More and more consumers are aware of the relationship between diet and health and are interested in learning more about foods that can promote health. With this is mind, it is important that consumers understand how to put nutrition information into practice.
Where better to practice nutrition knowledge than the grocery store! Even the most saavy shoppers can discover something new when it comes to shopping for foods that promote health. Nutrition communicators can assist shoppers by applying the latest nutrition science to everyday tasks, such as grocery shopping.
Fortunately, there are tools all over the grocery store to direct consumers to make healthful food choices. In-store nutrition staff and pamphlets are two resources consumers can be directed to. They can also consult food packages for Food and Drug Administration regulated nutrition information including the Nutrition Facts panel, claims about the nutrient content of foods, and claims related to how that food might be beneficial in reducing risk of disease or promoting health.
The Produce Department—A Cornucopia of Healthful Components
Fruits and vegetables are especially praised for being chock-full of an array of plant components that contribute to good health including vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients, not to mention their high levels of antioxidants, which defend against damaging free radicals that occur in the body. Free radicals are linked to diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, immune dysfunction, cataracts and macular degeneration.
Some common antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are beta-carotene (which the body also converts to vitamin A) in carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato and cantaloupe; vitamin C in strawberries, guava, sweet red or green pepper, kiwi, and citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes; sulforaphane and dithiolthiones in cabbage and its cousins cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and kale; sulfides in garlic, onions, and leeks, and many different flavonoids in berries, cherries, grapes, cranberries, apples, onions, and more. The tongue-twisting antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, may contribute to maintenance of healthy vision. Look for them in kale, collard greens, spinach, corn, and citrus fruits.
- Shopping tip: Eggs are also an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin.
The antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, and red or pink grapefruit may help keep the prostate healthy and may also contribute to heart health.
- Shopping tip: Processed tomato products such as canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and ketchup are more bioavailable and concentrated sources of lycopene.
The mineral potassium, which may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke as part of a low-sodium diet, is plentiful in orange and grapefruit juice, bananas and potatoes. Potassium chloride, a salt replacement, is another option for those looking to increase potassium intake. Look for it in the spice and baking aisle. Spinach, nuts, soy, pumpkin, beans, and squash all contain magnesium, which helps maintain normal muscle, immune, and nerve function, and also contributes to bone health.
Consumers can be adventurous and discover other aisles of the grocery store where they may find a variety of foods that are full of healthful components. For instance, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are also great choices because they are picked, packed, frozen, or canned at peak of ripeness, when antioxidant and nutrient content are also at their peak.
Great Grains: The Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Aisles
Here’s where you can find whole grains, which may reduce risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and may even help with weight management.
How? A whole host of components in whole grains work together to provide protection. These include fiber, vitamins, minerals, beneficial enzyme inhibitors, and hundreds of phytonutrients, such as phytoestrogens, antioxidants, and polyphenols.
To reap the benefits, consumers should try for at least three daily servings of whole grains such as oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereals, and breads containing whole grains (look for the phrase “whole grain” or “whole” before the grain’s name), brown rice, barley, popcorn, pasta, crackers, and couscous, wild rice, buckwheat, triticale, bulgur, millet, quinoa, and amaranth.
Fiber is found both in whole grains and in certain enriched grain-based foods. A special type of soluble fiber called beta glucan, found in oatmeal and barley, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by binding cholesterol in the gut and transporting it out of the body. Insoluble fiber found in wheat bran and corn bran, and in some cereals and breads may contribute to a healthy digestive tract and reduce risk of certain cancers.
- Shopping tip: Fruits and vegetables also contain a mix of soluble and insoluble fibers. Legumes like lentils and kidney beans are especially rich in soluble fiber and can be found with dried and canned foods.
Many grain foods are fortified with folate (called folic acid on the label), which may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect. Folate, when consumed with a diet rich in other B-vitamins, may also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Shopping tip: Folate is also found in legumes such as beans, peas, soybeans and lentils, as well as citrus fruits and juices, spinach, and peanuts.
