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agave nectar

The Top Overrated Food Trends of 2009

by Janet on December 24, 2009

As the year comes to close, I was thinking about the foods that made a lot of headlines but didn’t really live up to the hype.  The most overrated food trends of the year was the topic of my latest article in the Chicago Tribune. Click on the link to view the article online (which includes a slideshow of the five trends), or the article is reprinted below.  What would make your list?

5 most overrated health-food trends

Looking back on the year, some foods seemed to take the country by storm. You couldn’t miss the ads — your neighbor talked them up and you followed all the chatter online. Maybe you even bought a book devoted to these “miracle” foods. Yet, despite the flashy marketing claims and convincing Internet buzz, many of these products deliver far less than they promise. Either the science behind them is weak, nutritionists warn, or their steep price tag is simply not worth what you get in return.

We asked nutrition experts to tell us what foods they thought did not live up to the hype. Here are their votes for overrated food trends.

–Janet Helm, special to the Tribune

1. Super juicesvemmabottle

The claim: These elixirs, extracted from acai, goji berry, mangosteen and other exotic fruits, tout extraordinary antioxidant levels and claim to burn fat, cleanse toxins and fight the flu. Often fortified with extra nutrients and sold online or through distributors, the juices can be quite costly.

Why they’re overrated: You’re paying more for the marketing than the value of what’s inside the bottle, said dietitian Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “It’s a pricey way to get your antioxidants,” she said. “You’d be better off with a glass of orange juice and simply add more color on your plate.” Even the antioxidant levels in many of these superjuices have been questioned. Some studies have revealed that the amounts are comparable to apple juice.

Bottom line: Buy a less expensive juice at the grocery store and eat whole fruit more often. Limit juice to one glass (8 ounces or less) a day.

2. Tropical oils

The claim: Coconut, palm and palm kernel oils are frequently used to replace trans fats in processed foods, and they’re now being positioned as the new “healthy” oils. Coconut oil is especially coming on strong, with books such as “The Coconut Oil Miracle” and Web sites claiming that the oil can decrease your heart disease risk, prevent cancer, boost your immune system and help you lose weight.

Why they’re overrated: While it’s true that some of the fatty acids in coconut oil are different from those found in animal products, there is no evidence to suggest coconut oil is better for you than other saturated fats, said Alice H. Lichtenstein, a nutrition researcher at Tufts University in Boston. Numerous studies have shown that coconut oil can raise LDL or bad cholesterol, she said. For years, it’s what researchers fed to animals to induce atherosclerosis. Despite the aggressive attempts to improve its tarnished image, coconut oil is still mostly saturated fat, and research does not support the battery of claims.

Bottom line: Do not run out and buy coconut oil, especially if you plan to use it in place of more beneficial oils that have been thoroughly studied, such as olive, canola and other vegetable oils.

3. Enhanced watersskinnywater

The claim: Supermarket shelves are filled with bottles of brightly colored waters that are spiked with vitamins, herbs, antioxidants and other ingredients with names like “defend,” “rescue” and “focus.” Some claim to stave off colds, boost alertness or relax you, while others attempt to lure you with promises of weight loss.

Why they’re overrated: Many of these waters are sneaky sources of extra calories and sugar, said dietitian Keri Glassman, who owns a nutrition consulting firm in New York City. Some waters contain 125 calories per bottle — which is equivalent to the calories in two pieces of fruit without the nutritional attributes of the fruit. The advertised benefits are often overblown, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group that sued Coca-Cola this year over the “deceptive and unsubstantiated claims” of its line of VitaminWater beverages.

Bottom line: Get your nutrients from foods or take a multivitamin and drink plain water. If you want flavor, add a slice of lemon to tap water or look for calorie-free flavor-infused waters.

4. Miracle seeds

The claim: Flax seeds are showing up in all sorts of foods — including bread, cereal, pasta, yogurt, salad dressing and soup. The latest seed on the scene is chia, which comes from the same plant that gives us Chia Pets. Both seeds are promoted as a top source of omega-3, the good fats linked to heart and brain health.

Why they’re overrated: While flax-fortified products may offer some benefits, flax seeds  are not a reliable source of omega-3 because the potency is much weaker compared with what you’ll find in fish, said Evelyn Tribole, a California-based dietitian and author of “The Ultimate Omega-3 Diet.” Only a small percentage of the omega-3 in plant sources gets converted into the most beneficial form once you eat it, she said. Chia seeds claim to be a new superfood, yet the amount of seeds you would likely eat is quite small — not sufficient to deliver meaningful amounts of nutrients or omega-3s.

Bottom line: Enjoy flax and chia seeds if you like the taste, but don’t let them distract you from eating more omega 3-rich fish or incorporating a variety of seeds, nuts, whole grains, fruits and vegetables into your diet.

5. Natural sugarsagave nectar

The claim: Scores of new foods and beverages boast about the lack of refined sugar, yet they contain “natural sweeteners” such as agave nectar or evaporated cane juice. The new darling of natural foods, agave nectar is sold as a syrup for home use and claims to be diabetic-friendly with anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.

