My Favorite App

I just got out of my Art History final, and what with Reubens and Bernini are leaking out of my ears, I don't really feel like any major intellectual undertaking tonight.  So rather than writing my agriculture papers, working on my Chanukah shiur, filling out job applications, translating Vajda, etc., I'm just going to write about my new favorite smartphone app, Fooducate.

Fooducate is a free app that allows the user to scan the barcodes on food packages with the phone's camera, and then locates the product in a surprisingly extensive online database.  The app then tells you a bit about any health risks associated with the product's ingredients, assigns an overall grade from A to D-, and suggests various alternatives.  The algorithm which assigns grades, although it simplifies all of the nutritional contents of a product to fit a single scale, is, as far as I can tell, fairly reliable, having been devised by a team of dieticians, scientists, and computer programmers.  To the right is an example of what the nutritional information looks like.  Do you see the four tabs?  Clicking on each of them will reveal more information
I've taken it shopping with me a couple of times, but both times I was in a hurry, so only once has it actually prevented me from placing a particular product in my grocery basket.  However, I've scanned all of the packages in my room, and, when I go to Wegmans tomorrow night with Victor, plan to deviate significantly from my usual buying tendencies, thanks to things I've learned about specific products, as well as about certain ingredients.  Here are the top twelve things I've learned:

12) Natural- It means nothing: it's an unregulated term, and not part of any USDA or FDA code, to my knowledge.  I already knew that; but what's much, much scarier is that advertisers are aware of this -- and are also aware that most consumers are unaware.  For this reason, one-fourth of new products launched in 2010 included the word "natural" in the product name.  Put a mental block on this word, and never take it as anything more than the advertising ploy that it is.

11) Yogurt - Back in AP Stats, one of my classmates wrote a project on yogurt nutrition, arguing that yogurts are mostly high-sugar desserts.  This was certainly how French people treat most yogurt, gastronomically (fromage blanc is closer to what we think of as yogurt).  I assumed that the kinds of organic nonfat yogurt that I consume, lacking flavorings or sweeteners, were exempt from this kind category.  It looks as if I was... correct.  Almost too good to be true, but Stonyfield Farm organic plain nonfat yogurt receives the highest of ratings, A.  Just see for yourself.

10) Apple Sauce - Not so good news about this category.  It looks as if even the organic applesauces that I consume don't score higher than B+ or so.  Mainstream Motts is in the C category.  I blame the high-fructose corn syrup.

9) "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" - Producers apply more pesticides to certain crops, and relatively little to others; these two categories are known as the "Dirty Dozen" (a growing list, but it used to include twelve, but now comprises sixteen different crops) and the "Clean Fifteen," (now eighteen) respectively.   Alphabetically, the "Clean Fifteen" are asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, eggplants, garlic, kiwis, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples, peas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and watermelon.  The "Dirty Dozen" are apples, bell peppers, blueberries, carrots, cherries, celery, grapes, kale, lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, and strawberries.

8) Hidden Trans Fat - Well, you know how trans fats are something you should be worried about consuming, and that producers are obligated to state trans fat content?  Guess what -- some foods have trans fats even if their nutrition facts don't list any.  I quote the Fooducate website: "If the amount of trans-fat in a product is less than half a gram per serving, manufacturers can round it down to 0.  But even 0.49 grams of trans-fat is bad for you. And don't even get us started on the actual consumption versus the tiny serving size.  So how do you know if a product does have trans fat in it?  Look for 'partially hydrogenated' oils and fats in the ingredient list."  Beware...

Are you getting enough Vitamin D?  Click here!

7) Vitamin D in milk -You know how most milk products state that they include Vitamin D?  Partially because Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption, and milk is high in calcium, many milk manufacturers add Vitamin D to the milk, so that the calcium won't just flush through consumers' systems.  It looks as if milk additives probably aren't the most reliable way to ensure that you're getting enough Vitamin D, especially if you're like me, and drink skim milk.  If you're worried about your Vitamin D levels, consult a dietician.

6) Artificial sweeteners - It's what my Mother always told me, but it looks as if she's right.  Stay away from saccharine and aspartame.  Artificial sweeteners might actually cause more weight gain than ordinary sugar.

5) Clif Bars -- C category, I'm afraid.  I typically consume builders' bars right after my runs.  However, despite high protein and micronutrient content, clif builders' bars are highly processed, and very high in saturated fat.  I'll still have them after my runs, but try harder to limit my intake beyond post-run high-protein meals.

4) Granola -- The granola that I've been consuming is disgusting!  Really!  Just take a look!  I am never, ever, buying this again.  I'm also noting this for the sake of a pair of sisters I know who rather like Wegmans-brand granola.  My suggestion?  Stay far away from it.

3) Canola Oil -- It looks as if a certain gingie was right about why I can't find rapeseed oil on this side of the Atlantic: "canola oil" is really just rapeseed oil!  Canola, a form of oil developed in Canada, is actually a quasi-acronym, standing for CANada Oil Low Acid.  It used to be used as an industrial lubricant (like palm oil), and for this reason, in addition to the fact that purchasing rapeseed oil might upset some consumers.  Although this brings up an interesting question: are young male consumers significantly more likely to purchase extra-virgin olive oil than the typical consumer?

2) Oreos -- It turns out that if you really want some storebought cookies, you should -- choose Oreos.  In addition to the fact that, if you know Prof. Joe Regenstein, who was involved with the project to make oreo production OU kosher, and seeing Oreos therefore instinctively makes you happy, Oreos are among the best choices for cookies, and, if consumed moderately, can be part of a healthy diet.  This is partially because the expected serving size is reasonable -- three Oreos -- whereas other cookie companies, such as Chips Ahoy, deliberately set their serving sizes below the expectations for standard snack sizes (about thirty grams).  Here, I'll quote Fooducate again: "Unlike other industrial cookies, classic Oreo cookies do not have artificial colors or partially hydrogenated oils. And while Oreos are high in sugar, one serving of Oreos (3 cookies) has less sugar than a single serving of most juices.  Bottom line: If you can manage to keep this to a once-in-a-while treat and stick to the 3 cookies serving size, don't be so hard on yourself for breaking out of what is a normally healthy diet.  Stick to classic Oreos to avoid artificial colors and avoid extra stuffing versions that pile on unneeded sugar."  Happy to hear that, Margo?

1) I am never, ever, ever again going to buy those  pumpkin spice bagels.  Ever, ever again.  Sarah, I'm sorry that I ever fed these things to you!  I promise to keep on giving you eggs, though.

OK, good luck on Finals, everyone.  Now get back to work!

~JD