Food for Thought : Know Your Labels

Do you know what the claims on your food packages mean? There are three categories of claims that are allowed on foods according to Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Specifically, there can be three main categories of claims: health claims, nutrient content claims, and structure/function claims. It can be confusing to determine what the claims mean, especially when the words “low,” “high” or “reduced” are used. Here are a few tips to help you decipher the claims on your foods:

1 .    Reduced — at least 25 percent less of the specified nutrient or calories than the usual/regular product. 

2 .   Low sodium — less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving .

3 .   Fat free/sugar free — less than ½ gram of fat or sugar per serving .


4 .   Good source — provides at least 10-19 percent of the daily value of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving 

4 .   High in — provides 20 percent or more of the daily value of a specified nutrient per serving.

                                   Garlic Shrimp

One of the favorites' takeout at Poppa's Herb Garden

2  tablespoons olive oil
1/2 head garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 lemon, unpeeled, cut into small wedges
2 bay leaves
1 pound shrimp (raw, peeled)

Heat oil in nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, lemon and bay leaves. Sauté for 5 minutes; add shrimp. Stir and cover; cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered for 10-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and keep covered for 15 minutes. Serve.

Words  of  Wisdom :

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.” 

“Our duty is wakefulness, the fundamental condition of life itself. The unseen, the unheard, the untouchable is what weaves the fabric of our see-able universe together.” 

“A person who could muster the courage to remove from his daily life the products that he basically doesn’t need would automatically delete the negative thoughts and the toxic people in his life.” 

“Letters are meaningless unless put together correctly. Words are worthless unless backed by truth. Sentences are handed out and judged accordingly, but only genuinely honest men or women can create writings that change the world forever.” 

“Friends are like knickers. Some crawl up your ass, some snap under pressure, some don't have the strength to hold you up, some get a little twisted, some are your favorite, some you can see right thru, some are cheap and just plain nasty, and some actually cover your ass when you need them to. Some you just hang out to dry...” (laughing  my butt off)

A proud Grand-poppa           G.