The Most Useless Part of a Food Label

Although food labels provide a significant amount of information that can help us compare the nutrient composition of different products, there is one part of these labels I pay absolutely no attention to -- and I suggest you do the same.

The "waste of space" culprit? "Calories from fat."

Not only is that figure useless, it also ends up confusing most consumers.

The only thing "calories from fat" tells you is how many of a given product's total calories per serving come from fat. Why does that matter?

This, by the way, is no secret formula. You can determine that yourself simply by multiplying the fat grams on a food label by 9 (remember, there are 9 calories in one gram of fat).

Similarly, to estimate the amount of calories from protein, multiply the grams of protein in a serving of a given product by 4.

My main issue with "calories from fat" is that it is clearly a remnant from the early 1990s "low-fat" craze.

Allow me to illustrate the inefficacy of "calories from fat."

A two-tablespoon serving of peanut butter, for example, contains 200 calories, of which 140 are from fat.

A bag of Skittles from a vending machine packs in 250 calories, of which 22.5 are from fat.

Do you see, then, how "calories from fat" is absolutely meaningless?

I say it's time to revise the food label. Drop 'calories from fat', differentiate between naturally-occurring and "added" sugars, and substitute Vitamin A (a mandatory micronutrient on food labels practically no one is deficient in) with a nutrient people should be more aware of, like potassium.

You Ask, I Answer: Egg Yolk

I heard somewhere that you should keep the yolk when eating eggs as you don't absorb the protein without it.

I know the yolk has the highest concentration of protein but I always assumed that egg whites are also a source of protein, albeit less than a whole egg.

Can you clarify?

-- Lori (last name withheld)
Ottawa, Ontario

Although egg yolks contain some protein (approximately 42% of an egg's total protein content), egg whites contain more.

Additionally, whereas egg yolks are a mix of protein and fat, egg whites are almost entirely made up of protein.

You do not need to eat egg yolk in order to absorb the protein in egg whites.

That is not to say the egg yolk is useless. It's a wonderful source of folate, vitamin A, choline, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.

You Ask, I Answer: Weston Price Organization

What do you know about the Weston Price Foundation?

-- Dennise O'Grady
Bay Head, NJ

Let's start with the positive -- they advocate for small farmers, and particularly strengthening farmer-to-consumer relationships.

Other than that, I view them as an extremist group that tends to border on silliness. That's their logo, by the way, which, they explain, illustrates Western societies' narrow-mindedness towards food.

An odd choice, since the "narrow vision" includes everything from Houston to Peruvian highlands to the Caribbean. Meanwhile, a lot of the nations in the "wide" circles have just as many problems with obesity, diabetes, and junk food consumption as the United States. I don't get it.

Their core belief? Full-fat raw dairy, butter, red meat, and soaked grains are the answer to a healthy life, while plant-based diets are the root of all health problems.

I'll let their writing speak for itself.

Exhibit A:

"According to an article in the Washington Post ("Don't have a cow, Mom," October 31, 2006) vegetarianism among teenagers is increasing. Vegetarian families eat a more varied diet, we are told, which includes such yummies as rutabaga and tofu. Not to worry, Mom, says the American Dietetic Association, ". . . a well-planned all-veggie diet for children and adolescents can be nutritionally sound. . . " as long as teens consume soy beverages and cereals fortified with vitamin D and B12. The dietitians claim teens can get adequate calcium, iron, zinc and protein from vegetables, grains, fruit, and, of course, soy foods. No mention is made of vitamin A, so necessary for reproductive health, nor of the downside of all those soy foods. So, don't have a cow, Mom. Just don't expect to have any grandchildren."

Gee,I must have missed all the headlines about vegetarian women being physically incapable of having children!

I have so many problems with that paragraph I don't even know where to begin.

First of all, vegetarianism does not necessarily translate into a high consumption of soy foods.

Additionally, the term "soy foods" is too broad. Adding nutrient-packed soy foods like tempeh or tofu to a dish is very different from eating two bags of processed soy chips every day.

