Nutrition Labels for Meat Debut in 2012

Nutrition Labels for Meat Debut in 2012

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that nutrition labels will be required on meats beginning January 1, 2012. Nutrition labels currently appear on most other foods sold in the grocery store.
The new labels will list calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, protein and vitamins for 40 of the most commonly purchased cuts of beef, poultry, pork and lamb. This information will help consumers make wise decisions about the calories they are consuming from food items used in meal preparation.
Nutrition Facts labels were first required on many foods in 1993, but meat was not included except under a voluntary provision. By publishing the rule in the Federal Register, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has begun the process of making them mandatory.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals

With winter in full swing, it is important to have a strong immune system to ward of infections, and viruses. To build up your immune system, eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods to give your body the nutrition it needs every day to protect against illness and to reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Here are some tips to help you create some healthy eating habits for the upcoming new year.
 

- Start the day with breakfast. When planning breakfast, include foods made with whole greains, 100 percent fruit juice and calcium rich foods.

- Incorporate more whole grains into meals and snacks.

  

- Eat a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.

- Don’t forget beans which are rich in fiber. Canned beans are a great option if you don’t have the time to soak bean s in advance. Black beans are one of my favorites and they have so many uses.

- Pre-washed salad greens and prepared vegetables save time and make meals taste great.

- Choose snacks wisely. Look for snack options that offer a lot of nutritional value i.e. fruit, cheese, whole grain crackers and nuts.

Safe Food Holiday Gifts

Safe Food Holiday Gifts

The holiday season is one of gift-giving. Many home food preservers choose to provide their friends and relatives handcrafted foods preserved in their home. This is a great idea, but the gift giver needs to be aware of food safety issues.
 

Common gifts NOT recommended for making include:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/questions/FAQ_canning.html#31. Instead choose to make flavored vinegars.
Canned breads. Read:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/uga_can_breads.pdf
Instead, package completely dry cake recipe ingredients as gifts and provide mixing and baking instructions.
Read:  http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/dry/pack_store.html
Many of the recipes for canned chocolate sauces and fudge sauces are low acid containing such ingredients as dairy products and recommend a boiling water process. These recipes do not have safe
Tested recipes for these products.
Canned gifts made in decorative, untested, jars. The temptation to package holiday canned foods in special decorative jars is not recommended. Only use recommended jars and lids. Read:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general/recomm/_jrs_lids.html
Keep in mind that some recipes, such as those above, are safe only if kept refrigerated or frozen. Most refrigerated foods can only be kept safely out of the refrigerator for short periods of time (less than 2 hours). Likewise, frozen foods should not be allowed to thaw. These facts should be taken into account when choosing to give a refrigerated or frozen preserved food as a gift.
Sources: National Center for Home Food Preservation

Healthy Holiday Eating

Healthy Holiday Eating

If calendars had a place for calorie counting, what would December look like for you?
Friday – Work holiday party
Saturday – Cookie baking session with relatives
Sunday – Packer game party
Monday – Holiday treats at the office
Food is an important part of the holiday season. It’s easy for normal eating patterns to take a backseat at this time of year. By following a few tips on holiday eating, you and your family can enjoy special foods while keeping a balanced and healthy diet.
Before a holiday event, eat a snack or light meal. Foods high in protein, like chicken or cottage cheese, help you eat less later.

If you are hosting a holiday event, do your guests a favor by including nonalcoholic beverages and healthier items such as vegetables, salad, and fruit on the menu. Offer low-calorie salad dressings. In baked goods, you can substitute applesauce for oil. Switching ingredients can create tasty results without the high calories that often come with rich foods.

What you drink during the holidays can add calories. Look at all of your options. Alcoholic beverages and may fruit punches can be long on calories but short of nutrition. Instead, look for hot cider, diet sodas, and flavored waters.

Eat slowly. Many times, people eat so fast that their stomachs don’t have enough time to register that they are full.

Savor each bite and enjoy the taste of the food. Chances are you will eat less.

Don’t park yourself in front of the buffet at a party. Mingle. If you stand by the buffet, you’ll eat more than you would if it was across the room.

Be realistic. Don’t try to diet during the holidays. Instead aim to maintain your present weight.



Cranberries Add Flavor to Holiday Treats and Meals

Cranberries Add Flavor to Holiday Treats and Meals

Do not pass on cranberries this holiday, use fresh cranberries when making holiday treats and meals. Here is a great recipe for Cranberry Orange Chutney. This recipe can be made during cranberry season and used as delightful homemade gifts. The following recipe was developed by the National Center for Food Preservation. 

Cranberry Orange Chutney

24 ounces fresh whole cranberries

2 cups chopped white onion

2 cups golden raisins

1 ½ cups white sugar

1 ½ cup packed brown sugar

2 cups white distilled vinegar (5 percent)

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

4 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger

3 sticks cinnamon

Start by washing half-pint canning jars, keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer’s directions.
Rinse cranberries well. Combine all ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until cranberries are tender. Stir often to prevent scorching. Remove cinnamon sticks and discard.
Fill hot, clean jars with chutney leaving ½ inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims with a damp paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes. Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check seals.

