Talking about Junk Food.
We shall be Blame for our doing.
Just think about it, if we have not Love our Kids in the wrong way. Would there be an opportunity for those Junk foods seller's??
My mom & Dad really is no nonsense on Junk food, when I was a kid, I have been watching other kids eating junk foods. I only eat food that cook by my mom. Then I hate my mom. Other kids would be laughing at me for watching them eating.
Now, after all these years of research & observations. Both my late parents really love me the right way, for not serving me Junk Foods
I am glad that My daughter is 21 now, she is very much health conscious. She understand now, why then I always have a fight with her mom over serving her junk foods. She is telling me to remind her to watch her Weight & Health.
If you Love your Kids & Love yourself, for your Great Health, avoid eating Junk Foods.
Don't be fooled, parents: It's still junk food
Whole-grain and other nutrition claims for sugary snacks turn experts sour
By ELIZABETH LEE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/15/05
The familiar battle over whether to put the sugary cereal in the shopping cart has a new twist: Now that cereal comes with a nutrition claim about the goodness of whole grains.
It's not just cereal. A growing number of food manufacturers are adding extra doses of nutrients to soft drinks, snacks and sweet treats to increase their appeal to parents.
Hershey's chocolate syrup now comes in a calcium-fortified version. Cadbury Schweppes tweaked 7Up to come up with 7Up Plus, a carbonated soft drink with added vitamin C and calcium.
The prospect of shelves stocked with whole grain Chocolate Lucky Charms, which is 50 percent sugar, and Teddy Grahams with extra calcium (and unhealthy trans fats) worries nutritionists. The best way to work in more nutrients, they say, is to choose low-calorie foods naturally rich in them, such as skim milk, fruits and vegetables.
"Fortified junk food is still junk food," says Bonnie Liebman, director of nutrition for the consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest. "Kids and adults are much better off eating healthy foods that supply the nutrients they need."
Supporters say that it makes sense to fortify the foods that Americans eat regularly, to ensure they're getting needed nutrients.
In the next few months, Bravo Foods, a Florida-based maker of fortified, milk-based beverages, will introduce a line co-branded with Starburst candy and Milky Way and 3 Musketeers candy bars. Those will join a lineup of fortified, flavored dairy beverages that includes milkshakes aimed at children ages 5 to 15, protein-fortified milks aimed at teens and Moon Pie reduced-fat milk.
"Clearly milk is better for you than an empty calorie beverage," says Roy Warren, Bravo's chief executive officer. "As we have to put some calories or artificial sweeteners or fat in it to make it taste good, we know we're dealing with a product that's good for them."
Few would argue that Americans eat a nutritionally balanced diet. Neither children nor adults get enough vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium or fiber. Adults also need more of vitamins A and C, according to the scientific panel that drew up the government's new dietary guidelines. Because of those nutrient deficiencies, commonly eaten foods such as milk, white bread and breakfast cereals have long been fortified.
Yet the federal agency that regulates food labels traditionally has discouraged fortifying certain foods, to avoid over- or under-fortification in consumers' diets and to prevent deceptive or misleading claims.
"The Food and Drug Administration does not encourage indiscriminate addition of nutrients to foods, nor does it consider it appropriate to fortify . . . snack foods such as candies and carbonated beverages," the agency's policy reads.
The policy is for guidance only and is not really enforceable, an FDA spokeswoman says. The agency hasn't taken any action against food manufacturers for violating the policy in the last two years, she says.
Joanne Lupton, a nutrition professor who served on the committee that drew up new federal dietary guidelines, is concerned that more food makers will seek to fortify high-calorie, high-fat or sugary foods.
She points to the resistance the dietary guidelines advisory committee encountered in encouraging Americans to eat at least three servings of whole-grain foods daily. Manufacturers of products made with fortified refined grains objected, saying that encouraging Americans to eat fewer refined grains would decrease their consumption of folic acid and other nutrients added to enrich those grains. She doesn't want to see that happen with sodas and candy bars.
"You need to be able to pick foods that are already healthy, because otherwise you'll be promoting intake of a lot of foods that still have the calories in them, or excess fat or sugar, just because they're good vehicles for other nutrients," Lupton says. "I don't think that's a good idea."
