PORTION CONTROL AND PLANNING CAN KEEP AWAY THOSE HOLIDAY POUNDS

From Thanksgiving to the New Year’s Eve toast, the opportunities to overindulge are nearly endless. There is a common misconception that holidays are so infrequent that eating done only on special occasions doesn't matter. But, the celebrations can add up with parties, work events and family gatherings.  And several high calorie days can significantly derail your weight management goals.  For example, on Thanksgiving, the average American consumes 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat. That's at least 2-3 times what one needs to eat in one day.  The average holiday weight gain according to a 2000 study by the National Institutes of Health is 1-2 lbs.   A pound is not so much, but people tend to not lose the weight when the holidays are over so it adds up over time.  Also, while the average for the general population is just 1 pound gain, for those who are obese, average weight gain is 4-6 lbs.

Enjoying the food is a big part of enjoying the holidays, but it doesn’t have to add inches to your waistline. It is possible to eat foods traditionally associated with holiday celebrations and to stick with a weight-loss plan.  Try to maintain a clear idea about your weight goals during the holiday season and don't let small setbacks completely derail progress.  The following tips can also help to prevent holiday weight gain.

1.      Minimize mindless munching. Nibbling before and after a big holiday meal is a sure way to add significant calories. Between the eggnog, cheese ball, homemade cookies and candy, it’s easy to top 1,000 calories before sitting down to dinner. The same goes for the goody trays in the break room at work. What to do? Survey the culinary landscape and decide what you really want. Keep the portion reasonable and then leave the food table.

2.      Enjoy the turkey, but don’t gobble. This isn’t an eating contest, so slow down! Truly enjoy the rich pleasure of the foods you don’t get every day. Let the food linger on your tongue. You may discover a sense of satisfaction with half your typical portions when you take time to slow down and enjoy the food you’re eating.

3.      Portion control, portion control, portion control:  Make those special, holiday-only foods manageable by savoring them slowly in limited portion sizes.  Skip the items that you do not really care about.  It can also be helpful plan ahead for a dinnertime celebration by having a lighter breakfast and lunch that day, but do not skip meals as that often leads to overeating later.  To control daily calories in the face of frequent celebrations, some people find it helpful to substitute a calorie-controlled meal replacement for 1-2 meals per day during the holiday season.

4.      Plan ahead & make wise choices:  Plan ahead before heading to a holiday gathering or party.  Know what will be served and figure out what it is you really want and if it’s worth the calories.  If you can live without your mother’s pumpkin pie but not her sausage stuffing, then have some stuffing.  The same goes for a holiday buffet: scan the table first before filling your plate and decide which foods you can live without. Choose small portions of the foods you want to enjoy, filling your plate once.  If you’re asked to bring something to a gathering, try bringing something healthy, like veggies and low-fat dip, instead of cookies.  That way, if there are leftovers, you will go home with a healthy option rather than problem treat.

5.      Use high-protein and high-fiber foods to your advantage. Lean meats, poultry, fish and green vegetables can help you feel full when you’re hungry without adding a burdensome load of calories. To avoid going to a holiday party too hungry — eat something high in fiber and/or protein before heading out.  Have ready-to-eat veggies with hummus, a cheese stick with fruit, a Greek yogurt cup, or a small portion of fiber rich cereal to help curb your hunger. 

6.      Beware of liquid calories. Being aware of the calories you’re drinking during the holiday season is also important to maintain a healthy weight. A cup of regular eggnog can have up to 500 calories and that Starbucks white hot chocolate with whipped cream will cost you even more calories. Factor in alcohol, sugar-loaded punch drinks, hot cider and more and see how liquid calories add up. What to do? Choose “light” or “diet” drinks and drink lots of water. Choose hot tea or coffee in place of hot chocolate or cider.  And, if you really must indulge in Eggnog, the “light” eggnogs being sold are a significantly better calorie deal.  Alcohol not only provides empty calories but it decreases one's resolve to stick to an eating plan, so use moderation when it comes to drinking. Diluting wine with club soda can make a tasty wine spritzer that has less alcohol and less calories. 

