Pom(pous) Wonderful Takes a Hit

The Federal Trade Commission filed a formal complaint this week charging the makers of PomWonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice and a related line of supplements with grossly exaggerating the health benefits of their products. 

While it is no secret that PomWonderful has been self-funding the "$34 million in medical research" supporting pomegranate health benefits - apparently they crossed the line with a number of unsubstantiated health claims in publications like Parade, Fitness, Prevention and the New York Times, - namely that PomWonderful:

• Causes a 30% decrease in arterial plaque formation
• Slowed PSA doubling time by 350% in subjects with advanced prostate cancer
• ...and most shockingly - is 40% as effective as Viagra!

PomWonderful claims have traditionally circled around the fruit's "antioxidant" properties. But not surprisingly, all fruits and many vegetables contain antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize reactive oxygen molecules and prevent cell damage - so they're good for you; but not so good you need to spend $4 on a bulbous bottle of unnecessarily refrigerated pomegranate juice. 

Beta carotene (a vitamin A precursor), vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium are antioxidants that are widespread in fruits and vegetables - although the extend to which antioxidants play a role in human disease prevention is not entirely understood. If you're fortunate to find pomegranate in its original form - the seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber. One half cup has 3.5 grams of fiber in only 75 calories. 

But really - there's nothing magical about the pomegranate - except that the founder, Lynda Resnick, inherited a piece of property that had pomegranates growing on it and she wisely parlayed it into a multi-million dollar empire. She also acquired Fiji Water in 2004 - so, overly-priced commodity items packaged in fancy bottles is kind of her forte!

Kudos to the FTC for jumping in where the FDA falls flat. The PomWonderful complaint comes on the heels of an earlier FTC investigation on Kellogg's "Immunity" claims plastered across their kids' cereals like Rice Krispies and Frosted Mini Wheats. 

To read the FTC's PomWonderful complaint - click here. PomWonderful's response ("Stop Persecuting Pomegranates") is here.

The Truth About Fiber from Eat This Not That!

Men's Health Magazine's "Eat This Not That!" has became a wildly successful weight loss entity. It's a widely circulated email newsletter, magazine feature and now features a string of best selling books with titles like "Cook This Not That" and "Eat This, Not That! for Kids!"

Today's email newsletter topic is "The Truth About Fiber" where the authors pose nine "True or False" statements about fiber. The nine mini-articles give answers that are based on information and data largely supported by the general nutrition community. 

There is however, one rather controversial topic where the Eat This Not That! authors take a unique approach to answering a much asked question - and one covered in a previous blog post: "How much fiber do you need per day?"

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) Committee of the Institute of Medicine says males aged 50 and younger need 38 grams of dietary fiber per day (that's the highest of any age/gender group). But the Men's Health authors say that the 38 gram recommendation is bunk because it's based on three studies where the participants didn't even average as much as 38 grams per day. "In fact, people saw maximum benefits with a daily gram intake averaging from the high 20s to the low 30s."

It's important to point out that the DRI recommendation for fiber is what's called an "Adequate Intake" level, or AI recommendation. An AI is used when there's not enough data to set a "Recommended Dietary Allowance" level. RDAs are pretty solid and they are set when scientists are pretty certain that the amount of a nutrient they are recommending meets the needs of 98% of  people in that particular age and gender group. So, when there's not enough data for an RDA, they settle on AI, which is indicative of a lack of consensus, or really, a scientific shot in the dark.

Confusing? Yes. Bottom line: the average American eats only 14 grams of dietary fiber per day (Anderson et al., 2005). Regardless of whether you need fiber in the 20s, 30s or 38 grams per day - as a population, we're not eating enough. And despite the ubiquity of dietary fiber in our highly processed and packaged food environment, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes remain the most simple sources of dietary fiber for all populations - no matter how much you need per day.

Small Victory: Whole Wheat Bread Sales Outpace White Bread in the Past Year

Finally: wheat bread sales outpace white bread!

An August 1, 2010 Chicago Tribune article covered bread sales in the past year, citing a Nielsen Co. report that for the 52 weeks ending July 10, wheat bread sales increased 0.6% to $2.6 billion as white bread sales declined 7% to $2.5 billion. White bread still leads in volume of loaves sold - but because whole grain and whole wheat breads cost more per loaf, their total sales came out on top.

The primary impetus for the boost in sales appears to be increasing consumer knowledge about the benefits and sources of whole grains. But there is obviously a lot more educating to be done...

This story's victim is Kendra Frost, a first-time single mom with her own small business who says, "I like the whole grain, but I usually try and go with the least expensive whole grain...I look for the thick pieces that you can see the grains on the top of the bread." 

