The Truth to Weight Loss Advertising

The Truth to Weight Loss Advertising

•  “Lose 10 pounds overnight!”
• “Avoid eating (name of food) to prevent dementia, autism, etc.!”
• “Eat (name of food) to burn fat!”

Promises, promises — the Internet is full of claims about special powers or pitfalls from eating various foods.

Following a false dietary claim that is ultimately ineffective may deprive you of foods you enjoy or contribute to needless expenses for special foods, supplements, etc. On a more serious note, you may delay getting needed treatment for a medical condition with resulting additional expenses and/or health consequences.

In searching for information on the Internet, the most sensational information may come up first as that is what tends to get read. You’re not likely to find a lot of peer-reviewed journal articles coming up at the top of a search.

How do you separate fact from fancy? Here are some guidelines to get you started.

The Claim is Too Good (or Too Horrible) to be True

Weight loss plans frequently fall in this category. Rapid weight loss is promoted. Food choices are limited or the plan warns one or more foods will make you ill.

Legitimate diet plans recommend slow steady weight loss of about 1–2 pounds a week with a food pattern based on eating balanced, nutritious, wholesome meals. Most fad diets will work in the short term because they cut calories. However, they fail in the long term because they may be expensive, become boring, don’t fit into a normal lifestyle and/or don’t teach you how to lose weight for a lifetime. The Cabbage Soup Diet and the Grapefruit Diet are examples of diets that have come and gone.

Correlation Does Not Equal Causation

 A relationship may be implied between two variables because as one circumstance increases, the other also increases (or decreases) proportionally. However, that doesn’t mean one caused the other. For example, at one time some “experts” felt eating ice cream caused polio. Both ice cream consumption and polio peaked in the summer months. While there was a “correlation” between these two events, it was not a “causation.” Ice cream did not cause polio in children. The actual cause was polio is a type of virus that is more likely to cause disease in the summer.

Read carefully to learn if further research was done on additional possible causes. If there might be several possible causes, was the testing sufficient to single out one cause?

No Formal Testing Was Done to Validate a Claim

Are the recommendations based on testimonials, personal experiences or observations? When possible, scientists compare results from subjects given a certain treatment or substance to a “control group” not given the substance being tested. Both groups are allocated randomly. Additionally, the subjects don’t know which substance they’re receiving.

People will often say they feel better after trying a certain diet, product or treatment because they perceive it will make them feel better — it’s called the “placebo effect.” In a “double-blind” study, the researchers also don’t know which treatment a group receives until the results are in.

Read This BEFORE Reading Another Sensationalized Food Article on the Internet!

Before an article can be published in a creditable scientific journal, it must be peer-reviewed as to the quality of its information and the methods used to obtain the results. As for Internet articles, anyone can publish information on the Internet.

The Author is Selling Something

As part of the author’s recommendations, he or she may try to sell a product, supplement, plan or service. Be especially wary if you’re offered a diagnosis of your health status and then told a product sold by the author will help you.

The Author Has Little to No Specialized Training in Nutrition

What are the author’s credentials? If he or she has an advanced degree, what type is it? Is it from a recognized college or university? How was it obtained? There are several examples of animals whose owners obtained PhD’s for them through diploma mills. One of the most famous animals with a doctorate degree was “Dr. Zoe D. Katze,” a housecat.

If the person has an authentic degree, do they practice within the realm of generally accepted science? Or, do they operate on the fringe with little to no actual research to support their claims?  Check the “about us” page or mission statement to see if they have an editorial board. Are these people with recognized credentials?

Supporting Information for the Food Claim is “Cherry-Picked”

Only positive studies are cited to support the food claim or negative studies as to why you shouldn’t eat a specific food.

Information is Based on Just One Study or a Limited Number of Studies

If promising results are obtained from a study, scientists will follow up with more research to gather additional information and determine if the results of the first study can be replicated. Scientists also will examine whether there may be any harmful side effects. Look for dates on cited studies. Science is constantly evolving — recommendations based on old studies may no longer provide the latest information. If there are many broken links on a site, it may not be kept up to date.

Consider the Source

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach advises checking the web address.