7.      Channel your inner-Santa in non-food ways.  It can also be helpful to channel your holiday spirit in ways that are not focused on food.  For example, too add activity, consider celebrating the season by going skating or going for a holiday lights walk.  Decorating, crafts, and gift giving can also satisfy the homemaker in you without running the risk of exposing to more homemade treats. And, if you are determined to bake consider giving friends with dogs homemade pet biscuits rather than items you might be tempted to sample. 

8.      Get moving.  Don't slow down or stop physical activity during the busy holiday months. Instead, try to maintain or even increase activity and exercise levels to compensate for additional caloric intake.  On holidays with big meals, try to get active in the morning.  Go outside with the kids to toss the football around, grab your music and take a brisk walk, or prepare for your mall shopping by doing some determined walking laps around the space first. Simply moving more can help burn off extra calories, tone your muscles, and work off some of the holiday stress.

HEALTHY FATS: PART OF A BALANCED DIET

Think you need to take fat out of your diet in order to be healthier and lose weight?  Not so.  To lose weight, you have to use more energy than you take in.  Calories are the measure of the energy in foods.   If you consume too many calories, whether from protein, fat, or carbohydrates, the body will store the extra energy as fat.   With more than double the calories of proteins and carbohydrates, fat calories can add up quickly and lead to weight gain, but, when consumed in moderation, healthy fats are an essential part of balanced, heart healthy diet.  

Fat is needed for the absorption of the essential fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that help protect vision, immune system function, and bone health. Moreover, fat is needed for the manufacture of hormones in the body, the membrane lining in every cell, and the sheath surrounding every nerve cell.

GOOD VS. BAD FATS

Fish and plant sources of fat are good for health while meat and dairy sources are detrimental.  To incorporate good fats into the diet without gaining weight, use them in place of less nutritious calories such as those in cream and meat fats, sugary snacks, and refined grain products.

The “Bad” Fats

Modern diets tend to be high in the unhealthy fats found in meat and dairy, and hydrogenated oils.  These fats increase your risk of heart disease and clogged arteries by increasing blood cholesterol and inflammation in the body. 

x Saturated fats - Limit intake of products high in saturated fat including meat, lard, chicken skin, coconut and palm kernel oil, shortening, butter, cheese, cream, and other full-fat dairy products. It is recommended that no more than 7% of your calories come from saturated fat, so for an 1800 calorie diet that would be less than 14g of saturated fat.  This can be challenging when you consider 4 oz. of prime ribs has this much saturated fat. Look at the nutritional facts labels to choose products low (less than 5% of the Daily Value listed on food labels) in saturated fat. 

x Trans fats.  Completely eliminate trans fat from your diet.  This is an artificial fat added to products such as pre-made frosting, margarines, baked goods, and snack foods.  Check labels to make sure the trans fat is 0g.  If a product contains “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oil, than it contains trans fat.

The “Good” Fats

When consumed in moderation, healthy plant- and fish-based sources of fats help to reduce inflammation in the body and lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides. How much is enough? Recommended fat intake is 20-35% of calories.  For an 1800 calorie diet, this would be the equivalent of 3-5 tablespoons of oil.

R Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  These are found in plant foods that contain fat such as nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, soy beans, and vegetable oils. 

R Omega-3 fats.  These, found in naturally oily fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, and mackerel, are particularly beneficial for the heart & help to lower blood triglycerides. Because our body is unable to make omega-3 fats, it is important to regularly consume fatty fish.

THE SKINNY ON FAT:  10 TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES

1.      Choose Oily Fish Twice a Week or More.  Eat seafood in place of meat or poultry at least twice a week.  Tuna, salmon, trout, herring, sardines, halibut, rainbow trout, and scallops are excellent sources of heart healthy omega-3 fats.  Prepare your fish without butter, which contains 7g of saturated fat in each tablespoon.

