Hello to all -

I'm new here & look forward to getting to know you guys & gals! I need some help & I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct forum. I'm a 31 year old female & luckily, since I am overweight, am not responsible for anyone's nutritional needs except my own. I want to exercise & eat healthy to get to where I need to be so that when I have children, I can teach them healthy habits & lifestyle instead of what my parents taught me.

This is my problem. I'm a fairly intelligent individual - I start nursing school in 2 weeks! (Yay!) I have a problem not necessarily reading nutrition labels on foods, but understanding the "chemical names" listed on them in comparison to what dieticians, personal trainers, doctors, etc call them. (Example - they tell us to limit table sugar but it is labeled as sucrose on labels.) I've done a tad bit of research on the net to learn (stupid me, I know) what the difference is & examples of each of whole grain foods, refined, & enriched grains. I need a source that (pardon me!) dumbs it down & speaks to me on the idiotic level I am apparently on! Do y'all know of any educational sites like this (or any books, etc)?

Thanks so much!
Sister

Hey Sister,

I don't have a web site to point you to, but if nutrition is your main concern, then you are better off avoiding products with long lists of synthetic ingredients altogether. Eat whole foods (fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats and fish) and if you eat processed foods (like bread and pasta and peanut butter), choose the ones with shortest ingredient lists with recognizable ingredients. If it has sucodextrinlecitinwhateverwhatever in it, it ain't good for you. (Although it might be handy to eat if you're counting calories to lose weight.)