Cracking the PLU Code

Do you know how to decipher those little stickers with PLU codes found on fruits and vegetables? According to the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS), “price look-up codes” or PLU’s have been used by supermarkets since 1990 to make it easier for the cashiers to ring up your produce while at the same time serving as a way to make inventory control easier, faster and more accurate. PLU codes are used for items you buy from bulk bins like bulk grains or nuts as well as for all loose fruits and vegetables. 

Over 1300 codes are in use and they consist of either 4-digits or 5-digits. The numbers indicate what the item is, the price, where it was grown and how it was grown. If it is a 4-digit code then it was grown using conventional practices. If it is a 5-digit code beginning with a 9 then it means the item is organic. For example, a conventional banana might be labeled 4895 while an organic banana would be labeled 94895. Interestingly, the IFPS also created a code for items that are produced using genetic engineering that begins with an 8 (e.g. 84895). Have you ever seen this on a PLU sticker? I know I have not. This is because no one uses it! The general consensus among Americans is that they want to know when they are eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and would avoid them if they were labeled. However, this would hurt the bottom line of the big manufacturers so all efforts at labeling legislation have been blocked by manufacturers and politicians up to this point.

So where does that leave you? If you prefer organic produce you can look for the PLU’s that start with a 9. Organic produce cannot be altered using genetic engineering. But if you can’t afford to buy organic and would like to know if your conventional produce is altered, are there other ways to find out this information? Yes and no. Currently there are only 4 GMO vegetables/fruits in the US: papaya from Hawaii, some zucchini and yellow squash and some corn on the cob. For other non-produce type foods you can look for the non-GMO project seal http://www.nongmoproject.org/

 You can also download the non-GMO shopping guide from here: http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

If you want to be able to recognize a few PLU codes from the produce and bulk food you purchase frequently, then you can use plug the codes directly into a search wizard at the IFPS website to learn more about individual items: http://plucodes.com/search_wizard.aspx?s=1

Happy produce sleuthing!

Get Your Plate in Shape!

Get Your Plate in Shape!

National Nutrition Month© kicks off on March 1^st and this year’s theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” This annual event is sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) and focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound, lifelong eating and physical activity habits. The key messages from the Academy are:

· Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables: Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green, red and orange varieties. Add fresh, dried, frozen or canned fruits to meals and snacks.

· Make at least half your grains whole: Choose 100 percent whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice. Check the ingredients list on food packages to find whole-grain foods.

· Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk: Fat-free and low-fat milk have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but less fat and calories. For those who are lactose intolerant, try lactose-free milk or a calcium-fortified soy beverage.

· Vary your protein choices: Eat a variety of foods from the protein food group each week, such as seafood, nuts and beans, as well as lean meat, poultry and eggs. Keep meat and poultry portions small and lean. And be sure to choose seafood as the protein at least twice a week.

· Cut back on sodium and empty calories from solid fats and added sugars: Compare sodium in foods and choose those with lower numbers, and season your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt. Switch from solid fats to healthy oils like olive and canola oil. Replace sugary drinks with water and choose fruit for dessert.

· Enjoy your foods but eat less: Avoid oversized portions. Use a smaller plate, bowl and glass. Cook more often at home where you are in control of what’s in your food. When eating out, choose lower calorie menu options.

· Be physically active your way: Adults need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of physical activity every week. Choose activities that you enjoy, and start by doing as much as you can.

Now after reading through the list you may be thinking “tell me something I don’t already know.” And my response is: right now, how would you honestly rate your plate at each meal and snack? That means at breakfast, lunch, dinner, pre- and post-workout snacks and everything in between on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being too bad to discuss and 10 being darn near perfect. I mean honestly. You don’t have to tell me just think about it and then think about rating each day of the week for the last week. Are you consistent? Are you paying attention to details? Most folks are looking to manage their weight, fuel their activity and still be able to get enjoyment out of their food choices. If you have hit a weight plateau recently I would suggest that you rate your plate and then think about getting it in shape. It takes just an extra 100 calories per day to add up to a 10 pound weight gain in one year. WOW! As you rate your plate ask yourself: Do you plan out your meals and snacks each day? Do you balance your plate with variety and color? Do you focus on your food when you are eating or are you multi-tasking? Do you listen to your bodies hunger and fullness signals? Are you getting plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains? Are you starting your meals with low calorie foods like low-sodium broth, fruits and vegetables? How is that sodium level? Do you know what your sodium intake should be? (hint: 2300 mg/d). See what you come up with for answers and then look again at the list and see if you can incorporate one or more of the suggestions. Healthy eating and physical activity habits are a result of a life of educating yourself on how to make the best choices for health. As one final homework assignment, make one of your goals this month to increase the potassium rich foods in your diet which can offset some of the effects of too much sodium. Think bananas, sweet potatoes, cherries, cantaloupe, tomato juice, beans, milk, avocados, cocoa powder and chocolate (see previous post), dried fruits, seeds, nuts, molasses, orange juice, coconut water, ….okay I think you get the picture!

