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"Worry not that no one knows of you. Seek to be worth knowing."
Confucius
Nutrition 911, Part II The 411, so you can avoid a dietary 911
By Steve Edwards In Part I of our emergency nutrition class, we discussed why natural foods are better than processed foods and covered a few of the terms you see in your grocery aisle, including organic, grass fed, farm raised, and cage free. This month, we'll jump right into the two biggest advertising slogans you see these days: fat free and low carb. Just what do these terms actually mean to you?
Fat Free. We'll start with fat free because it was popular first. The dreaded "f" word is sorely misused out there in foodopia. About the only thing most of us really know about it is when we have too much on our body. Fat is a colloquial term for looking more like Kirstie Alley of the TV show Fat Actress than Kirstie Alley of the '80s slacker comedy Summer School. Fat is also one of the key nutrients that we must eat in order for our bodies to keep functioning. And this is where the association problem begins.
Assuming we're fat because we eat too much fat, marketers decided that by making foods without fat we'd be less fat. This might work if, oh, nutrition was as simple as 1+1. Unfortunately, it's not. It's a science, requiring things like math 'n' stuff that we don't have time for here. All we have time for here is to say this is wrong. If you don't eat fat, you will die a miserable death. Fat, among other things, is vital for proper function of our endocrine system. You might not know what this is, but, basically, it regulates our body's day-to-day functions.
But this "theory" has some bearing on real life. Fat is nutrient dense. This means that by volume it has more calories than other nutrients. In fact, it's about twice as dense as other foods. So you should eat a lot less fat than other things or you might get twice as large. Fat also tends to taste good, so it's easy to crave. We don't need much of it, but we like to eat a lot of it. Starting to see the issue? There is not just a marketing idea, but also a market for low-fat products.
Essentially there are two types of "fat free" or "low fat" labels: those on animal products and those on packaged products. Let's start with the animals, because it's simpler.
Fat-free dairy products and low-fat meats simply have their fat removed. There are different types of fat, which we'll get to later. Animal products tend to have what's called saturated fat. We need only a very small amount of this to survive. If we eat a lot of animal products, we can easily get too much, leading to high cholesterol levels and other assorted problems. The relatively simple step of removing fat does not take away from these foods' nutrient values. It just gives you less fat.
Fat-free packaged foods are a whole other matter. Things like cookies, candy, chips, peanut butter, etc. must be scrutinized because the fat is usually just replaced by another ingredient. It's often sugar, which is usually as bad—if not worse—for you. In some cases, it's extreme. Peanut butter, for example, is loaded with fat, but most of it is unsaturated fats your body can use. "Low-fat" versions usually include a lot of sugar, and sometimes trans fats, which are manmade fats that have no place in your diet. So the low-fat trade-off means you're actually eating worse! There there's candy, which sometimes sports a "fat free" label, as if not having fat is a perfectly good excuse to fill yourself full of gummy bears. Using this type of logic, why not consider crack? It gives you a lot of energy and, after all, it's fat free!
Bottom line: Fat free and low fat can be okay, especially in animal products. "Fat-free" doesn't mean "sugar-free." Learn to read labels. There's often more to the story. Some fat is necessary.
Low Carb. Following the astonishing success of "fat free," the "low carb" label hit our shelves a few years back with all guns blazing. Virtually no labels are left unturned. You now might see a "low carb" moniker on just about anything, from meat, to rice, to beer. Some foods warrant this, but, in most cases, it's absurd marketing jargon—it makes the aforementioned "fat-free" slogan look like a paragon of advertising honesty. We're talking "Swamp land in Florida for sale" territory here. Let's look at the worst offenders.
Meats and veggies. Meats don't have any carbs, so when a meat product advertises "low carb," it's like boasting that your cat doesn't bark. Veggies, though, are mainly carbs. However, they have very few calories. So few, that low cal should be their trademark, but, instead, they'd rather promote low carb. Water, with no calories, would also fit this bill, but I haven't seen low-carb water yet, or have I?
