Hot Topic:  "Low-Carb" Interim Definition Set by Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau

From the Headlines:
US Bureau to Set Low-Carb Beer Standards 
Feds Clamp Down on Low-Carb Beer Claims

Commentary:
Last week the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau established a set of interim guidelines for the labeling and advertising of beer and alcoholic beverages. According to a story in Ad Age, the bureau banned "even limited health claims in advertising and said it intended to police such claims aggressively."  

Under the interim guidelines, beverages must contain less than 7g of carbohydrate per serving and advertising may not imply that consumption of alcoholic beverages has beneficial health effects or helps one lose weight.  Beverages that contain more than 7g carbohydrate per serving may claim they have "reduced carbohydrate" or "lower carbohydrates" when compared with a traditional offering.

The Carbohydrate Awareness Council (CAC) applauds the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for its efforts to begin the process of establishing labeling and advertising practices the consumer can trust.  Uniform standards across the "low-carb" industry are necessary for consumer confidence and ease in determining which products meet low-carb standards.  

The CAC does wish to  issue an additional caution to consumers about the consumption of alcoholic beverages while losing weight on a low-carb diet - ethanol, the alcohol in beer and alcoholic beverages, contains 7 calories per gram.  Most importantly, there is considerable evidence that ethanol raises insulin and depresses growth hormone significantly. These endocrine responses are counter-productive to the metabolic advantage created by carbohydrate restriction. In addition, the calorie load from the alcohol may be counter-productive to weight loss.  For this reason we caution consumers to limit alcoholic beverages while losing weight and to practice moderation while maintaining their weight with a controlled-carb nutritional approach.

Weekly Feature:  Produce Labels - Organic, Conventional or GMO?

Have you ever wondered how the cashier at the grocery store knows that the produce you've selected is organic, conventional or genetically modified?  The answer is right on the label.

Conventional produce - that is fruits and vegetables grown traditionally - have a four digit number on the label which always begins with a 4.  For example, 4011 is bananas - no matter which store you purchase them in.

Organic produce - that is fruits and vegetables grown organically - have a five digit number on the label which begins with a 9.  So if the above bananas are organic, the number on the label would be 94011.

Genetically modified produce - that is fruits and vegetables grown with genetic modifications - have a five digit number on the label that begins with an 8.  So, again, if the above bananas were GMO, the number on the label would be 84011.

Who developed this numbering system? The numeric system was developed by the Produce Electronic Identification Board, an affiliate of the Produce Marketing Association, a trade group for the produce industry. These label standards apply on the fruits and vegetables in the United States.

Cooks Nook

Tomato Napoleon
Two Servings

2 medium-sized fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/16 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups mixture of torn baby lettuces or other bite sized salad greens
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
OR
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
OR
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 2-ounces)

1. Use tomatoes held at room temperature until fully ripe. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each tomato and discard; then cut remaining tomatoes into 4 slices each; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and sugar until well blended. In a medium bowl, toss greens with about 1 tablespoon of the dressing.

3. On each of plate, place a bottom tomato slice; sprinkle lightly with cheese and greens. Repeat layering 3 more times ending with the top tomato slice; drizzle with remaining dressing.

Per Serving:
Total Carbs = 8g
Fiber = 2g
Net Carbs = 6g

NOTE: This is a great change of pace from lunch salads – beautiful presentation and delicious too!

Reader Questions & Answers

Question:  In the last week since I started eating low-carb, I've been having bad cravings for sweets.  Will these go away?  Is there anything I can do to make them go away faster?

Answer:  Cravings for sweets happens in the first few weeks of low-carb dieting, and over time, if you abstain from eating sweets, the cravings diminish and/or completely disappear.  There is no reason to suffer in the meantime since studies have shown that L-Glutamine effectively suppresses cravings.  

Research has shown that L-Glutamine, in a dose of 500 mg four times daily, decreases the craving for alcohol.  L-Glutamine also seems to reduce the craving for sugar and carbohydrates and so may be helpful for some people in dealing with obesity or sugar abuse. It may also help in the healing of ulcers.*

So we see that L-Glutamine is extremely useful in fighting cravings, especially those related to carbohydrate and sugar!  This is a major reason to consider L-Glutamine if you are burdened with uncontrollable desire for carbohydrates.

*"Staying Healthy with Nutrition, The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine", Elson M. Haas, M.D., Celestial Arts.

Do you have a question you’d like answered, email us!  Please be aware we may not be able to answer all questions received.

Quote of the Week

"Unless something comes out from the medical community saying there's something wrong with the Atkins Diet, I don't see any end to it."
John LaRosa, President, Marketdata Enterprises, Inc. in the Washington Post article, The Battle for your Bulge, April 4, 2004 

The CarbAware Consumer Bulletin is a weekly feature from the Carbohydrate Awareness Council.  Through April 15, 2004 it is available online for free.  Consumer Members of the council will receive the CarbAware Consumer Bulleting each week via email and have member-only access to the online archives after April 15th.  Please support us & controlled-carb nutrition by becoming a Member today!