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Sneaky Ways to Eat Smarter

Posted Tue, May 01, 2007, 9:58 am PDT
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Did your mom ever slip grated carrots into the spaghetti sauce? It was a total win-win. She knew you were eating your vegetables. You didn't. Now food manufacturers are being just as sneaky -- packing loads of extra nutrients into old faves like yogurt and even new ones like taco chips. What's next? Healthy Twinkies?

Good Things Come in Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids keep your heart, brain, and eyes healthy, unkink your joints, help fight some cancers, relieve depression, calm monthly cramps, and glam up your skin and hair. No wonder these wonder fats are turning up everywhere from OJ to chips. Best natural sources are fatty fish, flax, and walnuts, but for a change of pace try these value-added foods:

  • Salba Organic Tortilla Chips pack 400 mg of omega-3s into just 12 chips -- the next best thing to salmon tacos.
  • Tropicana Healthy Heart and Omega-3 Orange Juice isn't fishy-tasting even though it gives you 50 mg of anchovy-based omega-3s per serving.
  • Kashi GoLean Crunch Honey Almond Flax cereal (try saying that fast three times) has a whopping 500 mg omega-3s (and just 200 calories) per cup.
  • Iam's Smart Puppy kibble includes omega-3s for your new best friend.

Probi-what?
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that are thought to boost immunity, help ward off stomach woes caused by antibiotics, sooth irritable bowels, and maybe fight flab. Most yogurt contains some probiotics, but not always enough of the right kind. These do, and if you don't like yogurt, the nutrition sneaks have been there too.

  • Stonyfield Farms churns out yogurt supercharged with six different healthy bacteria, proving you can't get too much of a good thing.
  • Dannon features specialized designer bacteria meant to keep you, uh, regular in its Activia brand.
  • Attune's wellness bar, which claims to have five times more friendly bacteria than yogurt does, is good for the dairy-averse. Comes in Chocolate Crisp too, and only has 100 calories.


Antioxidants: The anti-additive
Fruits, vegetables and, happily, chocolate are naturally rich in free-radical-destroying antioxidants. Now, thanks to the wonders of science, so are lots of other foods. Here's a look at some of them:

  • Kellogg's Smart Start Antioxidants Cereal boasts tried-and-true antioxidants like vitamins A, C, E and zinc.
  • Glaceau Vitamin Water XXX sounds sexed up but it's actually a wholesome blend of H20 and three super antioxidants -- hence the 3 Xs-from acai, blueberry, and pomegranate. 
  • Whole-wheat pizza dough could soon be an even healthier crust, as food scientist have just figured out how to bring out its natural antioxidants.

  • 1. Posted by dagindar2005 on Sat, May 12, 2007, 10:27 am PDT

    All they're doing is promoting commercial products. Eat real food that hasn't been processed and stick to fruits, vegetables and unprocessed meats. If you can't appreciate good tasting non-processed foods then just learn to deal with the negative side effects of bad food and don't complain about your health.

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  • 2. Posted by john62811 on Sat, May 12, 2007, 11:14 am PDT

    Thank you, dagindar2005! I couldn't have said it better myself.

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  • 3. Posted by tamelaine2001 on Sat, May 12, 2007, 11:25 am PDT

    Your're right dagindar2005 - This is just a commercial and nothing more!

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  • 4. Posted by EMR on Sat, May 12, 2007, 11:30 am PDT

    I agree. People should read the labels for themselves and decide whats healthy. Obviously processed foods filled with fat and unhealthy ingredients can effect ones self. Just make the right choice on your own!

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  • 5. Posted by Michael W on Sat, May 12, 2007, 11:42 am PDT

    Get off your high horse. While eating all unprocessed foods is ultimate, it is not practical for all people. First off, what you are asking would take a major cultural shift. And logistically, if everyone suddenly stopped eating any processed foods all at once, it would be a disaster in the short term with major food shortages until our resources were pulled back from the companies that overprocess them. In the meantime, if a commercial entity has enough interest to provide some good nutrients in their products, it is sad to see elitist creeps trashtalk them. Good for the companies making these products and good for the people who are looking for beneficial products. If it eventually leads these individuals to move towards raw, unprocessed foods, all the better, but it's not a bad starting point. Alos, do you think unprocessed foods, fruits and vegetables are not commercial? Unless you grow it yourself, it is a commercial venture my friends.

