Nuts as part of a healthy diet has been mentioned before; now the FDA will allow some products to be labeled as such:
http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/71/81253.htm?printing=true "This week the FDA approved the first qualified health claim for almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts for use in advertising and package labels. Packages of nut products that meet the FDA's requirements will now be able to carry the following claim: >>"Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease."<< "An ounce and a half serving of nuts is about a third of a cup or a small handful. "Only nut-based food products, such as plain nuts and some nut butters, that meet the FDA's fat and nutrition requirements will be able to carry the label, not items such as chocolate-covered nuts or ice creams with added nuts. "In approving the qualified health claim, the FDA says there is good scientific evidence to support the claim that eating nuts reduces the risk of heart disease, but the evidence is not entirely conclusive. It's part of a new FDA program that ranks scientific evidence behind health claims of food products..." "...Although the unsaturated, "good" fats found in nuts probably play the most important role in nuts' cholesterol-lowering effects, researchers say nuts also contain several other ingredients that may also reduce the risk of heart disease, such as fiber, arginine (an amino acid), magnesium, antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium, and phytochemicals..." But I'm gonna have to disagree with 'em about the chocolate ice cream with nuts...ya got yer calcium, yer chocolate, yer magnesium, AND yer phytochemicals... Chocolate Trail Mix Ice Cream Maru (never seen any, but there oughta be! ;} ) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