Kendra - darling, you have fallen for the oldest trick in the book! Manufacturers LOVE to take (cheap) white bread, dye it brown & sprinkle it with grainy-looking stuff to make you THINK it's whole grain. It might have a speck of whole grain in the recipe, but the likelihood of that bread being 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat is nil! 

The proof is in the Nutrition Facts panel and the Ingredients List. If your bread doesn't say at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per slice and if the first ingredient isn't Whole Wheat or Whole Grain Flour - put it back on the shelf! 

But congratulations to all of you out there who HAVE your learned your lesson and who are making highly refined grain processors think twice about littering our aisles with  worthless white bread! 

Gut Check: Do Chicory Inulin Products Cause GI Distress?

The June 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association features an article entitled "Gastrointestinal Tolerance of Chicory Inulin Products." In it, researchers from the University of  Minnesota (and Cargill, Inc.) set out to determine at what dose does added inulin fibers in food cause unwanted gastrointestinal disturbances.

Inulin is a soluble dietary fiber found naturally in plant foods like onions, leeks, garlic, asparagus, bananas, artichokes and chicory root. It is increasingly being added to what are normally low-fiber foods in order to boost their fiber content; in these cases, chicory root extract is becoming the inulin additive of choice. 

In the study, twenty-six healthy men and women aged 18-60 who usually age less than 15 g fiber per day were given a combination of either placebo, 5 g oligofructose (short chain fiber), 10 g oligofructose, 5 g inulin (longer-chain fiber) or 10 g inulin in a meal. They each took "fiber challenges" over a 10 week period with a 1-week washout period. Tolerance was reported by frequency of one of seven GI domains: gas/bloating, nausea, flatulence, GI cramping, diarrhea, constipation and GI rumbling. 

The study found that oligofructose and inulin in "practical doses" were generally well-tolerated. Ten-gram oligofructose caused the most symptoms, but the study pointed out that if spread out over the day, even high doses of fiber can be well-tolerated.

The bottom line application was: "Excellent sources of fiber" (5 g/serving) was well-tolerated for both short and long chain inulin. Furthermore, the chain length of inulin product affects tolerance. Inulin is fermented slowly and steadily so it is likely more well-tolerated than shorter chain oligofructose which is fermented rapidly. 

It is important to note that one of the authors on the paper is a senior manager of regulatory and scientific affairs at Cargill, Inc. Cargill's extensive product list does include inulin additives like Oliggo-Fiber Inulin, the health benefits of which are most likely overstated on the Oliggo-Fiber product page.

Diabetics Cheat Death with Bran

A study published in the May 25, 2010 issue of Circulation finds that people with diabetes who eat more whole grains are less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than are people with diabetes who have low whole grain intakes. 

The researchers from Harvard and other Boston-area research institutes studied almost 8,000 diabetic women already enrolled in the Nurses Health Study. They studied the women for 26 years and found that death from cardiovascular disease was significantly higher among the bottom 20% of whole grain food consumers than the top 20%. Specifically, bran consumption was associated with lower mortality; nurses with the highest bran intake and lowest CVD risk ate 9g of bran per day on average, and the lowest bran consumers with higher mortality risk ate less than 1g of bran per day.

This study was unique in that it looked not only at whole grain intake, but also the  individual components of whole grains:

• Fiber
• Bran 
• Germ

The researchers' findings indicate that, "Whole-grain and bran intakes are associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular disease-specific mortality in women with diabetes." The results evince a potential benefit of whole-grain intake's ability to reduce mortality and cardiovascular disease risk in people with diabetes.

How can you get more bran in your diet?

• Eat 100% whole grains that naturally contain bran
• Avoid refined, processed and "enriched" flours that remove bran during processing
• Choose whole grain cereals, bran flakes, oat bran, All-bran

CSPI's Whole Grain Finds & Frauds

The Center for Science in the Public Interest publishes the Nutrition Action Health Letter, the "World's Largest Circulation Health Newsletter". At $10 for a yearly subscription, the newsletter is an outstanding deal if you are interested in nutrition and enjoy humorous takes on the topic. The newsletter summarizes nutrition-related research, advocates for stricter nutrition labeling laws and regularly exposes unhealthy products masquerading as health foods. The CSPI folks are the self-proclaimed "food police" - and their Washington, DC based think-tank are responsible for:

• Terming fettuccine alfredo a "heart attack on a plate" in 1994
• Uncovering the true amount of fat and calories in movie theater popcorn 
• Forcing the 2000 USDA Dietary Guidelines to include more realistic recommendations about alcohol
  
