Am I Making the Healthiest Food Choices?

Hi M.!

WOW what great choices you are making for you and your kids!! Exposing them early to healthy choices will give them lifelong benefits.

You are certainly on the right track. Here's the deal with the HFCS. 1) It's processed. The farther away from the 'natural' state of food, the worse it is for you. There is less of it that your body actually can utilize. 2) So many things have HFCS that you're never getting "just a little bit". Once you start reading labels...it's appalling how much stuff has it in there!

So, if you need a snack on the go... opt for something that uses maybe a little highter sugar content...but doesn't have the artificial stuff.

There is an AWESOME website site out there that I use alot.

www.nourishmd.com

This site is put together by a Pediatrician AND a Nutritionist. Their goal is to educate parents on REAL foods. Seriously ... these ladies are great. They take a very natural approach to food. They are real people. They tell you what works for their families and what doesn't.

Also, when you're thinking about snacks.... think fruits, veggies, and protein. Slowly get the kids away from the processed options and sugar.

Good luck and keep it up!

1 mom found this helpful

Even tobacco is natural. Doesn't mean it's good for you. I am just a dietetic intern, but we were taught that, according to current research, organic isn't necessarily safer or healthier (but sometimes it can be), and that 'natural' isn't an automatic green light. My recommendation is to think about how many caloriesand nutrients you want your kids to have, read labels, and look for scientific evidence that supports or disputes the chemical ingredients you don't know about. Then feed your kids as wholesome, nutrient-rich foods as possible. The FDA might be a good resource for the ingredients. Good luck. J.

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M.:
First of all, congratulations on trying to make healthier food choices! What we put in our bodies is the so important. I believe it is much better to go with foods that are as close to nature as possible. I will not buy anything with artificial flavors, colors and especially sweeteners. Those chemicals are very damaging to your body. I also avoid high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, enriched flours and preservatives. It's so much better to just have natural sugar - brown rice syrup, cane juice, sugar, etc.- than to buy foods that are low or no sugar and are filled with chemical sweeteners that trick our bodies and make us store fat and crave more sweets. Sounds like you're already reading labels - that's the first step. I have my kids read the labels too and they know that if there are ingredients they can't pronounce or any artificial colors or flavors, I won't buy it. The fewer ingredients the better! Your 7 year old could probably start to help with this too. If you feed your kids natural foods and make sure they are active every day, you don't need to worry about low calorie and low sugar - it's all just so much marketing from the big food companies.

Good luck, have fun and be well!

K.

I would like to be able to avoid high fructose but I haven't gotten there yet. Low sugar is important. Fresh fruits and vegs and even frozen are great. I make a lot of fresh smoothies in my house adding protein, coconut milk, and wheatgrass juice. I have tried to add vegetables but my kids always turn up their noses to it (they can always guess when I try to trick them). I think as long as your kids are getting enough of a balance of everything else and there body's are strong then a little high fructose won't bother them. The problem is it is in too many foods. Enough protein will keep them from getting too hungry and snack on the bad stuff. I love trader's joe too. I go to all the stores who have organic sections. The discounted stores are starting to carry it too. I have found some of my favorite juices at Sam's club at a great price. And even Marc's if your in the CLeveland area.

There's a really good book called Super Baby Food that has a lot of nutritional info for everyone, even grown-ups. Read about it at http://www.superbabyfood.com/. I recommend it highly. I've always been interested in healthy food, and keeping the junk out of my diet, but this book was really helpful in terms of making healthy food from scratch and freezing it, etc. Worth looking at. Good luck!

M., please make sure the ingredient list does not contain aspartame. it is a chemically manufactured sugar substitute that is in many things labled "sugar-free" or "light", including diet pop, yodurt, granola bars, etc, and it extremely hazardous to our health. despite the fact that it is a proven neurotoxin, the FDA has approved it and it is in many processed foods. every health book that i have invested in lists it as dangerous. sugar and high fructose corn syrup are high in calories and not recommended in excess, but at least they are natural food choices.
this is an interesting topic- i'm eager to read on!

