For most, deciphering nutrition labels can be like reading hieroglyphics. It can be time consuming and thankless.  I’m committed to providing my readers as much accurate nutrition information as possible. My belief is that healthful, wholesome products belong in your kitchen cabinets as much as they belong in mine. That’s why I created Bestowed , a monthly membership service designed to introduce you to the best, most healthy products on the market. Each month, my team and I select five products that we love and send them to you by mail. Find out more on bestowed.com.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that less than 10% of participants looked at the calorie content of a nutrition label. Understandably so. There are so many confusing terms who can be expected to keep up? In this article, I’ve provided you with a dictionary of the top 7 common nutrition terms and exactly what they mean. Print this out and take it with you next time you’re out shopping. You’ll never second guess your choices again!

High- In order for a food label to claim that their product is high in a nutrient (ex. High in fiber) one serving must provide 20% of the Daily Value.  If the food contains 10-19%, then it’s considered a good source of.

Low Carb- Surprisingly, there are no set guidelines for this claim. FDA?? This leaves a lot of room for misleading labeling and frivolous purchasing.  Often when a high carbohydrate food is modified to become a low-carb food, the fat and calorie content goes up. It’s better to choose foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates such as nuts (in moderation), tofu and of course, vegetables.

Low Sodium- Foods that claim to be low sodium must contain 140 milligrams or less per serving. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend less than 2300 mg of sodium a day to prevent hypertension and risk for stroke. Needless to say this is an important label to pay attention to!

BPA free- BPA free products have become a hot topic right now. BPA stands for bisphenol A. which is an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, particularly those used in the food industry. The American Chemistry Council stands by their claim that products that contain BPA pose no risk to consumers, yet other associations feel differently. There are various products that are BPA free including cans, baby products and beverage containers. I’m addicted to my Bobble, which is a completely green self-filtering water bottle free of BPA! You’ll need to replace the filter from time to time, but one filter is equal to 300 single-serve bottles.

Non-GMO- Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are crops that have been modified in a lab to remain resistant to herbicides and increase nutritional content. Often referred to as Franken-food, this experimental farming practice represents 80% of the North American crops, yet 53% of consumers claim they wouldn’t buy something that’s been genetically modified. To be absolutely certain about the status of your favorite food, check out the Non-GMO Project which provides a complete list of foods that have gone through their rigorous verification process.  Large food companies are also taking the guesswork out of GMO’s. Recently, Kashi released a promise that by 2014 all of their existing cereal products will be non-GMO verified if they are not already.

Enriched- Not to be confused with fortified, enriched means that the nutrients have been added BACK into a food that may have lost them during the refining process. People often think that this means the food has additional vitamins and minerals, but that’s not the case. Food companies simply put back what was once there. The most common example of this is enriched flour. During the refining process, essential B vitamins and iron are lost, therefore they are added back in.

Fortified- The fortification process means that an item has added vitamins and minerals in ADDITION to the ones that are naturally occurring. Plenty of foods are fortified to ensure adequate nutrition for the general population. For instance, milk is fortified with Vitamin A and D and pasta and bread with folic acid, an essential nutrient in preventing neural tube defects in infants.

why i love glow gluten free cookies

Gluten free has definitely captured national attention, and these cookies have only 110 calories. Glow Gluten Free provides four flavors of baked with natural and organic ingredients in a certified gluten free and Kosher bakery.  Ingredients like garbanzo bean and coconut flour make them both wholesome and delicious. I’m convinced they are just about the healthiest and BEST tasting cookie you’ll ever have.

two tips
I live for these as an afternoon delight for a touch of sweetness without the guilt. If you’re prone to eating fast, I recommend sticking these cookies in the freezer and enjoying them frozen. For those looking for that fresh baked flavor, ten seconds in the microwave should do the trick.

where to purchase
Glow Gluten Free cookies are currently featured in Bestowed’s April Box. Sign up to receive your box at bestowed.com. You can also purchase at www.glowglutenfree.com/gluten-free-cookies

Warm breeze, longer days, a calendar full of picnics and BBQs — it’s officially springtime! With all these obligations, it can be nerve-wracking to try to stick to your diet. These events can be filled with creamy potato salad, pies, mile-high sandwiches, you name it. There is still room for the almighty sandwich in your life (and your stomach). You just have to be smart about it. So get out your checkered tablecloth, find your best basket and strap on your sundress. Here are some guidelines to making the most out of this classic picnic staple.

The bread:

Before you quiver in fear and run for the solace of the salad bar, let me explain. Following a healthy eating plan doesn’t mean that you can’t eat bread. Although my book is called Bread is the Devil, I’ll be this first to say that not all bread is bad.