2.      Have Meat Less Often. Try reducing intake of saturated fat by replacing some of the meat you eat with beans, skinless chicken, or fish.

3.      Choose Lowfat & Nonfat Dairy Products. Dairy is naturally high in saturated fat.  Each cup of whole milk contains 5g of saturated fat, so concentrated sources of dairy fat like cream, butter, and cheese are especially artery clogging.  Still, dairy contains many healthy nutrients including protein, calcium, and potassium, so include dairy but choose low or nonfat options. 

4.      Make Meat & Poultry Lowfat.  Choose lean or low-fat cuts of meat like round or sirloin and ground beef that is at least 90% lean. Trim or drain fat from meat and remove poultry skin. 

5.      Use Oil or Margarine Instead of Butter.  Use liquid vegetable oils such as olive or canola instead of lard, shortening, or butter.  Try topping bread, cooked vegetables and popcorn with olive oil and a little salt. When baking muffins, cookies, sweet breads, and moist cakes, try canola or vegetable oil in place of butter.  For every ¼ th cup of butter called for, substitute 2 ½  -3 tablespoons of oil.  For a more butter-like substitute than oil, look for margarines low in saturated fat (i.e. 1.5g or less per tablespoon) with no partially hydrogenated oil.

6.      Add Avocado. Try them in sandwiches or salads or make guacamole. Also, a healthy alternative to mayonnaise for moistening sandwiches and tuna salad.

7.      Go for Nuts.  Have ¼th cup of nuts or seeds for a healthy snack or add them to stir-fries, vegetable dishes, salads, yogurt, and cereal.  Use them instead of breadcrumbs on chicken or fish.  Blend them into smoothies.  Stay away from salted and sugary nuts - these are less healthy and easy to overdo. 

8.      Dress Your Own Salad. Commercial salad dressings are often high in saturated fat or made with damaged trans fat oils. Create your own healthy and flavorful dressings with olive, flaxseed, walnut, or sesame oil.

9.      Watch Out for Fat-free Junk Food. A “fat-free” label doesn’t mean you can eat all you want without consequences to your waistline. Many fat-free foods are high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and calories. 

10.  Don't Spoil Your Oil.  A good fat can become bad if heat, light, or oxygen damages it. Oils such as flaxseed, soy, corn, and vegetable are rich in polyunsaturated fats, which are most susceptible to damage. To best preserve these oils keep them refrigerated in an opaque container.  When cooking over the grill or stovetop with oil, avoid heating the oil so much that it changes color or begins to smoke. When this happens, the oil has degraded, producing possible carcinogens and off-tastes.  Oils smoke at different temperatures.  Filtered/light/refined olive oil is one of the best choices for cooking at high heat.  Never use oils, seeds, or nuts after they begin to smell or taste rank or bitter.   

OVEREATING CAUSES BRAIN INSULIN RESISTANCE, INCREASING DIABETES RISK

New research suggests that chronic overeating can lead to insulin resistance within brain cells, and when the brain becomes insulin resistant it fails to properly regulate the breakdown of fat stored in the body as well as the production of glucose by the liver.

While stored fats are important energy sources during fasting, their release into the bloodstream when the body is in a fed state, leads to multiple metabolic problems including elevated blood sugar and blood cholesterol, and increased levels of inflammation throughout the body. Previously it was believed that insulin's ability to suppress fat breakdown in healthy persons was entirely mediated through the fat tissue cells but recent findings suggest that brain cells’ response to insulin is a key regulator of fat breakdown. 

