Nutrition Questions & Answers with Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath, RD, LDN
Dear Leah,
The Laura Lynn Raisin Brand cereal lists the sugar content as 19 grams. Is this the total amount in the box or is this per serving?
– Harvey
Dear Harvey,
The 19g of sugar would apply to the SERVING SIZE on the nutrition facts panel; I believe it is 1 cup. Keep in mind that the sugar amount refers to naturally occurring sugars, such as those in the raisins, as well as added sugars.
If you are concerned about sugar amounts you should also know that
raisins in cereal have been rolled in sugar to keep them moist. You are
better off buying a whole grain flake and adding your own raisins to cut
sugar amounts.
Dear Leah,
Can you tell me what would be some dietary sources of iron other than
meat since I don’t eat meat?
– Tom
Dear Tom,
You can find iron in beans, egg yolks, dried fruit and iron-fortified
cereals.
Dear Leah,
How can I tell how old a can of food is? There is a number on the bottom
of the can but it doesn’t seem to be a date!
– Renee
Dear Renee,
Every manufacturer has their own code that applies to these numbers. The
numbers signify when the product was canned, not when it expires. Your
best bet is to keep canned food not more than two years. Contact the
manufacturer by calling the toll-free number on the label of the product
to find out the canning date.
Dear Leah,
I have just found out that I have celiac disease and don’t really know
where to start! Can you please help? ~ Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth,
You can ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian for
help with your diet, especially if you have vitamin and mineral
deficiencies. You can also find a dietitian in your area by going to the
American Dietetic Association’s website: www.eatright.org
If you go to the Ingles website, www.ingles-markets.com/ask_leah, we
have a list of gluten-free items that are sold in our stores and also
have links for national and local resources for celiac disease and
gluten intolerance and support groups. In our stores we tag Gluten-free
items with special tags and in our larger stores we have a Gluten-free
section on the Baking Aisle.
Dear Leah,
My elderly Mom has been put on a salt restricted diet; 2,000 milligrams a
day. What can Ingles offer me in the way of low sodium foods for meal
planning?
– Jennifer
Dear Jennifer,
Your mother has probably been giving a SODIUM restriction and not just a
SALT restriction. For sodium she is not too far off what is considered a
“healthy” amount of sodium for adults (2300-2400mg/day). Try to keep
individual items under 400mg/serving for processed items. Rather than
focus on what she can’t have, let’s focus on what she CAN have: fresh
fruits and vegetables, frozen fruits and vegetables without cheese
sauces, fresh meat, chicken, fish without added seasonings, pasta, rice,
most dairy products, canned beans – rinsed, canned vegetables – rinsed.
What she/you will need to pay attention to for higher sodium amounts:
lunch meats, commercially baked pastries and breads,cereals, condiments.
Some good resources for both of you are: The American Heart Association
cookbook, www.americanheart.org, the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension) meal plan, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/
Leah McGrath, RD, LDN
Corporate Dietitian – Ingles Supermarkets
Phone: 800-334-4936
e-mail:
[email protected]
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Ingles: www.ingles-markets.com/ask_leah
Twitter: www.twitter.com/InglesDietitian
Facebook: www.facebook.com/inglesmarkets
