Food Labels: Hype or Help?

My son just brought home a bottle of apple juice.

"100% Apple Juice From Concentrate" it said on the label. That sounds good to me. We're not big juice drinkers, but he's young and eats a well-balanced diet. Some fruit juice once in awhile won't hurt him.

Label reader that I am, I examined the attractive logo on the bottle. (You can't read the print, but you can see the design in this photograph.) It's green, yellow and orange – like a flower or the shining sun. Maybe the juice is natural, organic or enriched with vitamins?

The not-so-fine print on the logo says:

Source of Energy - מקור לאנרגיה

What's that supposed to mean?

Energy means calories when it comes to food. Unless it's water or a diet drink, it's going to have calories. And those calories are a source of energy. The nutrition label states clearly that one cup of this apple juice has 96 calories. Of course it has energy.

So the eye-catching logo is telling us the obvious – that apple juice is a source of energy. Big deal!

Much of food marketing is just like this – catchy (or not so catchy) phrases that don't mean much of anything. So it's up to you to bypass the hype and go straight to the helpful information – the nutrition label. From there, compare prices and choose the best deal.

Yom Kippur - Before and After the Fast

Adapted from my book, Food for the Soul – Traditional Jewish Wisdom for Healthy Eating


Judaism has always acknowledged the relationship between the physical and spiritual elements of life, and most of our holidays embrace both, through celebration and prayer.

On Yom Kippur we strive to elevate the spiritual while setting aside the physical. Fasting allows us to disregard, but not totally neglect, our physical needs in order to better concentrate on our spiritual ones.

To ensure an easy and safe fast, drink plenty of water a few days in advance, so that you will be completely hydrated. If you usually drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, start tapering off a week or so before the fast, to minimize withdrawal headaches.

On the day before the fast, avoid eating heavily salted and fried foods. Try to eat foods containing complex carbohydrates and continue drinking lots of water.

Erev Yom Kippur dinner should begin early enough to allow for a relaxed meal before leaving for the synagogue. You might want to eat a mid-morning brunch that day or a hearty breakfast followed by a very light lunch or mid-day snack; that way you can start dinner early enough to avoid rushing.

Include complex carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein and a small amount of fat in the pre-fast meal. Use salt sparingly, to avoid thirst later on. Stay away from overly sweet and spicy foods, carbonated beverages and alcohol. Eating a moderately sized meal may actually make fasting easier than trying to eat enough at dinner “to cover” for the next day.

Here’s a menu idea: Green salad dressed with olive oil, vegetable soup, baked chicken or turkey breast, brown rice pilaf and poached fruit.

We like to break the fast with a light dairy meal. Tuna, salmon and vegetable salads can all be prepared the day before the fast. Sometimes I bake a dairy casserole, kugel or quiche and re-heat it in the microwave when we return home.

It’s best to avoid a large heavy meal. And be sure to drink plenty of water to rehydrate after the fast.

G’mar chatimah tovah and best wishes for an easy fast.

Olive Oil Cake

This light-textured sponge cake is not too rich, yet full of flavor. Serve it with fresh or cooked fruit. On Rosh Hashanah I served it with oven-poached figs and a small scoop of home-made honey ice cream.

It would be perfect for breaking the fast after Yom Kippur.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar, divided

4 eggs, separated

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh orange or tangerine juice or half juice and half citrus liqueur

Grated zest of one lemon, orange or tangerine, preferably organic

Method:

Line the bottom of a 10" (25 cm) spring form pan with parchment paper. Spray the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 325 F (165 C)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add in ¼ cup of the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks are formed. Transfer the whites to a clean bowl and set aside.

In the same bowl of the electric mixer (no need to wash the bowl), beat the remaining ¾ cup of sugar with the egg yolks on high speed until they're thick and pale. Reduce the speed of the mixer and add in the olive oil, juice and zest. Stop the mixer, add the dry ingredients and mix together gently. The batter will be thick.

Gently and gradually fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, until they're thoroughly incorporated. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes and then remove the sides of the pan to cool completely.