Enhance Donations Given to Food Pantries and Community Programs

Enhance Donations Given to Food Pantries and Community Programs

Community groups and social organizations often host food drives to fill food pantry shelves or to make food baskets for the holidays. By keeping a few simple tips in mind, you can enhance the value of the food donations you make. It is important to remember that donated food is most helpful if it is both safe and high quality.
 Make sure to check the dates on packages of foods that you donate. Many packaged items are marked with dates that indicate freshness. Some examples include:
 Quality or pack dates often designated on packages by the words “Better if used by…” and a date. Look for these dates on packaged mixes, cold cereals, peanut butter and increasingly, on canned items like fruits and vegetables. These dates mean that after the quality date, the food will begin to lose its flavor and may even develop an off odor.

Expiration dates, such as “Expires 2/15/09” or “Don’t use after 7/9/10.” Look for these dates on infant formula, baking powder and cake mixes. Do not donate foods that are past their expiration date.
 Home-canned foods that have not been handled by licensed food processors should not be donated.
 Due to the recession, some families are relying more on food pantry items to feed themselves. Donations of nutritious food can help families through what is for them a very difficult time. Donate foods that have a stable shelf life, are full of nutrients and are easy to prepare. Some good examples of foods to consider donating iare:
- Whole-grain, low-sugar cereals such as instant oatmeal, whole grain Os and bran flakes.
- Whole grain or enriched pasta and instant rice – either brown or enriched.
- Canned vegetables, especially those without added salt.
- Fruits canned in juice, unsweetened applesauce, 100-percent fruit juice and dried fruit like raisins.
- Spaghetti sauce and canned beans.
- Canned meats. Food pantries tend to receive a lot of canned salmon and tuna, so consider other canned meats like canned chicken and ham.
- Peanut butter.
- Reduced-sodium soups.
 The local food pantry in your community may also have special needs that you can help meet. Consider food pantries as part of year-round giving.
Source: Barbara Ingham, Food Science Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Extension and University of Wisconsin-Madison and Gayle Coleman, Nutrition Education Program Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Extension

Revisions of Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D

Revisions of Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D

 A long-awaited revision of the Dietary Reference Intakes for calcium and vitamin D was issued this week by the Institute of Medicine.
The new Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for calcium range from 700 mg/day for children ages 1-3 to 1,300 mg for children 9-18 years old. The calcium RDA for most adults is 1000 mg. For women 51 and older and for men 71 and older, the calcium RDA is 1,200 mg.
For vitamin D, the RDA is now 600 IU for children and most adults and 800 IU for men and women 71 and older. These values include people who get minimal sun exposure.
These RDAs are somewhat higher than the previous values, but not as high as some experts had predicted, especially for vitamin D. The IOM press release states:
The majority of Americans and Canadians are getting enough vitamin D and calcium, the committee determined from reviewing national surveys of blood levels. Some adolescent girls may not get quite enough calcium, and there is a greater chance that elderly individuals may fall short of the necessary amounts of calcium and vitamin D. These individuals should increase their intake of foods containing these nutrients and possibly take a supplement.
And the report brief states:
The committee… reviewed a range of health outcomes, including but not limited to cancer, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, falls, immune response, neuropsychological functioning, physical performance, preeclampsia, and reproductive outcomes. This thorough review found that information about the health benefits beyond bone health—benefits often reported in the media—were from studies that provided often mixed and inconclusive results and could not be considered reliable. However, a strong body of evidence from rigorous testing substantiates the importance of vitamin D and calcium in promoting bone growth and maintenance.
The full IOM report, a report brief, and a press release at this URL:
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D.aspx

Source: Susan Nitzke, PhD, RD, UW-Extension Nutrition Specialist

Nutrition Made Easy: Nuval

Nutrition Made Easy:  Nuval

You may have noticed that some of the local grocery stores are using a new system called NuVal. Foods each are given a score. Program scores are part of the price labeling attached to grocery shelves.
 NuVal Nutrition Scoring System was developed by an independent team of nutrition and medical experts from leading universities and health organizations. Based on a score of 1 to 100, foods with higher scores are generally higher in nutritional value than foods with lower scores.

Scoring is based on the presence of more than 30 nutrients, including carbohydrates, fat, sodium, cholesterol, fiver, vitamins, protein, minerals, and antioxidants. Scores reflect how these nutrients influence health, and how they relate to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and those of the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes.

Scores are formulated so side-by-side comparisons of nutrition values can be made at a glance, while you shop. Simply compare NuVal numbers for similar products, then purchase the one with the higher score.

For example, a box of crackers made with whole wheat flour may only score 13 NuVal points, while a cracker made with whole wheat flour earns a score of 45.