Nutrition labels are mostly reliable
DEAR DR. BLONZ: How are the “nutrition facts” on every food package arrived at, and by whom is all the food tested? How reliable are these figures? — A.W., Walnut Creek, Calif.
DEAR A.W.: The accuracy of the information on nutrition facts panels are the responsibility of the company selling the food. With few exceptions, all foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are required to display nutrition labeling. The exceptions are foods from small business that have fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees, and whose food product sales are less than 100,000 units per year. (For importers, it is fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees and sales under 10,000 units annually.)
Retailers are exempt if their annual gross sales are less than $500,000, or their gross sales of foods to consumers in the United States is less than $50,000.
Information on food labels is subject to review, and FDA representatives travel around sampling, purchasing and analyzing products from store shelves to check for accuracy. Fines and product seizures can result depending on the infraction. In 1996, it was found that 91 percent of tests on sample food products correctly listed nutrition information, an improvement from the 87 percent compliance rate in 1994. I consider the information on food labels to be quite reliable. Food companies, especially larger ones, have much to lose through mislabeling, as the penalties for doing so can be hefty.
There are a number of consumer options if you have any doubts. The first might be to compare similar products from other companies, making certain to take into account serving sizes and the similarity of ingredients. Another option might be to call the company directly. There are now also extensive resources on food composition online. A searchable database of food composition, amassed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, can be found on the Web at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. There is also a user-friendly Web site, appropriately called NutritionData, at www.nutritiondata.com. This site contains food composition data along with nutritional information for fast-food entrees, and a wide variety of diet, nutrition and health tools. It is a great resource, put together by Lori and Ron Johnson, that definitely deserves a bookmark.
DEAR DR. BLONZ: I read your response to the cholesterol issue letter the other day, and I wanted to say that it was very well-written and informative. There seemed to be one important fact left out in relation to cholesterol intake and the foods people eat, though: Cholesterol is only found in animal-based foods, so if one eliminated all animal foods and consumed plant-based foods only (i.e., a whole-foods vegan diet free of trans fatty acids), they would eliminate excessive cholesterol intake from their diet. As you mentioned, the human body produces all the cholesterol it needs, therefore it is unnecessary to consume any. The average cholesterol level in one who partakes of this type of diet is usually around 150 mg/dL or less, as opposed to around 200 mg/dL or more on the Standard American Diet. And, as far as favorite foods being missed, there are countless cookbooks and a few restaurants that feature plant-based dishes similar to any animal-based dish. — R.D., Newark, N.J.
DEAR R.D.: A vegan vegetarian diet — one with no meat, dairy or eggs — contains no source of dietary cholesterol. Health statistics for vegetarians as a group tend to be superior to those for non-vegetarians (omnivores). Not only are there lower rates of heart disease and certain cancers, there also is a lower incidence of obesity, obesity-related diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney stones, gallstones and diverticular disease. The fact that this way of life is associated with a lower risk of such a variety of maladies suggests that these diseases share something in common. Obviously, a greater emphasis on plant foods keeps the body in good health, and it’s this higher state of health that fortifies the body’s defenses.
The question, though, is whether the key is the elimination of animal products or the vegetarians’ focus on plant-based foods. If there is a balance and variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, the occasional presence of meat and dairy in the diet does not place a person at any real disadvantage. Non-vegetarian foods are good sources of many nutrients. Full-time vegetarian eating can work, but it is not a prerequisite to good health. At our house, there is a mix of vegetarian days and omnivore days — a variety that keeps our table alive with flavors, tastes and textures.
Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Newspaper Enterprise Association, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. For e-mail, address inquiries to: ed@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.
Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is a nutrition scientist and the author of “Power Nutrition” (Signet, 1998) and the “Your Personal Nutritionist” book series (Signet, 1996).