Nutrition in the News: Healthier Fast Food?

Seems like everyone wants to jump on the latest trends in healthier food.   Many people are now choosing Chipotle over McDonald�s.   More of us are shunning artificial ingredients and artificial flavors in favor of real food.   So what is the Fast Food industry doing to get on the healthier bandwagon?  They are going to start removing artificial ingredients, preservatives and colorings from their food.  Who is doing what?

• Subway � I like Subway as one can get whole grain bread, lean meat and veggies on a sandwich.  They will be removing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
• Papa John�s � who doesn�t like pizza?  We usually avoid Papa John�s because of all the sugar they put in the sauce, it just tastes sweet.  But Papa John�s is planning on cutting out 14 not so healthy ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial colors.  When?  By the end of 2016. They have already made some strides taking out MSG from their Ranch Dressing and eliminated trans fats from their garlic sauce.
• Pizza Hut � They are working fast to eliminate all artificial flavors and colors by the end of July.  Pizza Hut is also focusing on sodium, cutting back on sodium in its offerings but that will take until 2020.
• Taco Bell:  By the end of this year, they will be removing artificial flavors and colors.  And by the end of 2017, they will get rid of artificial preservatives and additives.
• Chipotle � already a healthier option, this chain will now use non-GMO ingredients.  Next they will eliminate artificial preservatives, still used in burritos.
• Panera Bread � another favorite as it offers many healthy options.  By the end of 2016, this chain is removing 150, yes 150 artificial additives. (One wonders why they had so many artificial additives in the first place.)

Although removing artificial ingredients is a good trend, Americans eat too much added fat and added sugar.  None of these restaurants are focusing on removing the empty calories of added sugar or lowering the fat content of their food offerings.  How about at least taking the added sugar out of the pizza?

Sources:  Cutting out Artificial Ingredients, Image Source: Panera Bread

Take the Sugar Challenge

A lot of experts are talking about the health hazards of eating too much added sugar.  And Americans love their sugar.  Who doesn�t love sweets and desserts?  However, added sugar is now in more and more processed foods and it is getting harder and harder to avoid added sugar.  A recent newsletter from Kaiser Permanente challenges their customers to take the 2 week Sugar Challenge.  Why?

1. Most Americans eat a lot of added sugar every day, about 26.5 teaspoons for ladies and 33.75 teaspoons for guys.  That is a lot of sugar.
2. How much added sugar is recommended?   The American Heart Association recommends we limit our added sugars to: 

• Women   6 teaspoons a day
• Men   9 teaspoons a day

The TWO WEEK SUGAR CHALLENGE

Cut out added sugar and artificial sweeteners from your diet for two weeks.   Why?  Believe it or not, this will actually help you reset your desire for sugary sweets.  Foods will taste sweeter and you will have less of a craving for sweets.  The Kaiser2 week sugar challenge: 

1. Don�t add sugar or artificial sweeteners to your food or drink.
2. Avoid teas, sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks with added sugar or those that are artificially sweetened.  (Replace with mineral water, unsweetened teas, or add lemon, mint to ice water.) 
3.  Cut out added sugar foods such as cookies, cake, candy, yogurt, soy or almond milk, breakfast cereals (with added sugar), specialty coffees (avoid those syrups). 
4. Read food labels � aim for those foods with 5 grams or less of added sugar.

It is OK to continue to eat yogurt without added sugar, cereals such as oatmeal without added sugar, fresh fruit, milk.

Sugar= sucrose (white table sugar), honey, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, molasses, agave, evaporated can juice, coconut palm sugar, dextrose, barley malt, cane sugar, grape sugar, turbinado sugar, raw sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, brown rice syrup, date sugar.  

Even if you can�t give up all added sugars, can you cut back?  Can breakfast or lunch be added sugar free?  Take the sugar challenge and note how much sugar is being added to the foods you eat each day.

Sources:  Hooked on Sweets:  Take the sugar and artificial sweetener challenge,   Image source: 
Sugar