More of the Same

Join me as I peruse the breakfast food aisle and analayze the newest offerings.

First up -- Kellogg's Raisin Bran Extra (traditional Kellogg's Raisin Bran with yogurt clusters, cranberries, and almonds.)

While points are scored for the exclusive use of whole wheat and presence of seven grams of fiber, not all is peachy.

The ingredient list displays sugar on six separate occasions, and a cup of this cereal contains as much sodium as two 1-ounce bags (think vending machine size) of Doritos!

Hannah Montana's gruesome invasion of pop culture now extends to cereal thanks to Kellogg's Hannah Montana cereal ("multi-grain secret star cereal with strawberry milkshake flavoring.")

The product's nutrition label, much like Miley Cyrus' vocal capability, is absolutely lackluster.

One cup offer a paltry gram of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and five times more sodium than potassium (the marker of a heavily processed food).

The ingredient list doesn't fare out much better. First up on the list? Corn meal.

Since the cereal is made from corn and oat, it is obnoxiously advertised as "multi grain" (literally meaning "more than one grain" and further proof that "multi grain" has nothing to do with fiber content!)

Let's move on to Pop Tarts' newest flavor, chocolate banana split ("white dough, banana/chocolate striped filling, white base frosting, and crunchlettes").

Just one of these toaster pastries (not exactly the most accurate serving size, especially since you get two per individual pack) clocks in at 200 calories, 200 milligrams of sodium, and 4 teaspoons of added sugar.

Despite the illustration of fresh banana slices on the packaging, bananas are missing from the ingredient list.

Underwhelming, yet not at all surprising.

When 100% Isn't Really 100%

The new boxes of Total cereal proudly exclaim:

"NOW! The most calcium and Vitamin D of any leading cereal!"

(Although I couldn't find a photograph of these boxes, the slightly outdated one on the left boasts the 100% calcium claim).

A cup of this retooled version provides a day's worth of calcium (1,000 milligrams) -- too bad our bodies can only metabolize approximately 500 milligrams at a time.

In other words, that bowl of cereal actually provides, at most, half a day's worth of calcium.

Not bad by any means, but not quite what the food label says.

I am also concerned about a cereal that attempts to provide a day's worth of iron and calcium in the same serving, since high amounts of calcium (anything above 300 milligrams, per the research literature) are known to interfere with the absorption of non-heme iron.

Keeping It Real With Your Cereal

As someone who loves nutritious food, eye-catching websites, and freedom of choice, I must tell you about a new custom artisanal cereal company named [Me] & Goji.

Created by three socially and environmentally conscious twenty-something businessmen unhappy with the vast selection of unhealthy -- or healthy but tasteless -- cereals on the market, [Me] & Goji allows you to create your own cereal from thirty different nutritious, 100% organic ingredients ranging from oat bran flakes and wheat germ to dried mango, goldenberries, and almonds.

Your chosen ingredients are then hand-mixed and sent to you within a week in a sleek tube-shaped capsule (which, by the way, makes for a lovely and funky flower vase once empty!) that features your concoctions' name (as christened by you), a nutrition facts label, and an ingredient list.

Although the $11 price tag for an average capsule might seem hefty, it isn't quite as astronomical when you consider that each capsule contains 21 ounces of cereal (many organic cereals available at supermarkets come in 14 ounce boxes and retail for $4.99.)

Still, while more costly than buying a box of cereal at the supermarket, this is a wonderfully creative gift for a cherished healthy eater, cereal lover, or always-happy-to-get-some-free-food college student in your life.

Which begs the Barbara Walters-inspired question. If you were a cereal, what type of cereal would you be?

You Ask, I Answer/Perfect Pickings: Cereal

I love cereal and eat it almost every morning but I often feel like the ones I eat are probably too sugary or not very substantial.

Can you recommend a cereal or two that you consider healthy and nutritious?

-- Jenna Kozel
Washington, DC

Since the cereal market is so vast, I find it easier to recommend particular nutrient values and ingredients to look for in these products.

The first thing to take note of is the serving size.

Many brands of granola, for instance, use a quarter cup as their serving size, which is absolutely laughable.

A lot of cereals, meanwhile, list their serving size as a half cup.

If you have a measuring cup at home, please pour enough cereal into it to fill it to the brim. Yes, that tiny amount is what many companies use as a "serving." Unreal!