• Those with .gov are funded by a government agency, such as www.cdc.gov.
• An educational institution is indicated by .edu such as www.extension.unl.edu.
• Professional organizations, such as scientific or research societies, are indicated by .org such as www.heart.org.
• Commercial sites use .com and may be funded by a company. They commonly promote and/or sell a product. Follow the guidelines in this article to evaluate the quality of their information

Source: Alice Henneman, MS, RDN University of Nebraska Extension

Dealing with Holiday Stress

Dealing with Holiday Stress

You may enjoy hosting holiday gatherings or entertaining out-of-town guests. But sometimes, stress can crash your party and ruin your weight management plan. Here are some simple ways to help you get back your balance – and handle whatever the holidays throw at you.

·       Unplug. Take a break from checking your phone and email. Instead, enjoy a long bath.

·       Listen to music. Turn on your favorite songs. Music has been shown to lower mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and even pain. Dancing releases endorphins (happy hormones) into your body.

·       Move. Go for a walk or work out at the gym or at home. Exercise is a great stress reliever.

·       Laugh it off. Laughing relaxes your body and clears your mind. Feeling anxious? Watch a comedy or spend time with a funny friend. A good belly laugh will wash your tension away.

Source: Noelle Muter RN, Brown County Wellness Nurse & Personal Health Coach, Bellin Business Health, Employer Clinics

Diet Beverage Drinkers Compensate by Eating Unhealthy Food, Study Finds

Diet Beverage Drinkers compensate by Eating Unhealthy Food, Study Finds

Want fries with that diet soda? You aren’t alone, and you may not be “saving” as many calories as you think by consuming diet drinks. A new study that examined the dietary habits of more than 22,000 U.S. adults found that diet-beverage consumers may compensate for the absence of calories in their drinks by noshing on extra food that is loaded with sugar, sodium, fat and cholesterol.

University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Ruopeng An examined 10 years of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, which asked participants to recall everything they ate or drank over the course of two nonconsecutive days

An compared participants’ daily calorie intakes, including their consumption of discretionary foods and five types of beverages – diet or sugar-free drinks; sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas and fruit drinks; coffee; tea; and alcohol.

Using a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture food database, An compiled a 661-item list of discretionary foods, which includes foods that do not belong to the major food groups and are not required by the human body but may add variety to a person’s diet. These energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods include products such as cookies, ice cream, chocolate, fries and pastries.

More than 90 percent of the people in the study consumed discretionary foods daily, averaging about 482 calories from these products each day. Although previous research on beverage preferences and consumption of discretionary foods focused on between-meal snacking, An chose to look at the nutritional quality of the food participants consumed rather than when it was eaten. His paper will appear in a future issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

·       About 97 percent of the study population consumed at least one of the five types of beverages daily, with about 41 percent of respondents drinking beverages from at least two of the categories. More than 25 percent of the participants consumed three or more types of beverages daily.

·       Coffee was participants’ beverage of choice, consumed by more than half – 53 percent – of the population, followed by sugar-sweetened beverages (43 percent), tea (26 percent), alcohol (22 percent) and diet beverages (21 percent).

·       Alcohol consumption was associated with the largest increase in daily calorie intake (384 calories), followed by sugar-sweetened beverages (226 calories), coffee (108 calories), diet beverages (69 calories) and tea (64 calories).

·       While coffee and diet-beverage drinkers consumed fewer total calories each day than people who preferred alcohol or sugary drinks, they obtained a greater percentage of their daily calorie intake from discretionary foods. Associations between beverage consumption and daily calorie intake differed substantially across population subgroups, An found. African-Americans who consumed diet beverages, sugary drinks and coffee, as well as Hispanics who drank alcohol, had the highest daily calorie intakes across all of the racial and ethnic groups.

However, among people with the most education and highest incomes, diet beverages and alcohol were linked with increased calorie consumption, whereas, sugar-sweetened beverages and coffee were associated with elevated caloric intake among people with the lowest incomes.

Obese adults who drank diet beverages consumed more calories in discretionary foods, as did normal-weight participants who drank sugar-sweetened beverages. In exploring associations between beverage type and dietary quality, An found that people who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages or coffee had the worst nutrition profiles. Switching to diet drinks may not help people control their weight if they don’t pay attention to the quantity and quality of the foods they consume, An said.

