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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – You don’t pay much attention to what you eat. You order French fries without a thought. You like sugared cereal. You drink soda and you make fun of your friends who get up to run in the morning. Despite all this you are probably eating better than you did 10 years ago. How can that be, you ask?
You might not be giving your health a second thought, but the rest of us are watching out for you – the food industry, the government, and the medical and research community.
Public policy that influences the use of common ingredients in processed foods, such as trans fat, sugar, salt and whole grains, affects the diets of all consumers, even those who are unaware or don’t care. When companies reformulate standard products to include or exclude certain ingredients the changes may be more widespread than expected.
Okay, but you’re thinking, I’m still ordering French fries, eating chips and enjoying cookies. You may continue to eat your favorite foods, but chances are they are better for you than they were before. The USDA issued mandatory trans fat labeling disclosure on nutrition labels in January of 2006. In the same year, New York City banned trans fats in restaurant foods.
In anticipation of these regulations both restaurants and food manufacturers started to reformulate products and recipes to exclude trans fat. Kraft, Campbell’s, Kellogg’s and Frito-Lay were among the first to reformulate their leading brands. You may still buy chips or munch on cookies but the trans fat has been removed. Cookies, crackers, chips, pastry and bread accounted for most of the new trans fat-free foods. This lowers your intake even if you continue to eat the same amount of chips and cookies.
Major restaurant chains like McDonald’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken began replacing frying oil containing trans fat in light of the increased trend toward local municipal regulations to exclude trans fat from menu items. Your beloved French fries may taste the same, but they are now trans fat free, so your choice is better for you.
Economics often drives the use of food ingredients. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was considerably less expensive than sugar in the early part of this decade. Manufacturers switched from sugar to the less costly sweetener. Lately, many consumers and professionals have become alarmed about the marked increase of HFCS in our food supply. Though the actual negative impact of HFCS on health is still being hotly debated, many consumers are trying to eat less of it. In response to consumer demand companies have reformulated sweetened drinks, candies and other sweets to eliminate HFCS. Now all consumers, even those don’t care about the controversy, are eating less HFCS.
The efforts of a few concerned consumers can often impact the consumption patterns of the entire population.
The 2005 version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans was the first to make specific recommendations about the consumption of whole grains. The recommendation suggested that everyone try to eat at least 3 servings of whole grains daily. This government recommendation spurred many companies to reformulate breads, cereals, crackers, pasta, and cereal bars to include more whole grains. Whole wheat white flour became more available, making white bread options healthier, containing whole grains and more fiber. In the rush to increase their brand’s reputations for wholesomeness and social responsibility, manufacturers flooded the marketplace with whole grains foods. A whole grain stamp was even developed to provide consumers with a visual clue about which brands were best. Again, even for the uninitiated, this visual clue can help to direct the purchase of healthier products.
Coming on the horizon is an assault on salt. Medical researchers and the government are currently applying pressure on restaurants and food manufacturers to lower the sodium in foods. Before actual regulations are put in place many food companies are beginning to reformulate brands, like Campbell’s soup, to offer lower sodium options. More and more foods introduced in 2010 will carry a lowered sodium or low salt claim. So even if you don’t care, the next time you buy your favorite Campbell’s soup, you may be purchasing a reformulated product with lower sodium. You are eating healthier, despite yourself.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales in excess of 8 million books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller.
Current titles include:
The Calorie Counter, 5th Ed., 2010
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, 3rd Ed., 2010
The Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed., 2009
The Fat Counter, 7th ed., 2009
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008
The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter, 3rd Ed., 2007
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to The Nutrition Experts
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