What I recommend you do as early as tomorrow morning is pour the amount of cereal you normally eat into a bowl.

Then, use a measuring cup to determine the exact amount of cereal in that bowl.

Keep that figure as a reference each time you read a cereal's nutrition label, as it will help you make smarter choices when shopping.

Let's say you eat 1.5 cups of cereal every morning.

If a cereal using half cup servings delivers 150 calories per serving, while another using 1 cup servings offers 200, you now know which is the better choice for you (in this case, the latter would add 300 calories to your day, while the first one would add up to 450.)

You also want to pay attention to fiber content.

I recommend anywhere from 4 to 7 grams of fiber per serving.

Again, since the average person eats more than one serving of cereal in one sitting, I don't think it's necessary to track down cereals offering fiber in the double digits.

Sugar values are also important. I consider up to 5 or 6 grams per serving to be reasonable (that equals a teaspoon and a half). The lower, the better.

Be careful with cereals containing raisins or other fruit, as the naturally-occurring fruit sugars "unfairly" drive up sugar numbers.

Twelve grams of sugar per serving from a cereal with marshmallows offers less nutrition than twelve grams of sugar from a cereal that contains raisins (which provide antioxidants and phytonutrients.)

If you enjoy raisins in your cereal, you -- and your wallet -- are better off buying raisins separately and adding them yourself.

Finally, take a look at the ingredient list. You want to this to be short and, ideally, be absent of refined grains (i.e.: enriched wheat flour.)

When in doubt, look for the Whole Grains Council Stamp.

Red, White, and Blue -- And Good For You

With patriotic spirits soaring over the past few days, I thought it would be perfect timing to discuss U.S. Mills' cereal and instant oatmeal products -- easy and very tasty ways to increase your whole grain and fiber intake.

Three quarters of a cup of Uncle Sam's original cereal offers 10 grams of fiber (all derived from the ingredients, not added on for fortification), 7 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of sugar in a 190 calorie package.

I do wish, however, that this cereal included ground flaxseed (as opposed to whole) for even more of a nutrition boost.

In any case, throw in some sliced bananas, add your milk of choice (dairy, soy, rice, etc.) and you have a filling, wholesome breakfast.

Their instant oatmeal with non-genetically modified soymilk, meanwhile, makes for a wonderfully convenient vegan breakfast.

Simply add water and enjoy...

160 calories
50 milligrams of sodium (that's 220 fewer milligrams than the same amount of Quaker instant flavored oatmeal)
5 grams of fiber
6 grams -- a mere teaspoon and a half -- of added sugar (50% less than Quaker flavored oatmeals)
7 grams of protein

... per packet.

You Ask, I Answer: Probiotic Cereal

I loved your video about deceptive food advertising!

So what do you think of Kashi's "Vive" cereal?

There is a banner on the box claiming it's probiotic and helps with "digestive wellness."

Is that true? If it is, how does it make it better than other cereals?

-- Joanne Castro
Santa Fe, NM

Let's first begin by talking about probiotics.

That's the name given to beneficial bacteria living in our colons that help keep harmful bacteria from multiplying and starting problems (FYI: prebiotics are compounds in food that help feed probiotics.)

We actually harbor anywhere from 370 - 450 different stands of probiotic bacteria.

Although we produce and house them, it is believed poor nutrition can significantly reduce their numbers.

Antibiotics, meanwhile, kill all bacteria -- including probiotics.

The most famous probiotic, of course, is Lactobacillus acidophilus, the probiotic contained in many yogurts.

Allow me to digress a little and say the following: heat treatment can destroy Lactobacillus Acidophilus.

So, the closest way to ensure you are getting beneficial bacteria is via a "Live and Active Cultures" statement (although this does not guarantee said cultures are starter bacteria.)

What many people don't realize is that all fermented foods -- not just yogurt -- contain probiotics, including tempeh (fermented soy), blue cheese, sauerkraut, and wine.

The largest body of research on probiotics has focused on the therapeutic effect they have on diarrhea developed as a result of taking antibiotics.

Other than that, a lot of the health-promoting properties attributed to probiotics in food are yet to be discovered, or at least confirmed by science.

Although I can understand the link between probiotics and immune health (mainly since beneficial bacteria are a good defense against harmful varieties,) claims by some supplement companies of helping lower cancer risk are, as of now, completely baseless.

One main problem with probiotic food research is that many strands are destroyed by stomach acids before they even reach the large intestine.

