Email: whydokids@yahoo.com
UNDERSTANDING FOOD LABELS
When buying healthy food there are a lot of options. However, many food labels are misleading. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has federal food programs that are used in public schools, long term care facilities, and licensed childcare. Here are a few of the rules to determine whether or not a food is credible for reimbursement.
Canned fruit that is in 100% juice is accepted for the WIC program and CACFP. Canned fruit that is in high syrup, light syrup, and no sugar added are not allowed for WIC (Women Infant Children). Applesauce that has added sugar is not allowed either. Also, many traditional canned refried beans have fat (lard) added to it. Cans labeled “fat free” are actual beans.
Some cheese slices are allowed in CACFP while others are not. The ones that are credible to be served have milk listed as a first ingredient in the nutrition facts ingredient list on the back of the package. The rest are made with water and oil.
There is a limit on how often high fat foods are allowed to be served for CACFP. High fat foods include: beef, pork, some cheese, etc.
Juice must be labeled 100% juice. Juice drink, fruit juice cocktail, organic juice, contains 100% vitamin C, light juice, diet juice, fruit punch are usually not allowed for CACFP. Most of the juice drinks above have too much water to be credible and sometimes they also have added sugar.
Infants must be served iron fortified formula or breastmilk.
1 year olds are required to be served whole unflavored milk.
2 to 4 year olds must be served unflavored 1% or fat free milk.
Children that have a dairy intolerance or allergy can drink unflavored almond milk or soy milk if they have a meal modification form filled out.
Anything ending in “…ose” is a sweetener in the nutrition facts ingredient list. Examples are lactose, fructose, dextrose, sucrose, etc. Animal crackers are currently credible to be served in CACFP. However, animal cookies (the kind with frosting on it) cannot be served. Some cereal and some yogurt cannot be served because the sugar content is too high.
Currently foods containing vitamin C are required to be served every day for CACFP. Foods containing vitamin A have to be served twice per/week. Many fruits and vegetables can meet these requirements. Foods containing iron are also required to be served daily on CACFP. Iron is found in many grains and meats.
Foods containing at least 50% whole grain must be served daily for CACFP. It can be quite tricky to figure out what is a whole grain product for CACFP. Packages that read “100% whole grain” are. In the nutrition facts ingredient list, if the first ingredient reads “whole grain” the product is. Packages that read “Made with whole grain” are usually NOT whole grain products. Many (but not all) wheat bread, multi grain bread, rye, bran, enriched grain, and cracked wheat are not considered whole grains. Some whole grains are white in color. There are yellow whole grain stamps on some packages. However, only the ones that say 50%+ or 100%, can be counted as a whole grain. The other version of the yellow whole grain stamp may or may not be counted as a whole grain. Find more information about the whole grain stamps at https://wholegrainscouncil.org/
Some fruit breads are CACFP credible, others are not. For example, you want to make banana bread to serve to childcare kids. If the recipe calls for more banana than flour it will not be credible as a grain product. You would have to serve another grain with the banana bread.
FOODS LIST
Whole Grain Foods:
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat pasta
Whole grain bread
Whole grain crackers
Whole grain tortillas
Whole grain cereal
Whole grain bagel
Whole grain toast
Brown rice
Quinoa
Oats (steel-cut or rolled)
Oatmeal
Barley
Rye
Wild rice
Popcorn (may not be credible for CACFP)
Foods that are high in Saturated Fats:
Beef
Pork
Lamb
Sausage
Bacon
Hot dogs
Lunch meat
Butter
Cheddar cheese
Whole milk
Cooking oil
Fried foods
French fries
Chocolate
Sour cream
Cream cheese
Foods that are high in Sugar:
Soda pop
Sports drinks
Energy drinks
Juice drinks
100% fruit juice
Chocolate milk
Candy
Cake
Cookies
Pastries
Ice cream
Yogurt
Many breakfast cereals
Granola bars
Fruit bars
Canned fruit in syrup
Foods that are high in Vitamin C:
Oranges
Grapefruits
Tangerines
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Kiwi fruit
Mango
Pineapple
Papaya
Cantaloupe
Honeydew melon
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Spinach
Green peas
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that cannot be stored in the body, so it’s important to consume it regularly through food sources.
Foods that are high in Vitamin A:
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Spinach
Butternut squash
Acorn squash
Pumpkin
Red bell peppers
Mango
Papaya
Cantaloupe
Apricots
Peaches
Tomatoes
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it is stored in the body.