In this most recent study, Dr. Christophe Buettner and his research team at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine demonstrated, at least in rats, that overeating drives brain insulin resistance. For 10 days researchers fed one group of rats their usual weight- maintenance diet while they fed another group a diet with 150% of their caloric needs. The researchers then infused a tiny amount of insulin into the brains of both groups of rats. Unlike in the control diet group, in the overfed group, the addition of insulin to the brain failed to suppress the release of glucose from the liver and fatty acids from fat tissue. While this study was not conducted in humans, it is probable that a similar process of brain insulin resistance occurs in humans.  Certainly human studies have demonstrated that temporary overeating produces similar patterns of metabolic dysfunction in the liver and fat tissue. 

What to do: These findings remind us that not only excess weight but that overfeeding itself also drives insulin resistance and the metabolic problems that lead to diabetes and heart disease. Certainly, maintaining a healthy weight by following a healthy diet moderate in calories and getting regular activity minimizes the risk of diabetes.  But, even among persons with excess weight, avoiding overeating (even when weight loss is not achieved) can help to moderate insulin resistance and the processes that drive the development of diabetes.

Adapted from article available at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121017153911.htm & http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110216123547.htm

Sources:

T. Scherer, C. Lindtner, E. Zielinski, J. O'Hare, N. Filatova, C. Buettner. Short Term Voluntary Overfeeding Disrupts Brain Insulin Control of Adipose Tissue Lipolysis. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2012; 287 (39): 33061 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M111.307348.

Thomas Scherer, James O'Hare, Kelly Diggs-Andrews, Martina Schweiger, Bob Cheng, Claudia Lindtner, Elizabeth Zielinski, Prashant Vempati, Kai Su, Shveta Dighe. Brain Insulin Controls Adipose Tissue Lipolysis and Lipogenesis. Cell Metabolism, 2011; 13 (2): 183 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.01.008

TRICKS FOR KEEPING HALLOWEEN HEALTHY

According to a recent study, the average child gains 2.2 lbs of extra weight from eating Halloween candy.  Because many children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, this Halloween weight gain can have serious health consequences. Here are some tips for how trick-or-treaters can enjoy a healthier, lighter Halloween. Here are tips for kids and on the reverse, for adults.

For Kids

·    Try providing a moderately sized trick-or-treat basket and establishing that no more treats than can fit in the basket can be collected.  Also consider offering non-food treats or small sums of money that they can trade the treats in for.

·    A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating.  By filling up on healthy choices, everyone will feel less of an urge to splurge on sweets after trick-or-treating is over. It is also a good idea to provide healthy alternatives for you and your kids. Keep a ready supply of nuts, reduced-fat cheese sticks, and fresh fruit on hand.

·    Set an example.  If children see you taking handfuls of candy they are likely to follow suit.  Try to emphasize quality over quantity.  Eat candy slowly and teach your children to savor it.  Have a contest to see who can eat a piece of candy the slowest.

·    Try to ration treats for the days following Halloween.  One way to ration the candy and encourage moderation is to number small pieces of paper from one to five and place them into a hat. Every day for two weeks, have your children pick a number and whatever they choose, that's the amount of candy they may have for the day.

·    It may not be easy but try shaping at least part of your kid's Halloween experience around something other than candy.  This could be making seasonally themed art projects such as masks or carving pumpkins and/or attending seasonal events such as haunted houses, hay rides, pumpkin patches, or corn mazes.

·    Sugary foods like candy, especially carmel-type candy that sticks to the teeth and sour candies that are acidic, promote tooth decay.  To minimize damage to the teeth, rather than spreading candy intake throughout the day, try to limit intake to occurring at the end of 1-2 meals per day.  Dentists recommend rinsing with water after eating candy and then waiting about 20 minutes before brushing because the acidic environment created by many candies can actually make the teeth vulnerable to damage when brushed. 

For Adults

·    Establish a "no leftovers" rule at the office for yourself. For all your careful preparation at home, it's sometimes hard to avoid the leftover candy colleagues bring to work. Stashing healthy snacks in your desk drawer or keeping chewing gum on hand to keep your mouth busy may help to stave off temptation.