As for vitamin A: we know that 12 micrograms of beta-carotene equal 1 microgram of Vitamin A. We also know that women need 700 micrograms of vitamin A a day.

Let's do some math. A half cup of cooked sweet potato provides approximately 7,000 micrograms of beta carotene, which translates into roughly 580 micrograms of vitamin A (more than three quarters of a day's worth!)

If this women were to then eat some carrots, an orange, an egg, some vitamin A-fortified milk, or a grapefruit that same day, they would easily meet their vitamin A requirement. So, what is the problem?

Exhibit B:

"George Rene Francis of Sacramento, who turned 110 this year, enjoys "tons of milk, tons of eggs, lard on bread and salt pork sandwiches." He avoids visits to the doctor but smokes cigars. He credits his virility to a combination of fresh camel's milk, daily walks and plenty of meat—rabbit, lamb, chicken and wild animals, which he still hunts himself (www.telegraph.co.uk, August 24, 2007)."

This is what you call bad science. No, make that horrendous science. Using an anomaly as proof of something is ludicruous. It's akin to a tobacco company using this news item to show that, hey, smoking is harmless!

Exhibit C:

"Today's dietary gurus tell us that we must eat vegetables and fruit to obtain vitamins and minerals. Per Magnuson, an astute member from Sweden, points out that fruits and vegetables cannot compare in nutrient levels with animal foods, especially nutrient-dense animal foods like liver. Here's what we came up with as a way of assessing the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables versus meat and liver. Note that every nutrient in red meat except for vitamin C surpasses those in apples and carrots, and every nutrient-including vitamin C-in beef liver occurs in exceedingly higher levels in beef liver compared to apple and carrots."

What a riot! How can someone in the nutrition field expect to be taken seriously when they don't take into account phytonutrients (which, by mere definition, are only available in plant foods)?

Good luck getting fiber from liver, too.

I also can't comprehend how so-called "experts" don't mention that one of the causes of hypervitaminosis A (vitamin A toxicity) is frequent consumption of liver!

Exhibit D:

"According to government and media health pundits, the top best 14 foods are:

1. Beans
2. Blueberries
3. Broccoli
4. Oats
5. Oranges
6. Pumpkin
7. Salmon
8. Soy
9. Spinach
10. Tea (green or black)
11. Tomatoes
12. Turkey
13. Walnuts
14. Yogurt
    

This uninspiring list reflects the current establishment angels (anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids) and demons (saturated fats and animal foods).

Our list of the 14 best top foods, foods that supply vital nutrients including the fat-soluble vitamins, looks like this:

1. Butter from grass-fed cows (preferably raw)
2. Oysters
3. Liver from grass-fed animals
4. Eggs from grass-fed hens
5. Cod liver oil
6. Fish eggs
7. Whole raw milk from grass-fed cows
8. Bone broth
9. Shrimp
10. Wild salmon
11. Whole yogurt or kefir
12. Beef from grass-fed steers
13. Sauerkraut
14. Organic Beets

A diet containing only these foods will confer lifelong good health; a diet containing only the foods in the first list is the fast track to nutritional deficiencies."

Except that no one is saying people should limit themselves to the first fourteen items; rather, the recommendation is to include as many of them in your diet as you can. Making an argument based on erroneous pretenses is futile.

And what is up with the feeble "uninspiring list" diss? If anything, the first list has more variety and color than Weston A Price's!

Besides, does anyone really believe that a diet rich in tea, fruits, and vegetables causes nutritional deficiencies?

And where did the list attributed to "government and media pundits" come from? That list is not nutrition dogma by any means; any dietitian will tell you that you can be perfectly healthy without ever eating a tomato or a pumpkin as long as your overall diet patterns are healthy.

Again, illogical conclusions based on bad science.

I rest my case.

UPDATE: Since this post went up, I have received many comments on other (non-related) postings from "anonymous" sources who, ever-so-coincidentally, suggest I take a look at the Weston Price Organization's website for the "truth."