Foods that are high in Iron:
Beef
Pork
Chicken
Turkey
Tuna
Kidney beans
Lentils
Chickpeas
Navy beans
Spinach
Peas
Quinoa
Oatmeal
Fortified cereals
Fortified breads
Combining iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods can help enhance the body’s absorption of non-heme (plant based) iron.
TYPES of FAT
Unsaturated fat: Unsaturated fat is considered to be healthy because it can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Monounsaturated fat: A type of unsaturated fat found in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
Polyunsaturated fat: Another type of unsaturated fat found in fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.
Saturated fat: Found mainly in animal products such as meat and whole cow’s milk. Saturated fat is considered to be unhealthy, in excess, because it can increase cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
Trans fat: Found in many processed foods such as baked goods, fried foods, and snack foods. Trans fat is considered to be unhealthy, because it can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.
Steps to follow when reading nutrition labels…
1. Check the serving size: The serving size is listed at the top of the label and it tells you the amount of food that is considered one serving. Make sure to adjust the serving size if you plan on eating more or less than what is listed on the label.
2. Check the calories: Calories provide a measure of how much energy you are getting from a serving of food. Make sure to check the serving size and the number of servings per container to calculate the total calories you would consume.
3. Check the macronutrients and micronutrients: Macronutrients are the nutrients that provide calories, and they include carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Check the amounts of these nutrients per serving and make sure they fit with your dietary needs. Micronutrients are the things that your body needs in smaller amounts, such as vitamins and minerals. Look for foods that are high in vitamins and minerals.
4. Check the percent daily value (%DV): %DV tells you how much of each nutrient is in one serving of the food compared to the recommended daily amount. Aim for foods that have 5% or less of the Daily Value for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, and aim for foods that have 20% or more of the Daily Value for vitamins and minerals.
5. Check the ingredient list: The ingredient list tells you what ingredients are in the food. Food labels must list ingredients in descending order by weight, so the first ingredient listed is the largest ingredient by weight in the product. Look for foods that have whole food ingredients. Try to avoid foods that have a lot of added sugars or artificial ingredients.
EXPIRATION DATES
The “sell by,” “best by,” and “use by” dates on food labels are intended to give consumers an idea of how fresh and safe the food is.
The “sell by” date is used by manufacturers to indicate to retailers how long they should display a product for sale. This date is not a safety date but rather a quality assurance date, meaning that the product should be purchased before this date expires in order to ensure that it will be fresh and at peak quality.
The “best by” date is another quality assurance date, indicating when the product will be at its freshest and best-tasting. After this date, the food may still be safe to eat, but the quality may have deteriorated.
The “use by” date is a safety date, indicating the date by which the product should be consumed in order to ensure that it is still safe to eat. After this date has passed, there is a higher risk of bacterial growth, and the food may be spoiled or unsafe to eat.
These dates are only guidelines and are not federally regulated, so they may vary by product and by manufacturer. Consumers should use their best judgement when deciding whether or not to eat a product past its expiration date, and should always use common sense food safety practices, such as inspecting the product for signs of spoilage or discoloration before consuming it.
Chemicals and some plastics are causing problems. See short term solutions bellow.
Problem
Today, more than 10,000 chemicals are allowed to be added to food and food contact materials in the United States, either directly or indirectly, under the 1958 Food Additives Amendment to the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) (public law number 85-929). Many of these were grandfathered in for use by the federal government before the 1958 amendment, and an estimated 1,000 chemicals are used under a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) designation process without US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
Environmentally relevant doses of bisphenol A (BPA)4 trigger the conversion of cells to adipocytes,9 disrupt pancreatic β-cell function in vivo,49 and affect glucose transport in adipocytes. 9–11
The FDA does not have authority to obtain data on or reassess the safety of chemicals already on the market. 1 This issue is of great importance and concern for chemicals approved decades ago on the basis of limited and sometimes antiquated testing methods. For instance, some compounds, such as styrene and eugenol methyl ether, remain approved for use as flavoring agents, although they have been subsequently classified as reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens by the US National Toxicology Program. 6
Short term solutions
Prioritize consumption of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables when possible…
• Avoid processed meats, especially maternal consumption during pregnancy.
• Avoid microwaving food or beverages (including infant formula and pumped human milk) in plastic, if possible.
• Avoid placing plastics in the dishwasher.
• Use alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel, when possible.
• Look at the recycling code on the bottom of products to find the plastic type, and avoid plastics with recycling codes 3 (phthalates), 6 (styrene), and 7 (bisphenols) unless plastics are labeled as “biobased” or “greenware,” indicating that they are made from corn and do not contain bisphenols.
• Encourage hand-washing before handling foods and/or drinks, and wash all fruits and vegetables that cannot be peeled.
Excerpt taken from… https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6309890/