So, how they perform in a laboratory setting does not necessarily reflect what takes place in our bodies.

Additionally, only a handful of probiotic strands have been closely studied.

It is also worth pointing out that in order for probiotics to have any sort of impact -- assuming the strand in Vive does -- they need to be consumed on a daily basis. So, a bowl of Vive three times a week isn't really going to do much for you.

In any case, the particular probiotic present in Vive is strain LA14 of Lacto acidophilus.

Kashi's official statement is that this cereal contains 10⁹ colony forming units of said probiotic per serving of Vive.

Sounds great. But, although this strand survives the digestive process, there have not been any studies examining specific health benefits.

While it certainly won't do you any harm, no one really knows what exactly you are supposed to gain from eating Vive regularly ("aids with digestive wellness" is too broad a statement for me.)

In The News: Michael Phelps & Tony The Tiger Make It Official

So Michael Phelps (perhaps you've heard of him?) has apparently angered a few nutritionists for agreeing to appear on boxes of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes cereal.

Really? I can't believe some people in the nutrition field are up in arms over this when there are more serious issues worth devoting time to.

How about stepping back a little and loosening up? It's not as if he's the face of Burger King or Ben & Jerry's.

No, Frosted Flakes are not a nutrition powerhouse, but the recently launched lower sugar variety only delivers 120 calories and 8 grams (2 teaspoons) of added sugar in a 1 cup serving. It's not THAT horrible -- and certainly not the culprit of obesity.

A cup of Frosted Flakes as part of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is no reason to hit the panic button.

The most ironic part of this whole "controversy" is that "health experts [are] worried about the message he'll be sending to children across America."

How so? Isn't his main message all about exercising and being in shape?

This is a man who achieved fame by being the fastest swimmer at the Olympics. His career is all about burning calories!

I find the mental junk food provided by any given episode of The Hills to be much more worrisome.

You Ask, I Answer: Fiber Intake & Dieting

Andy, You've hit it. I don't have a lot of calories to spare.

I'm trying to do 1200 cal per day (it's been a real struggle) and usually really consume about 1400+ per day. I'll try the flax seed, everything else I already do.

-- Laura Lafata
Miami Beach, FL

I am assuming 1200 calories is a number a health professional (such as a Registered Dietitian) came up with for you.

If it isn't, make sure you have it double-checked by someone with a background in nutrition to ensure that you are not slowing down your metabolism unnecessarily.

In situations where calorie intake is in the 1200 - 1400 range, it is important to have high-fiber foods throughout the day.

Here are some examples:

A half cup of chickpeas adds up to 5.3 grams of fiber and 143 calories.

A 2/3 cup serving of a high-fiber cereal (like Barbara's Bakery's Puffins) offers 6 grams of fiber and just 100 calories.

A Dr. Praeger sweet potato pancake clocks in at 60 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

A 1-ounce serving of Triscuits (that comes out to 6 crackers) add 3 grams of fiber and just 120 calories to your day.

A medium banana contains 105 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

A half cup of raspberries offers 4 grams of fiber and only 32 calories.

If you included all of the above-mentioned foods in your meals tomorrow, you are getting 24.3 grams of fiber from just 560 calories!

Numbers Game: Answer

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committee, 93 percent of the United States population does not meet the daily requirement for Vitamin E.

Since Vitamin E plays an important role as an antioxidant, low intake levels allow free radicals more of an opportunity to advance cellular damage.

It is worth nothing that this statistic is not relaying that 93 percent of the population has a vitamin E deficiency.

However, failing to meet daily requirements still has health consequences.

Adults need 15 milligrams (22 International Units) a day, and can rely on seeds, nuts, oils, and vegetables as good sources.

Take a look at this table, outlining the percentage of the daily value contributed by some foods:

Fortified cereals (1 cup): 50 - 70%
Almonds (1 oz.): 40%
Sunflower seeds (1 oz.): 30%
Peanut buter (2 Tbsp.): 20%
Tomato sauce (1/2 cup): 15%
Avocado (1 whole): 15%
Olive oil (1 Tbsp.): 12/5%
Broccoli (cooked, 1/2 cup): 6%
Spinach (cooked, 1/2 cup): 6%
Mango slices (1/2 cup): 6%
Collard greens (cooked, 1/2 cup): 5%

Why swallow a pill when you can eat delicious foods in the name of health?

