By Karen Collins, RD, CDN

Q: How do people manage to eat the recommended five vegetable and fruit servings every day? That seems like a lot of food.

A: Actually, five servings of vegetables and fruits a day are not the goal. They are considered the minimum number for good health. The goal recommended by most experts is five to ten daily servings. But even if everyone ate just five servings, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) estimates that the incidence of cancer could drop by up to 20 percent. Five servings are also recommended to prevent and treat heart disease. A serving may be smaller than you think. A half-cup of most fruits and raw or cooked vegetables counts as a serving. For raw leafy greens like lettuce, a cup makes a serving. One of the main reasons most Americans fail to eat at least five servings is that we usually don’t eat any vegetables until dinner. Other cultures that include vegetables and fruits in meals and snacks throughout the day easily reach ten servings. To increase your number of servings and help your health, put fruit on your cereal in the morning. Grab a piece of fruit instead of a doughnut. Enjoy a salad for lunch. Select a fruit salad, vegetable soup, or raw veggies to go with your sandwich instead of chips and cookies. Make vegetables the largest part of your dinner stir-fry. Instead of a bowl of ice cream, sit down with a bowl of fruit for an evening snack. If you find ways to eat two or three servings of vegetables and fruits at each meal with one or two fruit or veggie snacks each day, your total will quickly draw near ten.

 Q: Why don’t the amounts for different types of fat listed on food labels equal the number next to “total fat”?”

A: The numbers for individual types of fats don’t always add up to the total fat figure because, in addition to those that are listed — saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated — others are not. Trans fat, which is unsaturated fat whose chemical structure has changed during a fat-hardening process called “hydrogenation,” will be listed separately on all labels in the future, but it is already figured in the total. Total fat also includes a substance called “glycerol,” which is a kind of building block for fats that does not act like a fat at all. You should also know that the numbers on food labels are rounded off. Figures rounded slightly up or down can affect the total.

Q: How can I tell if I’m getting as much fiber as I should?

A: This is an important question, since surveys suggest that many Americans think they’re eating enough fiber, although most of us aren’t. The current recommendations call for 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day for adult women and 30 to 38 grams a day for adult men, depending upon a person’s calorie consumption. Despite common misconceptions, one or two good sources of fiber a day won’t put you in that range. And neither “wheat” bread (which is made from refined grains unlike whole-wheat bread), nor lettuce, is a good source of fiber. However, if you eat a mostly plant-based diet recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research and other health experts, it’s easy to get enough fiber. Eat five to ten fruit and vegetable servings a day. Make at least three of the grain products you have whole grains. And include beans, nuts, or seeds several times a week. Food labels can help you find breads, cereals, and other foods that are good sources of fiber. When you reach desirable levels of fiber consumption by eating a variety of healthful foods, you will also receive a wide range of health-promoting nutrients and phytochemicals.

 

Q: Is beef jerky a nutritious snack?

A: Jerky, a strip of seasoned, dried meat, has become popular once again as people look for snacks suitable for low-carb diets. While beef jerky is the most common type, turkey jerky is also sold. Jerky can even be made from fish or tofu. The nutritional value of jerky depends on what it is made from and how it is made. A typical half-ounce piece of beef jerky might contain 50 calories, 4 to 7 grams of protein, 1 to 4 grams of fat (about half of that amount is saturated fat), and a trace of carbohydrates at most. The biggest drawback of jerky may be its sodium content. There is often 250 to 450 milligrams of sodium in a half-ounce piece. Although hikers and other highly active people use jerky during extended physical activity, its benefits for most people are questionable. A piece of fruit is also a 50-calorie snack. Yet it supplies fiber and antioxidants that most of us are lacking, instead of the protein, fat, and sodium that we already get in abundance. Jerky could be an option for someone who needs protein in a snack or is in a rush. But it should be a half-ounce piece of the reduced-sodium types now available.

Q: If I ate the recommended 6 to 11 daily servings of grains, wouldn’t I gain weight?

 A: First, you need to remember that eating more calories than you burn causes weight gain, not the kinds of foods you eat. High-calorie foods do make it easier to accumulate extra calories, but it’s the total number of calories matters most. Second, although health recommendations call for six to 11 grain servings a day, the top of the range may not apply to you. Eleven servings are recommended for those who need 2,800 calories a day — usually active men and extremely athletic women. Six servings can supply enough nutrients and energy for people who need about 1,600 calories a day, like inactive women. Servings between six and 11 is appropriate for the rest of us. Third, the term “serving” refers to standard US Department of Agriculture amounts that may differ from the portion you usually eat. For example, a one-cup portion of pasta on your plate actually counts as two grain servings. A deli-size bagel is close to four servings. One sandwich has two servings of bread. If you gain weight while eating the number of grain servings recommended for your calorie needs, you might be counting large portions as one serving when they are actually several. (To help you correctly estimate the number of servings you eat, use the health aid on the American Institute for Cancer Research website at www.aicr.org/publications/nap/napaids.lasso#ssw.) You could also consume excess calories from beverages, snacks, or other calorie-dense foods.

Q: What are sugar alcohols?

A: Sugar alcohols, like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol, are sweeteners that occur naturally in fruits. They are often added to certain foods. The alcohol term refers to their chemical structure. They do not contain any of the alcohol found in drinks like beer and wine. Because they don’t promote tooth decay, they are often used in “sugarless” gums. They are also used to add texture to some processed foods. Some studies suggest sugar alcohols take longer to break down than regular sugar. Thus, they cause a less rapid spike in a person’s blood sugar levels than regular sugar-sweetened products. As a result, some foods that advertise a low level of “net carbs,” which are the carbohydrates available to the body, don’t count sugar alcohols in their tally. However, since these alcohols have calories, they are unlikely to help with weight control. Consuming excessive amounts of them can also lead to intestinal gas, cramping, or diarrhea.

Q: Is it true that healthy eating might help prevent Alzheimer’s disease?

A: Scientists are still in the early stages of understanding how dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, might be prevented and treated. Nothing is clearly proven to lower risk yet, but studies suggest limiting saturated fat and eating fish at least once a week (to possibly benefit from omega-3 fats). Antioxidant nutrients like vitamin E and the B vitamin niacin may also play a protective role. Scientists believe that Alzheimer’s develops over a period of at least ten years, so lifestyle in middle age could affect dementia years later. Middle age obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure seem to increase risk, while regular exercise and greater consumption of dark green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower) may lower risk. So far, it looks like lower risk of dementia may come along with lifestyle habits that protect against cancer and heart disease.

Karen Collins is a registered dietitian and certified dietitian/nutritionist with the American Institute of Cancer Research.