Are You Short on These Nutrients?

Fully 90% of Americans are deficient in one or more key nutrients. Unfortunately, many Americans are not even meeting the government’s (flawed) recommended daily allowances of key nutrients. The chart below is from Precision Nutrition, and is based on USDA data.

I have some serious doubts in my mind about the accuracy of the data when it applies to people with diabetes. I would have thought vitamin B12 would have been a larger percentage because if the number I know that are B12 deficient it seems that the average would be closer to 55 percent instead of 30 percent. I guess I will just have to accept the estimate of the USDA.

One nutrient in particular to note is magnesium. Life Extension Foundation (LEF) points out in its most recent issue (December 2016) that magnesium could be the next vitamin D. It is a low-cost supplement that confers broad health benefits. Magnesium is associated with reduced risks of sudden cardiac death, stroke, type II diabetes, asthma, heart disease, hypertension, colon and pancreatic cancer, and more.

Depending on the type taken, it also helps the brain (magnesium-l-threonate is the most helpful) and bowel regularity. Ironically, magnesium oxide, the type most commonly sold, works best for regularity precisely because it is very poorly absorbed by the body and thus does not confer most of the other health benefits of this mineral! It is also important to have functioning stomach acid to absorb and utilize any mineral. Those on acid blockers are unlikely to be able to do so.

LEF also points out that food sources for magnesium can be unreliable. This is because plants take magnesium from the soil, and there can either be not enough magnesium or too much of something else, like potassium, that crowds out a plant’s absorption of magnesium. Studies show that the magnesium content of food has declined precipitously from pre-1950s levels.

The bottom line: to get enough of this vital nutrient, we probably need to supplement with it.

It’s ironic that the above chart data comes from the US Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the FDA continues its war against supplements, presumably intended to protect the drug companies that fund the agency.

Diabetes, Reading Food Labels – Part 2

Nutrients - "% Daily Value" shows how much a serving of that food gives you for each key nutrient listed. These daily goals are set by the government, based on current nutrition recommendations. The percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie/day diet, which would be right for an average- or large-size man who gets little exercise. Women or seniors with diabetes, or people trying to lose weight, need fewer calories.

If your daily calorie intake isn't 2,000, you may need to do a little math. Some nutrient goals change with the number of daily calories. Some, including sodium and calcium, are based on things like your age, sex, or health, not the number of calories you eat. Talk to your doctor or your diabetes educator about how to adjust the % Daily Values on labels for your diet.

In general, when it comes to fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, choose foods with a low % Daily Value. For total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and vitamins and minerals, try to reach your daily target for each nutrient.

Ingredients - Every product should list all the ingredients in it. They're in order from the largest to smallest amount, by weight. This means a food is made up of the heaviest amount of the first ingredient and the least amount of the last ingredient.

Label Claims - Some food labels make claims such as "low cholesterol" or "low fat." A manufacturer can only use these words if a food meets strict government definitions:

LABEL CLAIM	DEFINITION (per standard serving size)
Fat-free* or sugar-free	Less than 0.5 gram (g) of fat or sugar
Low fat	3 g of fat or less
Reduced fat or reduced sugar	At least 25% less fat or sugar than the regular product.
Cholesterol free	Less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat
Reduced cholesterol	At least 25% less cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat
Calorie free	Less than 5 calories
Low calorie	40 calories or less
Light or lite	1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat

Other important terms found on food labels have to do with the amount of salt or sodium. Remember that 1 teaspoon has 2,000 mg.

LABEL CLAIM	DEFINITION
Sodium-free or salt-free	Less than 5 mg per serving
Very low sodium	35 mg or less of sodium per serving
Low sodium	140 mg or less of sodium per serving
Low sodium meal	140 mg or less of sodium per 3 1/2-ounce meal
Reduced or less sodium	At least 25% less sodium than the regular version
Light in sodium	50% less sodium than the regular version
Unsalted or no salt added	No salt added to the product during processing

Part 2 of 2 parts

Diabetes, Reading Food Labels – Part 1

In addition to understanding labels, be sure to read the 'Nutrients' section. This section can hide some nutritional surprises occasionally that will make you avoid the food.

Food labels can help you make better decisions about what you eat and how you manage your diabetes. While I know many people do not believe this because of the number of carbs they consume, this is truer than many are willing to admit.

Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a "Nutrition Facts" label that gives a serving size and other nutritional information. It has measurements of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals for a typical amount of that food. This information can make it easier for you to choose foods that will fit into your meal plan and help control your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight.

Here's an example of a Nutrition Facts label. Find out more about its parts below.

Serving Size - A serving size is a standard measurement based on the amount of food people typically have at one time. The size of the serving determines the amounts listed on the label. It helps you figure how many calories and nutrients are in your food on your plate.

Pay attention to that serving size, including the number of servings in the package, and compare it to how much you're actually eating. Don't confuse portion size with serving size. A portion is what you choose to eat -- and there are no standard measures for this.

For example, if a slice of bread is a serving size and you eat a sandwich with two slices of bread, you've had two servings of bread in your one portion, so you'll have to double all the nutritional numbers like calories and carbs. If a package has four servings and you eat the whole thing (like a bag of crunchy snacks), you get 4 times the calories, fat, and everything else listed on the label.

Calories and Calories From Fat - Calories measure energy, so this number tells you how much energy you get from one serving. (Remember, you'll need to adjust this if your portion is different from the serving size on the label.) This part of the label also tells you how much of that energy comes from the fat in a serving.

Part 1 of 2 parts