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eye. Here's a guide to some of the more
popular food terms you might spot
on packaging.
3 USDA ORGANIC The U.S.
Department of Agriculture allows the
use of the word "organic" based on
guidelines regarding issues like soil
quality, animal care practices and pest
control. Genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) are never permitted in organic
products, and farmers cannot use most
fertilizers or pesticides. Livestock must
receive 100 percent organic feed that is
free of chemicals, hormones and antibiotics. While animal welfare and the
environment are important to many
shoppers, Armul notes that "organic
foods are not necessarily healthier." For
mom-and-pop farmers, she adds, creating certified organic foods is "a huge
endeavor. It's very expensive, and the
certification process can take years. A
farm might be working toward it but
still not considered organic."
3 GMO-FREE This label is regulated
by a nonprofit called The Non-GMO
Project and means the food hasn't been
genetically altered in a laboratory. With
GMO foods, some consumers worry
about altering the nutrition profile or
introducing potential allergens, although
organizations like the American Medical
Association and the World Health
Organization have supported the view
that GMOs are safe. Armul notes that
such modification "has been used for
quite a lot of good, too, say by reducing
the need for pesticides." She suggests
that consumers try to think more about
the big nutritional picture. "Personally,
I read the ingredients, and if there are a
lot of simple carbs, corn, corn oil or less
nutritious foods that, yes, also tend to
have those GMOs, then I might reach for
something else," she says.
3 WHOLE FOOD "This is really just
a trendy, unregulated term," Armul
says. But the spirit of the phrase is
something she supports: Choose unprocessed, unpackaged foods. "I like the
idea, because it's a good goal to aim for,"

she says. "It promotes eating foods in
their natural, intact form, like fruits
and vegetables, which tend to be better
for you."
3 SUPERFOOD Armul calls this
one a "wishy-washy word that's kind
of taken off in the media." It's not a
regulated term, and although it usually denotes that a food is packed with
nutrients, shoppers should always read
labels. "It kind of conjures up this image
of a perfect food or magic pill, and I
want to caution against that-you can
even eat too much of a superfood, and
the goal for someone should always be a
well-balanced diet," Armul says.
3 GRASS-FED As the name suggests,
this refers to animals, usually cattle,
that eat grass rather than grain. Armul
says grass-fed beef can be healthier
because the extra fiber gives it more
omega-3 fats, which some researchers
have found to protect against heart
disease. It can also be leaner because
of the lower-calorie diet. "But that
doesn't turn a burger into broccoli,"
she says. "There are a lot of choices
with a meal, and grass-fed might be
one of them, but if you're eating a
burger, pay as much attention to your
toppings, sides and portion sizes, since
it's not usually the beef itself that
causes a burger to be unhealthy."
3 ALL-NATURAL This nebulous
phrase is pretty much just mumbojumbo, Armul says. "That one is completely unregulated," she says, "so
I would tell someone not to pay too
much attention to it." ■

Formula for
Healthier
Eating
Summer is fast approaching and
with it comes graduation parties and
holiday picnics. While fun, these festivities also can be full of calories and
unhealthy choices.
Registered dietitian/nutritionist
and certified diabetes educator Terri
Sakelaris, with Community Hospital's
Diabetes Center, offers some tips to
help you stay on track with healthy
eating while still enjoying the season's celebrations.
"Planning ahead will help you be
more successful in your eating strategy," Sakelaris says. "Call ahead and
ask what you can bring to the outing.
Bring a dish you feel will fit into your
eating plan, such as a veggie tray with
hummus or even a fruit salad or a lowcalorie dessert. The host will be thrilled
and you may make better choices if
you have some foods there that fit into
your plan."
Strategic shopping is also key to
healthy eating. It's important to have a
well-planned list of items to incorporate into your meal plan for the week,
Sakelaris says.
"Avoid the aisles of temptation and
never go shopping hungry," she says. "A
blood sugar on the low side can cause
you to make bad food selections."

CALL

Reach Your Weight Loss and Health Goals
Community Healthcare System offers nutritional counseling: Community Hospital,
219-703-1560; St. Catherine Hospital, 219-392-7060; St. Mary Medical Center,
219-947-6063. For diabetes self-management education, visit COMHS.org and
search "Diabetes Management" for classes in East Chicago, Hobart and Munster.

SUMME R 2019

http://www.COMHS.org

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2019 - CH

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