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  • 6. Posted by wishiwasthere on Sat, May 12, 2007, 11:46 am PDT

    Okay, I agree with the idea of eating 'directly from the earth' (non-processed foods)...but... I have 4 kids, only one of whom will eat a variety of fresh fruits and veggies. I'm a housewife, so prep time is not the issue. Some of us HAVE to sneak the nutrients they need into their diet. Peanut butter with added calcium, OJ with extra vitamins (yes, they take supplements every morning), spaghetti sauce with veggie puree, whole wheat pasta...you get the idea. When they were younger, I could sneak a new veggie into a dish and call it a 'treat', but as they have gotten older and wiser to my tricks, I have gotten sneaker in hiding the nutrients. So, unproccessed foods are great in theory, but some of us can not use it in practice if we truly want our children to follow it in practice.

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  • 7. Posted by billiexjoexisxmine on Sat, May 12, 2007, 11:50 am PDT

    I agree with the earliest comment, and also with the fact that not ALL of those products work for ALL of us. We each have different immune and digestive systems the require different foods to maintain a healthy life.

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  • 8. Posted by rado on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:13 pm PDT

    Commercial- thats all.

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  • 9. Posted by smithlessonplans on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:35 pm PDT

    Who is paying you to post this name-brand stuff? Your "suggestions" for healthy eating are jam-packed with FAR MORE corporate name brands than vitamin content and obviously benefit the food companies more than the consumer. Is anyone gullible enough to actually fall for this shameless advertising push? Shame on your sham!

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  • 10. Posted by Lolita on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:36 pm PDT

    I agree with Michael, it's close to impossible for all of us to eat only all natural foods. It's a lot more expensive too.

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  • 11. Posted by milosavljevicljilja on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:38 pm PDT

    This is a cheap commercial !

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  • 12. Posted by grant on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:39 pm PDT

    some egg brands also come with omega-3 FA, and no fishy taste! :) Also, you want eat healthy? you guys cover probiotics (which is important), but what about protein? A high protein diet is essential so don't forget about meat, beans, eggs, milk, tuna, nuts, dairy products in general....just don't forget about the protein!

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  • 13. Posted by FunkyMomma on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:40 pm PDT

    dagindarr2005 (first comment) and all the others are so right..a commercial! It would be nice to put more practical information on how to fortify or make smarter choices. BTW I feed my dog a much less expensive, and better, dog food that has the Omega-3's and more. It is nice that products are adding extra nutrition, especially with more and more lactose intolerance and nut allergies! Of course, I started from the beginning with my kids, whole grains and stuff, and they try the white bread and fake cereal, and they prefer the "real" food. But I do mix pumpkin in the shells & cheddar (generic brand, but REAL cheese) for the baby, because he is picky.....

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  • 14. Posted by eric on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:46 pm PDT

    I agree with Mohammed, I want a new girlfriend from Iran too

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  • 15. Posted by Danika T on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:46 pm PDT

    While both sides make good arguments. At the end of the day, not everyone can afford to eat "from the earth" on a military paycheck and living in California, its not easy or practical to spend all of my money on making sure everything i eat is 100% organic. The fact of the matter is, untill "eating from the earth" not only becomes far more easier to afford and more wide spread, many people are just going to go for the cheaper product, and right now, those commercial products are the ones to buy.

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  • 16. Posted by Esther on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:50 pm PDT

    Iams dog food is total CRAP. So is Purina, Eukanuba, and all the other dog foods you see on TV commercials.

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  • 17. Posted by cynthia j on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:51 pm PDT

    While this might be viewed as a commercial by most people, I found a lot of info in there that I never knew before, thus I can make better choices in the future. I had no ides omega 3's do all that. No one is holding a gun to our heads telling us these are the only products, it's just a suggestion people.

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  • 18. Posted by Sakura on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:51 pm PDT

    It's too bad people have to resort to nasty comments over such a minor article. I just found it helpful to learn of some commerical products that can be better choices.

