Consumer Alert: Aspartame

Aspartame (also known to you as Nutrasweet and little blue packets of Equal) is an artificial sweetener used in a variety of products. Most people associate it with diet soft drinks and the little packets for coffee and tea. In fact, it's in a lot of products you might not even think about (certain cereals, yogurt, etc.).

Depending on who you ask, aspartame is either perfectly safe or very dangerous. I will be upfront (as I sit here and type this while drinking a Diet Coke) and say that I don't think it is dangerous per se, although probably there are people who are sensitive to it and may react. And it's probably not good in excess, like pretty much anything else. There's even some evidence that using artificial sweeteners can actually lead to weight gain. But that's not what I'm blogging about today.

A producer of aspartame, Ajinomoto, has rebranded its product as AminoSweet. According to the website, "AminoSweet is made from two amino acids, the building blocks of protein found in many of the foods and drinks we eat every day, such as fish, meat, eggs, cheese and cereals."

I have a problem with the marketing approach here. It's misleading to imply that AminoSweet is somehow a "natural" sweetener because it's "made from two building blocks of protein just like those found naturally in many everyday foods." Is Ajinomoto trying to pull the wool over our eyes? Or do they think we are stupid? We've known for years that aspartame (or Nutrasweet or Equal) is an artificial sweetener. Key word: Artificial. As in, not found in nature.

If you avoid artificial sweeteners for any reason, be sure to read labels carefully. Shady marketing practices like this are sure to multiply as the trend of "natural" products increases.

Vitamin D Confusion

Until recently, I'd never given vitamin D much thought. I mean, rickets? Isn't that a disease that pirates and other seafarers got, along with scurvy and beriberi? It seems like every time I turn on the news lately, vitamin D deficiency is linked with other health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, depression, even H1N1 influenza. The problem isn't limited to adults, either. New research has indicated that children are vitamin D deficient as well.

It's possible we've taken the "safe sun" message too much to heart. We've become so accustomed to slathering on sunscreen every time we step outside that we're blocking our bodies' natural vitamin D production from the UV light of the sun. Ironic that by trying to prevent one disease, skin cancer, we've potentially put ourselves in the path of other diseases.

The NIH recommends 400 IU of vitamin D supplementation for adults, assuming an individual is not synthesizing any vitamin D from sunlight. But is that enough? Recent evidence makes the case for higher amounts, up to 5000 IU per day. There is also a case for modest sun exposure, 5-10 minutes of full sun (without sunscreen) on the arms/legs/face, 2-3 times per week. But the amount each individual needs varies based on age, race, time of year, and latitude. So how to know if you're getting enough?

I was surprised to learn recently that a simple blood test can tell you if you're getting enough vitamin D. (And with my annual physical coming up in a couple of weeks, I'm definitely asking for my D to be tested as part of my labs.) If you'd like to ask for it too, it's the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, also known as the 25(OH)D test. Note: This is different from the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D test [1,25(OH)2 D], which will not give an accurate portrayal of vitamin D status. According to the Vitamin D Council, a healthy level is 50-80 ng/ml, which should be maintained year-round.

Another bit of information of note: Athletes may need more vitamin D than the general population. This is an area of research that needs more study, but initial recommendations are on the upper end of the intake range. One writer chronicled her experience with D deficiency and its effects on her athletic performance. If your performance has been lagging for no apparent reason, it might be time to check your D level.

I think this is as good a reason as any for me to pack it in and move to the Caribbean. "Sunshine Vitamin" anyone?

NYTimes Article: Froot Loops Are Health Food

Link to article

You may soon be seeing the new "Smart Choices" labels on products at your grocery store. Several manufacturers- such as Kellogg's, Kraft, and PepsiCo- have banded together to label certain products as "better for you" options. They formed a committee, including the dean of Tufts University school of nutrition and representatives of each the cooperating corporations, in order to decide which foods would meet their criteria to receive the Smart Choices green checkmark logo.

Now here's the problem. Can we honestly think that giant processed-food manufacturing companies are going to put consumers' best interests ahead of their own financial interests? I'm going to go with, "Uh, no."