Say What?: JELL-O With Antioxidants

Behold JELL-O's latest creation: sugar-free, vitamin fortified gelatin snack packs.

Relying on trendy fruit flavors (raspberry-goji berry and strawberry-acai berry), this new product contains 10% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of two antioxidants: vitamin A and vitamin E.

Since these two vitamins are simply tacked on (and not naturally contained in an ingredient), you might as well be eating regular JELL-O and chasing it down with a multivitamin.

More importantly, vitamin A and vitamin E are fat-soluble, meaning they need to be consumed with some fat in order to be absorbed in the small intestine.

Their presence in a fat-free product like Jell-O completely boggles my mind.

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Vegan Sweet Potato Mash

Here’s a super quick, tasty, and healthy recipe perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!

I made this last year for my guests and it received wonderful reviews.

YIELDS: 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 medium sweet potatoes
½ cup orange juice (ideally freshly squeezed from two whole oranges; if not, a brand like Tropicana will work just fine)
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse sweet potatoes and cut into medium to large cubes. Leave the skins on!

Steam until soft (approximately 30 – 40 minutes. You can also boil them, but steaming retains more nutrients)

Transfer steamed sweet potatoes to a medium bowl and mash with fork.

In a pot over medium heat, mix together the sweet potato mash with the orange juice, salt, and spices.

Once well mixed, transfer to bowl, top with extra virgin olive oil.

Mix lightly with spatula. Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving):

190 calories
1.4 grams saturated fat
273 milligrams sodium
3 grams fiber

Excellent source of: Vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, potassium, monounsaturated fat

You Ask, I Answer: Ostrich Eggs

Do ostrich eggs offer the same nutrients as eggs laid by hens?

-- Joelle Numberg
(city withheld), AZ

Let me guess -- this question was inspired by this week's Top Chef episode?

For those of you who don't watch that wonderful Bravo reality show, contestants were asked to reinvent classic American dishes, and one not-too-methodical participant decided to make a quiche with ostrich eggs despite never having cooked with them.

This move led to her elimination at the end of the episode.

So, apart from destroying reality show contestants' runs, what else do ostrich eggs offer?

The main selling point is that they are significantly lower in cholesterol -- and a bit lower in saturated fat -- than their chicken counterparts.

Keep in mind that one ostrich egg is equal to two dozen of the chicken variety, so you must always remember to divide.

The 2,000 calories contained on a single ostrich egg isn't at all outrageous when you divide by 24 and get 83 calories -- a mere six more calories than your standard chicken egg.

Vitamin and mineral composition is nearly identical, although ostrich eggs offer lower levels of vitamin A and slightly more magnesium.

You Ask, I Answer: Pickling

I know most pickles have a high sodium content, but I'm wondering if the vinegar and processing destroys the nutrients in the veggies.

I know cucumbers don't have a whole lot going for them, but pickled green beans are yummy.

Do they have the same nutrients as unpickled green beans?

-- Jennifer Armstrong
Via the blog

This question doesn't have a clear cut answer.

Although storing vegetables in a jar of vinegar results in some nutrient losses, the amount actually lost is dependent on how long the vegetables sit in the pickling solution for.

The first nutrients to go are the water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the B complex).

However, unless these green beans are sitting in the solution for months, you are still getting a percentage of those vitamins.

The fat soluble vitamins (in green beans' case, K and A) remain untouched, as do the present minerals (phosphorus, potassium, manganese) and fiber.

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Vegan Spinach-Walnut Pesto

Here is a different spin on traditional pesto I often whip up at home.

It omits cheese (you're welcome, vegan and lactose intolerant readers), replaces pinenuts with walnuts for an Omega-3 boost, and adds some spinach for extra nutrition.

