One of my favorite hobbies is cooking and baking. I love
to try different combinations of chicken, shrimp, pasta and veggies and
when I bake, watch out – I don't worry about the fattening aspects of
whatever cake mix I'm about to turn into some magical dessert.
I honestly don't pay attention to food labels, which state a food's
daily nutritional value. Besides the fact that I'm not looking to lose
weight, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recent renovation of
the nutrition label doesn't seem to serve any concrete purpose in the
real world.
Do
you really only eat five potato chips - like the FDA recommends – when
you're snacking on a huge bag of Doritos? What about when you go out to
eat at a restaurant where they serve one plate that could feed two
people? There's no “guideline” or nutritional documentation that's
handed out when you order that pizza pie. What about when you're making a
homemade meal loaded with fats and grease? Chances are, you're
overdoing the “recommended daily value” with every meal you eat and
there's nothing the FDA can do about it!
When you've got an overweight person who needs to seriously cut down
on their daily servings, knowing the amount of Vitamin D and potassium -
which the FDA wants to mandate adding to the nutrition label - could be
helpful. However, the daily serving suggestion is not designed for
people with weight problems - and who knows what body type defines
“average?”
The FDA website says, “The current label simply lists 'Sugars,' which
refers to both added and naturally occurring sugars. FDA is proposing
that the label have a new line, under 'Sugars' – listing only sugars
that are added during the production process - appearing as 'Added
Sugars.'” They also state that they want to add nutrients that many
American consumers aren't getting enough of, “putting them at risk for
chronic disease.”
 |
| Dig in! It's only a serving! |
When nutrition labels debuted 20 years ago, it painted a clearer
image of how much vitamins, fat and sugar are in foods – with the
expectation that consumers would follow healthier dietary practices.
Let's get real! Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the
United States and no label changes or alterations will encourage or
alter someone's eating habits.
By the looks of most food labels – and obviously I’m not a scientist
or nutritionist to make this assumption – we've already eaten our “daily
value” of sugar and fat before our day is over, and by dinnertime, all
we have room to nutritionally consume is something as measly as a
carrot. The FDA wants us to believe they're trying to follow “food
consumption trends,” but that means making serving sizes more realistic
and larger!
Whatever the FDA is basing their “studies” on – they're not basing it
on people like myself, who have big appetites and cook homemade meals
where no serving size labels are available.
Face it – some of the most fattening and unhealthy food includes the
meals we cook in whatever portions we want to consume. When you make a
plate of something like macaroni and cheese (my favorite comfort food),
who’s measuring how much you should actually prepare? One cup? If you
can only eat one cup of macaroni and cheese, then prepare to be even
more hungry an hour later – because the FDA will probably say that one
cup fulfills your daily serving of pasta and cheese and whatever else
you throw in the pot.
I’ve been shopping at BJ’s for almost two years now and, for the most
part, it doesn’t look like most people are concerned with following
dietary guidelines. Have you seen those birthday cakes from BJ’s? How
about all of those monstrous party platters with crackers and cheese
that your guests will devour in no time?
We’re a nation of overeaters, crash dieters and nutritionally dysfunctional foodies...Good luck to the FDA on altering that!
http://www.canarsiecourier.com/news/2014-03-06/Telling_It_Like_It_Is/Telling_It_Like_It_Is.html
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