You Ask, I Answer: Vegan Child's Nutrition

I have a picky eater at home, an 8-year-old I adopted last year from another country.

She is still very suspicious of new foods, and I have taken to sneaking supplements into her diet wherever I can.

She's vegan and I'm vegetarian; I open up iron supplement capsules and sprinkle small amounts of iron into her food; same with B-complex capsules and multi-vitamin caps. I

She gets plenty of protein and fiber, since she's happy to eat tempeh, beans, quinoa, peanut butter and lots of vegetables and fruits.

I'm mostly concerned with her iron, B-complex, calcium and Omega-3 intake.

The last two I can handle with flax oil, wakame powder and various calcium supplements.

Actually, I still think she could be getting more calcium if she'd drink milk, but she won't.

-- Jennifer Armstrong
Saratoga Springs, NY

Although I understand your concerns regarding your child’s nutrition, I believe she is doing just fine based on the eating patterns you describe above.

First of all, I am impressed that an 8 year old appreciates the taste of quinoa and tempeh – nutritious foods that many adults shun, or downright don't even know about.

Most people with children your age are concerned about the increasing consumption of Doritos, Oreos, and soda!

Alright, let's discuss the specific nutrients you inquired about.

As far as iron is concerned, there is no absolutely need to provide capsules.

An omnivorous 8 year old should get 10 milligrams of iron a day; since your daughter is vegan – and therefore consuming solely non-heme sources – I would place her requirement at 15 milligrams.

Note that between the ages of 9 and 12, this requirement will lessen to approximately 12 milligrams.

Considering the iron amounts in these vegan foods, you’ll see why iron pills are basically a waste of money:

Quinoa (1 cup): 6.2 milligrams
Soybeans (1/2 cup): 4 milligrams
Lentils (1/2 cup): 3.2 milligrams
Kidney beans, chickpeas, black eyed peas (1/2 cup): 2.5 milligrams (average)

And don’t forget enriched and fortified grains.

Half a cup of fortified oatmeal provides 6.5 milligrams of iron, and a cup of enriched cereal (say, Cheerios) provides 9 milligrams!

In terms of calcium, she currently needs 800 milligrams a day, but this will jump to 1,300 from age 9 to 18!

Again, though, no need for supplementation.

It does take more planning than an omnivorous diet, but it can be done.

Check out these values:

Calcium-fortified orange juice (1 cup): 300 milligrams
Soy yogurt (1 cup): 300 milligrams
Soymilk (1 cup): 300 milligrams
Tofu (4 oz.): 260 milligrams
Collard greens (1/2 cup): 175 mg
Almonds (1 oz): 80 mg

Although Vitamin B12 is often cited as an issue in vegan diets, fortification has made this former problem a lot easier to manage.

Many popular cereals are fortified with vitamin B12.

Let's go back to the Cheerios example -- 1 cup provides a third of a day’s needs.

A cup of some (fortified) soymilks, meanwhile, contains 40 percent of a day’s worth of B12!

Wakame – a kelp – is also a great source. It’s one of the few seaweeds that contains human-active B12 (as opposed to the analog type, which is useless in our bodies).

In the event that B12 needs can not be met through food, I do recommend supplementation. Make sure it is specifically a B12 supplement and not a multivitamin containing B12 (vitamin C, vitamin E, and iron can impede absorption).

Omega-3 fatty acids are the most difficult to get from a vegan diet, since walnuts and flaxseeds only contain alpha linoleic acid (they do not contribute EPA and DHA, the two essential fatty acids found in fish).

However, Omega-3 supplements made from algae are vegan and contain EPA and DHA!

While we're on the topic of supplementation, I think everyone -- carnivore, vegan, and everywhere in between -- should supplement their diet with vitamin D.

One last thing – don’t get discouraged by your daughter’s adverse reactions to new foods.

Research has determined that it takes approximately eight to ten tries for a new food to be accepted by a young child.

The key is slow integration.

For instance, let’s say your daughter enjoys baby carrots but the first time she tried celery she wasn’t too keen on it.

Rather than outright swap carrots for celery pieces overnight, throw in four or five chopped bits of celery next time you pack some baby carrots in her lunch box.

This subtle addition of a new flavor will be less intimidating to her and less of a shock to her palate.

Do this another five or six times. The results might surprise you!

