MyNetDiary Blog

Nutrition Facts Labels Now Required on Meats

Back in 1993 the USDA made nutritional labels on meat completely voluntary. Last week, however, the USDA made them mandatory. The new rule affects all ground meat and ground poultry, as well as 40 of the most popular cuts found in the U.S. Meat cuts like New York strips, chicken breasts, pork chops, and lamb kabobs will all have nutritional facts on them or prominently posted nearby.

The information included on these nutritional labels will include total calories, calories from fat, levels of saturated fat, protein, cholesterol, sodium and iron. Another change is that in addition to the lean content of meat (i.e. “85% lean”), labels will also show the fat percentage (i.e. “15% fat”).

The hope is that this will help people comparison shop among different cuts and types of meat. In the United States, the average person consumes over 224 pounds of meat, poultry and fish every year (about .6 pounds per day). While this figure is lower than it has been over the last four years, it still represents a nearly daily intake of meat, so having nutritional labels present should help educate consumers about their purchases.

So what is good, lean meat anyway? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, lean meat and poultry contains less than 10 grams of total fat and less than 4.5 grams of saturated fat in a three-ounce portion. Extra lean meat contains 5 grams of total fat and less than 2 grams of saturated fat. The best sources and cuts of lean meats are skinless chicken breast and cuts of beef or pork that contain the words “round” or “loin,” such as top round, bottom round, tenderloin, sirloin, or top loin.

So what are your thoughts about nutritional labels now being required on meats? Will it help, or do you already just check out potential cuts via MyNetDiary? We would like to hear from you on our Facebook page and in our Community Forum. 

Spot Reducing: Myth or My Goal?

Why Did I Stop Losing Weight?

This is huge concern for many of you trying to lose weight. It seems like you are doing everything right yet the scale won’t budge. Or worse, you find that your weight has inexplicably gone up despite eating fewer calories than you burn. What gives?

Body Weight Components

Body weight includes the weight of muscle, adipose tissue (body fat), bone, organs and body fluids. Losing or gaining weight is not simply just losing or gaining body fat; it includes other tissues as well. Losing weight safely means losing primarily body fat with minimal loss of muscle and other tissues.

Variation

Body weight can fluctuate up to about 5 lbs (2.3 kg) throughout the day. Anything that can cause a fluctuation in body water or hydration status can also affect body weight. For instance, certain blood pressure medications, the menstrual cycle, illness, profuse sweating, drinking liquids and eating food will all affect body weight. When your weight stalls or increases unexpectedly, is it associated with a change in any of the above factors? A high-salt diet can play havoc with your blood pressure as well as your body weight. Also, try to weigh yourself under the same “conditions” – e.g. after you wake up and use the bathroom – to minimize variation.

Basic Troubleshooting

Most of the time, folks who are not losing weight are simply not creating enough of a calories deficit over time. Recall that you have to create a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1 lb of weight. To continue to lose weight, you have to continue to create enough of a calories deficit. And that can be a real challenge.

Most of us either underestimate calories intake and/or overestimate calories burned. This results in a lower calories deficit than expected and therefore, a slower rate of weight loss. Try to be as accurate a record keeper as possible and try to track daily.

Training

Aerobic and resistance training can increase muscle mass as well as muscle glycogen deposition. This small increase in water-rich tissue could mask a small decrease in body fat weight. If your waist or clothing size decreases even without a significant decrease in weight, then it could be that your body composition is changing in a beneficial direction. A shrinking waist is something to celebrate – it is associated with better health. However, weight should eventually drop with continued training in the presence of a calories deficit (eating fewer calories than total calories expended).

Crash Diets

When folks go on crash diets, much of the initial decrease in body weight is actually water, not body fat. With a continued low calories intake (well below one’s BMR), the rate of weight loss slows but there will be a continued increased loss of muscle along with body fat. This is a problem for many reasons (safety and health), but in terms of weight loss, it makes it a little harder to lose weight. A larger drop in muscle means a larger drop in BMR. You will still lose weight, but your maintenance calories, as well as calories for weight loss, will decrease more than expected. You can view your BMR calories in MyNetDiary apps under “My Plan” or under the “Details” tab on the web.