The lines are starting to blur. Frito-Lay is selling a Munchies Kids Mix that contains Cheetos, Cap'n Crunch cereal, Doritos, pretzels, reduced-fat cheddar cheese popcorn and candy-coated chocolate pieces. The label notes that it's fortified with eight essential vitamins and minerals and carries a "Smart Choices" logo, which corporate owner Pepsico uses to denote snacks that meet certain criteria for lower fat, sugar and sodium content.
Bravo Foods has struggled to find the right product for its Slammers line of flavored dairy beverages, one that will appeal to kids and parents. It has changed packaging, added artificial sweeteners and enlisted new comic book characters to sharpen the pitch for milkshakes aimed at children 5 to 15. For parents, there is a message about fortification, which varies from B vitamins to ginseng and lycopene, depending on the milkshake's flavor. For kids, there's a packaging lineup that includes Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, Spiderman and Elektra.
"It's an important balance," Warren says, "to try to make it attractive to moms without turning the kids off with a health message."
Parents are picking up a similar good-for-you message on every box of General Mills cereal now, even those high in sugar. The company recently replaced the refined grains in many of its cereals with whole grains.
Kellogg's new Tiger Power, a whole-grain cereal aimed at young children, touts its fiber, calcium and protein content on the box.
"Tiger Power is the latest example of Kellogg's long-standing commitment to help consumers get more fiber in their diets" says company spokeswoman Jenny Enochson.
Do the whole grains make a difference? That depends on who you ask. Nutritionists say that fiber, an important benefit of eating whole grains, should add up to at least 5 grams a serving. Three grams per serving is acceptable, says Jeannie Moloo, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Many of the General Mills cereals, especially those aimed at children, don't supply that much.
The FDA recommends that consumers read a package's nutrition facts panel to determine whether the food has nutritional value, a spokeswoman says. If a food contains 5 percent of less of a nutrient's daily value, it's considered low in that nutrient, she says. If it provides 20 percent or more, it's high.
"Whole-grain cereals are better than cereals made with refined grains, but whole grains don't automatically turn a cereal into a healthy food," says Liebman. She applauds General Mills' decision to switch its whole line to whole grains — with some reservations.
"The good thing about a change like this one," Liebman says," is people who do not pay the slightest attention to sugar or fiber or whole grains will end up with some benefit because the junky cereal they were buying is a little less junky."
Don't be fooled, parents: It's still junk food | ajc.com
We shall be Blame for our doing.
Just think about it, if we have not Love our Kids in the wrong way. Would there be an opportunity for those Junk foods seller's??
My mom & Dad really is no nonsense on Junk food, when I was a kid, I have been watching other kids eating junk foods. I only eat food that cook by my mom. Then I hate my mom. Other kids would be laughing at me for watching them eating.
Now, after all these years of research & observations. Both my late parents really love me the right way, for not serving me Junk Foods
I am glad that My daughter is 21 now, she is very much health conscious. She understand now, why then I always have a fight with her mom over serving her junk foods. She is telling me to remind her to watch her Weight & Health.
If you Love your Kids & Love yourself, for your Great Health, avoid eating Junk Foods.
Don't be fooled, parents: It's still junk food
Whole-grain and other nutrition claims for sugary snacks turn experts sour
By ELIZABETH LEE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/15/05
The familiar battle over whether to put the sugary cereal in the shopping cart has a new twist: Now that cereal comes with a nutrition claim about the goodness of whole grains.
It's not just cereal. A growing number of food manufacturers are adding extra doses of nutrients to soft drinks, snacks and sweet treats to increase their appeal to parents.
Hershey's chocolate syrup now comes in a calcium-fortified version. Cadbury Schweppes tweaked 7Up to come up with 7Up Plus, a carbonated soft drink with added vitamin C and calcium.
The prospect of shelves stocked with whole grain Chocolate Lucky Charms, which is 50 percent sugar, and Teddy Grahams with extra calcium (and unhealthy trans fats) worries nutritionists. The best way to work in more nutrients, they say, is to choose low-calorie foods naturally rich in them, such as skim milk, fruits and vegetables.
"Fortified junk food is still junk food," says Bonnie Liebman, director of nutrition for the consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest. "Kids and adults are much better off eating healthy foods that supply the nutrients they need."
Supporters say that it makes sense to fortify the foods that Americans eat regularly, to ensure they're getting needed nutrients.
In the next few months, Bravo Foods, a Florida-based maker of fortified, milk-based beverages, will introduce a line co-branded with Starburst candy and Milky Way and 3 Musketeers candy bars. Those will join a lineup of fortified, flavored dairy beverages that includes milkshakes aimed at children ages 5 to 15, protein-fortified milks aimed at teens and Moon Pie reduced-fat milk.