Ciabatta, pumpernickel, rye… The possibilities are endless! No matter how you slice it: Whole wheat or rye is the best option. You’ll also have to forgo anything bigger than a typical piece of bread. There is no reason a sandwich should be named after a submerged sea vessel. Don’t be fooled by the enticing allure of wraps. Most are nutritional wannabes, racking up 300-500 calories full of refined grains and oil. Choose La Tortilla fiber and flax corn tortillas. They clock in at a measly 45 calories, yet have five grams of fiber.

Sandwich spreads:

Aioli, chipotle mayo, and pesto are not your friends. Despite these condiments being offered on every sandwich menu known to man, they equal major calories — as much as 200-400! I love a tasty schmear as much as the next girl, but there are smarter choices than these sinful spreads. Opt for items such as mustard, relish, pickles, hot sauce or a lite soy sauce. If you’re still craving a creamy addition to your sandwich, use a Laughing Cow Light cheese wedge instead. They come in varieties such as queso fresco chipotle and sundried tomato basil, which give your sandwich instant flavor for only 35 calories.

In between the bread:

Most would say this is the part that really matters. There are so many things that you can make a sandwich out of, it’s easy to get deterred. Grilled chicken and turkey are typical healthy options, though it doesn’t have to stop at that. Try roasted vegetables (such as eggplant and zucchini) that have been marinated overnight in balsamic vinegar topped with one slice of Alpine Lace Swiss cheese.

Or change it up with mixing canned salmon (Did you know it’s always wild Alaskan?) with low-fat mayo, celery seed and chopped onions. It’s a top-notch alternative to typical tuna or chicken. And who can resist a classic PB&J? When spread on GG Bran crackers with Justin’s Nut Butter, you have a healthy alternative to a lunchroom standard.

Bottom line:

Sandwiches can still be a part of your life and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. At my new website Bestowed, you have an opportunity to sample some of the products I’ve mentioned. Nutrition advice is available in boatloads, and if you bought everything that was recommended you’d be broke. Think of this as a monthly “fit-kit” full of snacks and treats that have been carefully selected by me for you to try.

Can’t wait to get your feedback!

If you’re anything like me, there is a unique feeling that comes with giving to the ones you love. I can’t help but browse aisles and websites thinking “ooohhh that would be perfect for…” As a dietitian, friends and family often look to me to bestow the latest and greatest in fashionable food-related finds. Well let me assure you, at the Bauer household we don’t disappoint.  So even if you’ve been a bit devilish this season, gifting these items will bestow an angelic aura upon you!

Great gift all around

1.       The Bobble- Dole this out to everyone you know this season.  These reusable water bottles with built-in water filters are BPA-free, which will leave you feeling guilt-free! With 8 different colors and 4 various sizes you can afford to be indecisive.

For the conscious chef in your life

2.      Healthy Steps Portion Control Tool Set- Ensuring perfect serving sizes can leave you in portion-controlled purgatory. Once you’ve used these in your kitchen you’ll think of dinner in a whole new light!

A new home for your kicks

3.       Thursday Friday bags- Roomy enough for sneakers, workout gear (and a new water bottle), these totes are giving ladies all around town new reasons to get in the gym. Who couldn’t resist tossing one of these over a treadmill? Yep, they’re way too fashionable to be stuffed in a gym locker. You may want to get one for yourself too…

For the Bread Lover in your life

4. For anyone in your life that holds bread near and dear to their heart.New books are always an exciting indulgence. Pre-order “Bread Is the Devil” (St Martin’s Press) for you and a friend and start 2012 feeling saintly.

Pretty soon, you’ll be knee deep in turkey, stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie. Yes, if it’s one thing you can count on it’s the holidays. Some of the best memories are created around the table; so don’t spend these precious times stressing over calories and weight gain. This 3-part blog series will help you glide through the holidays like a penguin on ice!

Contrary to how you may feel after next Thursday’s big feast, it’s impossible to gain weight in one sitting. The shift that you may see on the scale is due to an increase in blood volume, which typically happens after a large meal. Fear not! Your body carries a handy fluid regulating mechanism, called the fluid-electrolyte balance, which gets you back on track in no time.

Often, people associate this festive time of year with about a 5 to 8 lb. weight gain. Through research, the National Institutes of Health actually pinpoints that number at about 1 to 1.5 lbs. Yes, this is good news but don’t forget that if this happens every year, over time it can add up! Stay tuned next week for Turkey Day tips that will prevent this from happening….

By now, it’s possible that you’ve adjusted to the time change and reveled in that extra hour of sleep we got on Sunday. Don’t forget that it comes with a heavy price tag. As the days get shorter and the sky turns darker your mood might take a devastating dip.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (with the ever so appropriate acronym SAD) tends to present itself in the fall and winter. But have no fear; depression proof nutrition is here!