Patience, Grasshopper!

Try to avoid getting too frustrated with a stubborn scale value. If your weight hasn’t changed for a few weeks, then it is time to troubleshoot. If you weigh yourself daily then be prepared to practice patience since normal weight fluctuations could easily mask true weight loss for a short period of time. And finally, if you feel that your body is really fighting the weight loss, then stop and reexamine your target weight, rate of weight loss and target calories. Don’t starve yourself – your body will fight back. In my experience, folks have the most success with a moderate reduction in calories intake combined with a moderate level of exercise. That is, when lifestyle changes are moderate yet sustainable so that over the long haul, the weight comes off and stays off for good.

Have questions or comments about this post? Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page. I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

More Resources

Katherine Isacks, MPS, RD. MyNetDiary. The Dreaded Weight Plateau.   

Katherine Isacks, MPS, RD. MyNetDiary Blog. Setting a Healthy Target Weight.    

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD. Why Can’t I Lose Weight?

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

For the Love of Peanut Butter!

Creamy or crunchy, natural or no-stir, fresh or packaged – I love it all. As long as the manufacturer doesn’t cheap out and use partially hydrogenated oils (industrially produced trans fats), I consider peanut butter a healthful food choice for those without peanut allergies.

Calories & Nutrients

Peanut butter is a calorie-dense food. That is, for a small volume of food, it has a lot of calories. A standard 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter contains 190 calories, 16 grams of fat, and 7-8 grams of protein. Although peanut butter, like all nut butters, is high in fat, most of the fat comes from heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Peanut butter is also a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, manganese and niacin.

Tip: Don’t use peanut butter as a main protein source if you are trying trim calories from your eating plan. Instead, consider it a healthy fat that has the added benefit of providing protein. For more tips on calories-efficient protein choices, see this article on MyNetDiary’s main website.

Natural

Natural peanut butter made with only peanuts is the least processed form you can buy. However, it will typically separate at room temperature and requires refrigeration after opening. It is also important to have it out at room temperature to soften before trying to spread it. Spreading cold, natural peanut butter on a crumbly slice of bread will only invoke frustration and promises never to buy it again.

Tip: after buying a natural peanut butter, stir it well while it is still at room temperature BEFORE you put it in the refrigerator. There will be little if any separation while the nut butter is cold.

No-Stir & Shelf Stable

Added Trans Fats. If the extra care involved with natural nut butter is a nuisance to you, then go for no-stir but be aware of the added fats. Some companies cheap out and use partially hydrogenated oils to make their peanut butter “no stir” as well as shelf stable. Read the ingredient list for partially hydrogenated oils and avoid brands that contain them. No amount of industrially produced trans fats is healthful – ideally, consume none at all. Unfortunately, manufacturers can declare that their product is “trans fat free” as long as there is less than 0.5 grams/serving. You can thank the FDA for that odd rule. Small amounts of trans fats can add up during the course of the day so avoid foods that contain any amount of them.

Added Saturated Fats. No-stir peanut butters typically contain a small amount of added saturated fats such as palm oil or fully hydrogenated vegetable oils. In my opinion, these oils are less harmful than consuming trans fats, but some health professionals might disagree on this point. The saturated fat content increases a little (about ½ - 1 gram) per serving, but on the other hand, you avoid intake of trans fats.

Added Salt. Sodium content varies by brand but peanut butter is not typically high in sodium. For instance, Skippy & Jif both contain about 150 mg/2 tbsp serving whereas Maranatha contains 70 mg/serving. Watch what you put peanut butter on – most brands of bread contain  200 mg sodium/slice and many brands of crackers can go up to over 300 mg sodium/1oz serving.

Specialty Peanut Butters

Flavored Styles. Flavored peanut butters have added sugars along with the spices. You might consider buying a good quality peanut butter and simply adding your own sweetener and spices so that you can control the quality and nutrient content.