Hi M.,
I feel strongly that it is better to stay away from artificial sweeteners (preservatives, dyes, etc) and high fructose corn syrup at all costs. I would rather give my kids natural and organic when possible over the artificial choice. We do need to pay attention to the amount of sugar we give our kids. My boys are grown, but I didn't buy soda or high sugar snacks. I would buy cookies, crackers & bread without hydrogenated oils (another bad one), whole wheat pasta,whole grain breads. I love Trader Joes and Whole Foods. I'm on the east side, are you?

i would try to avoid processed foods altogether.
if it has high fructose corn syrup it is bad for them, even if it Does say low sugar.

the more natural and unprocessed foods you can do for your kids (and yourselves!) the better.

i just read an interesting new york times article about "better for you foods" that are really just sugar with added nutrients....

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/business/05smart.html

I began a "Diet For Life" in February of 2008 and it has made ahuge difference for me.

My doctor began her career as a pediatrician who specialized in treating children with developmental and behavioral issues. Her patients ranges from school children with ADD and growth issues to severely retarded group home children. She was concerned by the massive amounts of chemical medication that the traditional medical community recommended for her young patients, so she began taking a more integrative approach, using diet and supplements as the basis of her treatment, and then using the medication when necessary.

As her young patients began to show tremendous improvement, their parents started making appointments with her for consultations for things like chronic migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis, indigestion, and other things. She now has a family practice in Columbus OH.

I will be glad to send you an outline of her diet, or if you're on facebook, search for a group called "Dr. Sandy's Diet For Life." Dr. Sandy is a member of the group., and I am the administrator. We started the group as a way of supporting each other, sharing recipes, etc.

The basic idea of the diet is to absolutely avoid: Wheat, dairy, and sugar. Those three foods all feed yeast in the system, and eating them can contribute to a yeast overload, even when the patient takes a good probiotic regularly. Wheat contribute to allergic reactions, even to other allergens. Dairy contributes to chronic pain and intestinal disorders. I also just read an article that stated that dairy is the primary dietary cause of acne and poor skin conditions.

it sounds like it's impossible to avoid those foods, but it's really very easy. I use honey or pure maple syrup in place of white sugar (both are Dr. Sandy approved), and I've taken to using avocado (a very health fruit) in place of cheese in salads.

If you're interested in a comprehensive outline of the plan, either join the facebook group, or send me a private message and I will send it to you.

Kudos to you for watching out for your children! Yippee! ;-D

Hi. We've cut out HFCS and partially hydrogenated oils. I go for the Trader Joe's (and other more "natural" products) even if the sugar/fat are bit higher. I also try to only buy things with ingredients I can pronounce! Michael Pollen wrote that we should only consume things our grandmothers (or great grandmothers) would recognize.

Good luck! I had a hard time transitioning my kids from Skippy to natural peanut butter, but they eventually got there.

There's a saying among those of us who often eat organic - just because it's organic doesn't mean it's good for you! I think you have to make your own decision about this. How much of that sweeter stuff do your kids eat? Which is more important to you - that they ingest less sugar or ingest fewer chemicals? I personally am more concerned about the chemicals, but other people aren't, and I think that is a decision you have to make for your family. Everyone is going to have a different opinion about what is more dangerous for your family.

Also, if you're on a budget (and most of us are!) I don't know if you're aware that there are foods that are important to buy organic (such as milk, potatoes, apples, etc.) and foods that aren't so important. I highly recommend the following websites: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirt... and also http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Save... so that you make sure you are spending your money in the right places to keep your family safe.

Good for you for trying to make such an important change in the lives of your family members!

M., It is definitely best to go with the natural rather than low cal/low sugar processed foods. Remember though that natural doesn't always equate to healthy. Look for items that have few ingredients and most closely resemble how they started. Avoid artificial sweeteners and definitely high fructose corn syrup. If possible, try to include a lot of raw fruits/veggies. If your kids are eating healthy fats and natural sugars, you don't need to worry so much about low cal, etc. That usually comes from eating a lot of packaged/processed foods. Oh...one of the first changes I made was to organic peanut butter (without any sugar or salt) since peanuts really retain pesticides. Good for you for even looking to make some healthy changes...your entire family will really benefit!