Fats are where it’s at

Consider fats the stars of the show when it comes to regulating moods. Hydrogenated oils, better know as trans fat, have been under scrutiny for years because of their ability to increase LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and decrease HDL levels (good cholesterol). That’s barely half the story of these evil fats. In 2011, for the first time ever, researchers in Spain identified a link between trans fat and depression. Trans fat in the diet increased the risk of depression by almost 50 percent! Those who only ate “good fats” had a 35 percent reduction in mood disorders. For a quick refresher course in fats, my previous post, The Skinny on Fats can clear things up. In the meantime here are some brief guidelines:

• Nuts and seeds contain polyunsaturated fats that can halt unhappiness in its tracks. Try sprinkling sunflower seeds on your salad, chopped walnuts in your oatmeal or sesame seeds as a topping for any type of protein.
• Olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, contains polyphenols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which basically act as an antidepressant in the body. Combine with flavored vinegar (Martin Pouret found at the Williams-Sonoma store makes delicious ones) and use for salad dressing instead of store bought brands. Lightly brush olive oil on fresh veggies, top with salt and pepper, and broil in the oven.
• The main purpose of trans fat is to extend the shelf life of a product. You will find it in most processed foods, packaged baked goods and fried foods. Think about what the appropriate shelf life of a food item should be before you buy it. If that muffin your about to eat can stay “fresh” for over a week, it probably has trans fat in it.

Beef up on B vitamins

Although there are eight B vitamins, the ones that may determine the status of your mood are folate, B6 and B12. They all work together in the body, so if you are lacking in one, chances are you’re lacking in a few.

Thanks to grain fortification, folate deficiency is pretty rare in the United States. When choosing foods naturally high in folate, think beans and greens! Spinach, asparagus and collard greens all score high in levels of folate, along with pinto, kidney and navy beans. Steam any deep green leafy vegetable, mix with cooked lentils and flavor with lemon juice for a meal that’s sure to boost your folate level.

B6 acts as a precursor for numerous cognitive reactions in the body, so it’s essential to make sure that you have enough. Garbanzo beans, chicken and tuna are some traditional sources, yet you’ll also find it in bulgur wheat, cottage cheese and winter squash.

Sub-par levels of B12 can cause restlessness, anxiety and irritability. Animal products such as beef and liver are terrific sources, but it’s also found in fortified cereal, milk and yogurt. Surprisingly, clams have one of the highest levels of B12 of any food. Try them steamed over a serving of whole-wheat pasta tossed lightly with olive oil. For fish fans, opt for salmon, rainbow trout or haddock to increase daily levels. Keep in mind as you get older your ability to absorb B12 decreases. Checking in on your status with a blood test never hurts.

Vitamin of the Year

If you listened to everything you read and saw in the media you would think Vitamin D cured everything. Maybe not, but low levels in the body have been directly linked to depression in adolescents, healthy adults, and the elderly population. Of course, short winter days and cold nights makes it a bit tricky to get an adequate amount from sunlight. Besides dairy products, copious amounts of Vitamin D are found in ocean products such as herring, salmon, halibut and oysters.

If you’re feeling down in the dumps, don’t fill up on carb-laden foods. Eating processed foods with simple carbohydrates will only cause severe dips in sugar levels and mood. Choose some of the foods listed above to get through the dreary, winter months.

When it comes to dark, leafy greens, Kale is like spinach on steroids. You can get more vitamins and minerals from this vegetable than most of the big time produce players like broccoli, brussels sprouts or swiss chard. The problem usually lies less with your willingness to eat such a healthful vegetables and more with the fact that you really just don’t like its taste. I have two words for you: kale chips.  When baked, kale crisps up and with just a touch of seasoning you can have your favorite chip variety in your very own home. This article, Kale-icious Chips!, from FitSugar gives you great recipes as well as the best packaged kale chips you can buy. If Dan Barber is doing it, then it has to be good. Enjoy!

When there’s something strange in the nutrition news… who you gonna call? Nu-Train!

Nutrition myths spread like cream cheese on a bagel, they’re all over your email inbox, splashed across magazine and paper articles and even discussed on the nightly news. Well, the time has come to debunk some of these common nutrition myths.

Myth #1: Eating eggs raises your blood cholesterol levels.

Contrary to popular belief, the dietary cholesterol found in eggs actually does not have a tremendous impact on your blood cholesterol levels. It’s a simple mis-”semantic”-communication; unlike the toe-may-toe vs toh-mah-toh conundrum, these two cholesterols, dietary and blood cholesterol, are not created equal. Dietary cholesterol, which is the fat-like molecules in animal-based foods like eggs, actually has little to do with the amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream. Since your body is capable of producing its own cholesterol, it doesn’t need you to get any from food sources so the cholesterol you ingest has little influence over the amount in your blood. However, the actual thing that may increase your body’s blood cholesterol production is specific saturated and trans fats and adversely, soluble fiber may lower blood cholesterol by inhibiting its absorption in the small intestine. One large egg contains only 1.5 g of saturated fat (such a miniscule amount compared to the butter you use to cook your egg), which means they are not a big contributor to blood cholesterol levels. Keep them on your grocery list because they’re a rich source of 13 vitamins and minerals!