Low-fat. I laughed when I first saw low-fat peanut butter since the caloric content for most of these products is nearly identical to regular peanut butter. What would be the point in going low fat since the type of fat in peanut butter is so healthy to begin with? However, my opinion has changed with a product that a MyNetDiary forum member has raved about: PB2. This is a processed food but the calories are 50% lower than regular peanut butter, so it might be easier to fit into a calories-controlled meal plan. You be the judge.

Have questions or comments about this post? Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page. I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

More Resources

Eating Well Magazine. Eating Well Taste Test: Natural Peanut Butters.  

Harvard Health Publications. Ask the Doctor: Why is Eating Peanut Butter “Healthy” If It Has Saturated Fat?   

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

Burgers Get a Second Chance

For goodness sake, do we have to be stuck with using ground chuck (80% lean/20% fat) for burgers this summer just because they contain the right amount of fat for grilling? If you are trying to keep your calories and saturated fat intake in check, then take the time to experiment with some recipes that use lean ground beef or turkey, and simply use other ingredients to give the burger flavor and juiciness. You will be very surprised at how good leaner burgers can taste with the right added ingredients.

Standard Grilled Cheeseburger

Let’s start with the standard homemade cheeseburger made with 3 oz of cooked 80% lean/20% fat hamburger (231 calories, 6 grams saturated fat), 1 slice of American cheese (70 calories, 3 grams saturated fat), 2 tbsp of ketchup (29 calories, 0 grams fat), 1 tbsp mustard (10 calories, 0 grams fat), 3 dill pickle slices (4 calories, 0 grams fat), and 1 regular hamburger bun (120 calories, 1 g saturated fat).  This cheeseburger will cost you about 464 calories, 10 grams saturated fat and 1346 mg of sodium.

Wow! Let’s see if we can find some burgers that taste great but are lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium than this one.

Fancy Lean Burgers

Cooking Light has some great ideas for healthier burgers. Here are some that you can check out to see if the ingredients tickle your taste buds:

Southwestern Turkey-Cheddar Burgers with Grilled Onions: 395 calories, 4.8 grams saturated fat and 853 mg sodium

Lamb Burgers with Indian Spices and Yogurt-Mint Sauce: 398 calories, 4.1 grams saturated fat and 656 mg sodium

See Cooking Light’s “Healthy Grilled Burgers” for more ideas.

Veggie Burgers

You do not have to be stuck with pre-made veggie patties any more than you have to be stuck with pre-formed hamburger patties. There are many recipes for homemade veggie burgers – I picked a few from Cooking Light. As you can see below, these burgers beat even lean meat burgers in terms of calories and saturated fat.

Red-Lentil Burgers with Aioli: 324 calories, 1.6 grams saturated fat and 688 mg sodium

Portobello Burgers: 251 calories, 2.3 grams saturated fat and 739 mg sodium

See Cooking Light’s “All-Time Favorite Veggie Burgers” for more ideas.

Grind Your Own Beef?

You can better control the quality of your ground beef if you buy meat from a trusted butcher and grind it yourself or have the butcher grind it fresh for you. You can use an attachment on your stand mixer or use your food processor.

Kathie Downie from Cooking Light recommends grinding beef tenderloin tails. The tails will be a lot less expensive than buying the intact tenderloin cut. If you trim the meat before grinding, then the calories and fat will be similar to very lean ground beef (95% lean, 5% fat) with 164 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat per 3 oz. cooked patty. Or you could grind a trimmed beef brisket to achieve nearly the same nutrient profile.

Chowhound readers describe how you can use your food processor to grind your own beef, even for burgers. Grind just before cooking.

Other Tips

Even if you don’t experiment with the fancy burgers listed above, you can still reduce calories and/or saturated fat by making a few changes:

• Cut your 80/20 ground chuck with lean ground meats such as 90/10 or ground turkey.
• Try using lean ground beef (90/10 or 95/5) and add olive or canola oil to increase fat.
• Replace cheese with sliced avocado (will reduce saturated fat).
• Use low fat mayo or skip mayo and just use just ketchup and/or mustard.
• Make the burger smaller and pile on more veggies (e.g. grilled onions, peppers, etc).
• Use smaller buns.
• Fill up on veggies - plan for at least a half-plateful of grilled veggies and have a salad!
• If you typically eat two burgers or a burger and a hot dog, then try eating only one slightly larger burger (e.g. 4 oz vs. 3 oz cooked meat).