Alcohol. This is probably the most misleading label claim running today. A beer, for example, has around 12 grams of carbs. A low-carb beer may have 5, so you're getting about 25 to 30 calories fewer, hence those commercial with the finger treadmills to burn off all the extra carbs in regular beer. But both have alcohol, which makes up most of be calories in beer. While technically not a carb, it has a similar impact on your metabolism and almost twice the calories. So low-carb alcohols are a misnomer. Sure, they're all technically low carb, but they do the same thing to your system that you are avoiding carbs for in the first place. It's 100% gimmick.
Chocolate and other sweets. We've now come up with all sorts of concoctions to avoid dreaded carbs. Two popular additions are artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. Basically, these are substances that aren't really food, have had no long-term testing, and should not be a major part of your diet unless you like living dangerously for something with very little upside.
Starches. You can now find low-carb versions of all of the carb-laden foods from the past. Companies like Atkins have low-carb bread, pasta, and are probably well on their way to harvesting a low-carb potato. Some of these changes are positive. Chips, for example, are junk in the first place, and most of the low-carb options are healthier. However, changing breads and pastas are altering ingredients in a way that may or may not benefit you. You see, you need carbs in order for your body to function properly, especially your muscles and your brain. So if you are active, and like to think, you don't want to cut carbs out of your diet. The trick with carbs is to eat only as many as you can burn off because your body can't store them. It's only excessive carb consumption that will make you fat. With that in mind, we don't need a genetically altered potato. What we need it to take more care in making our food choices in the first place.
Bottom line: Low-carb labels are completely unnecessary. It's either spin doctoring or altering a food that you shouldn't be consuming in the first place. With minimal knowledge of how to eat, you can strike the words "low carb" from your vocabulary.
Other Odd Label Claims. Right onto the bandwagon we find "antioxidant" teas, cancer-fighting calciums, immune-boosting juices, and so on and so forth. It's nearly endless. Practically every health claim that you see on a label should be ignored unless you're in the drug store. What's happening is that manufacturers' marketing departments are latching on to any bit of research that shows something positive and spinning it right off the ol' turntable. For example, tea contains polyphenols, an antioxidant. Always has, always will (unless we alter it), but it's not just Lipton any longer, it's "antioxidant" tea! If your diet lacks calcium, you have a higher risk of cancer, as well as an entire cornucopia of maladies since calcium is essential for human existence, so now it's "cancer-fighting." It goes on and on. These claims are not always bogus, by any means. Tea and calcium are great. But it sheds some light on a potential problem if you believe anything you read.
Bottom line: The best defense is a good offense. The more you understand about nutrition, the less likely you are to be duped. Learning to read a food label is a great place to start.
So next time, we'll discuss how to read a food label and why you want to eat fat, protein, and carbs.
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| New Success Story: Monique C. Congratulations to our March Success Story!
"To date with Beachbody products, I have lost over 30 lbs., I've shed 31 inches over my entire body, and my body fat has gone from 30% to now at 13%. In addition, much to my surprise (and satisfaction!), I've gone from a dress size 14 to a sleek size 6! I'm still in shock that I'm able to slide into a size 6, which I couldn't fit into as a child; however, I owe it all to Beachbody and their amazing workouts." Read the rest of Monique's Success Story. |  |  |
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Fitness Tip: Sore Joints?
By Steve Edwards If you suffer from sore joints, you may have the beginnings of osteoarthritis. Consider taking the supplement glucosamine, which studies show may help repair damaged cartilage, especially over the long term. Also effective for connective tissue rejuvenation are chondroiton sulfate, chicken collagen, and MSM. (Incidentally, glucosamine, collagen, and MSM are the ingredients of Beachbody's Joint Support Super Formula.)
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The Cavalcade of Yum: A Menu Makeover This month: lasagna!
By Chef Pierre When Beachbody asked me, Chef Pierre, to write a column for them, I was skeptical. Why would the world's greatest chef put pen to paper for a silly little bunch of iron pumpers in spandex?