Argentina: The Whole Grain Trap

Despite being on the other side of the Equator, Argentina shares some nutrition similarities with the United States.

I took this photo at supermarket chain Disco because, if anything, it shows that marketing to children -- and their parents -- is a global phenomenon.

The box you see on your right is for Nesquik cereal -- in essence, chocolate flavored corn puffs.

But wait, what does that huge sign at the bottom say? Translated to English:

"All Nestlé breakfast cereals now made with whole grains."

Note the "made with" whole grains (although whole wheat flour and oats are included, so is standard white flour).

Sugar is the second ingredient, by the way.

The nutrition label reveals that a 1-ounce (1 cup) serving provides:

114 calories
1.1 gram of fat
200 milligrams of sodium
1.5 grams of fiber
10.5 grams (2.5 teaspoons) of sugar
3 grams of protein

Is it absolute junk food? I wouldn't be so harsh.

What is very frustrating, though, is that the big hoopla about whole grains is nothing but a desperate marketing strategy aimed at parents.

You would think a food so boastful of its whole grain content would at least offer 3 grams of fiber per serving.

To put this into context, a cup of this cereal contains as much fiber as a mere half banana or half an orange.

By the way, the standard calculation for children's fiber needs is: child's age plus five.

So, a 10 year needs approximately 15 grams of fiber a day.

Starting the morning off with a cup of Nesquik cereal and half a cup of milk (regardless of its fat content) represents a mere ten percent of that child's daily requirement!

I am not calling for parents to ban these kinds of cereals from their cupboards.

I do, however, want them to recognize these as sweet treats, NOT healthy sources of fiber.

Today's Lunch: Cheerios, Greek Yogurt, and A Clif Nectar Bar

12:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

So my flight to the West Coast -- for what was originally some much-needed four day R&R -- is now delayed by five hours.

Well, when life hands you a lemon airplane (apparently some cables were loose, or so the pilot said), make blog lemonade!

A view of the Jet Blue terminal food court at John F. Kennedy airport reveals:

Papaya King (hot dogs and fries)
Create Your Own Salad (the only truly healthy option)
Carmella's Kitchen (lasagna and cheese-smothered pasta, in huge portions, of course)
Sky Asian Bistro (greasy lo mein under a heat lamp)
Mex and the City (cute name, greasy food)
Boar's Head (cold cuts, cold cuts, and more cold cuts)
Cheeburger & Cheeburger (you guessed it, a burger joint)

Adding to the unappetizing factor are all the horribly eighties neon signs.

Fair enough, I could go make my own salad if I am seeking a healthier option. Except I'm not craving a salad at the moment.

At least Cibo -- a small deli, if you will -- offers fruit and nut bars, fresh fruit, sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, and a particularly tasty tray of baby carrots, celery sticks, and broccoli florets.

Not surprisingly, these nutritious vegetables are accompanied by sodium and saturated fat-laden ranch dressing.

Alas, I did some mixing and matching and bought a small container of overpriced hummus to use as dip.

That was my mid-morning snack when the delay was only two hours.

Lunch time came and, considering my options, I purchased Greek yogurt, a bowl of Cheerios (yay soluble fiber!), and a Clif Nectar bar. The cost? $12.95! Way to encourage healthy eating.

Rant over.

UPDATE (6:46 PM, Pacific Coast Time): The second I typed that period at the end of my last sentence, the laptop I was using turned off (turns out the jack I was plugged into at the Jet Blue terminal wasn't working).

Anyhow, after a five hour delay, I arrived at my destination.

Jet Blue thanked everyone for their patience by providing free roundtrip tickets to every passenger and extra snacks during the flight.

Sodas, cookies, biscotti, Terra chips, and cheese snack mix were happily consumed by many.

I opted for a small bag of cashews from their selection, water, and my own stash of Flavor & Fiber bars.

Alas, the lesson here is -- next time you pack for a flight, remember to bring some healthy snacks on board. The airport sure isn't looking out for you!

You Ask, I Answer: Cereal

I have a cereal question for you.

I'm thinking about switching from Cheerios to Kashi Heart to Heart, but am wondering what's "best."

Basically, I can eat close to twice the amount of Cheerios for the same amount of calories in Heart to Heart.

I understand the fiber amount is different, but Heart to Heart also has more sugar.

If I'm doubling the serving of fiber in cheerios, that's pretty darn close to the single serving of Heart to Heart, right?