More than 90 percent of the people in the study consumed discretionary foods daily, averaging about 482 calories from these products each day, An found. About 97 percent of the study population consumed at least one of the five types of beverages daily, with about 41 percent of respondents drinking beverages from at least two of the categories. More than 25 percent of the participants consumed three or more types of beverages daily. Coffee was participants’ beverage of choice, consumed by more than half – 53 percent – of the population, followed by sugar-sweetened beverages (43 percent), tea (26 percent), alcohol (22 percent) and diet beverages (21 percent). Alcohol consumption was associated with the largest increase in daily calorie intake (384 calories), followed by sugar-sweetened beverages (226 calories), coffee (108 calories), diet beverages (69 calories) and tea (64 calories).

In exploring associations between beverage type and dietary quality, An found that people who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages or coffee had the worst nutrition profiles. Switching to diet drinks may not help people control their weight if they don’t pay attention to the quantity and quality of the foods they consume.

Source: University of Illinois

Holiday Fun for Everyone

Holiday Fun for Everyone

MADISON–With the most wonderful time of year just around the corner, many shoppers are gearing up for the gift-giving season. As you shop your local stores on Small Business Saturday for your holiday ingredients and gifts this year, keep an eye out for the Something Special from Wisconsin™ sticker.
"Giving the gift of Something Special from Wisconsin goes beyond the traditional department store," says Teyanna Loether, 68th Alice in Dairyland. "When your loved ones see the Something Special from Wisconsin logo as they unwrap their gift, they’ll know it comes along with an extra special touch."

It’s easy to spot: this oval logo has a bright red background and white and yellow lettering, allowing you to easily identify a Something Special from Wisconsin product. This sticker carries a meaningful message – when you see it you can be assured that at least half of the product ingredients, production, or processing has come from right here within our state.

The Something Special from Wisconsin logo can be found on everything from meats and cheeses, sweet syrups and candies, to soaps, candles, lotions, wreaths and more. With more than 480 participating companies, you can add local flavors into your holiday celebrations and there is bound to be holiday fun for everyone. "By purchasing Something Special from Wisconsin products today and every day, you are supporting local producers and processors, and the Wisconsin way of life by keeping those dollars in the local economy," adds Loether.

Since 1983, the Something Special from Wisconsin program has been trademarked through the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. For more information, visit www.somethingspecialfromwi.com and you can give thanks to our local farmers and agribusinesses all year long. Alice in Dairyland is Wisconsin’s agriculture ambassador, and works with media professionals to educate consumers about the importance of agriculture to Wisconsin’s economy and way of life. To learn more about the work Loether is doing, visit her travel blog at www.wisconsinagconnection.com/alice, or keep in touch with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Find background information on the Alice in Dairyland program at http://datcp.

Canning Lemon Curd

Canning Lemon Curd

I have a number of recipes that use lemon curd that I make during the holiday season.  I also have found canning lemon curd to be an enjoyable experience and great holiday gift.

Canned Lemon Curd

2½ cups superfine sugar*

½ cup lemon zest (freshly zested), optional 

1 cup bottled lemon juice**

¾ cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into approximately ¾" pieces

7 large egg yolks

4 large whole eggs

Yield: About 3 to 4 half-pint jars

	1.	Wash 4 half-pint canning jars with warm, soapy water. Rinse well; keep hot until ready to fill. Prepare canning lids according to manufacturer's directions.
	2.	Fill boiling water canner with enough water to cover the filled jars by 1 to 2 inches. Use a thermometer to preheat the water to 180°F by the time filled jars are ready to be added. Caution: Do not heat the water in the canner to more than 180°F before jars are added. If the water in the canner is too hot when jars are added, the process time will not be long enough. The time it takes for the canner to reach boiling after the jars are added is expected to be 25 to 30 minutes for this product. Process time starts after the water in the canner comes to a full boil over the tops of the jars.
	3.	Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl, stir to mix, and set aside about 30 minutes. Pre-measure the lemon juice and prepare the chilled butter pieces.
	4.	Heat water in the bottom pan of the double boiler until it boils gently. The water should not boil vigorously or touch the bottom of the top double boiler pan or bowl in which the curd is to be cooked. Steam produced will be sufficient for the cooking process to occur.
	5.	In the top of the double boiler, on the counter top or table, whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in the sugar and zest, blending until well mixed and smooth. Blend in the lemon juice and then add the butter pieces to the mixture.
	6.	Place the top of the double boiler over boiling water in the bottom pan. Stir gently but continuously with a silicone spatula or cooking spoon, to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F. Use a food thermometer to monitor the temperature.
	7.	Remove the double boiler pan from the stove and place on a protected surface, such as a dish cloth or towel on the counter top. Continue to stir gently until the curd thickens (about 5 minutes). Strain curd through a mesh strainer into a glass or stainless steel bowl; discard collected zest.
	8.	Fill hot strained curd into the clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.
	9.	Process in the prepared boiling water canner according to the recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.

