Why We Should Read Food Labels

Is this product good for me and my family? What nutritional benefits will I get from it? What ingredients make it up? Will some of the ingredients trigger allergies? How many servings will I get out of this pack?

More and more consumers ask these questions when faced with the many product choices

In supermarket shelves. The key to getting the answers and making informed choices is reading and understanding the labels on product packs.

What Labels Tell Us

The food labels that you see on products should indicate the following basic information:

Type of Product. Is it a cereal drink or a milk powder? Is it full cream or filled milks? Is it tonic food drink or chocolate milk?

Net Weight. This refers to the quantity inside the packages so the consumer will know how much she is paying for. For example, a 150g full cream milk makes 5-6 servings.

Contact Details. If consumers want to give feedback, how can the manufacturer be contacted?

Ingredients List. This provides a list of ingredients used in the manufacture of the product. Ingredients are usually listed from the most to the least amount. So if sugar is number one on the list, this tells us that the product contains mostly sugar.

Best Before Date. Before buying a product, always look for the Best Before date. The consumer will get the most out of the nutrients in the product before the date indicated in the Best Before.

Nutritional Claims. Descriptions such as low fat, fat-free, non-fat, cholesterol-free, lite, good source and excellent source are often found on product labels. But what do these terms mean?

- Low fat means the product has 3 grams or less fat.

- Non-fat or Fat-free means less than .5grams of fat per serving

- Cholesterol-free means less than 2 grams of cholesterol per serving

- Lite means 30% less calories than the original product

- Good Source means the specific nutrient it contains fulfils 10%-19% of the daily RENI (Recommended Energy and nutrient Intake)

- Excellent Source means the specific nutrient fulfils 20% or more of the daily RENI.

Health Claims. What are the potential health benefits of the product?

Function Claims. These describe the way a nutrient or food substance maintains or supports a normal body function.

Nutritional Information. This is a guide on how much nutrients are contributed by the product per serving based on the recommended requirement for the day (RENI). A good Nutrition Information table should have the RENI column that indicates the percentage of nutrients that the product contains per serving.

Source: Nestle magazine

shop-stress free

List down meal ideas for the week. Keep in mind which days you’ll have time to cook, and which days you’ll be pressed for time to put dinner on the table. When time is short, opt for vegetable salads, steamed greens, and ready-to-eat fortified food with low fat, cholesterol, and sodium or salt.

Organize the list. Check your menu options to ensure that you have a variety of foods that will provides all nutritional needs.

Don’t forget snacks. Everyone enjoys a little boost between meals. Choose nutritious, great-tasting snacks such as low-fat nuts, popcorn, and fruits.

Avoid going to the supermarket when you’re hungry. It’s easier to stick to the list if you have a full stomach.

Set a routine. Establish a day and a time when it’s easy for you to move quickly and easily through the supermarket.

Save money. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season because these are cheaper.

Source: Good Housekeeping 2005

our christmas prayer

O merciful God, we thank you for Christmas time and all that it means to us.

When Jesus, Your divine Son, came into this world, He came into a humble home. He had to grow up and learn like any other boy. When He grew into manhood He did always a good day’s work as a carpenter in the village shop of Nazareth. He was tempted and grew tired, was hungry and sad, just as we are. For all this we Thank You, O lord.

He was always one in all things with His brethren; He truly shared this life with its struggles and its toils, its sorrows and its joys, its trials and its temptations. He knew what it is to live in a home circle, to earn a living, just as we do, to know friendship and the failure of friends, just as we know it. For all this we Thank You; for the service of His life, the love of His death and the power of His Resurrection.

Grant, O God, that when He comes to us. He may find that there is room in our hearts for Him, that Christmas may enter into our inner part and abide there forevermore.

Thank you very much for giving Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Thank you for all the blessings you’ve given to us. AMEN.

my christmas wish list

All of us do have wishes this Christmas. Here’s mine.

1. stable job/income
2. peace of mind
3. good health for our family especially for kids
4. my painful right foot-ankle will be alright
5. money for my papers for work
6. another bag for my collection (hehehehe)
7. a cell phone
8. money for my ipod and psp, it’s been sleeping in a pawnshop (hehehehehe)

To my relatives and friends, if you happen to read this, now you know what I want (hehehehe).

10 Commandments of holiday weight control

1. Thou shalt step on the scale once a week. It will tell you if you are on or off your plan. Basic rule: same scale, same time, same day of the week.

2. Thou shalt not skip workouts. Exercise burns calories and helps you control your weight but only if you work out on a regular basis.

3. Honor thy need for sweets. Go ahead, have a goody. Just keep it small. Savor your treat by eating slowly, and the taste will go a long way.

4. Thou shalt never say, “I blew it at lunch, so I may as well pig out at dinner. “ Forgive yourself for the slip and go back to your plan of moderate, healthy eating.

5. Thou shalt prepare thyself for partying by taking the edge off thy hunger. Before leaving the house, eat a small ampunt of lean protein. This way, you won’t be seduced by all those incredibly rich, caloric hors ‘oeuvres.