YIELDS: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 garlic cloves, whole
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/3 cup raw walnuts
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably coarse sea salt)
Pepper, to taste
1 cup water (from pasta pot)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place whole garlic cloves in food processor. Pulse until diced.
2. Place rest of ingredients (except water) in food processor.
3. Pulse; add water and pulse again.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (per serving)

220 calories
1.5 grams saturated fat
14 grams monounsaturated (heart healthy) fat
190 milligrams sodium
4.5 grams fiber
7 grams protein
350 milligrams ALA Omega-3 fatty acids

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B vitamins

Good Source of: Vitamin C, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber

Although you can obviously drizzle this over some pasta (preferrably whole wheat; be sure to include roasted red peppers for a wonderful complementary taste), I also recommend using it as a topping for seitan, tofu, or grilled chicken.

Numbers Game: Answer

One medium sweet potato offers 37 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement and 438 percent of the daily vitamin A requirement.

This very well exemplifies why I don't think everyone needs to be downing multivitamins every single day. Foods offer vitamins and minerals in plentiful amounts!

This single food (in its mere 105-calorie package which also packs 4 grams of fiber) contains not only the above mentioned nutrients, but also a fair share of manganese (28%), copper (16%), potassium (15%), vitamin B6 (9%), and magnesium (8%).

Part of the problem with the overly broad protein/fat/carbohydrate categorizing of foods so prevalent in the media is that nutrients get overlooked.

Ask a random person on the street to name three popular diets and they'll quickly spit them out. Then inquire if they can name 3 sources of vitamin C (other than oranges) and you'll probably be met with an "Ummm..." and an answer ending with a question mark, rather than a period.

It also doesn't help that multivitamin companies have convinced millions of people that they are either deficient in many nutrients or don't need to worry about them as long as they pop that pill.

Numbers Game: A Sweet Deal

One medium sweet potato offers ______ percent of the daily vitamin C requirement and ___ percent of the daily vitamin A requirement.

a) 25, 110
b) 72, 204
c) 37, 438
d) 20, 98

Leave your guess in the "comments" section and come back on Tuesday for the answer!

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Light & Crunchy Salad

I made up this recipe last night based on ingredients I came across in my refrigerator and pantry.

The result -- a perfect summer salad chock full of taste and nutrition.

It makes for a great barbecue side dish!

The following recipe serves 4:

SALAD INGREDIENTS

8 cups mesclun mix
1 avocado, sliced
1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (preferably low-sodium)
½ cup red onions, diced
1 cup red pepper, diced
1 cup green pepper, diced
¼ cilantro, chiffoned

DRESSING (Lemon Oregano Vinaigrette) INGREDIENTS:

4TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1.5 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP oregano
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix salad ingredients in large bowl.
Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
Toss.
Enjoy!

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

363 calories
25 grams fat (19 grams monounsaturated, 1.5 grams saturated, 4.5 grams polyunsaturated)
200 milligrams sodium
12 grams fiber
8 grams protein

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, iron, fiber, folate vitamin B6, manganese

Good Source of: potassium, phosphorus, magnesium

You Ask, I Answer: V8

Does a glass of V8 truly count as a serving of vegetables?

-- Greg M.
Los Angeles, CA

An 8-ounce glass of V8 -- a blend of tomatoes, carrots, celery, beets, pasley, lettuce, watercress, and spinach -- actually counts as two vegetable servings.

Well, at least technically it does.

If it comes down to having a V8 versus no vegetables at all, I would definitely suggest the V8.

However, I have a few issues with replacing actual vegetables with this beverage.

Firstly, the sodium content in standard V8 is moderately high -- 480 milligrams (approximately 25% of a day's worth) per 8 ounce glass.

The accompanying 480 milligrams of potassium -- one of two key nutrients in regulating blood pressure -- serves as some consolation, though.

My real concern with this drink comes from the absence of fat, which impairs the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and some antioxidants (i.e.: lycopene).

This can easily be remedied by accompanying your V8 with some fat, like a handful of nuts or a salad with avocado slices.

V8 also does not provide as much fiber -- or as many phytonutrients -- as actual vegetables.

It's a very middle of the road product, in my opinion. Nothing fantastic, but also not a heinous creation.