• Getting trans fat listed on food labels as of January 1, 2006 - and most recently, 
• Launching a class-action lawsuit based on unsafe sodium levels in foods at Denny's

The "Whole Grain Finds & Frauds" article in the March 2010 Nutrition Action Health Letter delves into new whole grain products and whether or not they deserve to carry the "whole grain" title on their packaging. The products that the authors maintain are Whole Grain Finds, include:

• Kashi Frozen Entrees and Lean Cuisine Spa Cuisine (except for Butternut Squash Ravioli) use 100% whole-grain pasta or brown rice
• Kashi's TLC Cookies have no refined grains and Pepperidge Farm's almost 100% whole-grain Granola Cookies 
• Trader Joe's Blueberry & Multi Grain Waffles and Van's Organic Waffles both contain more whole wheat flour than refined white flour, beating Kellogg's Eggo Nutri-Grain Waffles, which have more white than whole wheat
• Whole Foods 365 Organic Whole Wheat pasta: Elbows, Fusili, Linguine, Penne, Shells or Spaghetti
• Amy's & Kashi 100% whole-grain pizza crust
  
• Vitalicious - 100-calorie, whole-grain VitaMuffins and VitaTops

The Whole Grain Frauds the article identifies, include:

• Cheez-It crackers "made with 5g of WHOLE GRAIN per serving" - but since each serving is 30-grams (27 crackers), that doesn't mean much
• Kellogg's Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts tout "20% daily value for Fiber" - this fiber comes from inulin, which is an isolated fiber which may not have the same health benefits as fiber that occurs naturally in foods - not to mention each pop tart has three teaspoons of sugar per serving
• Hamburger Helper has a "wholesome" line - claiming 8 grams of whole grain, but an undisclosed amount of refined grains
• Lance's Whole Grain Sharp Cheddar Cheese crackers (found in vending machines) may say they're whole grain, but the first two ingredients are white flour and oil, making them a low fiber whole-grain fraud

The article stresses the importance of looking at order of ingredients when trying to identify good sources of whole grains. For bread products, look for "whole wheat flour" to be listed ahead of "enriched wheat flour" for your best bet in identifying Whole Grain Finds.

High Fiber Diet Linked to Lower Weight and Waist Circumference

 

An article published in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition studied the effect of a high fiber diet on almost 90,000 healthy Europeans aged 20-78. The researchers followed the subjects for six and a half years, analyzing dietary fiber intake from cereal sources vs. fruit and vegetable fiber sources to study the effect on weight and waist circumference. 

At the study's conclusion, subjects who increased total dietary fiber (regardless of fiber source) intake by 10 grams/day experienced a statistically significant prevention of weight and waist circumference gain. Intake of cereal fiber led to prevention of both weight and waist circumference gain, while fruit and vegetable fiber intake was inversely associated only with waist circumference and not weight gain.

The researchers conclude that their data supports the beneficial role of increasing dietary fiber - especially cereal fiber - in the prevention of body weight and waist circumference gain. 

Are you looking for ways to increase your intake of dietary fiber from cereals? Here is a list of some cereal grains to include in your diet:

• Wheat
• Barley
• Millet
• Oats
• Rye
• Triticale
• Buckwheat
• Quinoa

Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bars Sued in Class Action Lawsuit

A class action lawsuit filed in Southern California last week claims that Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bar packaging and advertising deceptively mislead consumers. The suit claims that Nutri-Grain bars allow you to "Eat Better all Day" because they contain calcium and whole grains; however, the bars also contain trans fat, which is known to elevate LDL levels and increase heart disease risk. The plaintiffs also contend that the product packaging is misleading in that it shows Nutri-Grain bars next to a water bottle, salad, apple and person exercising - all implying that Nutri-Grain bars are part of a healthy lifestyle.

So are Nutri-Grain bars really a good source of whole grain? On the Nutri-Grain website, Kellogg's proudly displays an "8 gram of whole grain per serving" stamp from the Whole Grains Council - a topic covered in a previous post. While this is not the more admirable100% Whole Grain stamp from the Whole Grains Council, it does indicate that there are some whole grains in the product. A nutrition facts panel from a Nutri-Grain bar - in this case the Blackberry Bar - shows that one bar has 2 grams of dietary fiber and 130 calories:

 

The first ingredient in Nutri-Grain bars is whole grain rolled oats - a good source of whole grain; however, the second most prolific ingredient in the product is enriched wheat flour - basically, white flour with some vitamins added back in. Nutri-Grain bars are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, honey, and dextrose. The 2 grams of fiber comes not necessarily from the rolled oats, but from the added isolated fiber sources of bran and soluble corn fiber. 

