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Do you ever wonder about the nutritional value of the foods you buy and eat?
Would you like to make more educated decisions about the foods you eat, but aren't sure where to start or whom to turn to?
Does someone you shop for have severe allergies, making your shopping experience long and stressful?
Have you ever thought about seeing a nutrition expert to help improve your eating habits?
Would you like to see more pominent signage pointing out food attributes such as low fat, low sodium, high fiber, guten free, allergy alert, low sugar, or organic?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions then VG's Health Connection can help. Over 40,000 foods in our store were evaluated by a group of regisetered dietitians. Seven VG's Wellness Clues were then created to help you easily find foods that fit your dietary needs. If a food falls into one of these seven categories (Low Fat, Low Sodium, High Fiber, Allergy Alert, Gluten Free, Low Sugar, or Organic) it will appear right on the shelf tag.
We've read the labels,
so you don't have to!
Use the links on the left to find out more.
VG's Wellness Clues: How It Works
We asked the experts - registed dietitians - to evaluate the foods in our store and together we have created seven VG's Wellness Clues to help you make more educated decisions about what you are purchasing. A food can be identified as: LowFat, Low Sodium, High Fiber, Gluten Free, Allergy Alert, Low Sugar, or Organic.
The image on the right is an example of what the new shelf tags look like.
If a food meets the dietitian's qualifications for a specific category, a check mark will appear on the shelf tag, making it easy to identify each of these seven characteristics.
The nutritional informations is based on the smallest stated serving size and all food items are marked according to a manufacturer's Nutrition Facts Panel and ingredients listings. Want more info? Visit www.cfsan.fda.gov/label.html
VG's Wellness Clues at a glance:
Helping you make educated decisions.
Low Fat- food contains 3 grams of fat or less per serving. A good choice if you or someone in your family has high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, is obese or has weight issues, gallstones or gallbladder disease, or diabetes.
Low Sodium- food contains 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving. A good choice if you or somone in your family has high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, kidney disorders or disease, weight issues, or diabetes.
High Fiber- Food contains 5 grams of fiber or more per serving. A good choice for everyone's overall health, espescially good if you or someone in your family has high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, diverticulosis, Crohn's diesease, chronic constipation or diarrhea, colon cancer, obesity or weight issues, irratble bowel syndrome, or other gastrointestinal diseases.
Heart Health- when food is marked Low Fat, Low Sodium, and High Fiber, a heart will appear on the shelf tag, indicating the power of three: a heart healthy choice! This is helpful for infividuals with cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, hyperlipidemia, and high blood pressure.
Gluten Free- food contains no wheat, barley, rye, or oats. A good choice for people with celiac disease, or wheat or gluten allergies. Gluten-free foods must say "Gluten Free" on the package to earn the check on our shelf label.
*Allergy Alert- foods in this category have labels that sat it "contains" or "may contain" milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, chashews, walnuts), fish, shellfish (crab, lobster, shrimp), soy, wheat, sulfites, or phenylalanine (aspartame artificial sweetener). In addition, the label may state something similar to "Allegery Alert" or "includes food products manufactured in a facility" which produces other food products containing these potential allergens. People with food allergies or sensitivities must READ FOOD LABELS VERY CAREFULLY, especially if they have allergic reactions including respiratory distress and swelling in the mouth airway.
Low Sugar- food contains 5 grams of sugar or less per serving. A good choice for everyone's overall health, especially people who have diabetes, obesity or weight issues, insulin resistance, and some sugar sensitivities or intolerances.
Organic- Certified Organic by the USDA, which guarantees the food is free from presticides, chemicals or toxins during the farming process. A good choice for people who have sensitivities or allergies to certain chemicals or pesticides, or people who prefer to eat foods that are free from such chemicals, as well as some individuals with cancer. Food packages must have the USDA symbol or statement to be marked Organic to earn the check on our shelf label. All food items are marked according to the manufacturer's food Nutrition Facts Panel and the ingredients listings.
Learn for Your Family's Health
What is a Registered Dietitian?
In order to be considered a Registed Dietitian you must: earn a Bachelor's Degree from a university with an Accredited Dietetics Education Program, complete six to twelve month supervised practice program in a health facility, community agency, or food service corporation, succesfully pass an examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, and complete continuing education requirements as needed. For more information, contact the American Dietetic Association at 1.800.877.1600 or visit www.eatright.org
A word about serving sizes...
Balance, moderation and variety are the cornerstones of good nutrition. America tends to be "super-sizing" food portions these days, and many individuals are surprised to see what one serving size actually looks like. Double check actualy serving sizes by measuring or weighing the food and remember that some cooking methods as well as seasonings can change the nutritional content of a food.
Have more questions?
Whether you have special dietary needs or you would simply like to learn more about healthy eaiting, VG's is pleased to provide tours of our store with a Registed Dietitian. The dietitian will discuss a number of things to help you learn to eat better, from portion control to food selection and preparation. They will also answer questions and help you better understand VG's Wellness Clues. Contact the staff of IMC at 810.230.1633 or visit them online at www.imcweightloss.com
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