Nutrition News by Charlyn Fargo

Nutrition rating systems will be coming to your nearby grocery store soon. The concept of scientifically rating foods — now being called "nutritional profiling" — dates back to before the first federal Dietary Guidelines in 1980. Scientists have attempted to identify foods that are "nutrient dense" as opposed to those that are "energy dense" or high in calories per servings. When the latest federal dietary guidelines were released in 2005, their emphasis on nutrient density sparked a fresh look at food ratings, according to Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter (May 2009). As the U.S. government prepares to release the net version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 2010, interest in nutrient density — and how to communicate that to consumers — continues to grow.

As a result, consumers are seeing a rating system of foods at their local grocery stores. Guiding Stars, launched throughout Hannaford stores in New England and New York State (now expanded to Sweetbay, Food Lion and Bloom stores throughout the East Coast) was the first large-scale nutrition rating program. As an example, The Guiding Stars program gives its maximum three stars to all fresh produce. Smart Choices, another program, awards a check mark of approval to any fresh, frozen or canned produce with no additives. NuVal, which is used by Price Chopper and Hy-Vee grocery chains, awards oranges a perfect score of 100 and apples 96 using a complex mathematical formula from 30 nutritional variables. Supervalu stores have a "nutrition IQ" system of colored shelf tags, developed in collaboration with the Harvard-affiliated Joslin Clinic. It will be featured in Albertson's, Biggs, Cub Foods, Lucky-Osco and Shop 'n Save stores.

So do you need grocery stores to tell you that all plain fruits and vegetables are among your best nutritional food choices? Probably not. Consumers can still read labels and decipher healthy products. However, any system that helps you make better food choices is a plus. It may help to see at a quick glance which meats are leaner, and therefore, healthier, as well as which frozen dinners and cereals are best to choose. The bottom line is these systems are another tool to stock your shelves and refrigerator with healthy foods. — Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, May 2009.

Q & A

What is the TLC diet?

A: The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet is designed to lower elevated blood cholesterol.

It is low in saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol. (It limits saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of daily calories and cholesterol to no more than 200 milligrams per day, while keeping total fat between 25 and 35 percent of daily calories). If the diet does not bring your blood cholesterol low enough, it can include added dietary fiber and/or compounds called stanols or sterols that help lower cholesterol levels. It's important to note that the TLC diet is just one part of the TLC program, which also includes regular physical activity and weight management. The TLC diet and overall program are available through the National Institutes of Health. You can download a free booklet that provides details about the plan or order a print copy at the NIH Web site. — American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE

This recipe for Slow-Cooker Sausage Lasagna, from Martha Stewart's Food Everyday, makes simple work for a ready-to-eat dinner when you come home from work. It's low in fat and high in fiber as well.

Slow-Cooker Sausage Lasagna

1 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed

1 pound ground beef sirloin

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree

9 lasagna noodles

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook sausage and beef over medium-high, breaking up meat with a spoon until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Add onion, carrots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Spoon 2 cups meat mixture into bottom of a 5-to-6 quart slow cooker. Layer 3 uncooked noodles (breaking them to fit), 2 cups meat mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat with two more layers (refrigerate 1/2 cup cheese for topping). Cover slow cooker and cook on low 4 to 6 hours. Sprinkle lasagna with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Serves 8.

Per serving: 376 calories, 33.7 g protein, 32.2 g carbohydrate, 12.9 g fat, 4.3 g fiber.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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