Nutrition professionals encourage people to use the food label to make healthy choices. The food label can be a great tool but there are instances in which many people wish they could get more information. This is true for the portion of the food label that lists carbohydrates.

The term carbohydrate takes in a broad range of food. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, carbohydrates are the "sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, vegetables, grains and milk products." Sugar, syrup and honey are also carbohydrates.

The food label lists total carbohydrate in grams and then lists sugars and fiber in grams. When sugar is listed, that includes the added sugar plus the naturally occurring sugar in the food. It can be hard to make a decision about purchasing a food when you do not know how much sugar has been added to that food.

Added sugars should contribute no more than 25% of total calories. This would be no more than 125 grams of carbohydrate from added sugars. Added sugars contribute calories only and have no nutrient value.

When you look at a food label, it is easy to guess that sugar is added to soda, candy and desserts. It is not easy to guess some of the other foods that have added sugar. One way to tell is to look at the ingredients of the food. Words that end in "ose" indicate a type of sugar. Sucrose and high fructose corn syrup are examples. Other types of added sugars include brown sugar, syrup, molasses, honey and dextrin.

The United States Department of Agriculture has published a resource that can be found at http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata that lists the amounts of added sugar in 2,038 foods. This resource lists carbohydrate, total sugar and added sugar per 100 grams of food (100 grams is approximately one-half cup).

Carbohydrates are an important part of our diet. Carbohydrates should make up 45-65% of our total calories (225-325grams) for a day. These calories should come from a wide variety of foods that include grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Carbohydrates are our body's preferred source of energy for the brain, central nervous system and red blood cells. The brain alone needs 130 grams of carbohydrate each day for normal functioning. Carbohydrates are brain food. Choose them wisely!

- Source: Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist in Barton County, University of Missouri Extension, www.missourifamilies.org (nut255)

There I am sweating to the oldies. Through the glass I can see others visiting following their aerobics class. Suddenly one woman reaches in her backpack and pulls out something to eat. The other women seem very interested - they even take turns reading the nutrition label. Energy bars...they're everywhere!

This is one hot market. Supermarkets, health food stores, drugstores, even gas stations – everyone wants in on this $100 million dollar plus business. You may think choosing an energy bar is easy – it's not. Whether you realize it or not, when you pick an energy bar from the vast array available, you're making a statement about your personal nutritional regimen: crunchy vs. chewy, high protein vs. high carbohydrate, snack vs. meal replacement. At least one thing has been resolved: energy

bars have definitely proven that coating something with chocolate won't automatically make it taste good. If something tastes like medicine it must be good for you, right?

Energy bars basically come in four types:

· High carbohydrate -- This type's goal is too keep you from running out of energy during competition or a long training session. They consist largely of high fructose corn syrup and fruit juice concentrate, with added vitamins and minerals. Some brands add oats, nuts, or dried fruit. Research has shown that as long as you're getting the same number of calories from carbohydrate rich foods or energy bars, there's no advantage to the bars – plus the bars are more expensive. Actually, only athletes doing long-term exercise or events that last longer than 60 minutes (i.e. marathons, cross country running or skiing) need additional carbs during the event. If the event or practice were less than 60 minutes, the bar wouldn't empty out of the gut before the event is over!

· 40-30-30 -- This the ratio of carbohydrate to protein to fat. These are marketed to everyone: athletes, those who want to lose weight, those seeking a meal replacement option, and to seasoned adults who need additional nutrition. There aren't any published studies to show how these bars affect performance. A 40-30-30 bar doesn't have enough carbohydrate for an athlete, but may be a better choice for lunch than a Big Mac.

· High-protein -- These are generally high in calories and size. Body builders are the typical users. Although protein needs do increase with exercise, that doesn't mean that someone needs a protein bar. You can easily get the extra protein needed from less expensive foods. Plus, too much protein is dehydrating and a strain on the kidneys.

· Supplement -- You'll find the same vitamins and minerals that you'd find in a supplement pill. The main difference is that someone might take a pill along with a bowl of soup or a salad, while most people using supplement bars use it as a meal replacement. That's not a great idea. Keep in mind that these bars lack fiber and other valuable nutrients.