Myth #2: The more fiber you eat, the better.

Ladies and Gentlemen: the Fiber Fad has arrived! This is a little trickier than some of the other myths because there is a lot of truth to it. Fiber does keep you full, meaning you’ll ingest fewer calories but not all fiber are created equal. The naturally occurring fiber-rich whole foods satisfy hunger, such as the fiber found in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes. However, the yogurt found in your grocery aisle that contain fiber-supplements, “faux-fiber foods”, may not be equally beneficial. Manufacturers are isolating specific types of fiber and adding them to packaged foods in order to increase sales. There are so many components of fiber and they each have their own jobs- wheat bran keeps things moving, oat bran lowers cholesterol and inulin supports a healthy gut, so it’s best to get the benefits of fiber from whole foods rather than isolate aspects of fiber from “faux-fiber foods” boasting unnatural added fiber!

Myth #3: Organic foods are more nutritious than conventional ones.

We all do it, I am a victim of buying the 30 cent more per pound fruit just because it’s organic but truth is a good mango by any other name is still a mango. Manufacturers began promoting organics as being inherently more nutritious but this is a fallacy, there is no significant nutritional difference existing between conventional and organic crops. Of course there is the issue of pesticides and herbicides that can be found in conventional produce. Also if you opt for organic because the sustainable farming support the health of the soil, the work of small farmers, or he well-being of livestock- then you’re good in my book.

Myth #4: Skipping meals helps you lose weight

This is a dietitians’ biggest nightmare! Did you know that people who skip meals, particularly breakfast, and eat fewer times during the day actually tend to be heavier… yes I said heavier. When you skip a meal you slow down your metabolism and you frequently eat more at other meals to compensate, both of which work against your body trying to lose weight. Actually eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day can help you control your appetite and keep your calories burning.

Myth #5: You have to drink 8 glasses of water everyday.

Water, water- it’s everywhere; water bottles have become the fashion accessory and it’s for good reason too. Drinking your necessary daily water requirements is absolutely crucial but you don’t need to go crazy trying to satisfy the eight 8-oz glasses a day rule. Insider’s secret: no one is really sure where this so-called “8-by-8” mantra originated. You know the saying- “everyone’s different”? well this is where it actually applies; the amount of water you should drink daily is dependent on your diet, size and body chemistry.

Before you pick your poison, albeit Advil, Excedrin or TUMS, you may want to take a trip to your refrigerator, pantry or spice rack before you pop a pill. There are certain items in there that can treat your everyday ailments. They may not work for everyone but these easy home remedies often work better than over the counter drugs with way fewer chemicals and potential side effects. It should ‘t come as a surprise that food has the power to heal because what you eat and drink dictates your long-term wellness, so it only makes sense for it to be medicine too. Read up on these easy Secret Kitchen Cures from Whole Living and find out why you should reach for the sesame oil instead of sleepy time for your insomnia and so much more!

My new book, Bread is the Devil, goes on sale January 3, 2012. Yay! Pre-order your copy using one of the links below:

• Amazon.com
• iTunes
• Barnes & Noble
• Booksense.com
• Books-a-Million

DESCRIPTION

Stop mindlessly inhaling the breadbasket and stop shoveling in the M&M’S–Bread is the Devil is the solution to all of our diet saboteurs.

Nutritionist Heather Bauer can count on the fingers of one hand the number of her clients who don’t already know what they should eat to lose weight. So why can’t they (and their best friend and their neighbor) lose weight? Because Bread is the Devil! Yes, that’s Bauer’s shorthand for the inevitable, demonic pull that certain bad habits exert on people who try to change their eating routines to drop the pounds. Many of us have been there: You had a sensible, healthy breakfast, high in protein with complex carbs. Ditto for lunch—soup and a salad with a warm rush of accomplishment and self control for dessert. But now it’s dinnertime and you’re out with friends: enter a large basket of warm, sliced crusty sourdough bread with a little tub of chive butter. Suddenly you’re in the seventh circle of hell—the one reserved for gluttons. Bread’s not your devil? How about ice cream or chips or that big slab of butter cream frosted birthday cake?

Bread Is the Devil will help you fight those hellish cravings that stop you from losing the weight you want. By identifying how certain factors promote overeating, Heather will:

• Identify the top ten Diet Devils that challenge healthy eating
• Provide specific, proven strategies that free you from these devils once and for all
• Offer up a simple, flexible guide that will help you reach your goal in twenty-one days and make eating fun again
• Suggest an easy, affordable, and doable shopping list for eating at home as well as great meal choices when eating out

Bread is the Devil is divine intervention for even the most devilish dieters.