Serves 12

Eating to Reduce Stress

With a full month of holidays, it's likely that most of us will be feeling stressed at least once in awhile.

Did you know that certain foods can help relieve stress?

Whole-grain "complex" carbohydrates can boost serotonin – a brain chemical that helps you feel more relaxed. Choose whole-grain bread, pasta, popcorn and grains like brown rice, quinoa, kasha, bulgur and barley.

Dark green vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, chard, and green beans are full of B vitamins, which can help ease depression and anxiety.

A number of studies show that Vitamin B12 may help ease stress and reduce depression. Animal-based foods like eggs, fish, poultry and low-fat dairy products are good sources of B12.

Drink green, black or herbal tea. They're much lower in caffeine than coffee, which often works against relaxation. Chamomile tea is especially soothing.

Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce stress too. Fatty fish, nuts and seeds are all good sources. Nuts and seeds are also high in B vitamins and magnesium – a mineral that helps produce serotonin.

What else can you do to reduce stress during the holidays?

Try not to overeat. Get plenty of exercise. And don't forget about the importance of a good night's sleep.

Apples and Honey

With Rosh Hashanah right around the corner, apples dipped in honey will soon be on our dinner tables – a traditional symbol for a sweet new year.

Even without honey, apples make a delicious snack any time. They're a good source of healthy antioxidants and pectin – a form of fiber that's good for lowering cholesterol.

As for honey, why not try something new this year and choose a dark flavorful variety, like eucalyptus, avocado, buckwheat or chestnut? These tend to be higher in antioxidants than the milder and more common clover and citrus honeys.

Is honey good for you?

Preliminary studies suggest that antioxidants in honey may help speed up metabolism and aid in weight loss. But don't get too excited. The calories in honey (64 per tablespoon) add up quickly, so you can easily gain weight by eating too much.

Though there's no clinical evidence that honey can help relieve allergy symptoms, it just might help soothe a cough. When tested against over-the-counter cough syrups, honey was more effective! Just don't give honey to children younger than a year old, as it contains bacteria than can produce botulism poisoning in an infant's immature immune system.

In ancient times, honey was used as a wound dressing. Research is now confirming its effectiveness.

Nutrition and medicine aside, I recommend eating more apples and trying at least one new variety of honey this year, just because they taste so good!

שנה טובה ומתוקה

A Happy and Sweet New Year to Everyone

Honey Spice Bars (Parve)

No time to bake honey cake this year? Looking for a delicious holiday dessert that's full of good-for-you grains, nuts and seeds?

Here it is. Based on the French spice cake Pain D'Epices, this cake uses rye flour instead of wheat. But don't worry. It's light and airy - nothing like "health food" bakery goods.

These are very popular, so I usually make a double recipe.

Ingredients

½ cup rye flour

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180C). Spray or line an 8” (20cm) square baking pan.

Whisk together the flour, oats, walnuts, seeds, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, mix together the eggs, sugar, honey, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Mix in the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares.

16-20 servings

Fast and Sweet

Unexpected guests?

No time to make dessert?

Feel like a little something sweet with your tea?

Here's a dessert or snack to put together in just a few minutes. All you need are dates and almonds, walnuts or marzipan.

1. Use a small sharp knife to pit the date. Check that the inside is clean.

2. Fill the pitted date with a whole almond, half a walnut or some marzipan

3. Arrange the filled dates on a small plate

That's it. Unless you want to sprinkle some powdered sugar over the dates.

Dates are quite sweet. But they're also high in fiber and potassium. Nuts are high in healthy monounsaturated fats.

If you're looking for delicious marzipan, try the not-too-sweet Israeli marzipan from Kfar Tabor. It's made with almonds, sugar, water, glucose and alcohol. It actually tastes like almonds rather than sugar!

Their (mainly Hebrew) website is www.marzipan-tavor.co.il

Full or Partial Feeds?

I'm talking about blog feeds, not food feeds!

As a trial, I'm switching to full RSS feeds. So you'll receive my complete blog post as an email.

I'd appreciate your feedback. Let me know if you like it better this way or if you'd prefer the old system.

Thanks, Chana

It's "All - Natural". But is it Good?

