Empty calories; putting on pounds with poor nutrition

FDA Consumer, Nov, 1986 by Roger W. Miller

Not only do alcoholic beverages fail the nutrition test but, when consumed in large amounts, they also can cut down on the absorption of nutrients from food. Heavy drinkers frequently develop nutritional deficiencies as well as serious diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver.

Sugars, too, are often blamed for a number of health problems in addition to their "empty-calorie' stigma. But the only one scientific experts generally agree on is that too much sugar eaten too often contributes to tooth decay. The liberal use of sugar in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals has long been deplored, with critics maintaining that it gets youngsters started on a sweet tooth. The cereal industry says that ready-to-eat cereals are included in about 44 percent of all children's breakfasts, but it argues that the children are getting lot of nutrients along with the sugar. Writing in a newspaper column, Eugene B. Hayden, Ph.D., president of an industry group called the Cereal Institute, Inc., said: "Because many nutritionists recommend that breakfast provide about 25 percent of the day's nutrients and calories, cereal makers have fortified most cereals to provide 25 percent of the USRDAs for at least seven vitamins in a serving--before the addition of milk.'

Dr. Hayden also noted that a recent study showed that "breakfast is skipped three times more often by children in households which do not serve ready-to-eat cereals.'

Nevertheless, the potential for poor nutrition due to overeating foods high in sugar has raised the concern of health experts. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, developed by experts for the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, urges Americans to avoid too much sugar. The booklet offers these tips:

Use less of all sugars--including white sugar, raw sugar, honey, and syrups--and foods containing large amounts of sugars, such as soft drinks, candies, cakes and cookies.

Remember, how often you eat sugar and sugary foods is as important to the health of your teeth as how much sugar you eat. It will help to avoid eating sweets between meals.

Read food labels for clues on sugar content. If the name sugar, sucrose, glucose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, fructose, or syrup appears first, there is a large amount of sugar.

Select fresh fruits or fruits processed without syrup or with light, rather than heavy, syrup.

The guidelines also suggest that if you drink alcoholic beverage, "do so in moderation.' What constitutes moderation? Say the guidelines: "One or two standard-size drinks daily appear to cause no harm in normal, healthy, nonpregnant adults.'

So, a few calories can be wasted on sweets and drinks. However, get a few too many, and watch the waist grow.

Table: Homemade cupcake with icing

Information Per Serving:

Percentage of U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDA):

Table: Potato (baked in skin) with butter

Information Per Serving:

Percentage of U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDA):

Table: Examples of Exercise Needed to Work Off Calories from Alcohol