You can look for things that are both lower and sugar and don't have all that stuff or you can just decide to have a different kind of snack. Instead of a granola bar, have a cup of granola (homemade is so easy), popcorn, dried fruit and nut mix, etc. The olnly alternatives aren't the high sugar or HFCS snacks. Good luck!

Hey M.,

The unfortunate truth is that the term "All Natural" isn't regulated at all. Learning that made me so mad!! Anybody could put that on any package, no matter what's in it. "Organic" is regulated strictly by the USDA, so that means the food has been processed within certain restrictions -- but there's never been any scientific proof of any health benefits from eating organic instead of the regular stuff. So it might just be a waste of cash anyway. High fructose corn syrup and honey are pretty much the same thing, about half fructose and half glucose. They do about the same things when they get inside your kids, raise blood sugar levels and then either get spent as energy or stored as fat.

In general, your kids will probably do best eating lots of plants. Un-buttered veggies, fruits, beans, 100% whole grains. And for things like granola bars and such, if you make them yourself you'll at least know what's going into them. You'll actually see exactly how much sugar your handing over to your kids in each bar, which always seems a lot more real to me than just reading about the grams of sugar on the side of a box.

Also, we don't buy organic but the regular stuff and then just wash the heck out of them (soap and water) hoping that removes most of the pesticides.

-K.

Dear M.,

Good for you. We have gone this route and the best thing you can do is read the labels. I do stay away from the high fructose, corn syrup. It is better to go with the fruit juices (pear juice, for example) or the cane sugar. In the end the carbohydrates and sugars on the label will help guide you on this. Also, the low-fat food is a myth and usually contains sugar substitutes which is a huge No-No, especially for babies. They need fat for brain development and they will burn it off, don't stress. Also, remember protein is key for them as well. So, for example the full-fat yogurt is probably best for your children rather than the low-fat. (Try Traders Point Creamery Yogurt). I live at Whole Foods and loss lead. Also, if you prepare versus buying, anything, including granola, you control the amount of sugar they get. Good luck, it is worth it.

I just found out that I have lupus. I have been reading a great deal on nutrition. Artificial sweeteners are very, very bad. Really, all things processed are very bad. I have made the switch to organic as well and find Trader Joes is a great place to shop. My local Giant Eagle carries their own store brand of organics, Nature's Basket. We live on a very tight budget as well, but I think what we put in our bodies is far more important than what we wear on our bodies, i.e. name brand clothes. So, as long as you are not eating anything unnatural, processed or the like, you can eat higher calories. Just limit the amount of high sugar snacks and make sure to balance with lots of activities.

Dear M.,
The first thing to do is the least amount of ingredients. (3-5). Don't choose anything with mono sodium glutomate, high fructose corn syrup, or articial coloring or flavoring, or any artificial sweetners. There are healthuier ones ouy there. Such as the granola bars at Aldi-they only have sugar, oats, honey. Don't settle for less. If you really want to do it right make granola bars from scratch with raw honey. You can go online. They taste soooomuch better & you will feel good about yourself that you gave your kids what is good for them. A good book to read is Cures they Don't want to know about by Kevin Trudeau. I would just change your eating habits a little at a time or it will be too overwhelming. If you can afford it, eat organic fruit & veggies whenever possible. Hope this helps. L. J

I think it's great that you are trying to look after the kids now instead when it't too late. I have a health and wellness company. If you would like to know more about going green, that's us. All of our products are healthy and natural. We carry just about everything. Just let me know if you would like more information.

Fruit is a good food for them always as snacks and deserts. Make sure they are on a healthy vitamin as well.

Look at cereal, the sugar content is varied alot, but you can still find some with only 3 or 4 grahms of sugar. You might look up a diabetic diet, it's really good about lowering sugar, and it's just about the healthiest diet around. You can find them on the internet.