 

Table 1. Recommended process time for Canned Lemon Curd in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Half-pints	15 min	20	25

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Shelf Life: For best quality, store in a cool, dark place (away from light). Plan to use canned lemon curd within 3 to 4 months. Browning and/or separation may occur with longer storage; discard any time these changes are observed.  

Prepared lemon curd can also be frozen instead of canned for up to 1 year without quality changes when thawed. Package in freezer containers after straining and cooling to room temperature. To thaw, place container in a refrigerator at 40°F or lower for 24 hours before intended use. After thawing, consume within 4 weeks.

Enjoy a Red and Green Holiday Season

Enjoy a Red and Green Holiday Season

Eating several servings of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables a day helps maintain good health, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Have some fun with the red and green colors during the winter holiday season. Here's a list of red and green fruits and vegetables from the National Cancer Institute.

Red

·       Tomatoes, Tomato juice, Tomato soup, Red peppers, Red onions, Beets, Red cabbage, Kidney beans, Apples, Pink grapefruit, Red grapes, Strawberries, Cranberries, and Pomegranates

Green

·       Leafy greens, Green peppers, Broccoli, Green beans, Peas, Cabbage, Okra, Chinese cabbage, Green apple, Green grapes, Honeydew melon, Kiwifruit, and Limes

Some quick red and green fruit/vegetable combos include:

·       Red and green apple slices surrounding your favorite fruit dip like a wreath

·       Cole slaw with red apple chunks

·       Cole slaw with cherry tomato or grape tomato halves

·       Tomato soup garnished just before serving with a sprinkle of green onion stems, sliced into small rings

·       Juicy pomegranate seeds tossed atop a green salad.

·       Pizza with a tomato sauce topping and chopped green peppers

To find recipes featuring red and green colored fruits and veggies:Search by color on the Produce for Better Health Foundation "Fruits and Veggies - More Matters" Website.

To learn about the other colors and how many fruits and veggies you need daily based on your age, sex and physical activity, use the quick calculator at www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

Source: Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, University of Nebraska Extension

 

Gifts From the Kitchen

Gifts from the Kitchen

With the holidays quickly approaching, I have started to think about gift giving.  For neighbors and friends, I like to give gifts from the kitchen.  Last weekend, I made two batches of orange spice jelly.  I recently made apple butter and spent time this summer making a variety of jams and jellies which I will give along with loaves of homemade oatmeal bread to neighbors and friends.  I plan to make a couple of batches of granola and caramel corn to share with colleagues that I work with.     

Prepared foods that can be frozen also make great gifts, especially for those who don’t like to cook or aren’t able to. They can heat up the food and have a homemade dish in no time. Some good recipes for this are make ahead breakfast casserole or lasagna.  Be sure to include the recipe and baking instructions.     

Gift certificates for a grocery store, local food market or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share are great gift options for people who like to cook. Another idea is a gift certificate for a store selling kitchen gadgets.   A bottle of olive oil is another healthy gift option.  For the person who loves to garden, a gift certificate to their favorite nursery or catalog is a welcome gift.  It is always fun to try a new variety of tomatoes, fruit or vegetable.  

Share the gift of good food that’s good for you!

 

Incorporate Wisconsin Cheese into Your Holiday Entertaining

Incorporate Wisconsin Cheese into Your Holiday Entertaining

The state of Wisconsin and the art of cheese making are synonymous. During this season, pick up some Wisconsin cheese to serve at holiday event.  Here are some tips from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for cheese-course success.  

Include three to five cheeses with contrasting flavors and textures, for example, Camembert, Havarti, Aged Cheddar, Parmesan, and Gorgonzola. 

Feature “flight” or “vertical tasting” of a single cheese variety – mild, medium, sharp and Extra-Sharp Cheddar for instance, or a variety of blue-veined cheeses. Suggest the guests sample cheeses from mildest to strongest. 

Be sure cheeses are brought to room temperature before serving. 

For small, informal groups, allow guest to cut directly from cheese wedges or chunks presented on a wood cheese board or tray. 

For larger groups, serve cheese cubes that have been cut ahead of time.  Include larger chunks or wheels of the featured cheeses to create an impressive display.