Fat, Carbs, and Protein: Which Macronutrient Percentage is Best for You?

I often get asked what proportion of calories from fat, carbs, and protein is best for weight loss. There is no one right answer to this question. As long as your total calories intake is less than your total calories expended, you will lose weight. As long as the plan is nutritionally sound, allows you to eat foods that you enjoy, provides satiety, reduces risk of chronic disease and allows you to lose weight – it works!

Having said that, there is a growing body of current research that supports using lower carb intakes to help curb appetite and lose weight. Last Friday, I had the pleasure of hearing Christopher Gardner, Ph.D. talk about his study on diet types (“The A to Z Weight Loss Study”).  This study compared weight loss, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels in women assigned to one of four diets: Atkins, Zone, LEARN and Ornish. Here is a description of these four diets:

• Atkins: The New Diet Revolution (20 g carbs during Induction Phase and then up to 50 g carbs (about 15% calories from carbs, and fat and protein as desired)

• Enter the Zone (40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein)

• The LEARN Manual for Weight Management (55-60% carbs, <10% saturated fat: this diet is closest to the dietary guidelines)

• Eat More, Weight Less by Dean Ornish (<10% total fat – this is a very low fat diet)

Popcorn

Air-popped popcorn is a healthful whole grain snack that is relatively low in calories, sodium-free and sugar-free. Two tablespoons of yellow popcorn kernels will yield about 3 cups popped. And it is really cheap! Where I live, a 2 lb bag of popcorn costs $1.99, so one serving is only 6 cents. Not bad if you are on a budget.

In addition to crunch and low cost, popcorn has nutritional merit. Three cups of air-popped popcorn contains about 93 calories, 1 g fat (mostly polyunsaturated), 18 g carbs (no sugar), 3 g fiber, and 3 g protein. It also contains a small amount of potassium, iron, niacin, and folate. To air-pop, you can use a popcorn air-popper machine or you can simply buy a microwavable bowl and top. Nordic Ware brand makes an inexpensive bowl and loosely-fitting top specifically for microwaving popcorn. I found mine at Target but you can also find it online.

Oil-Popped Popcorn

My mom used to make popcorn in a cast-iron skillet with vegetable oil (a polyunsaturated fat). That adds about 54 calories of polyunsaturated fat (about 6 grams of fat) to my 3 cups of popped popcorn. If you use canola oil, you will be adding the same amount of calories, but the type of fat will be mostly the monounsaturated fats. Any non-hydrogenated vegetable oil is a heart-healthier choice than buying movie-style microwave popcorn or theatre popcorn.

Salt

Although I am thrilled that so many people have stopped salting their food, some processed popcorn products will contain more sodium than if you simply salted your home-made popcorn. Regular salt contains 295 mg of sodium per 1/8 teaspoon. If you only use 1/16 teaspoon (one-half of a 1/8 teaspoon) – that limits sodium to about 145 mg. That is about 6% of the Dietary Guidelines goal of 2300 mg or less. Not bad.

Be careful with sea salt, however – it is only slightly lower in sodium than regular salt. For example, La Baleine sea salt contains 270 mg of sodium for 1/8 teaspoon – only 25 mg lower than regular salt.

For a handy little tip, you can help the salt stick to the popped kernels if you grind the salt very fine. But measure first and then grind. If you use spray oils, then spray your popcorn first and then salt – that will also help the salt stick to the popped kernels.

Other tasty and healthful popcorn toppings:

Cinnamon (0 mg sodium)

Lemon juice with nutritional yeast flakes (0 mg sodium)

Garlic salt (Lawry’s has 120 mg sodium per 1/8 teaspoon)

Grated parmesan cheese (190 mg sodium for 2 tbsp)

Morton’s Lite Salt (145 mg sodium per 1/8 teaspoon)

Old Bay 30% Less Sodium Seasoning (48 mg sodium per 1/8 teaspoon)

Spike 5 Herb Magic (0 mg sodium)

Spike Vegit Magic (15 mg sodium per ¼ teaspoon)