Today when I went grocery shopping I looked more closely at claims on
the packages. I found tons of produce that were labeled "organic" and many "heart healthy"
claims on other products such as rice. What is the difference? Well,
organic produce is more expensive than conventional produce. For a
3-pound bag of organic onions it was $5 compared to $2.79 for the same
amount on conventional ones. (I might as well tell you now, I was on a
limit of $20 this round of groceries) I was not going to spend a quarter
of my groceries on that much onion for that much money. I went with a
conventional onion this time around, and I only needed one for the week.
When I came upon the rice aisle and tortilla aisle, there is a lot to choose from.
There was not much price differences in the difference between whole
grain tortillas and non whole grain ones, and the same with rice. The
one claim I found on these items were "Heart-healthy" which were only on whole-grain products, so the white rice did not hold these claims. I was very
curious to find out what makes a food product "heart-healthy." (research below) One thing I found surprising is that the whole-grain brown rice had a very similar price
to the white rice, and brown rice has many more nutrients and whole
grains in it. Another surprising thing I noticed is that there were WIC
approved stickers next to whole grain items. I like seeing there are
healthier and more nutritious foods for low-income mothers and their
children.I bought the brown rice- specifically because of the nutrients, but also for the taste.
One last thing I
needed was frozen corn. I usually never look over at the "all natural
and organic" section in the frozen aisles. Today I glanced at that
section and found some frozen corn- labeled organic. It was Roundy's
brand, which is assumed that it's not top quality but since it wasn't as
expensive as fresh organic produce, I thought I'd give it a try.
Back at home, I made black bean burritos, since I had most of the ingredients already. I thought I would try the frozen organic corn with it. Taking a look at the other ingredients I had, my salsa had the claim "All-natural." Also, the can of black beans promoted the Choosemyplate image. In my dinner tonight I incorporated 4/5 food groups:
Grains: Brown rice and multi-grain tortilla
Veggies: Frozen organic corn and onion, salsa
Protein: Black beans
Dairy: I added a small amount of sour cream and cheese.
The "heart-healthy" claims on whole grain products, the following must be included:
- Total Fat: Less than 6.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g or less and 15% or less calories from saturated fat
- Trans Fat: Less than 0.5 g (also per label serving)
- Cholesterol: 20 mg or less
- Sodium: 480 mg or less (also per label serving)
- Beneficial Nutrients: 10% or more of the Daily Value Of 1 of 6 nutrients (vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein or dietary fiber)
I checked the box of rice after finding this, and it seemed to be correct. Looking at claims is very important, since some can be vague, and many do not know what is meant by those claims.
Overall, I really enjoyed my black bean burrito; the corn was just as tasty as conventional frozen corn, but I was aware of what I was eating today with my foods, and it helped me enjoy and be grateful for the foods and access to healthy foods I have.
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