Are you more likely to buy something if it's labeled "All-Natural"?

What about "Organic"?

Are "natural" and organic foods better for you?

When I hear the word "natural," I think of food that's wholesome, earthy and minimally processed. But in fact, there's no clear meaning and no regulation as to what "natural" really means. Any food can be called "natural", regardless of what's in it!

On the other hand, organic foods are defined and regulated. The USDA, for example, states the following:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

What about processed foods? If a candy bar is "natural" or organic, is it good for you?

Not necessarily. If it's high in sugar, fat and empty calories, it's no better than any other candy bar.

The same goes for crackers, chips, cookies, candy and other snack foods – junk food is junk food, whether it's organic, "natural" or just "regular"!

When it comes to fresh produce, I prefer my food pesticide-free. But I also want to get the best nutrition for my money. That means choosing foods that are good for you at a reasonable price. If organic broccoli is outrageously expensive or if it's wilted, I'll buy fresher, conventionally grown broccoli.

And there's more to consider – seasonal, locally grown and fresh produce is often a better choice than organic produce that's traveled thousands of miles to get to you.

The bottom line?

"Natural" doesn't necessarily mean healthy. And organic may not always be your best choice. Read labels and make your choices based on good nutrition and common sense.

Calcium and Dairy Alternatives

I haven't stopped eating dairy. I know I'm at risk for osteoporosis, and calcium is important for my bones (along with exercise and a diet high in vegetables and fruits).

Besides, I like it. I use soy, rice and almond milk in parve baking, but I can't get used to it in coffee. I like the flavor of low-fat ricotta cheese in cooking and baking. We also enjoy dairy puddings, a bit of feta cheese in summer salads and milk-based gelato.

My solution is to take lactase tablets (Lactaid) when I eat dairy. The pills fill in for the lactase that's missing in my system. I treat our milk with drops that remove most of the lactose. And to further minimize adverse effects, I try to eat dairy together with other, non-dairy foods. To get enough calcium, I eat a cup of yogurt a day and take a calcium supplement.

Here's the recommended amount of calcium you should try to get each day:

Age (years) Calcium (mg/day)

1-3 500

4-8 800

9-18 1300

19-50 1000

51+ 1200

If you don't eat dairy, try to get calcium from other sources. Some non-dairy beverages add it in. There's also calcium-fortified orange juice. Check the nutrition label to see just how much you're getting per serving.

Some non-dairy foods are naturally high in calcium, like canned sardines and salmon when eaten with the bones, tofu made with calcium, almonds, techinah, kale, broccoli and dried figs. (I know people who eat a lot of kale, but how many figs can you eat?)

Even if you eat dairy products, it's often hard to get enough calcium. When you're lactose intolerant and eating just a little, or no dairy at all, it's especially hard. So your physician or dietitian might recommend a calcium supplement to reach the minimum recommended amount for your age.

Lactose Intolerance

I enjoy dairy foods – Salad with feta cheese, yogurt with granola, an occasional cappuccino. But years ago my digestive system started saying "no" to dairy. I discovered that I was lactose intolerant.

Lactose intolerance isn't an allergy. It's the inability to digest lactose – the sugar in milk. It happens when the body doesn't produce enough of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose. Instead of getting properly digested, the lactose sticks around in the intestines and causes problems, like bloating, gas, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Sometimes it just happens as we get older. It can run in families or in ethnic groups.

Does it mean that you can't eat any dairy any more? Not necessarily. Most people who are lactose intolerant can eat dairy products that are low in lactose, like yogurt, hard cheeses and cottage cheese. Some people can drink small amounts of milk, especially with food. Eating yogurt made with active cultures may even help improve lactose digestion.

It's a matter of trial and error.

Are you lactose intolerant? Don't assume so before checking with your physician, who can request a blood or breathe test to find out for sure. Meanwhile, you can try this experiment: Stop eating all dairy products for two weeks. If your symptoms disappear, eat a little dairy. Wait a few days to see how you feel. This way you can figure out just what (and how much) you can comfortably eat.

Next…calcium and dairy alternatives