New Health Claim Allowed on Food Labels

On November 19, 2018 the FDA announced a new qualified health claim on food package labels for edible oils containing high amounts of oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat that has heart health benefits when it replaces foods high in saturated fat.

A qualified health claim is supported by more limited scientific evidence than an authorized health claim which is based on a large body of significant scientific agreement. Qualified health claims must also contain a disclaimer that informs consumers about the level of scientific evidence supporting the claim.

The wording for the new qualified health claim is:

“Supportive but not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that daily consumption of about 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) of oils containing high levels of oleic acid, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”

Which oils are high in oleic acids?
According to the qualified health claim, the oils must contain at least 70% oleic acid. Oils that meet this criterion include: high oleic sunflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, high oleic canola oil, olive oil and high oleic algal oil. Some of these oils were developed as alternatives to partially hydrogenated oils which are known to contain harmful trans fatty acids that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. These oils do not degrade when heated to high temperatures and can be used in baking and frying. Oils high in oleic acid are popular in the food industry, because this type of fat is more shelf stable.

Olive oil is naturally high in oleic acid; in fact, oleic acid is named after olive oil.
It’s important to note that not all sunflower, safflower, canola or algal oil is high in oleic acid. Look for the specific wording “high in oleic acid” on the front of the package to be sure you’re purchasing a product that meets the qualified health claim. Because the qualified health claim is so new, expect to see oils with the claim in the near future in your local grocery store.

What does the science say about oleic acids?
Because this is a qualified health claim, there is not yet a large body of science that shows a strong relationship between consuming oleic acid and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the FDA evaluated the results from seven small clinical studies, and six of the studies found that people who replaced fats and oils high in saturated fat with oils high in oleic acid experienced a modest decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). One study showed no significant effect.

Fats and oils high in saturated fat include: palm oil, coconut oil, lard, shortening, and butter.
It’s important to note that the only benefits were seen in replacing saturated fat with oils high in oleic acid. Simply consuming more oils high in oleic acid without making changes in saturated fat has no proven benefits.

Consumers should use these suggestions to replace fats high in saturated fat with fats that contain higher amounts of oleic acid:

1. Choose high oleic sunflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, or high oleic canola oil at the grocery store and use these oils instead of other types of oils or fats in cooking. For example, instead of sautéing vegetables in butter, margarine, or regular canola oil choose one of the high oleic oils with the new qualified health claim on the front of the package.
2. Olive oil is naturally high in oleic acid, which means you can use olive oil to replace any other type of oil in cooking and in making salad dressings.
3. Replace butter or margarine in baked goods with high oleic sunflower, high oleic safflower or high oleic canola oil.
4. Instead of putting butter or margarine on toast, cooked vegetables or cooked potatoes, drizzle olive oil on these foods.

Source: foodandhealth.com Blog Article

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Orange-Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry with Broccoli & Peppers

Stir-frying is an excellent technique for making a quick and delicious meal with a generous portion of veggies. Frozen vegetables save prep time and are easy to keep on hand. When making a stir-fry, it is important to prepare and measure all ingredients before you start to cook. But in this recipe there is a brief marinating time (Step 1), so you can prepare and measure all remaining ingredients while the chicken marinates.

STEPS
1. Combine orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and hot pepper sauce in a glass measure. Place chicken in medium bowl or shallow glass dish. Add 2 Tbsp of the orange juice mixture; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add cornstarch to remaining orange juice mixture; mix with a fork or whisk until smooth.
2. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until hot. Drain the chicken and add to the pan; stir-fry until lightly browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add remaining 1 tsp vegetable oil to skillet. Add pepper stir-fry vegetables, ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli and stir for a few seconds. Add the ¼ cup water. Cover and cook until broccoli is heated through and tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Push vegetables to perimeter of pan. Stir reserved marinade to redistribute cornstarch; add to pan. Cook, stirring sauce in center, until sauce boils and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir vegetables toward center of skillet and add reserved chicken. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
 
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp less-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp less-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce or to taste
• 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts halves or chicken tenders, trimmed and cut into thin slices
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups frozen (not thawed) pepper stir-fry vegetables (onions and bell peppers)
• 1 tbsp minced or finely grated ginger (see tips)
• 2 tsp minced garlic (fresh or prepared)
• 2 cups frozen (not thawed) broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (see tips)

Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes (including 10–15 minutes of marinating time)
Yield: 2 (1¼-cup) servings. Serve over brown rice, if desired.
Per serving: Cal 350, Fat 15 g (Sat 2.5 g, F:S 6), Carb 20 g, Total sugars 12 g (Added 1 g), Fiber 3 g, Protein 30 g, Sodium 570 mg, Potassium 537 mg, Calcium 98 mg, Vitamin D 0 mcg, Iron 1 mg.

RECIPE VARIATIONS
Tofu stir-fry: Substitute 8 oz firm or extra-firm tofu for the chicken. Cut tofu into ¾-inch cubes and pat thoroughly dry with paper towel before marinating in orange juice-soy sauce mixture in Step 1. In Step 2, stir-fry tofu until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
Shrimp stir-fry. Substitute 8 oz thawed, peeled and deveined raw medium shrimp for the chicken. Marinate in orange juice-soy sauce mixture in Step 1. In Step 2, stir-fry shrimp until it turns pink, 3 to 4 minutes. If you prefer, you can use precooked shrimp; add it to stir-fry after the sauce has thickened in Step 4.