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  • 19. Posted by unstopableshoe121 on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:52 pm PDT

    waaaaaaaaaaa i like food.

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  • 20. Posted by ekemma on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:52 pm PDT

    One thing is to have awareness, another is to decide for yourself if the information is for you or not. I'm surprise how much criticism that has been heaved over information that is mearnt to promote healthy lifestyle. Whether they are promoting organic product or not, It is up to you to research more on it if it interests you. Remember, knowledge is power.

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  • 21. Posted by lisa a on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:53 pm PDT

    We DO need a cultural shift and put our farmers back to work instead of paying them our tax $$$ NOT to farm.And who would be behind this?

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  • 22. Posted by vera.green on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:54 pm PDT

    Most all these things mention are loaded with MSG.

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  • 23. Posted by Liz Summerash on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:55 pm PDT

    Mark W, don't be mean. I agree with dagindar2005, but also with wishiwasthere. Straight from the ground foods are much healthier, but also much more expensive. Funds are tight and 11 year olds won't eat everything, they're very picky. So, I get healthy when I can, but not always. Don't hurt me!

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  • 24. Posted by myshaggydog on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:56 pm PDT

    I agree that for the most part they are promoting commercial products. I like to eat organic foods when possible and both Kashi and Stoneyfield are available where I live and I buy their products. Anytime I can get nutrition and chemical free choices I do.

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  • 25. Posted by Lucrece on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:57 pm PDT

    I agree with a lot of it. I think that yes, it would be ideal for people to eat more fruits and vegetables and non-processed foods. However, that isn't always the case and in a lot of states, it can be really expensive. What pisses me off is the fact this is an ad. Why not offer healthy alternatives? Like "if your family eats ____, why not try making your own version of _____ ?" and put in a recipe. Why not talk about store brands that offer the same things that expensive companies like Kashi do? If your'e going to write an article, you're supposed to look at it from all perspectives. If you look at the majourity of comments on all of the food articles on Yahoo!, it would seem the comments left by the readers are usually irritated. Instead of "Sneaky Ways to Eat Smarter" how about "Ways to Eat Smarter" or an article on how to train your body to start rejecting foods that are harmful to it?

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  • 26. Posted by SKEETER on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:57 pm PDT

    It would be a lot easier eat organic if it did not cost so much more than processed foods.

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  • 27. Posted by Multi-cultured Jesus on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:57 pm PDT

    Everyone has feel will, if they wanted to they could pick up fresh and unprocessed food for cheaper then processed food. Someone has to WANT to change their eating habits. I don't get you guys saying that unprocessed and organic food is more expensive as in the long run if you change your eating habits and stick to whole wheat, fresh local meats, fruits, veggies and pick up a cook book then you can spend alot less money on food. I know I do, I buy all local produce to support my community, not line the pockets of corporate businessmen.

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  • 28. Posted by drisalamb on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:58 pm PDT

    I agree with michael as well. Personally, I am a full-time college student with a full-time job, and it's hard to eat healthy. Especially with the cost of food, just to purchase fresh produce as opposed to processed foods can be out of budget. Finding the time to prepare it, forget about it, I am lucky to find time to eat. It's nice to know that they are making healthier food for the more financially/time challenged. You are completely correct about everything being commercial, unless you grow it yourself.

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  • 29. Posted by ping pong grannie on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:58 pm PDT

    My grannie always says that you can bet your bottom dollar that there will always be people losing sleep at night, worried that somehow, somewhere, someone is either having fun or making money. I hope all of you realize that making yourselves anxious and upset over the slightest little thing will kill you quicker than any fried twinkies or velveeta ever will.

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  • 30. Posted by andyofroseburg on Sat, May 12, 2007, 1:58 pm PDT

    Definately another case of someone in the media reporting on something they know little about. You take the "gospel" from the various big money advertisers and shove that down the reader's throats. Most of these "fixes" to the diet wouldn't be necessary if the American medical and food industries hadn't taken them out of our diets 30 or so years ago. And just wait till the AMA and drug companies get wind of the fact that there may be suggestions to make people actually be healthy.

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