The Cleanse That Makes No Sense

I have recently come across a number of people asking me about -- or telling me they were on -- the Master Cleanse/Lemonade Diet, so I figured, "why not blog about it?"

If you thought I was put off by proponents of food combining, you ain't seen nothing yet.

It all begins with The Master Cleanser, published in 1976 by Stanley Burroughs, which should appear in the dictionary next to the word "hogwash".

Make that unhealthy hogwash.

It simply consists of consuming nothing but an atrocious-sounding concoction of freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup (oh, I’m sorry, Grade B maple syrup) and cayenne pepper six to twelve times a day for at least ten days.

That’s right, the real hardcore cleansers are on this for up to 40 days!

Oh, I forgot to mention that sometimes “laxative teas” are recommended, as is starting your morning off with a 32 ounce glass of lukewarm water with sea salt in it.

Yum! What a wonderful event to look forward as you drift off to Slumber Land each night.

Forget “Master Cleanse,” the real name should be “The Masochist Cleanse.”

Seriously, why anyone would willingly drink this blows my mind.

In any case, proponents claims that this is the only way for your body to "detox" by releasing toxins stored in fat cells.

The cleanse, they say, and particularly the cayenne pepper, "physically loosens" the impacted toxins in your colon that have been stuck to your intestinal walls for weeks, months, even years!

Gasp! Shock! Eyeroll.

Clearly, the proponents have never read about that wonderful machine known as the human body.

After all, the kidneys and liver are the main detoxifying organs.

The kidneys are responsible for the production of urine, which is basically the lump sum of all the waste and leftover junk from metabolic processes.

There is no need to do any further detoxing.

If anything, the best way to keep everything moving through your body is by consuming sufficient amounts of fiber and staying hydrated.

This is, in essence, a very low calorie (and very disgusting tasting) die that adds up to roughly 1,000 calories a day.

Proponents claim these three ingredients provide all the nutritional requirements.

Really? The three ingredients offer no protein, monounsaturated fats, Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6 fatty acids, fiber, folate, B6, or B12, approximately two percent of the daily value of vitamins A, E, and K, and a measly quarter of a day's worth of potassium, iron, and calcium.

The only nutrient obtained at or above the daily requirement is manganese.

Like with all other very low calorie diets, you can expect to gain the weight back when you begin ingesting solid food and consuming more than 1,000 calories.

File this one under "unhealthy liquid fasts that should be banished from mainstream culture."

Celebrity Diet Secrets: Padma Lakshmi

Supermodel and Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi tells Us Weekly that one of her beauty secrets is drinking three liters of water every day to maintain her perfect skin.

"I pee a lot," she comments.

That's an understatement!

The "drink lots of water for your skin" myth is just as prevalent as the "drink eight glasses of water every day" one.

For some reason, celebrity and beauty magazines fully embrace it.

I suppose it provides Hollywood's glitterati a "beauty tip" to always fall back on when the question comes up.

Because, really, saying "kickass genes, expensive chemical peels, killer airbrushing, and a stylist at my beckon call" wouldn't sit well with readers.

Anyhow, allow me to explain why chugging water all day will not do much for your skin.

Hydration levels of our skin are largely determined by the sebaceous glands, located on the dermis (the layer of skin right underneath the one visible to the eye).

These glands are responsible for producing sebum, an oily, waxy-ish substance that helps protect water in our skin from evaporating.

Not surprisingly, insufficient natural lubrication is one of the main causes of dry skin.

External factors -- harsh temperatures, air conditioning, heat (especially in winter months when we are cooped up indoors), exposure to the sun, showering too often, and soaps made with strong chemicals -- decrease sebum production, as does aging.

From a nutritional standpoint, significant deficiencies in Vitamin A are associated with dry skin.

Drinking excessive amounts of water, however, is useless, as it will not penetrate the epidermis (the topmost layer of the skin), which is in need of excess hydration.

Let me be clear here. Getting enough hydration is definitely important, but this can be from variety of fluids as well as water naturally found in foods.

