By Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN
American Institute for Cancer Research

Q: What does “lean” on a food label mean?

A: Food labels are regulated by the federal government. To qualify as "lean," a main dish or packaged meal must contain up to 8 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, and 80 milligrams of cholesterol per five ounces.

While choosing products marked lean can help you avoid high fat options, this labeling criteria is not as stringent as that for packages marked “low fat” or “healthy.” By comparison, according to FDA regulations, a low-fat main dish or meal can contain no more than 4.2 grams of fat per five-ounce serving.

To meet the criteria for a grade of “healthy,” a main dish or meal must be low fat, contain no more than 1.4 grams of saturated fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, and 600 milligrams of sodium.

In addition, a food labeled healthy must also provide a good source of at least two or three major nutrients. In other words, healthy isn’t just about what detrimental elements are missing, but also what nutritional benefits are provided.

Nubella tip: Find plenty of delicious meals that meet the FDA requirements in Nubella’s 6,000-plus Recipe Database and Healthy Cooking Center.

Q: Are meatless burger crumbles a healthy substitute for ground beef?

A: Yes. Meatless crumbles, which are usually made from soy protein concentrate and wheat gluten, are a healthful alternative and can easily replace ground beef in many favorite dishes, including sloppy joes, chili, spaghetti sauce, burritos and casseroles.

A three-ounce portion of the plant-based protein contains about 90 to 120 calories and zero to four grams of fat. This is substantially less than the 195 calories and 10 grams of fat found in the same portion of 90 percent lean ground beef. In addition, the convenient vegetarian crumbles even supply a few grams of dietary fiber.

Since the latest major international report on diet and cancer risk emphasizes that research is stronger than ever linking red meat to colon cancer risk, using meatless crumbles is a great way to cut back on ground meat while continuing to serve your favorite dishes.

If you decide to try the crumbles, experiment with different brands of both frozen and dried products to find the ones you like best. Compare sodium content, too, since some products can be unfortunately high.

Q: Do products that help people lose weight while they sleep really work?

A: Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some of these products contain a diuretic that increases the amount of urine passed, so although your scale may indeed go down in the morning, you’ve lost water weight, not fat.

Other products instruct users to avoid eating three hours before bed. For someone who has been doing a lot of late-night eating, cutting out those extra calories could produce weight loss that has nothing to do with the supplement.

Check this out!

Balanced Eating Blog—Nubella registered dietitian Theresa Stahl keeps you up-to-date with nutrition news and recipes.