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It's time to choose healthy foods
Health advice
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March is National Nutrition Month and it’s the perfect time to start making smart food choices by reading labels and ordering healthier meals when eating out. While grocery shopping may take a little longer at first, a few moments of label reading can pay big health dividends for you and your family. Reading labels is actually pretty simple, but you also need to understand how to interpret them.
Most food labels provide lists of ingredients, health claims and nutrition fact panels. The very first thing to check on a nutrition fact panel is the particular food’s serving size. Many Americans believe one bag or container of food is one serving, regardless of the package’s size. This may be one reason for the dramatic increase in obesity among American children and adults. Checking a food’s serving size and the number of servings will make consumers more aware of how much they’re actually eating.
Next, check the calories and the fat content per serving. And, if you’re watching your salt intake, look at the food’s sodium content. Also, note the nutrient benefits you’ll receive by eating that particular food.
Important nutrients to check include protein, carbohydrates and the different types of fats — monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats. Monounsaturated fatty acids are mostly found in vegetable oils, such as canola, olive and peanut oils. Eating foods high in monounsaturated fatty acids may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and decrease heart disease risks.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are also found in vegetable oils, such as safflower, sunflower, corn, flaxseed and canola oils. Specific polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, are called essential fatty acids. These are necessary to maintain cell structure and make hormones, and they must be obtained from foods. Eating polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats decreases LDL cholesterol levels.
As you know, not all fatty acids are good for our bodies. Saturated fatty acids are found in animal sources, such as meat and poultry, whole or reduced-fat milk and butter. Some vegetable oils, like coconut, palm kernel oil and palm oil, also are saturated. Eating too many foods high in saturated fat may increase blood levels of LDL and total cholesterol. High blood levels of LDL and total cholesterol are risk factors for heart disease. Trans fatty acids act like saturated fats and raise LDL cholesterol levels. They may also lower HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood. Trans fatty acids are formed when vegetable oils are processed into margarine or shortening. Sources of trans fatty acids in the diet include snack foods and baked goods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. Trans fatty acids also occur naturally in some animal products, like dairy.
To help Americans stay on track, dieticians and health-care providers have created guidelines for fat intake. These guidelines recommend that each person consume no more than 30 percent of their total calories from fat. The 30 percent guideline means:
• No more than 7-10 percent of total calories from saturated fats,
• About 10-15 percent of total calories from monounsaturated fats
• About 10 percent from polyunsaturated fats.
When checking seafood, meat or poultry, you can determine the amount of fat in each by the understanding labels:
• Lean: Less than 10 grams of total fat, four grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol per three- ounce serving.
• Extra lean: Less than five grams of total fat, two grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol per three-ounce serving.
Listings for vitamins A and C, calcium and iron can also be found on nutrition fact panels. These vitamins and minerals tend to be lacking in the typical American diet, so they are often added to foods when possible. Good sources of vitamins A and C include sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, mango, guava, red peppers and papaya. For calcium, make sure to eat enough dairy, leafy green vegetables and fortified juices. Add select lean meats, poultry and beans for iron.
All food labels are now required to have specific terms with definable meanings. The terms are:
• Free: An amount so small that it probably won’t have any effect on your body — for example, calorie-free, fat-free or sodium-free.
• Low: A small amount of calories, fat or cholesterol.
• Reduced: A food with at least 25 percent fewer calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium than a comparable food. Look at what it’s being compared to.
• High: Twenty percent or more of the daily value for a nutrient — for example, high in vitamin C or high calcium. Other terms are “excellent source of” or “rich in.”
• Good source: Ten to 19 percent of the daily value for a nutrient — for example, “good source of fiber” or terms such as “contains” or “provides.”
• More: Ten percent or more of the daily value — for example, “more fiber” or “more iron” or terms such as “enriched” or “fortified.”
• Light: One-third fewer calories or 50 percent less fat than the traditional version. A low-calorie or low-fat food with 50 percent less sodium might also be called “light” or “lite.”
• Healthy: Low in fat and saturated fat, 60 milligrams or less cholesterol per serving, 480 milligrams or less sodium per serving, and at least 10 percent of the daily value per serving of vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, protein and fiber. Raw frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are exceptions. They can be labeled healthy without having 10 percent of the DV or more of these nutrients per serving.
Take time and know exactly what you are eating — and start the process this month.


Ratcliffe is a consultant to the Coastal Health District. You can call her at 876-6399.
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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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