There is no need to chug down three extra liters of water every day.

The best thing you can do for you skin is apply moisturizer on a daily basis, especially right after a shower (this helps lock in moisture).

During winter months, humidifiers are also helpful in preventing overly dry indoor environment.

Although a great beverage -- and essential nutrient -- water is not a drinkable skin miracle potion.

You Ask, I Answer: Vitamin A

I know this is going to sound weird, but I kind of have an aversion when it comes to eating anything orange or red.

Even if it's supposed to be red (like a tomato), I still get freaked out.

Does this mean I'm not eating Vitamin A?

Paula (last name withheld)
St. Louis, MO

I'm sorry to hear about your aversion, especially since you're missing out on delicious foods like watermelon, strawberries, red peppers, and raspberries!

The good news is, your vitamin A intake is not affected, since green vegetables are also a good source.

Half a cup of cooked broccoli provides 24 percent of the daily requirement, a half cup of cooked peas will give you 34 percent, half a cup of cooked kale contains an excellent 177 percent, and a half cup of spinach packs a mighty 229 percent!

Dairy items also contain vitamin A, although in lower amounts.

A cup of milk fortified with vitamin A contains ten percent of the daily requirement, an ounce of mozarella cheese provides a mere three percent, and an egg contributes approximately seven percent of the daily requirement to your diet.

The most concentrated source of vitamin A is animal liver. A mere ounce (53 calories' worth) of beef liver holds 178 percent of a day's worth!

You Ask, I Answer: Carrots

How many carrots do you have to eat before your skin turns orange?

Or is this an old myth?

-- Anonymous
Via the blog

Although countless myths surround food and nutrition, it is indeed true that eating too many carrots will turn your skin temporarily yellow or orange.

Remember, betacarotene (the plant form of Vitamin A) is fat-soluble, meaning it is stored in adipose tissue (fat cells).

Our bodies can only store a given amount at a time. Unlike with a water-soluble vitamin (like C or B6) excess amounts of Vitamin A are not quickly eliminated in urine. Instead, they are contained in the body and begin to affect our pigmentation.

There is actually a term for this condition – carotenaemia.

So just how many carrots do you need to eat in order for color changes to take place.

Consider this.

The Recommended Daily Intake is set at 5,000 International Units. A cup of sliced carrots provides approximately 30,000 International Units!

This is not to say that having a cup of steamed carrots with dinner once a week is cause for concern.

However, a cup of carrots every day for several weeks will definitely result in an orange tint to your skin color.

You Ask, I Answer: Olestra

This situation is a little awkward but: I ate the Lay's light chips (the ones cooked with olestra) and [they] produced some rather unfortunate side effects the next morning, as you can imagine.

I checked but there was no warning on the packaging. How come they don't warn about the side effects of Olestra?

-- Bubbles (via the blog)

Welcome to nutrition politics! I'm getting ahead of myself, though.

Let's begin with some general information.

Olestra -- a calorie-free fat-substitute made by linking fatty acid chains to sucrose molecules -- was developed in 1996 by multinational consumer goods giant Proctor & Gamble.

I am sure many of you remember the popularity of "WOW!" chips in the late 90s. Those were fat-free thanks to the inclusion of Olestra.

At the time, two things stood out to people who read the nutrition label and ingredient list. First, vitamins A, D, E, and K were added into the product.

A "healthier" potato chip? No. Since Olestra inhibits the absorption of these vitamins, it was decided to fortify such fat-free products with them.

However, the statement following the ingredient list caught most people's attention: "Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools." Yum!

Why is this? Olestra travels through our bodies completely undigested. In turn, even not-so-large quantities result in less than pleasurable side effects.

Alas, time went on and the Food & Drug Administration received over 20,000 formal complaints from consumers. The overwhelming majority revolved around the consumption of Wow! chips and painful -- sometimes painfully embarrassing -- side effects.

This made Olestra the food additive with the most complaints in the history of the FDA.