I'm thinking in terms of volume here… getting more bang for my buck...does this make sense? So what's the dealbreaker here?

Do you think it boils down to personal preference or is there an actual more healthful choice in this situation?

-- Ali
Hillsboro, OR

Your question demonstrates why food label comparisons are not always as equal as we might think.

If you look at the label on a box of Cheerios, you will read that one serving provides 75 calories, whereas one serving of Kashi Heart to Heart contains 110 calories.

“Easy,” you might think. "The Cheerios are way lower in calories than Heart to Heart."

Not so fast.

A serving of Cheerios (3/4 of a cup) weigh 0.7 ounces, whereas a serving of Kashi Heart to Heart (also ¾ of a cup) register as 1.2 ounces on the scale.

In other words, Heart to Heart is a denser cereal than Cheerios.

So, to truly determine how they compare, we need to look at what happens on an ounce by ounce basis.

Do that, and the results are quite different.

An ounce of Cheerios (1 cup) provides 100 calories, 2 grams of fat, 190 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, 100 milligrams of calcium (that’s 10 percent of a day’s worth before you pour any milk!), and 170 milligrams of potassium.

An ounce of Kashi Heart to Heart (approximately 3/5 of a cup) clocks in at 95 calories, 1.3 grams of fat, 77 milligrams of sodium, 4.3 grams of fiber, 4.3 grams of sugar, 0 milligrams of calcium, and 86.1 milligrams of potassium.

So, yes, you can eat “twice the amount” of Cheerios in terms of cups (a cup and a half of Cheerios adds up to 150 calories, while that same amount of Kashi Heart to Heart clocks in at 220 calories), but ounce by ounce, the difference is minimal.

Bottom line: if you like the taste of Cheerios, you’re not missing out on anything by sticking with them.

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing: Fruit Cereals & Snacks

Relying on conventional cereals and snacks to provide fruit to your diet? I'm afraid you might dealing with a case of mistaken identity.

Consider Kellogg's Berry Krispies -- a fruity spin on traditional Rice Krispies.

The packaging shows the three Rice Krispies cartoon characters juggling a variety of berries.

A large strawberry, blueberry, and blackberry are also prominently featured on the front of the box.

A glance at the ingredient list unveils a mystery, though -- where is the fruit?

"Rice, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, natural and artificial berry flavor, malt flavoring, red #40, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), iron, niacinamide, blue #1, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin, thiamin hydrochloride, vitamin A palmitate, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D."

So, in reality, you have artifically colored rice puffs with berry flavor sprinkled on them.

No berries -- or parts of any -- are included in this product.

Not surprisingly, a cup of Berry Krispies provides 0 grams of fiber.

General Mills' Berry Berry Kix doesn't fare much better.

The letter "i" in Kix is dotted with three different berries, and the package boasts: "No Artificial Preservatives! No Artificial Flavors!"

Be still, my heart.

Let's take a look at the ingredient list:

"Whole grain corn, sugar, corn meal, whole grain oats, corn starch, modified corn starch, canola oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup" along with food coloring, natural flavors, and a handful of vitamins and minerals.

In total? A measly gram of fiber per serving.

Combined with the feeble gram of protein and gram and a half of fat, this is one breakfast that will barely satiate you (and start your day off with quite a large load of Omega-6 fatty acids!)

Welch's fruit snacks advertise their "100% of the Vitamin C Daily Value per Serving" status on the product's packaging in all capital, colorful letters.

A wavy green banner reads: "Excellent Source of Vitamins A & E" If that wasn't enough, they are also "made with REAL FRUIT."

Who needs a banana or apple when you have these fruit snacks, right? Not quite.

Per the ingredient list:

"Juice from concentrates (grape, peach, pear, and pineapple), corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, fruit puree (grape, apple, strawberry, and raspberry), gelatin, citric acid, lactic acid, natural and artificial flavors, coconut oil, carnauba wax, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), [beta carotene (vitamin A), palmitate (vitamin A)], alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), red 40, blue 1, yellow 5 and sodium citrate."

So, essentially, sugar with added vitamins. The high levels of Vitamins A, C, and E are not the result of healthy ingredients, but fortification.

For all intents and purposes, you might as well be chasing your multivitamin with a tablespoon of sugar.

Fruit flavorings, colorings, and extracts are not substitutes for the real thing.

For the constant media hype I hear about the "difficulties of eating healthy,:" incorporating fruit into your day is actually quite easy.