So what foods have made the list? You can do a search online for products by brand or by category. It's rather amusing to look at the contradictions. All-Bran and Corn Pops are both Smart Choices? Or as the article points out, both regular AND "light" mayonnaise are Smart Choices too? So, according to the Smart Choices program, it seems there is no substantial nutritional difference between those products. Also included as a Smart Choice: Fruit Roll-Ups. Never mind that in a 14g serving, 7g is pure sugar. A Smart Choice can be made of 50% sugar? Seriously, did a group of 7 year olds put this list together?

By artificially enhancing a food with little to no nutritional value, manufacturers can slap a Smart Choice label on a product. (Coming soon to a store near you: Bacon! Now with added calcium!) And by doing this, they can still claim they are following federal nutrition guidelines. This is a complete scam on the American public and an insult to our intelligence. There's hope though: The FDA has written a letter to the Smart Choices program to put the committee on notice that they'll be facing regulatory scrutiny. Let's hope they're willing to put some muscle behind the criticism. No, it's not easy to altogether avoid processed foods. But as consumers we can learn to read nutrition labels and make better choices without some silly checkmark contrivance.

Article: Breastfeeding Nutrition: 7 Easy Dishes for New Moms

Did you know? August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month! (Interestingly, everything I have read about this campaign mentions it is funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services... Yet I can't seem to find a single mention of it on any HHS related website. Hmmm, am I missing something?)

Heads up: Babies R Us is offering free shipping on all Medela and Boppy purchases over $20 for Breastfeeding Awareness Month.

Link to article

Here are the recipe suggestions the author offers:

- Complete nutrition shake – 1 to 2 scoops protein powder, one handful spinach, parsley, romaine or chopped celery, 1-cup berries (fresh or frozen) and 1/ ripe banana. Add enough water or almond milk to get the blender going and have the consistency to your liking.

- Baked sweet potato – sweet potatoes are a delicious and satisfying sweet treat, loaded with good stuff. They also help increase milk production.

- Avo-Veggie Dip/Spread – Avocados are loaded with easily assimilated good fat and nutritious protein for nursing moms. This spread is a great way to get your veggies in. Making it: Process 1 zucchini, handful cilantro, 1 rib celery, 1 clove garlic in food processor until finely minced. Combine with 1 ripe avocado, mashed, and lemon juice. Roll this up in a large leaf of Romaine or whole grain tortilla.

- Roasted root vegetables – These are great to make in bulk and have on hand. They are nourishing and satisfying. Try beets, carrots, parsnips, onions, sweet potato, and daikon. A combo of three of these is nice.

- Amaranth and quinoa. This is a great complete protein grain combination. Highly nutritious, amaranth is loaded with minerals (more calcium than milk) and is a complete protein. It is a little strong and works well with quinoa, another super grain. Serve with steamed broccoli or a salad.

- Lettuce Wraps – Roll sliced turkey, chicken or tempeh in large Romaine lettuce leaves. You can spread a little mustard or avocado on as well.

- Protein dip – stir a good quality protein powder into plain organic yogurt or almond butter. Use to dip celery or apples. Sweeten with a little stevia if needed.

- Easy options – raw almonds with celery ribs, almond butter with celery or apples, carrots and humus[sic]. [I find that typo very funny. Who'd want to eat humus? Yuck!]

A mother's nutrition is definitely important during breastfeeding, and these dishes (though not very exciting, gastronomically speaking) sound pretty good with two exceptions: the "complete nutrition shake" and the "protein dip." Both require protein powder, of which I am not a huge fan. First, because I think it's better to get protein from "real" foods whenever possible, and second because it is definitely possible to eat too much protein. (According to the American Heart Association, Americans already eat too much protein.) Excess protein is stressful on the kidneys, and research indicates that a nursing mom's protein needs are only about 15-20 grams more per day above a non-lactating mom's. (The basic calculation for daily protein intake is 0.8 grams for every kilogram of bodyweight, or about 0.36 grams per pound.)

The site I like best for all kinds of breastfeeding information and advice is Kellymom.com. The site has compiled all the best research and distilled it into easy-to-read articles. I don't think I've ever had a breastfeeding question that isn't answered on Kellymom.