Well, of course the answer was simple: cash. But there is another reason. That silly little man Steve Edwards issued a challenge to me, Chef Pierre. He said that if I, Chef Pierre, was so sure that good food could also be healthy, then would I, Chef Pierre, be willing to take the many sumptuous yet stroke-inducing recipes floating around out there and teach you Beachbodyians how to convert them into luscious yet lean fare?
"But of course," I, Chef Pierre, said. "If you silly little band pullers would be willing to look away from Tony Horton's dance party tapes long enough, then I, Chef Pierre, will dazzle you with my culinary brilliance."
So with no further adieu, I, Chef Pierre, will start with a classic: lasagna.
Bad Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup sliced black olives
1 pinch basil
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 (14-oz.) jars marinara sauce
1 (16-oz.) package lasagna noodles
8 oz. ricotta cheese
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded
I, Chef Pierre, shall not bother with the directions for this particular variation. Just suffice to say it involves plenty of frying and melting.
First, let's go through the list and cut out anything especially risqué. Ground beef? Italian sausage? Out and out! Yes, you do need protein, but these fatty meats certainly are not the way. It is possible to substitute ground turkey for the beef, but that would be too easy. I, Chef Pierre, enjoy a challenge.
What else? Ah yes, noodles. You really can't have a pasta dish without pasta, so I, Chef Pierre, suppose these must stay, but there is no reason why they must be made of refined flour. On your next silly little shopping trip, try to find whole wheat lasagna noodles. If you cannot find these, white will do, because pasta is merely a tiny fraction of the many delicious ingredients that will float around my fantastic dish. In fact, my lasagna only requires half the noodles of this other silly little recipe.
Finally, the cheeses. You may cut out the ricotta because I, Chef Pierre, have something else in mind. As for the pound of mozzarella, well, there are very few times in life when a human being has call to purchase an entire pound of cheese. Perhaps if you are trying to please a very large mouse. For our purposes, purchase half a cup's worth and make it low fat. If you are about to complain that low-fat cheese does not taste as good as normal cheese, please stop your pathetic whining immediately. The cheese is but a small part of the cavalcade of yum I, Chef Pierre, am creating here and its main purpose is texture, so low-fat will do just fine.
Now, let's add a few things. We are going to want some texture in there, so let's add some vegetables. It's your choice, really, but I, Chef Pierre, suggest mushrooms or zucchini. Also, to replace the ricotta, add soft tofu, frozen spinach, and a little more basil and oregano to the list.
Here's the list that I, Chef Pierre, have drastically improved:
Improved Ingredients, Thanks to Me, Chef Pierre
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup sliced black olives
1 pinch + 1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 (14-oz.) jars marinara sauce
1/2 package lasagna noodles (8 oz.)
1 (10-oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed
1 lb. slab soft tofu
3 cups (or more) sliced vegetables (your choice)
1/2 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. First, make the sauce so it has a little time to infuse. Mix the water, marinara sauce, olives, one teaspoon of oregano, one teaspoon of garlic powder, pinch of basil, pepper, and minced garlic. Bring to a simmer and let sit.
Next, we make the tofu mixture that will replace the ricotta. In a blender, blend the tofu until smooth. Add water to help it along, in case your blender is inferior to mine, which it most likely is. Now add the spinach and the rest of the herbs and garlic. Blend some more.
Finally, the time to combine has arrived. In a nonstick, 9x13-inch pan, pour in a layer of sauce, followed by a layer of pasta, then tofu mix, then vegetables. Repeat this to fill the pan, making sure that when you reach the top, the other ingredients are completely submerged in the sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top. Bake covered for 40 minutes, remove cover, and bake for 20 more. The cheese should be golden brown.
This serves 6. Each serving has approximately 310 calories, 15 grams of protein, 49 grams of carbohydrates, and 7 grams of fat. Serve with a green salad and a small glass of Chardonnay. Enjoy and be thankful to me, Chef Pierre.
Chef Pierre is French. Have you got a recipe you'd like Chef Pierre to rework? Send it on in to recipes@beachbody.com. Make sure to let us know you're looking for Chef Pierre's input. If he honors you with his favor, you'll win a Beachbody T-shirt.
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