Apples and bananas, for instance, are easily accessible, inexpensive, highly portable, and could not be further from the "acquired taste" category.

You do not need to consume expensive, exotic fruits from a Mongolian monk's Himalayan hut to be healthy. Just try to eat one piece of fruit, whichever one you want, every day.

Whole Grains Even An Amateur Will Love

Current statistics show that consumers in the United States eat 40 percent of their whole grains at the breakfast table.

A large majority of this figure can be attributed to popular cereals like regular Cheerios, Total, and Fiber One.

Although they offer their share of fiber (and millions of people like to start their day off with them), these cereals are often characterized as too bland by fiber-free eaters persuaded to switch to healthier breakfast foods.

Consequently, these people often revert to sugary, "made with whole grain" varieties that are basically sugar flakes with a pinch of whole wheat flour thrown in to justify a "Whole Grains!" boast on the front of the box.

I always think it's good to let you know of smaller companies who are putting out delicious and nutritious products, so while we are in the cereal realm, I thought I would let you know about Barbara's Bakery.

Their Shredded Line of cereals is composed of tasty -- and ultra crunchy, even after several minutes in milk -- whole grain cereals.

A 1 1/4 cup of Shredded Oats, for example, contains five grams of fiber, 230 milligrams of potassium, six grams of protein, and 2.5 grams of fat.

Thank the nutrition deities for a realistic serving size! Too many cereal brands try to pass off half a cup as a serving.

Tomorrow morning, measure out half a cup of cereal. Then laugh, as you realize that the average person eats at least an entire cup or breakfast.

Since the first two ingredients are whole grains -- whole oat flour and whole wheat flour -- one serving of Shredded Oats covers a whooping ninety percent of the daily recommended intake of whole grains.

I'm actually not big on packaged cereals, but, for the past several months, boxes of Shredded Oats have taken permanent residence in my cupboards.

In The News: New Nutrition Labels

Get ready for the Overall Nutritional Quality Index, coming to some supermarkets near you in 2008!

This new labeling system, developed by a panel of leading nutritionists (including Yale's Dr. David Katz, who I interviewed for this blog) scores foods from 1 to 100 (1 being absolute junk, 100 being perfection) based on several different factors.

I applaud the motives behind this initiative (helping consumers quickly identify healthy foods), but a few questions come to mind.

First -- does this address the issue at hand?

Most people know the basics -- that fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are healthy.

Similarly, I don't think anyone considers Doritos, Coke, Haagen Dazs, and Oreos to be staples of a nutritious diet. Whether they choose to ignore that and snack on Ruffles and Pepsi every day because "they taste good" is a separate topic.

I don't think too many people will be surprised to learn that raisins score higher than M&M's, or that Trix and Grapenuts are several numbers apart.

Are consumers not buying healthy foods due to a lack of knowledge on their behalf, or the vastly different marketing budgets of food companies? After all, Nabisco certainly has more money to throw around for a cookie advertising campaign than the Avocado Board.

Additionally, many healthy snack options are developed by smaller companies who are more concerned with getting their products on store shelves than on an American Idol commercial break.

Many people who would love the taste of a nutritious product like Lara bars have no idea they exist. No wonder -- when was the last time you saw a magazine or television ad for one?

My main hope is that this system stays far away from the glycemic index. After all, if you swear by that ranking, ice cream is a better choice than a potato!

I'm also curious to know how the issue of vitamins and minerals will be dealt with. Will a processed food like a Luna Bar injected with synthetic vitamins and minerals score just as high as an orange or apple (which, despite lacking added sugar or sodium, offer a lower variety of nutrients?)

I'm looking forward to seeing how ONQI resonates with the public. If anything, I love the discourse it will bring up, and I sincerely appreciate the desire to make shopping for healthy foods that much easier.

Special? I Beg To Differ

I am sure you've seen various weight loss promises proudly displayed on a number of cereal boxes at the supermarket.

Special K, for instance, advertises that you can lose six pounds in two weeks just by having it twice a day!

Mind you, healthy guidelines of weight loss call for approximately one to one and a half pounds per week (this assumes your weight loss is consistent and you don't hit any pleateaus, which are normal to encounter when losing a significant amount of weight)

In any case, a closer look at how Special K! (and other cereals) "helps you lose weight" reveals the following diet plan:

• Eat a serving of Kellogg's® Special K®, Special K® Red Berries, Special K® Vanilla Almond, Special K® Fruit & Yogurt or Special K® Low Carb Lifestyle Protein Plus cereal with 2/3 cup skim milk and fruit for two meals a day.