The commonality among all four types of bars is the fact that the energy boost you get from the sports bar comes from the calories it provides - period. There's no magical or secret ingredient that's doing the job.

Sports bar buying tips:

· If you're counting fat and calories, avoid bars providing more than 250 calories or 5 grams of fat.
· Some protein is good, but more than 20 grams is overdoing it.
· Most of the extras added to bars – vitamins, minerals, herbs – are more than you need. A basic multivitamin provides the same nutrients that sports bars offer and for a lot less money.
· Bars too expensive? Don't like the taste? Plenty of other foods work just as well. Try a bagel, fig bars or dried fruit. There are MANY high-carb energy food choices that will save your wallet.

- Source: Susan Mills-Gray, MS, Nutrition Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, www.missourifamilies.org (nut94)

Today nutrition information is everywhere. You read about it in newspapers and magazines. You see it on TV. The question is how much should you believe?

Nutrition information is always changing. It changes as more is known.

There are some things you can look for to be sure the nutrition information you see is correct.

· Check to see where the facts came from. Stories with good information will tell you the hospital, university or government agency that the information came from.

· If the information came from a company selling a product, it may or may not be true.

· Look for the name of the person the information came from. You need to know something about this person to help you decide if the information is true. Where do they work? Where did they go to school?

· Check to see how they got the ideas in the story. Was there a research study done? How long was the study? How many people were studied? The more information the better.

Is there more than one source for this information? Is there support for this idea from other places? Has this information been reported in a medical or nutrition journal?

Some signs of misinformation to look for:

· If a quick cure is promised

· Claims that sound too good to be true

· Ideas based on only one study

· Lists of "good" and "bad" foods

· If a product is being sold

Good sources of information are from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and the United States Department of Agriculture. Information coming from government agencies must follow rules and state facts. These are good sources of information. Information coming from universities is good because it is usually based on research.

If the information has been printed in a medical or nutrition journal several experts have read it. This means several people think it is good information.

If you have questions about something you read or saw on TV, discuss it with someone before you act on it. You doctor would be a good person to talk to about information related to diseases.

Remember nutrition information does change, but slowly. Don't make changes in the food you eat without reading a lot of stories about it. Also, be sure to talk to people who know about food and nutrition.

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

- Source: Barbara Farner, Extension Educator Nutrition and Wellness, University of Illinois Extension

Southwest Chicken

2 tablespoons margarine
2 chicken breasts (6-ounce each), halved and skinned
½ teaspoon tarragon
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon Tabasco® pepper sauce
Dash of pepper

Melt margarine in skillet. Place chicken in skillet. Season with pepper and tarragon. Brown chicken over medium heat - about 10 minutes. Turn, season, and brown other side. Mix lime juice, water, and pepper sauce; pour on chicken. Cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrient analysis per serving: 195 calories, 27 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, 9 grams fat, 134 milligrams sodium, and 72 milligrams cholesterol. Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 0 carbohydrate units.

Frozen Peach Melba

1½ cups frozen unsweetened raspberries
1½ cups frozen unsweetened peach slices
4 packets Equal
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup nonfat evaporated milk

In food processor with knife blade attached, blend frozen raspberries and peaches until fruit mixture resembles finely shaved ice. Stop processor occasionally to scrape down sides. With processor running, add Equal, almond extract and evaporated milk until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings, 3/4 cup each.

Nutrient analysis per serving: 60 calories, 4 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat, 50 milligrams sodium, and 0 milligrams cholesterol. Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 carbohydrate unit.

Blueberries in Cream

1 pint fresh blueberries
2/3 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/3 cup non-fat sour cream
4 packets (1 gram each) Equal®
1/8 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Wash berries and pat dry. Sprinkle 2 packets Equal® over berries and set aside. In a small bowl combine yogurt, sour cream, 2 packets Equal®, orange rind, vanilla and almond extracts. Spoon berries into 4 goblets or dessert bowls. Top with yogurt mixture. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrient analysis per serving: 77 calories, 3 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 0 gram fat, 60 milligrams sodium, and 2 milligrams cholesterol. Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 carbohydrate unit.

through Illinois General Revenue funding administered through the Illinois Department of Public Health, Office of Women's Health.

Questions or comments? Please email us at jmowen@illinois.edu or call 217-285-5543.