The best advice is to avoid foods with health claims on the label, or better yet, avoid foods with labels in the first place.
- Dr. Mark Hyman
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Read It Before You Eat It
Obviously, the more you eat natural, whole foods, the better it is for your health. But if a portion of your diet consists of something out of a box, bag, or can, as it does for the majority of us, you should read the ingredients label to find out what you're really ingesting.
Nutrition labels on packaged foods are meant to provide you with key information, such as serving size, calories, total and saturated fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrates (including fiber and sugar), protein and vitamin content. The label also contains a list of ingredients. Knowing what they mean can help you make healthier choices and improve your overall diet. Here are some tips for getting the most out of reading food labels:
Determine your nutrition goals first. Is weight loss your objective? Do you have a special health condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure? Are you sensitive to particular foods? Talk to your doctor and other health providers about using the information in keeping with their dietary recommendations.
Remember that nutritional information is based on one serving. The package may contain multiple servings, so factor that in if you eat more than one.
The ingredients on a food label are listed in order of quantity, from most to least. For your health's sake, look for sugar to be listed much further down the list (if at all).
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The fewer the ingredients, the less processed the food. Stick to lists with ingredients you would have in your own kitchen. I recommend that if you can't pronounce the food ingredient or don't know what it is, don't eat it!
Remember that ingredients can go by several different names. Sugar can also be listed as high-fructose corn syrup or corn syrup, dehydrated cane juice, sucrose, barley malt syrup, molasses, agave, honey, and many more. Even if it's natural, sugar is still sugar. Salt can be listed as sodium benzoate, disodium or monosodium glutamate (MSG). And trans fats may be listed as ingredients that contain them, mainly partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oil. Do a little research.
Beware of "manipulated" foods. They come in packages that say diet, low-fat, fat-free, sugar-free, etc. There are literally thousands of food additives that may cause health-related problems, including artificial sweeteners. And foods with labels such as 100% natural and gluten-free may still be high in sugar.
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It's Time to Get Real About Food
Join the Westport Farmers' Market and Westport Cinema Initiative for this documentary that takes a hard look at the processed food and sugar industries and the growing obesity epidemic in America.
Featuring nutritionists, physicians, scientists, and frustrated policy makers, this movie may change the way you eat forever! Click here to watch the trailer.
FED UP
Thursday, October 2, 7:00 p.m.
Christ and Holy Trinity Church, Church Lane, Westport
Tickets are $10 at the door or online at westportcinema.org.
Sponsored by Whole Foods Market of Westport and Fairfield
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Food Focus: Peppers
Peppers, or capsicum, are flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. They are native to the Americas, where they have been cultivated for thousands of years. Today, they are grown worldwide, and are a key element in many regional cuisines.
Peppers come in a beautiful array of sizes, shapes, and colors. Red peppers carry the most health benefits because they've been on the vine longest. Peppers harvested first are green, then ripen to yellow, orange, red, and even purple or brown. Tastes range anywhere from spicy to sweet.
All peppers are rich in the antioxidant vitamins A and C, which support immune function and help prevent cancer and diseases related to aging, such as inflammatory arthritis. They are an excellent source of vitamin K, which promotes proper blood clotting, strengthens bones, and helps protect cells from oxidative damage.
Red peppers contain high levels of the carotenoid called lycopene, which is earning a reputation for helping to prevent prostate cancer, as well as cancers of the bladder, cervix, and pancreas. Studies indicate that beta-cryptoxanthin, another carotenoid in red peppers, shows promise in the prevention of lung cancer related to smoking and second-hand smoke.
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Hot peppers' fire comes from capsaicin, which is predominately in the white membrane of peppers, imparting its heat to the seeds as well. It acts on pain receptors, not taste buds, in our mouths, and has been shown to decrease blood cholesterol and triglycerides, boost immunity, and reduce the risk of stomach ulcers. It used to be thought that hot peppers aggravated ulcers; instead they may help kill the bacteria in the stomach that can lead to them. Research shows that people who don't typically eat spicy foods are most likely to benefit from turning the the heat up a notch. Capsaicin seems to affect metabolism by raising body temperature, which uses up more energy.
All peppers are low in calories and also contain lots of B-vitamins, folate, potassium, and fiber. To store them, place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Red and yellow peppers keep for several days; green last for about a week. Serve them raw with dips or in salads and pasta dishes. Toss in a stir fry for a hint of color, or stuff and bake them (see recipe below). Roasting peppers is easy: cut a small slit near the stems, then grill or broil until blackened. Place in a closed paper bag to steam for about 15 minutes before scraping off the skin and removing the stem, core, and seeds.
A word of caution when working with hot peppers - they can burn your skin and eyes. Wear rubber gloves when handling, keep your hands away from your face, and wash your hands as soon as you're done. Then apply a little olive oil; the fat will neutralize the capsaicin.
Photo above: assorted organic peppers from Viv's Veggies, Weston, CT
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Recipe of the Month: Oven-Baked Stuffed Peppers  Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes (plus rice cooking time)
Serves 2
2 organic peppers, medium to large in size
6 oz. soft goat cheese
3 T. shredded basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Brown rice, cooked and kept warm (allow 3 oz. raw rice per serving - 6 oz. for this recipe)
Olive oil for drizzling
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice large peppers in half vertically; remove stem from top of smaller peppers. Remove the core and seeds, then place peppers, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven about 10 minutes or until they are beginning to soften.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the cheese, basil, garlic and cooked rice in a bowl.
3. Remove the peppers from the oven and spoon some rice mixture into each piece, piling it up if necessary and dividing it evenly.
4. Drizzle a little olive oil over each stuffed pepper, then return them to the oven and bake for 20 minutes more or until cooked.
Note: For a vegan version, soft non-dairy cheese, such as cashew cheese, may be substituted for the goat cheese.
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Happiness and healthy living are contagious! Please forward this newsletter to family members, friends, or colleagues who may be inspired by it.
All the best,
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