Low Calorie Super Bowl Snacks That Will Score a Touchdown

As I was doing my thinking and research for this blog post I came across some stats that just amazed me. According to research conducted by the Calorie Control Council (CCC) and the Snack Food Association (2012), Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks this Sunday. Yes that’s right, 30 million pounds or about 1200 calories and 50 grams of fat for the average armchair quarterback and that doesn’t include any meals eaten that day! Another fact that had me shaking my head is that the favorite snack, potato chips, will account for 27 billion calories and 1.8 billion grams of fat. Then if you translate the fat grams into pounds of body fat we are talking about 4 million pounds nationwide which is equal to the weight of 13,000 NFL offensive linemen at 300 pounds each! HA! Can you imagine?

Now I know that many people just to want to use the day to indulge, but for those of you in the crowd who would rather not derail your healthy diet intentions, I have put together a few strategies and snack ideas that are lower in calories but not flavor.

First of all you need to get a plan. If you are going to a party then you can be the one who brings the healthy dish and if you are throwing a party you can make sure to include lots of healthy fare.

Dips: Choose salsa which is very low calorie and fat free; substitute non-fat Greek yogurt or low fat cottage cheese for sour cream in guacamole – this will up the protein while decreasing the fat; serve hummus or bean purees’ as healthy, great tasting alternatives to cream based dips.

Crunchy snacks: Serve baked potato and pita chips, sliced peppers, carrot and celery sticks. Why not jazz it up with some kale chips for some extra nutrition? They are actually really tasty!

Hot foods: Instead of ordering deep-fried wings, try making a healthier version by using boneless chicken tenders seasoned in whole-wheat flour and cornmeal and pan-fried in a small amount of oil and then drizzled with a tangy hot sauce. Serve an outstanding low-fat chili that will fool even the biggest meat eaters by substituting the meat with a vegetarian ground “beef” or tofu. Here is a great recipe from Nasoya using tofu http://www.nasoya.com/recipes-results.html?recipe_product_type=Tofu&recipe_dish_type=&recipe_diet_type=&recipe_keyword=chili&id=192 and one from Morningstar Farms using meatless crumbles http://www.morningstarfarms.com/quick-and-easy-meatless-chili-recipe.html

Beverages: Serve light beer along with regular and offer healthy diet sodas like Hansen, Blue Sky or Truvia which don’t contain artificial sweeteners. Iced green and rooibos teas would add some healthy antioxidants and of course don’t forget just plain old water.

Dessert: Try my healthy vegan black bean brownies or pumpkin muffins (see earlier posts) and be sure to serve fresh fruit like grapes, pineapples and apples.

Physical activity breaks: Yes! Before and after the game, take a walk, ride your bike, do something that can help you to burn off some of those snack calories. Another fact from the CCC is that it would take 3 hours of walking around a football field, 1 hour and 45 minutes of running, or 2 hours of touch football to burn off 1200 calories of snack foods/beverages.

With a little planning and creative thinking you can enjoy a day of healthy snacking without giving yourself a “food hangover” come Monday morning.

‘Tis the season for upping the quality of your diet

Nutrient Density. Do you know what this term means and if you do are your actively apply the principle? A nutrient dense diet is something akin to choosing high octane fuel for your car over the regular unleaded. Octane is a measure of anti-knock properties, i.e. performance and the higher the octane generally the higher the performance. The same goes with your diet: fuel up with nutrient dense choices and power your body through back to back workout sessions, speed recovery time and decrease your risk for a host of chronic diseases.

Make a commitment to add an extra serving of fruit and/or vegetable to each meal and snack:

· Eat the skins of your potatoes and leave them on when making mashed potatoes.

· Substitute spaghetti squash for pasta and top with your favorite sauce and diced vegetables.

· Choose whole fruits over juice the majority of the time.

· Buy whole carrots and eat the skin instead of buying baby carrots.

· Add dried apricots to your whole wheat couscous.

· Grill fruits like peaches and pears along with your vegetables.

· Add fruit to your salad – dried cranberries, fresh raspberries and mandarin oranges work well.

· Add spinach and peppers to your omelet.

· How about adding fruit to plain yogurt instead of buying the fruit yogurt?

· Snack on hummus and veggies.

· Make green smoothies for breakfast or snacks by adding a handful of kale or spinach to some yogurt or protein powder. Throw in a few dried dates to make it thick.

· Start your lunch and dinners with broth based low-sodium vegetable soup or try it as a snack.

· Add a layer of vegetables to your lasagna.

· Make a puree base of vegetables, fruits or beans and add to just about everything. The Sneaky Chef has some great free recipes http://www.thesneakychef.com/free_sneaky_chef_recipes.php

You can also make some targeted changes when it comes to upping the quality of your protein intake:

· Substitute a starch like a potato for a serving of beans.

· Ever try beans for breakfast? In many cultures this is the norm.

· Trade in the dark meat for white meat.

· Grill and broil your meats instead of frying them and use olive oil instead of butter.

· Include fatty fish twice a week.

· Include a vegetarian protein based meal once or twice a week.

