By Karen Collins, Medical Tribune News Service
Karen Collins, a nutritionist with the American Institute for
Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. answers nutrition-related
questions.
Q: What does it mean when food labels list the ``grams'' of
sugar in a food?
A: A gram is a unit of measuring weight. In the case of sugar, a
teaspoon-full weighs about four grams. So if a label says a food
contains 12 grams of sugar, that would be equal to about three
teaspoons of sugar. Experts recommend that we avoid too much sugar
because it supplies calories without nutrients. A healthy diet will
always include some sugar, because sugar occurs naturally in fruit
and dairy products, for example.
Food labels include both these natural sugars and refined added
sugars. Many experts, including those at the American Institute for
Cancer Research, recommend that refined sugars provide no more than
10 percent of our daily calories, which translates to a maximum of
about 40 to 60 grams per day for most American adults, depending on
caloric requirement. Total sugar in a balanced diet, however
(refined sugars plus those from fruits and dairy products), may add
up to about double this amount.
Q: Apples have the reputation of being such a healthy food, but
are they actually high in any vitamin?
A: Apples provide some vitamin C (about 13 percent of the
current recommended dietary allowance), but they have a lot more to
offer. They are a good source of dietary fiber. Perhaps even more
important, research has identified apples as a major source of
several antioxidant phytochemicals.
Laboratory studies suggest that these substances may help
prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer, and may possibly help
prevent damage to blood vessels that can lead to heart disease.
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is now seen as one of the
most important ways that diet can promote good health. No single
fruit or vegetable has everything we need, but together they offer
a wide range of health benefits.
Q: How does ``imitation crab'' stack up nutritionally?
A:Imitation seafood -- crab, shrimp and scallops -- is usually
made from Alaskan pollock, a whitefish. The skinless, boneless fish
is ground up; mixed with binders, salt and other flavors; cooked;
and then shaped to look like crab or other shellfish. This
imitation shellfish is an excellent source of protein and lower in
cholesterol than true shellfish. It contains very little fat, which
helps maintain the low-fat diet recommended by the American
Institute for Cancer Research to help reduce the risk of developing
cancer. The main disadvantage of imitation seafood is that it is
often high in sodium. If you can adjust the rest of your food
choices to accommodate the sodium level, however, imitation seafood
looks overall like a healthy choice.