Interestingly enough, Wow! chips were soon replaced by "light" varieties of popular snacks. The perfect marketing trick, if you ask me -- offer a product with a tarnished reputation under a different name.

Remember, this is Proctor & Gamble we are talking about here. A lot of money -- and corporate interest -- is at stake.

I should also mention that Proctor & Gamble is known for its overly generous contributions to the Republican Party. This nugget of information will come in handy in a about two seconds.

Fast-forward to October of 2003 when, magically, during a Republican presidency, the FDA announced that products containing Olestra no longer need to list warnings on their packages.

Their reasoning? The reported gastrointestinal side effects were "mild and rare."

In fact, one of their main arguments was that abdominal cramps and diarrhea are common, and Olestra was just getting a bad reputation.

I don't think Olestra is worth all the trouble. If you are looking for a lower fat conventional potato chip, try Baked chips (I personally think Baked Lay's taste like salted cardboard, but the new Kettle Baked Chips are tasty), which contain 85% less fat than their regular relatives and absolutely no Olestra.

You Ask, I Answer: Fiber

Can you get too much fiber in a day? I ask because I usually add fibrous brans (both oat and wheat bran) in my food, and some days I end up with 60 or 70 grams of fiber. Is this healthy?
-- Anonymous (per the writer's request)

Fiber is a very important nutrient that, unfortunately, many people in the United States are severely lacking in their diets.

Soluble fiber -- the type found in oatmeal -- is a great cholesterol reducer and satiey contributor, while insoluble fiber -- contained in whole wheat products -- helps eliminate toxins out of our body quicky and softens stools.

Fruits, vegetables, and legumes contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

The problems associated with diets low in fiber are well documented, but is there such a thing as too much fiber? There can be.

If you're consuming 2,000 calories a day, you should aim for approximately 35 grams of fiber a day. Eating 1,500 calories? 25 grams should be your goal.

There are some things to keep in mind when it comes to fiber consumption.

First of all, if you are experiencing gastrointestinal distress (i.e.: bloating, diarrhea, or stomach pains) when consuming high amounts, your body is indicating you've passed its fiber threshold.

People who normally do not consume a lot of fiber need to increase their intake slowly (and make sure to stay hydrated while doing so), to not suffer from these symptoms. Going from 10 to 30 grams a day over a 24 hour period is not something your stomach will appreciate.

The biggest concern accompanying a high fiber intake (particularly insoluble fiber) is intereference with the absorption of certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and minerals (zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium).

Large amounts of insoluble fiber flush vitamins and minerals out of our system before they've truly had a chance to be fully absorbed by the body.

I would try to aim for no more than 50 grams of fiber a day. Although this might seem like a very high figure to some, many vegetarians often have a hard time not surpassing their fiber requirement, especially those who substitute meats with nuts, seeds, and legumes.

If you are consistently eating more than 50 grams a day, I would recommend getting some bloodwork done and seeing if there are any vitamins or mineral deficiencies worth looking into.

For more information on fiber, be sure to check out the first issue of the Small Bites newsletter!

You Ask, I Answer: Multivitamins

What is your response to Dr. Willett, who suggests a multi-vitamin as an inexpensive form of insurance in his book Eat Drink & Be Healthy? My understanding is that a multi-vitamin is a good idea regardless of diet since aside from providing the daily minimum amounts of vitamins it also provides certain things like minerals which even for a smart eater can sometimes be overlooked?

-- Guy Betterbid
New York, NY

For those of you who don't know, Dr. Walter Willett is a professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard's School of Public Health as well as Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

A renowned medical researcher, Dr. Willett is perhaps most famous for his revised dietary pyramid, which places exercise and weight management at the base, plant oils and whole grains on the second level, and red meat, butter, and refined grains as neighbors at the tip.

Along the side, Willett borrows from the Mediterranean food pyramid by including alcohol (in moderation) but then adds his own touch by including multi-vitamin supplements.