"Clearly milk is better for you than an empty calorie beverage," says Roy Warren, Bravo's chief executive officer. "As we have to put some calories or artificial sweeteners or fat in it to make it taste good, we know we're dealing with a product that's good for them."
Few would argue that Americans eat a nutritionally balanced diet. Neither children nor adults get enough vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium or fiber. Adults also need more of vitamins A and C, according to the scientific panel that drew up the government's new dietary guidelines. Because of those nutrient deficiencies, commonly eaten foods such as milk, white bread and breakfast cereals have long been fortified.
Yet the federal agency that regulates food labels traditionally has discouraged fortifying certain foods, to avoid over- or under-fortification in consumers' diets and to prevent deceptive or misleading claims.
"The Food and Drug Administration does not encourage indiscriminate addition of nutrients to foods, nor does it consider it appropriate to fortify . . . snack foods such as candies and carbonated beverages," the agency's policy reads.
The policy is for guidance only and is not really enforceable, an FDA spokeswoman says. The agency hasn't taken any action against food manufacturers for violating the policy in the last two years, she says.
Joanne Lupton, a nutrition professor who served on the committee that drew up new federal dietary guidelines, is concerned that more food makers will seek to fortify high-calorie, high-fat or sugary foods.
She points to the resistance the dietary guidelines advisory committee encountered in encouraging Americans to eat at least three servings of whole-grain foods daily. Manufacturers of products made with fortified refined grains objected, saying that encouraging Americans to eat fewer refined grains would decrease their consumption of folic acid and other nutrients added to enrich those grains. She doesn't want to see that happen with sodas and candy bars.
"You need to be able to pick foods that are already healthy, because otherwise you'll be promoting intake of a lot of foods that still have the calories in them, or excess fat or sugar, just because they're good vehicles for other nutrients," Lupton says. "I don't think that's a good idea."
The lines are starting to blur. Frito-Lay is selling a Munchies Kids Mix that contains Cheetos, Cap'n Crunch cereal, Doritos, pretzels, reduced-fat cheddar cheese popcorn and candy-coated chocolate pieces. The label notes that it's fortified with eight essential vitamins and minerals and carries a "Smart Choices" logo, which corporate owner Pepsico uses to denote snacks that meet certain criteria for lower fat, sugar and sodium content.
Bravo Foods has struggled to find the right product for its Slammers line of flavored dairy beverages, one that will appeal to kids and parents. It has changed packaging, added artificial sweeteners and enlisted new comic book characters to sharpen the pitch for milkshakes aimed at children 5 to 15. For parents, there is a message about fortification, which varies from B vitamins to ginseng and lycopene, depending on the milkshake's flavor. For kids, there's a packaging lineup that includes Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, Spiderman and Elektra.
"It's an important balance," Warren says, "to try to make it attractive to moms without turning the kids off with a health message."
Parents are picking up a similar good-for-you message on every box of General Mills cereal now, even those high in sugar. The company recently replaced the refined grains in many of its cereals with whole grains.
Kellogg's new Tiger Power, a whole-grain cereal aimed at young children, touts its fiber, calcium and protein content on the box.
"Tiger Power is the latest example of Kellogg's long-standing commitment to help consumers get more fiber in their diets" says company spokeswoman Jenny Enochson.
Do the whole grains make a difference? That depends on who you ask. Nutritionists say that fiber, an important benefit of eating whole grains, should add up to at least 5 grams a serving. Three grams per serving is acceptable, says Jeannie Moloo, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Many of the General Mills cereals, especially those aimed at children, don't supply that much.
The FDA recommends that consumers read a package's nutrition facts panel to determine whether the food has nutritional value, a spokeswoman says. If a food contains 5 percent of less of a nutrient's daily value, it's considered low in that nutrient, she says. If it provides 20 percent or more, it's high.
"Whole-grain cereals are better than cereals made with refined grains, but whole grains don't automatically turn a cereal into a healthy food," says Liebman. She applauds General Mills' decision to switch its whole line to whole grains — with some reservations.
"The good thing about a change like this one," Liebman says," is people who do not pay the slightest attention to sugar or fiber or whole grains will end up with some benefit because the junky cereal they were buying is a little less junky."
Don't be fooled, parents: It's still junk food | ajc.com
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