For those who wish to eat healthier in Brookhaven, KDMCDietitian Jeaneen Stewart has a simple approach.

It is not necessary to skip meals, avoid sweets or buy onlyexpensive low-fat products. It is all about moderation.

“One thing I want to emphasize is that there really are no badfoods,” Stewart said.”It’s all about choices.”

To help interested people make the right choices when shoppingfor food, Stewart hosted a class on nutrition labeling at KDMCTuesday afternoon. With three tables covered in empty boxes andwrappers from the grocery store, she went through every food groupcomparing labels and shedding light on what really matters -composition.

“Eight out of the top 10 health issues that can kill you arenutrition-related,” Stewart said. “The truth is that learning toread the food labels can improve your diet and health.”

When reading nutrition labels on food items, Stewart said towatch for “red flag numbers.” The four ingredients printed on thelabels that people should be concerned with are calories, fat,sodium and carbohydrates.

The red flag numbers for each ingredient are:

* calories – 100

* fat – three to five

* sodium – 140

* carbohydrates – 15

Stewart said when the numbers for each ingredient are greaterthan the red flag numbers, then that item is too high in itsrespective ingredient and subsequently not healthy.

To maintain a healthy diet, Stewart advised the class to followthe red flag numbers. To take it a step further and lose weight,Stewart singled out a person’s calorie intake.

“A lot of our health problems are caused by fat,” she said. “Onepound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. If you subtract 100calories from your diet each day, multiply that by 365 days in theyear, then you can lose 10 pounds in a year.”

Stewart also embraced the old phrase of “less is more,” urgingher nutrition students to cut down on quantity.

“Everywhere you go, people want to give you more; more costless,” she said. “Everyone wants your business, wants to super sizeyour meal for you, but it’s at the cost of your health.”

Stewart explained that the signal the stomach sends to the brainis naturally slow. She said people should eat slowly and give theirstomachs time to report in.

Stewart also offered tips on grocery shopping.

“When you enter a grocery store, you’ve got to attack thatstore!” she said. “All your healthy foods with low carbs, caloriesand sodium are usually spaced out on the walls. The concentratedstuff is in the middle.”

For individual food items, Stewart advised to carefully examinecanned soups, as they tend to be extremely high in sodium. She saidcanned soups range from 1,000 milligrams and up, and even lightsoups typically contain at least 600 milligrams – all well abovethe red flag number of 140.

Stewart also advised caution when using salt substitutes, as thehigh levels of potassium chloride can cause difficulties for peoplewith kidney problems. She also urged healthy dieting by eatingfresh vegetables, drinking 2 percent or skim milk and striking outquick-fix, “convenience meals” in favor of “scratch cooking.”

“Convenience foods are very high in sodium,” Stewart said.”Instead of buying a box of macaroni and cheese, just get a bag ofmacaroni noodles and make your own. Instead of buying Shake ‘nBake, get some frozen chicken breasts and bread it yourself.”

As a warning against deceitful marketing, Stewart explained thetruth behind foods that advertise as “low-fat,” “sugar-free,”etc.

“What makes food taste good?” she asked. “Salt, sugar and fat.If you see a product that says it’s low in one of these, payattention to the label because it will be too high in anotheringredient. I guarantee you that if they take out one thing,they’re adding somewhere else.”

Stewart said that adjusting one’s diet was easy and, in time,would taste just as good as one’s unhealthy eating habits.

“It’s my opinion that we have to train our taste buds,” shesaid. “Taste buds can learn to like anything.”

In closing, Stewart reminded her students to pay close attentionto nutrition labels, but not to be overwhelmed.

“You don’t have to go and read every label in the store,” shesaid. “Just get one or two things on every trip and changeslowly.

“Nutrition is related to some of our biggest health problems,and small changes make differences,” she continued. “If you beginto cut back on calories, fat, sodium and carbs, any one of those,you’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll start to feel.”