6. Thou shalt go easy at the buffet table. Go up and survey the spread first. Fill up on the plate of fresh fruits and vegetables, then choose tiny tastes of your favorite foods.

7. Thou shalt keep thy body properly hydrated. Skip the soda and juice (which are loaded with calories) and go for good old H2O.

8. Thou shalt make sensible substitutions in thy favorite holiday dishes. Bake plain sweet potatoes and forget the butter.

9. Thou shalt always include a steamed vegetable at holiday meals. Even if it is just for you.

10. Thou shalt not hoard leftovers. Keep the meat, the baked sweet potatoes, the veggies, and the salad. Send the high calorie goodies home with guests, or give them to a homeless shelter.

Source: Good Housekeeping 2004

True Meaning of Christmas

It is an understatement to say that Christmas is our favorite holiday. We will hear songs like “ Jingle Bells,“ ,“ Joy to the World” , “ Pasko na Naman “ being hummed by Filipinos young and old played endlessly on the airwaves. Yes, we Filipinos embrace the holiday season with so much glee!

As a result, we tend to get even busier, with the list of gifts that we have to buy, wrap, and give. Then there are parties that need to be organized. Are we overlooking the real meaning behind all these festivities? Are we also passing on a misdirected notion to our children that Christmas, instead of being time to give love, is an occasion to attend parties and receive gifts? If you are one of the many families longing to put some meaning to your Christmas celebrations, then the following ideas may be of help:

Remember the Nativity. The story of the Little Baby boy born to a Virgin in a cold manger is the real reason for all the celebration. Let’s put His story back at the heart of Christmas. Hearing mass together, recounting the year’s milestones, and joining each other in a prayer of thanks are other good practices.

Spend quality time with the family. Another characteristic unique to us Filipinos is the way we make the season truly family-oriented. This year, as you visit Lolo and Lola, surprise them by having your children practice traditional Filipino customs that show love and respect, e.g. pagmamano and use of po and opo. You can also ask the children to prepare a song and dance number to present to the family.

Rekindle ties with your grandparents. Somewhere along the road to adulthood, we may lost touch with our birth godparents. For sure, they will be glad to know how you are doing and be pleasantly delighted that you took the time to check on them.

Exchange Christmas cards and personal favors with your family. Ideally, gifts are given to people we love. This Christmas, you might want to consider exchanging Christmas cards and “personal favor certificates”. By exchanging genuinely heartfelt messages, you will be literally giving each other the gift of thoughtfulness, time and love.

Show appreciation for your neighbors. Christmas is also the perfect time to express our thankfulness to people who help us in small ways. Remember people who make each day of the year more manageable for you, the neighbor, the bank teller who never fails to assist you with a smile, the loyal household help.

Share your blessings with the less fortunate. One very important lesson you can impart to your children – Christmas is the time to remember how much they have been blessed. Let them experience giving back to the less fortunate. Share a portion of your family’s precious time by joining your church or local community in distributing food, used clothing, and toys. Provide financial assistance to a chosen child for his schooling and everyday needs.

This year, consider humming a different Christmas tune. Share your time and affection and be more understanding and considerate to others. Together with your whole family, rediscover and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone!

Source: Nestle magazine

our business (2004-2009)

Business is a gamble. You have to invest without any hesitations if it will work and earn well. For me and hubby this is only our options because we haven’t finished a degree and my in-laws are entrepreneurs.

When I got pregnant 5 years ago, my mother outlook trained me about their family business. Shrimps and prawns dealer in Cogon wet market. I was in-charged of the mathematical calculations of their sales. Every time she had out of town trips, I was the one who handled everything from waking up early, disposing the products, deliveries in restaurants and hotels (Mandarin Tea Garden-Dynasty Court Hotel-The Site-Excite-Oriental Gardens-Pryce Plaza-RaiRai Ken-Chowking-Cucina de Oro-Conchita Hoetl-Deluxe Hotel-Tapsi Time-Vacatin Hotel-Chali Beach Resort-Grand Caprice), collecting and sending payments. I had a hard time because I was not use to it, before, I woke up late-eat-take a bath-school. Carefree life! But it felt good because I was trusted. I even did calculations again and again to make it sure that I didn’t miss anything especially about money matters.

Later on, I was given the chance to manage my own business. May 2004 we started our delivery at Xavier Sports and Country Club (XSCC). Our products include vegetables, fruits, fishes, sea foods and even some dry goods as long as I can find it in the market. We also tried Only in Cagayan (OIC), but we gave up because their payment check took as 2 months to be in-cash. We don’t have plenty of cash to supply their daily needs. Until now, we’re still supplying XSCC.

Business today is not doing well compared to the past years. Before I can have 50,000 in my hands in a day. Now, it’s so hard to make 5,000. We’re not use to it that’s why sometimes its so hard for us to accept the fact that economic crisis hit us. I guess we just have to live simply so we can survive in this world financial crisis.