eventually cause heart disease. An ongoing medical study since 1948 conducted in Framingham, Mass. has identified a direct correlation between high LDL cholesterol and heart disease. Amazingly, during the study it has been discovered that no person who consistently maintained a cholesterol level below 150 has ever suffered a heart attack. The current death rate in the United States runs around 923,000 due to heart disease. A cholesterol reading of 205 is being taught as an acceptable level; however, if that number were reduced to a reading of 190, nearly 200,000 lives could be saved annually! To go one step further, if the cholesterol level of the general population were reduced to 167, approximately 500,000 families could remain whole and healthy. We teach a safe cholesterol level is 100 plus your age. LDL cholesterol and saturated fat are found in all animal products. Since the human body also manufactures cholesterol, when animal products are consumed, the cholesterol level increases. In Fit For Life, Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D., writes: "Cholesterol is something animals produce in their bodies, and all animal products contain cholesterol. If you eat part of an animal or a glandular secretion like milk, you will get a dose of cholesterol. In turn, this will increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood. Every 100 mg of cholesterol you eat in your daily routine adds roughly 5 points to your cholesterol level. (Everyone is different and this number is an average.) In practical terms, 100 mg of cholesterol is four ounces of beef or four ounces of chicken, or one-half of an egg, or three cups of milk." A single egg yolk contains 213 mg of cholesterol. Fish also has high amounts of cholesterol and some species of fish contain even higher amounts than beef! As stated earlier, when large amounts of refined (saturated) fats are consumed, cholesterol sticks to the blood vessel walls. It causes the red blood cells to stick together, clogging the blood vessels, and leading to heart attacks and strokes.
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