I hope this helps a little bit.

WOW, what great support you got here. It's awesome to see so many of us aware of nutrition and how confusing it's gotten. I won't repeat what others have said. To answer your direct question: No, it is not healthier to feed your children lower calorie, lower sugar versions of processed food. When comparing granola bars (or anything else for that matter) I choose the ones with the fewest and purest ingredients. Eventually, you can just make your own. I'm not quite there yet either. I picked up trail mix the other day at costco and put it back when I couldn't pronounce the ingredients including the food colorings.
I love the www.nourishmd.com resource also (mentioned below) and recently read a fantastic book called The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn OBrien which reveals why it's gotten so confusing and why our children suffer with so many chronic illnesses today. It gives good practical advise also about transitioning with your new knowledge.
If you want/need additional support, you are welcome to email me or check out my website www.cincyhealthcoach.com or latest article about packing healthy lunches at http://www.healthyalterego.com/?p=822.

Can I be the bearer of something small that may make some sense to you? Common Sense. Corn syrup is made of what? Most of the sugar in the midwest (manufactured locally) is from "beets". That's right beets make sugar, corn syrup is made from corn and what? I guess natural sugar comes from beets and corn sometimes. Sometimes natural is what it says it is. If in doubt use honey for sweetner instead, that is a natural product.
You can make your own granola bars, I do, and I know what is them.
I think you are letting the small things get to you a little bit. My grandparents were farmers, yup, that's what they were and my grandmother's sisters were married to dairy farmers. I drank milk straight from the cow! No one took the "butter fat out" and then processed it back in to make it 1% or 2% (and charged us to do it and put it in a bottle on the grocery store shelf). We put up corn, beans, peas, cherries, pears, apples, peaches, berries, pumpkin, squash, etc. for the winter. We learned to can and to freeze. Yes, we used sugar, corn syrup, and honey.
We ate the chickens (who grazed the yards and fields from spring through fall) and ate some of the grain raised on the farms in the winter, pigs, beef, etc. raised right on the farms. Made our own noodles, etc. for a long while too.
Natual means grown on the land, organic means you didn't use a lot of chemicals to help it grow and keep the pests down.
My sister-in-law and her sister have cherry trees, apple trees, and pear trees. We put in a garden on my brother's twenty acres every spring and harvest all summer and put it up for the fall. I still buy flour, meat, rice, etc. from the store.
Fresh fruit, etc. from farm stands etc. So do they.
All of this is time consuming and a lot of work but if you want to know what is it make it yourself and you don't have to worry so much.

NO!! Lower calorie and/or sugar free or fat free is NOT always the best choice. ANYTHING that contains high fructose corn syrup is something I won't even buy! There are LOTS of frozen juices out there as well as others and numerous items that contain it. READ LABELS CAREFULLY AND THOROUGHLY. High fructose corn syrup is one of the WORST things for you. IN addition, dyes, preservatives and ANYTHING artificial (including artificial sweetner with the exception of stevia) shouldn't be on your list of accepted things.

My rule....and rule I teach clients, is to look at the ingredient list. If there are things you can't pronounce, colors, and a LLLLLLLLLLLONG list of ingredients......SKIP it! The more natural the better. If you want an easy fast rule here.......If God made it.....it's okay. The more you divert from its natural form or state, whether by processing or adding chemicals, preservatives, etc..... the worse off and less nutrition you have. Obviously, there are a few exceptions - no scavangers/bottom feeders (shrimp, crab, etc) but as a general rule, this works.

I can recommed a couple of books that might help, if you want.

Everything you hear now is that the high fructose corn syrup is the worst thing to give your kids. Also, kids need higher calories than we do for their growth and development. So, I wouldn't go low calorie for them unless they are already over weight and need to lose.

Since SO many food products contain high fructose corn syrup, I would go with as many as I could that do not contain it.
In general,I think it is best to aim for as little processed food as possible all the way around, with regard to the family's food.