The Case for Dairy and Calcium-Fortified Soy Milk
Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are well-known as exceptional sources of calcium, needed for strong bones and to reduce risk of osteoporosis. Vitamin D, found in fortified milk and some yogurts and cheese, helps the body absorb calcium for strong bones. Emerging research on vitamin D shows that it may also play a role in promoting immune function as well as reducing risk of certain cancers, and improving balance in the elderly.
Shopping tip: Calcium and vitamin D are also added to some cereals and juices.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that may improve gastrointestinal health and immunity by increasing the population of friendly bacteria in the digestive tract. Examples are certain strains of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Look for these specific strains of probiotic bacteria in certain fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir (a tangy milk drink). Probiotics are also becoming available in shelf-stable foods.
- Shopping tip: Prebiotics are non-digestible food components that help beneficial probiotics multiply in the intestine, so pair them up to maximize effectiveness. Foods with prebiotics include certain whole grains such as oatmeal and barley, bananas, berries, onions, garlic, leeks, artichokes, greens like spinach and kale, legumes and honey.
Soy milk—plain or flavored—contains the same amount of calcium as an equivalent glass of milk. Research shows that soy protein may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Shopping tip: Soy-based foods are found all over the store. Scan the shelves for soy nuts, soy butter and soy-containing drink powders, and the refrigerated section for tofu and tempeh. Check the freezer and refrigerator cases for meat alternatives such as soy burgers, hot dogs, and sausage, and for bags of edamame (eh-dah-MAH-meh)—green soybeans sold shelled or in the pod.
The Meat & Seafood Shoppe
Protein-packed meats, poultry, and fish provide an assortment of B-vitamins that may help regulate metabolism, support cell growth and contribute to healthy immune function. Red meat and fish contain the antioxidant mineral, selenium, too. Researchers are studying conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid in beef, lamb and dairy products, for its possible role in helping to maintain desirable body composition and healthy immune function.
Salmon, sardines, herring, trout, and tuna are terrific sources of the omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), types of polyunsaturated fats shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Shopping tip: Walnuts, flaxseed, and canola oil contain an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which may help keep the heart healthy. Eggs from hens fed a high-flax diet contain omega-3s. Check the label, omega-3s are also added to some brands of peanut butter, mayonnaise, cooking oil, cereal, pasta and nutrition bars.
Slick Choices for Oils and Spreads
Times have changed and consumers are now instructed to enjoy the health benefits of a moderate fat diet by choosing oils and spreads rich in monounsaturated fat (olive, canola, peanut, or high oleic safflower oil) or polyunsaturated fat (sunflower, corn or soybean oil).
- Shopping tip: Nuts and seeds and the butters made from them also contain mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils plus the antioxidant, vitamin E.
Some margarine-like spreads are fortified with plant sterols and stanol esters, which, when consumed in appropriate amounts, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) blood cholesterol.
- Shopping tip: Some brands of salad dressing, orange juice, yogurt, and snack bars are also fortified with plant sterol and stanol esters.
Coffee, Tea or Wine?
Like many fruits and vegetables, these beverages contain beneficial antioxidants. In particular, flavonoids in tea and wine and phenolic acids in coffee may promote heart health, if you choose to drink these beverages.
- Shopping tip: Cocoa and dark chocolate also contain flavonoids.
Chew on this in the Checkout Line
Satisfy your sweet tooth with chewing gum made with a sugar alcohol such as xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, or lactitol. They help reduce the risk for dental caries (cavities).
Don’t rely on one food or food component as a shortcut to good health—no single food can do it all. It is best to encourage consumers to utilize the whole grocery store and to choose a wide variety of foods as part of a balanced diet. And don’t eat too much just because a food contains a healthful constituent—calories are important and more of a nutrient may not necessarily be better. Also engage in a lifestyle that includes other healthful habits such as regular physical activity, stress management, and not smoking.
Finally, adding new foods or food components to a diet may necessitate removing or reducing others in order to maintain a healthful weight. To determine your ideal daily calorie intake, go to: www.mypyramid.gov.
For more information on functional foods and beneficial food components, go to http://www.ific.org/nutrition/functional/index.cfm.