• Eat your third meal as you normally do.

• For snacks, choose from fresh fruits and vegetables or a Special K® Bar.

• Consume beverages as you normally do.

So, in essence, your breakfast and lunch each consist of roughly 300 calories. Considering that most people eat anywhere between 600 and 1,000 calories for lunch, the concept behind this "diet" is clearly the true and tested "eat less calories" method.

Even an 800 calorie dinner would give somebody eating Special K for breakfast and lunch a total calorie count of 1400. Those who choose to snack while on this plan are only having an additional 200 or so calories if they only consume the fresh fruits and vegetables that are allowed.

So, for someone on this diet who normally eats 2,400 calories a day, this is quite a caloric reduction!

The "consume beverages" as you normally do is confusing, since no real guidelines are given. If someone is drinking two twenty-ounce bottles of regular soda (hence drinking 500 calories a day), they are told to just continue doing so?

The concept of having a cup of cereal with milk and fruit for lunch is extreme and, in my opinion, unnecessarily restrictive and boring.

As I've mentioned before, if all you care about is calorie counting, you can lose weight with anything --even ice cream and pizza. However, since these two foods are highly caloric, it takes small amounts of them to reach your caloric goal.

Consider the following edxample. It would take you 15 ½ cups of tomatoes to eat 500 calories, whereas that same caloric amount can be found in ¾ cup of chocolate Haagen Dazs ice cream (that’s less than half the standard pint you buy at the supermarket!).

The key to successful and permanent weight loss is not about boring diet plans that ask you to eat a certain food at a given time, but rather in choosing foods that satisfy you and provide ample nutrition without adding on too many calories.

As Dr. Lisa Young recently told us, popcorn is a great snack for people she refers to as "volume eaters" (those who need to see a lot of food on their plate to feel satisfied). When air popped and eaten without butter, four cups of this whole grain only provide 125 calories!

Quick Tricks: Cutting Down on Sugar

The average adult in the United States downs between 20 and 25 teaspoons of added sugar a day, severely exceeding the recommended maximum of 10 teaspoons (40 grams).

Below, some tips to cut down on added sugar without sacrificing taste.

* When buying canned fruit, make sure it is packed in its own juices rather than an artificial, heavy syrup. Remember, fructose, the naturally-occurring sugar in fruit does not deserve the same concern as processed, refined sugar. You save: 8 grams/2 teaspoons of added sugar.

* Have regular Cheerios for breakfast and add your own dried fruits and nuts to it, rather than pouring a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. You save: 8 grams/2 teaspoons of added sugar per cup of cereal.

* Forego packaged salad dressings for homemade vinaigrettes (combine vinegar, the oil of your choice, and any spices and herbs that suit your mood). You save: 10 grams/2.5 teaspoons of added sugar).

* Instead of drinking a cup of Nesquik chocolate milk, mix 1 tablespoon of Hershey's chocolate syrup into a cup of skim milk. You save: 12 grams/3 teaspoons of added sugar.

* Add your own toppings (raising, nuts, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract) to plain oatmeal rather than purchasing flavored oatmeal packets. You save: 12 grams/3 teaspoons of added sugar.

* When craving chocolate, have a serving of one comprised of 85% cocoa, rather than milk chocolate. You save: 17 grams/4 teaspoons of added sugar.

* Buy plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit to it, rather than purchasing flavored yogurt. You save: 20 grams/5 teaspoons of added sugar.

* When looking to quench your thirst, have a glass of flavored seltzer rather than one of regular soda. You save: 32 grams/8 teaspoons of added sugar.

* In a rush and need a snack bar? Forget Zone bars (17 grams/4 teaspoons of added sugar), Power Bars (18 grams/4.5 teaspoons of added sugar), and Luna Bars (11 grams/3 teaspoons of added sugar). Instead, reach for Lara Bars or Clif Nectar Bars (most of which have 0 grams of added sugar, or at most, 2 or 3 grams -- less than 1 teaspoon!)

Remember, low sugar does not always mean low calorie! Always read food labels to determine how many calories you are getting. It is still possible to overeat without having too much sugar, but a lower intake is better for our overall health.