Does the truth match the hype?

Does the truth match the hype, that is the question. I received this article in my Daily News email from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics yesterday and thought it was the perfect explanation of how to dispute the hype from the truth when it comes to today's "super-foods". In this article some newly popular health foods are examined for their health benefits. This topic is SO important because as Dietetic professionals it is our responsibility to make sure people are getting the facts and aren't falling for the hype. Though there definitely are health benefits in many of the foods that this article addresses, there is a lot of garbage to wade through to get to them. Contrary to popular belief, there is no "miracle food", and even if there was production companies would probably do their best to process it until it didn't have one health benefit left to it's name. So there are a lot of things that are outlined here to look for that will help you make the right choices when you are shopping for your healthy foods.

The most important point in this article, I think, is that you should be using "sensible criteria to make the most healthful choices when food shopping..." Just reading a label that says good source of antioxidants or other buzzwords doesn't necessarily make it healthy. It is great if those types of advertisements steer you in the right direction but then it is your responsibility to do a little bit more investigating. Take a look at the ingredient list. Are there more than 5 ingredients? Is it a list of words you have never heard before? Is sugar one of the first ingredients? Just because a product contains an element of a food that may have health benefits in its raw form, does not mean that those benefits will be translated in an overly processed product.

My hopes are that this article makes you step back and take a closer look at what you are actually eating and don't be fooled by advertisements. This article does a great job of busting a few of the most commonly mistaken "hyped-up" foods on the market right now and explaining how you can find the right products that are actually doing what they say.

Here are some of the items from the list:

1. Acai berries- Though these berries do provide a great source for antioxidants they are almost never found as berries. In the U.S. they are typically in the form of a supplement pill or juice. If you found a 100% acai berry juice with no sugar added then I say more power to you, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. The major thing to address here is the fact that eating fresh blueberries or raspberries is going to give you THE SAME antioxidant power as a handful of acai berries. So rather than fall for the hype- grab a couple bucks and head to your farmers market for some fresh local berries.
2. Greek yogurt- Indisputably, greek yogurt is great. Good source of protein, really low fat. But the second you go for the heavily flavored ones you are getting a lot of added sugar (even if it is honey, that is still sugar). This one I am not so keen on disputing because unless you are on some no sugar crazy strict diet I say enjoy, its better than having a go-gurt or something.  It's like a teacher once said to me "why are you getting fat-free yogurt? Live a little, it's yogurt!" But I must bust the myth and tell you it is not all it is cracked up to be if it is full of sugar so just something to look out for.
3. Egg whites- I am pretty confident that this will become old news soon, but recent studies have shown that egg yolks contain more health benefits than the whites and the cholesterol content has been proven to be significantly lower (14% lower, 185 mg) than originally thought. It IS safe to eat an egg a day without worrying about topping out cholesterol intake for the day. Therefore, skipping the yolk and going for the whites only is hurting, not helping.
4. Veggie burgers- This one is simple. Just because it is vegetarian, doesn't mean it's healthy. The biggest thing to look out for is sodium content in these products because if they are being made to mimic meat, you can be pretty sure they are heavily processed. Also they are typically frozen. So again, heavily processed typically means a lot of sodium. I am not saying stay away from these I am just saying, check the sodium content (use a 2,300 mg/day scale).
5. Grains- Super simple. The terms "multigrain" or "made with whole grains" are deceiving. Check your ingredient list. Is whole grains on there (such as whole wheat)? If not, move on to the next product.

I hope this has helped debunk some of your most common health food myths and more importantly given you some tools for what to look for when you are doing your shopping. Remember, everything in moderation so if you want to put honey in your yogurt I'm sure not going to stop you. Life needs a little sweets sometimes.

Check out the full article for more details http://sub.gmnews.com/news/2013-12-12/Front_Page/Food_myths.html

Happy eating!