Why they’re overrated: There is no real difference. The body treats all of these sugars the same, said Liz Applegate, who teaches nutrition at the University of California at Davis. Even the wholesome sounding “fruit juice concentrate,” she said, is basically equivalent to table sugar. Agave nectar may come from the same cactus-like plant that gives us tequilia, but the refined sugar is similar to the oft-maligned high fructose corn syrup. The terminology of “evaporated cane juice” came under fire this year because the name falsely suggests the sweetener is juice. It’s dried sugar cane, just like table sugar.

Bottom line: Sugar is sugar. All forms are virtually the same and should be consumed in moderation

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Sifting Through New Sugar Guidelines

by Janet on October 25, 2009

source: Flickr Howzey

source: Flickr Howzey

The American Heart Association’s new guidelines for added sugars was the topic of my latest article in the Chicago Tribune.  It’s been interesting to see the reaction to these new recommendations — which are the strictest of any major health organizations’ guidelines.  The AHA says most women should eat no more than 100 calories of added sugars or 6 teaspoons (25 grams), which is less than what you’d find in a can of soda.  Men are advised to keep added sugars to just 150 calories or 9 teaspoons (37 grams). The guidelines have stirred up a bit of debate, and I interviewed someone on both sides.

“These guidelines are a huge leap for many Americans, but I think it’s appropriate to set the bar high as we move toward this goal,” said Dr. David Ludwig, a nutrition researcher and pediatric obesity expert at Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.  Ludwig has been a vocal advocate of the controversial “soda tax” to help reduce our country’s reliance on sugar-sweetened beverages.” Sugar sweetened beverages (including soft drinks, sweet teas and energy drinks) are the major source of added sugars in the American diet.  A 12-ounce can of soda contains about 130 calories and 8 teaspoons of sugar.

I also talked with Jeff Stier, associate director of the American Council on Science and Health.

“There is nothing about sugar per se that’s harmful; it’s the over-consumption of sugar,” he told me.  ”But it’s not just sugar, it’s the over-consumption of any source of calories.”  Stier said it’s the same as eating too many bagels.  Sugars and carbohydrates contain the same number of calories per gram as protein.  Fats contain more than twice as many.  ”Our bodies can’t tell the difference between natural and added sugars because nutritionally they’re the same.  Added sugar causes obesity as much as the orange juice promoted by the American Heart Association causes obesity.

Stier believes than singling out sugar just distracts us from the larger goal of getting overall calorie intake in control.  ”It comes down to calories consumed and calories burned,” he said.

So what’s the bottom line?

Sugar has always been criticized for being an “empty calorie.”  It adds calories without contributing any positive nutrients to our diet.  But beyond the calories (and of course the cavity connection), there’s a debate about how much we can blame sugar itself for obesity and diabetes.  Now the AHA raises concerns about the impact sugar has on our heart.

What we do know is that the form of the added sugars in our diet seems to make a difference.  Studies have shown that added sugars in soft drinks are more likely to have a negative impact on weight and diet quality, yet sugars added to flavored milk and breakfast cereals seem to have a positive influence.  So it makes sense to choose your sugar by the company it keeps.

The lead author of the AHA guidelines Rachel Johnson,PhD, RD, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont, recommends that people use their added sugars “allotment” to enhance the flavor of nutrient-rich foods, such as milk, yogurt and whole-grain cereal, instead of eating candy and other sweets that offer little in return.

Cutting down on soft drinks seems like a prudent place to start.  These sweet drinks contribute 33% of the added sugars to the American diet — more than any other single source.  And it’s not just the calories, sweetened beverages are likely taking the place of a more nutritious choice.  So it’s what you’re missing that’s a problem too.

It’s really all about balance, said registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, a New York-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, who I interviewed for my Chicago Tribune article.

“You can’t point a finger at one food or one nutrient.  It’s a combination of so many things that contribute to our country’s health issues,” she said.  ”Still, cutting down on sugar is a positive start.”

Click here to read the full article, including a sidebar that  identifies the major sources of added sugars in the American diet and explains various sugar definitions.

Now with sugar in the hot seat, the last thing I want people to do is turn to so-called natural sugars because they think they’re a better option.  All too often people are mislead and load up on “natural” alternatives, when in reality the ingredients are exactly the same as the ones they’re trying to avoid.  That’s the case with evaporated cane juice and agave nectar.   In fact, the government is looking into the potential confusion of the term “evaporated cane juice.”  It may sound better, but it’s sugar (from sugar cane).  It has nothing to do with juice.  Also, agave nectar has been the new darling in the natural foods industry, but this processed sugar from the agave cactus is now being investigated for potential health concerns. Don’t think you can indulge just because the food or beverage you buy boasts about “no refined sugar” when it contains evaporated cane juice or agave nectar.

Sugar is sugar, even with a more enticing name.  All forms can be enjoyed — in moderation.

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