Then there are the grains. Aim to make most of your choices whole and unprocessed:

· Choose whole grains for everything: pasta, couscous, rice, barley, pastry and regular baking flour, hot and cold breakfast cereals. You may have to look a bit harder but whole grain versions do exist!

· Mix up your grains and try quinoa, millet, amaranth and bulgur. They can all be substituted in place of rice.

As we embark on a new year, make a commitment to up the quality of your diet. If you have a tip to share I would love to hear it.

July is Blueberry Month!

I love berries – all sorts of berries, but since July is National Blueberry Month I want to highlight the benefits of this nutritious fruit. July was proclaimed National Blueberry Month in 1999 by the United States Department of Agriculture. Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America and were introduced to the pilgrims by Native Americans.

This miniature fruit is chock full of nutrients and is a superstar when it comes to antioxidant properties. In fact, according to data from the USDA Human Research Center on Aging, a serving of blueberries provides one of the highest levels of antioxidant activity of all fruits and vegetables. This is due to the naturally occurring levels of vitamins C and E, and the phytochemicals which include anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, myricetin, quercetin, resveratrol, and ellagic acid. For athletes in particular a high intake of dietary antioxidants can help to reduce damage to cells resulting from the free radical damage produced during strenuous activity. For the less active in the group, nutrients in blueberries have been found through research to have a litany of benefits including lowering the risk of urinary tract infection, protection against cardiovascular disease by lowering total cholesterol and bad or LDL cholesterol, improving eye health, acting as an anti-cancer nutrient, and even improving cognitive function by decreasing short term memory loss (http://www.blueberry.org/Antioxidant.pdf ).

Another good thing know to about blueberries is that blueberries have a fairly low Glycemic Index (GI) score and are in the range of 40-53 out of 100, which means they have a favorable effect on blood sugar. Foods with a low GI help to maintain even energy levels because they are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream than foods with a high GI such as bananas (60-70) and honey which has a score of 87 (http://www.glycemicindex.com/). One cup of blueberries (at around 84 calories) has about 4 grams of fiber which adds to their beneficial effects on blood sugar.

Whether you eat fresh or frozen blueberries, wild, highbrush, lowbrush, or rabbiteye it doesn’t matter as long as you eat them! Research has shown that freezing does not decrease their antioxidant activity, however exposure to heat does so add to uncooked dishes like smoothies, yogurt, and breakfast cereals. If you can, buy organic since blueberries retain a fair amount of pesticide residue due to their delicate nature. They rank #10 on the “Dirty Dozen” list of foods highest in pesticide residue developed by the Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/).

For a new twist on a super nutritious fruit in combination with a super nutritious grain, try this breakfast recipe courtesy of The World’s Healthiest Foods: Quinoa Cereal with Fresh Fruit http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=245&tname=recipe

Enjoy!

2011 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticide Free Produce

Summertime is here and there are so many varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables available that you almost can’t help but get in your 5 servings each day. If you are lucky enough to have locally, organically grown produce in your area you should definitely take advantage of what summer has to offer. But if you are buying your produce at the local grocery store you may not know how the produce was grown and if it contains pesticide residue or not. And while it would be great if we could all afford to buy 100% of our produce from organic growers, for most people this isn’t feasible economically. So how do you know which foods have the most pesticide residue and which have the least? This is where the Environmental Working Group comes in. They have just recently released the 7th edition of their Shopper’s Guide to Pesticide Free Produce which has updated information on 53 fruits and vegetables. Wow – 53! That should about cover all of the bases.

Produce is ranked according to how many pesticides are on a peeled and washed sample and the results are based on data collected from the USDA and FDA from 2000 to 2009. You may have even caught the headlines on the news about apples becoming the new number 1 most contaminated type of produce replacing celery from last year. But should you really be concerned about pesticides on your produce when you are already worrying about GMOs, hormones, and antibiotics in your food? You betcha, especially if you are feeding little ones. Children are the most susceptible to the health http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifproblems associated with pesticide ingestion since they are developing and growing. The Environmental Protection Agency posts information on its website about the potential health effects of pesticides. Some pesticides contain carcinogens while other have affects on the nervous, hormone, and endocrine systems. Have a look at this graph to see how the levels of pesticides have increased over the years http://cfpub.epa.gov/eroe/index.cfm?fuseaction=detail.viewInd&lv=list.listByAlpha&r=224028&subtop=312

If you still aren’t convinced, consider this: eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables from the dirty dozen list would mean ingesting an average of 14 pesticides a day, while eating the same number of servings from the clean 15 list would result in consuming fewer than 2 pesticides a day. I do want to throw in the caveat that it would still be better to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables thahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gift have pesticides on them then to eat none at all, so don’t use this as an excuse to stop eating fresh produce.

To help you make informed decisions about what you buy, you can download a free copy of the guide by going to the Environmental Working Group’s website http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/foodnews/pdf/2011EWGPesticideGuide.pdf What I really like about the guide is that you can cut it out and stick it in your wallet or purse for easy reference while you are shopping.

Enjoy the bounties of summer produce and happy eating!