I'm not quite as gung-ho as Dr. Willett on the thought of people popping a Centrum once a day.

First off, there is so much fortification in today's food that getting most vitamins and minerals is not too difficult. Even the sweetest and least nutritious of children's cereals provides 100% of many of these nutrients.

On top of that, we have beverages -- such as Vitamin Water and even Diet Coke Plus -- as well as "energy bars" that also throw in a day's worth of vitamins and minerals.

It's crucial to realize that it does not take extreme amounts of food to get a daily supply of certain vitamins and minerals. As I recently posted, just half a cup of red peppers provides 100% of our vitamin C needs.

Meanwhile, half a cup of baby carrots provides 300% of our vitamin A requirements, one cup of raw spinach packs in 181% of the Vitamin K we need each day, and a sandwich made with two slices of whole wheat bread contains 60% of our daily manganese needs.

It is true that the recommended intakes for minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium are only achieved by having a combination of foods rich in them.

That being said, I believe it is important to recommend people get as much of their vitamins and minerals from real food as possible.

When you eat a carrot, you aren't just getting Vitamin A. You are also getting fiber, phytonutrients, carotenoids, and antioxidants that are not available in pill form.

Additionally, increasing dietary potassium often correlates with a reduction in sodium intake. That's two birds killed with one stone if vitamin and mineral consumption is first tackled via diet.

I also believe that relying on supplements tends to give people false security, thinking that popping a multi-vitamin in the morning is a free pass for going through the rest of the day without paying attention to the food they are eating.

I think it is much wiser to take a look at what vitamins and minerals one tends to be deficient in and then tackle that problem specifically (ideally by altering one's diet first).

Vitamin D is not readily available in many foods (and most people in the world do not get enough from the sun during winter months), so I do not see anything wrong with supplementation. I also think calcium supplementation is important if the diet does not provide sufficient coverage.

Additionally, people on restricted diets often need to supplement their diets appropriately (i.e.: vegans and vitamin B12).

While we're at it, I would like to clarify that vitamins do NOT provide energy. Calories provide energy. Vitamins do not contain calories.

Yes, the B vitamins are necessary for energy pathways to work properly, but they do not give a boost of energy in and of themselves.

Back to the original question: people eating balanced diets do not need to pop a multi-vitamin every day.

They are better off seeing what nutrients they are actually deficient of, see if they can get them by altering their diet, and, if that's not possible, look to supplement that specific vitamin or mineral by means of a pill.

All-Star of the Day: Goji Berry

After hundreds of years as a Tibetan superstar, the goji berry is being rediscovered on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Tasting like the lovechild of a raisin and a dried cranberry, the Tibetan goji berry – a member of the same plant as tomatoes and potatoes -- boasts a wealth of antioxidants and nutrients.

For instance, a quarter cup of this wonder fruit provides:

90 calories

4 grams of fiber

4 grams of protein

180% Vitamin A

30% Vitamin C

9% calcium

15% iron

Wow!

Make sure you buy shade-dried goji berries. The sun-dried variety, while still healthy, offers a lower amount of nutrients.

Apart from containing several carotenoids (the same antioxidants found in carrots and winter squash), recent studies in Japan concluded that goji berries contain antioxidants that help inhibit the division of cancer cells.

Additionally, a 1994 study published in the Chinese Journal of Oncology found that the addition of goji berries to the diet of cancer patients was linked to better response to treatment.

As healthy as these berries are, some goji berry extract manufacturers are overzealous in their advertising and claim consumption of this fruit is basically the equivalent to drinking a liter of water from the fountain of youth. Proponents also claim goji berries cure a variety of illnesses, which is plain old false advertising.

Remember that eating the actual food delivers more benefits than an extract. Since supplements are not regulated, they could potentially not contain any of what is advertised on the label.

It is also worth nothing that as healthy as goji berries are, their benefits are best seen in diets already rich in whole, natural foods. Munching on a quarter cup of goji berries a day and then eating pizza, ice cream, potato chips, and soda will pretty much cancel their effect.