Sadly the search function on the blog site seems to be broken, but if I could search, I know that I would find many times where I have championed for nutrition on a plate not in a pill or supplement.
Today I continued to read the IOM Committee Phase 1 report on front of pack labeling. The section I am reviewing now is discussing whether or not certain nutrients should be highlighted in a system that would allow a symbol to be placed on a package that is high in a particular nutrient.
The current direction of the IOMC, as I mentioned in a recent post, is to highlight the nutrients or food components that are related to disease and should be limited. They came to that decision however, after reviewing the many possibilities of front of pack systems.
One item they discuss is fiber. Fiber is one of the four nutrients of which most Americans do not get enough(potassium. calcium, vitamin D being others). Not all foods have fiber in them, but many foods that do not have fiber are still foods that you might want to include in a healthy diet - for instance, no fat dairy products and salmon. If a symbol was created for foods high in fiber, that might encourage food manufacturers to ADD fiber to a non fiber food. [hello - they are doing that now!] The Dietary Guidelines for Americans specifically state that we should increase the amount of naturally occurring plant based fiber - from whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Another example of unnecessary fortification is protein. Protein IS essential, but it is not something that the majority of Americans are lacking in - in fact, we get darn plenty of it. I tell you this because it is not generally necessary for anyone to drink water with protein in it -
The best place to get your nutrients is in the natural state of their food source. If you are unable to do so, the next smart thing to do is discuss your condition with a registered dietitian or licensed nutritionist.
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