And how can they get away with saying the product is trans-fat free on the label when the plaintiffs contend the bars do have trans fat? Well, as of January 1, 2006, the FDA mandates that trans fat be listed on a food's Nutrition Facts panel. There is a loophole however that permits any food containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving to be labeled trans fat free. So you can see products that have "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" (i.e. trans fat) in their ingredient list, while it says 0 grams trans fat on the food label. Manufacturers can determine their own portion size, so many have decreased portion sizes while retaining trans fat and getting in under the 1/2 gram of trans fat per serving rule; others have merely replaced trans fat with saturated fat, another heart-unhealthy fat that also raises LDL cholesterol levels.

So, if you are now looking for a healthier breakfast alternative to the highly processed Nutri-Grain bar...try one half-cup of quick cooking oats made with one cup of nonfat milk and a half cup of blueberries for a more filling 270 calories, 1/3 of your daily calcium needs and 6 grams of fiber.

Shirataki Noodles, Glucomannan and Konjac Fiber Examined

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled "Noodling Your Way to Weight Loss" that looked at the potential health benefits of konjac fiber, a primary ingredient in Asian Shirataki noodles. Shirataki noodles are very low calorie, almost carbohydrate-free gummy noodles composed mostly of water and glcomannan (another name for konjac fiber). These noodles have gotten a lot of press from weight loss and low carb bloggers as they are a starch product high in fiber but relatively low in calories - here's a smattering:

• The Skinny Plate - Shirataki Noodles at Nijiya Market
• Just Hungry - Konnyaku and Shirataki noodles
• Livin' La Vida Lo Carb - Shirataki Noodles: Low-Carb Blessing or Curse?

These products might be low carb or low calorie, but do Shirataki noodles, konjac fiber and glucomannan supplements really promote health? The WSJ article cites a University of Connecticut meta-analysis that looked at 14 studies that shows the fiber does help lower LDL, promotes glucose regulation and mildly affect weight loss. A number of other studies analyzing the effects of konjac glucomannan (KGM) supplements have shown somewhat promising results as well:

• A Diabetes Care study published in 2000 found that the soluble fiber found in Konjac-mannan based foods does improve glycemic control and lipid profiles
• A Journal of Nutrition article examined the effect of Konjac-mannan in baboons fed Western diets and determined that use of the supplement decreased triglycerides and increased proportion of HDL to total cholesterol when compared to non Konjac-mannan fortified diets
• The International Journal of Obesity reported that glucomannan may be helpful in promoting significant weight loss and reducing serum cholesterol and LDL over an eight-week trial period
  

But these health benefits are the type that are garnered from increasing dietary fiber and soluble fiber intake across the board, not just from one specific supplement or noodle product. The WSJ article quotes Abhimanyu Garg, chief of the division of nutrition and metabolic diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He points out that there's nothing really magical about one type of soluble fiber over another, "If you are eating papayas or apricots or dates, you are increasing soluble fiber while also getting vitamins and minerals". So while Shirataki noodles may be a good source of low-carbohydrate soluble dietary fiber, they most likely don't provide any "miracles" above and beyond that of any other naturally soluble-fiber containing food product.

LA Times Weighs in on Functional Fibers

In today's LA Times Health section, columnist Elena Conis tackled the functional vs. intact fiber conundrum facing today's food consumers. Her article, All fibers may not be created equal looked at the lack of evidence that adding fiber to foods from sources like inulin, maltodextrin and polydextrose conveys the same health benefits as intact fiber from whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

As covered in a previous post on this blog - functional fibers are also called isolated fibers. They are often added to foods that aren't naturally high in fiber in order to boost the food's presumed fiber content. Increasingly, you see isolated fibers added to traditionally low fiber foods, there's High Fiber V8 Vegetable Juice, Progresso High Fiber Canned Soups and most recently, Fiber One's High Fiber Cottage Cheese. While these added fibers may increase the total grams of dietary fiber on a Nutrition Facts Panel, it remains undetermined as to whether or not they are as beneficial for cholesterol lowering, weight loss and blood sugar regulation as are intact fibers.

In the article, both the director of clinical dietetics at the Mayo Clinic and a spokesperson for the American Society for Nutrition confirm what almost all other nutrition professionals do: if you wish to receive the health benefits of dietary fiber, it is better to choose foods that are naturally high in fiber than low fiber foods with fiber added to them. The article goes on to say that isolated or added fibers oftentimes lack vitamins, minerals, plant components and antioxidants that are often found in their whole food counterparts.