TIPS FROM THE RECIPE EDITOR
Freezing Minced Ginger: To trim prep time on a busy weeknight, prepare ginger when you have time and store it in the freezer. Freezing minced ginger is also practical because it may take a little while to go through an entire knob of ginger, so it often starts to dry out or develop mold before you use it all. To freeze minced ginger, peel the knob (scraping it with a spoon works well), and then mince it with a chef’s knife or grate it (a Microplane grater works well). Portion ginger by teaspoons or tablespoons into sections of an ice cube tray or onto a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid. Once cubes are solid, transfer them to a zip-close plastic bag or airtight container. Seal bag and store in freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw ginger before using in a stir-fry.
Toasting Sesame Seeds: Toasted sesame seeds are available in the Asian section of some supermarkets. Look for ones that do not have added salt. It is easy to toast raw sesame seeds. To do so: Heat a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add sesame seeds and stir constantly 2 to 3 minutes or, until light golden and fragrant. Transfer to small bowl and let cool.
Faster Brown Rice: Regular brown rice takes 40 to 50 minutes to cook. If that's more time than you have, consider these faster options for brown rice:
Frozen, cooked brown rice (plain) in the freezer section of some supermarkets.
Shelf-stable, precooked microwaveable brown rice (contains added oil and salt).
Boxed "minute" brown rice. It has been precooked & dehydrated. Cooks in 10 minutes.
Whole-grain parboiled or converted rice. This means the unhulled grain was steam-pressured before milling to preserve nutrients and to ensure fluffier, separated grains. Cooks in 20 to 25 minutes.
Regular brown rice. Cook a batch and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 to 4 months.
Recipe abbreviations: Cal = calories, Sat = saturated fat, F:S = total fat to saturated fat ratio, carb = carbohydrate, g = grams, mg = milligrams, mcg = micrograms, Tbsp = tablespoons, tsp = teaspoons,


Source:Tuffs Newsletter Recipe

Beware of Fake Calls About Your Social Security Number

The FTC is getting reports about people pretending to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) who are trying to get your Social Security number and even your money. In one version of the scam, the caller says your Social Security number has been linked to a crime (often, he says it happened in Texas) involving drugs or sending money out of the country illegally. He then says your Social is blocked – but he might ask you for a fee to reactivate it, or to get a new number. And he will ask you to confirm your Social Security number.
In other variations, he says that somebody used your Social Security number to apply for credit cards, and you could lose your benefits. Or he might warn you that your bank account is about to be seized, that you need to withdraw your money, and that he’ll tell you how to keep it safe.
But all of these are scams. Here’s what you need to know:

• The SSA will never (ever) call and ask for your Social Security number. It won’t ask you to pay anything. And it won’t call to threaten your benefits.
• Your caller ID might show the SSA’s real phone number (1-800-772-1213), but that’s not the real SSA calling. Computers make it easy to show any number on caller ID. You can’t trust what you see there.
• Never give your Social Security number to anyone who contacts you. Don’t confirm the last 4 digits. And don’t give a bank account or credit card number – ever – to anybody who contacts you asking for it.
• Remember that anyone who tells you to wire money, pay with a gift card, or send cash is a scammer. Always. No matter who they say they are.

If you’re worried about a call from someone who claims to be from the Social Security Administration, get off the phone. Then call the real SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). If you’ve spotted a scam, then tell the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

Source: FTC Blog

Are French Fries Vegetables

Often when we are discussing eating a rainbow of vegetables for good health, French fries comes up.  They are made from potatoes, but they are not recommended for our vegetable servings.  But why?



A medium baked potato (with skin) is a good source of potassium, vitamins C and B6, and fiber. But potatoes don’t contain other nutrients, such as the carotenoids and phytochemicals found in more brightly-colored vegetables.  Peeling to remove the skin to make fries and chips results in the loss of a large portion of the fiber, further diminishing the potato’s nutritional value. In addition, French fries are typically salted. Most of us consume more than the recommended amount of sodium, and eating highly salted foods like fries makes that situation worse.

Deep frying potatoes to turn them into French fries does not change them that much, but it does increase the number of calories per serving, so we get less nutrients per calorie when we eat them. We each need a particular number of calories to fuel our bodies, and we also need a sufficient intake of many different nutrients. If we choose to consume something like French fries frequently and in a large quantity, we will surpass our calorie needs before we meet all of our nutrient needs, which can impact health.

We can enjoy potatoes sometimes as part of a balanced, healthy dietary pattern. Think of them as a substitute for grains rather than vegetables when you fill up your plate. Leave the skin on, prepare them in a variety of ways, and avoid adding a lot of butter, cream, and salt. Round out your plate with plenty of colorful vegetables and other plant foods.

Tuffs Newsletter Article

Healthy Meat Alternatives

The new dietary guidelines suggest that we have at least one meatless meal a week made up of other protein sources.  There is a growing body of data that demonstrates the health benefits of eating less meat and more plant-based foods. Though meat is an excellent source of protein, you get adequate amounts of protein from other foods. Here are some good ones: Eggs: Eggs are a versatile, inexpensive and convenient source of protein. A large egg contains about 6 grams of protein. Dairy: Dairy can be incorporated into meals or snacks. One container of non-fat Greek yogurt (5.3 ounces) has about 15 grams of protein, depending on the brand. Additionally, an 8-ounce glass of milk contains 8 grams and half a cup of cottage cheese contains 12 grams of protein. Legumes: Beans and lentils are great sources of protein at about 6 to 9 grams of protein per half cup. You can use them to make a dip, add them to salad, put them in chili or stuff them in peppers, just to name a few possibilities. Nuts and nut butters: Two tablespoons of peanut butter contain 7 grams of protein, and one ounce of dry roasted almonds contains 6 grams. Nuts and nut butters are also very filling, because in addition to protein they contain healthy fat. Meat substitutes: The quantity and quality of alternative ‘meat’ products, like tempeh (made from soybeans), seitan (wheat gluten), "veggie burgers," and others are always improving, although these foods tend to be more processed than some of the whole foods mentioned above. Sourrce:Tuffs Newsletter

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