·    Don't get taken in by clearance sales.  After Halloween, stores will try to move leftover candy as quickly as possible. By avoiding the candy aisle altogether, you won't be tempted to take advantage of the lower prices.

·    Allow yourself a treat so you don't feel deprived. No one said you shouldn’t enjoy a little splurge on Halloween. It is, after all, an occasion that comes but once a year. Treat yourself to one or two small pieces of dark chocolate (with nuts, if you like).

·    Before you pop that innocent looking fun-sized Snickers bar into your mouth it may help to put the calorie count in perspective. A 150-pound person burns about 60 calories during a 15-minute, moderately paced walk.  That means you'll have to stroll for at least 30 minutes to cancel out two of those tiny treats. Before you start, ask yourself if you can you really stop at a couple and is the calorie cost really worth it to you.

·    For the trick-or-treaters that come to your home, buy candy you don't like to limit the temptation. For example, if you're a chocoholic, give out Smarties instead.  Or, if you know all candy is dangerous, consider handing out something non-edible but cool.  Items like glow necklaces, mini crayon packs, stickers, or temporary tattoos are often appreciated, especially as kids will have plenty of candy from other sources.

·    Also, to minimize the risk of having candy in the house, buy your trick or treat candy at the last possible minute and get rid of any leftover candy as soon as possible. 

WEIGHT LOSS AFTER WEIGHT GAIN LEAVES BEHIND EXTRA FAT CELLS AND WEIGHT IN THE LOWER BODY

If you temporarily gain - and then lose - even a small amount of fat, does your body return to how it was before gaining?  A recent study by researchers at the Mayo clinic found that in fact the body does not return to its pre-gain composition and that weight is not lost in the same pattern that it was gained.  For this study, researchers had 15 men and 8 women in their 20’s and 30’s increase their weight by 5%.  Depending on energy needs, subjects were given one, two, or three of the following each day: a 400-calorie ice-cream shake, a 510-calorie king size Snickers bar, or a 360-calorie cup of Boost Plus.

After eight weeks of being overfed, the body composition of subjects was assessed.  Subjects averaged a gain of about seven pounds of fat and one pound of muscle.  61% of the extra fat, on average, was upper-body subcutaneous (fat just below the skin), 12% was visceral (fat deposited around the internal abdominal organs), and 27% was lower-body (primarily hips and buttocks).

Next the subjects were prescribed calorie restricted diets and additional exercise to lose the weight gained.  After eight weeks, subjects had lost an average of five pounds.  Thus, subjects were able to gain weight faster than they were able to lose it.  Also, weight that was put on in the lower body decreased less than abdominal weight, so that the process of weight gain and then weight loss caused subjects to retain more weight in the lower body.

Consistent with previous studies, the researchers found that when participants gained weight the number of fat cells in their body increased.  However, when they lost weight, the additional fat cells decreased in size but remained at increased numbers.  One disadvantage of having additional fat cells, especially when they lose stores, is that each cell produces hormonal signals that increase hunger levels.  This study points to the fact that once weight is gained, even if it is eventually lost, the body does not return to its original leaner state. 

What to do:  Aim to prevent weight gain by consuming a healthy diet, getting regular activity, and monitoring your weight.  Because after weight loss we retain extra fat cells that produce hunger signals, it is more challenging to maintain lost weight than it is to maintain a healthy weight.  This does not mean maintaining loss is impossible but that sticking with the healthy behaviors you have acquired during weight loss is key to long-term weight loss maintenance. 

Adapted from article in Nutrition Action Healthletter, Sept. 1, 2012, pg 8.

Source:  Singh P, Somers V, Romero-Corral, et al.  Effects of weight gain and weight loss on regional fat distribution. Am J Clin Nutr; July 3, 2012, doi: 10.3945/​ajcn.111.033829 available at http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2012/06/28/ajcn.111.033829.full.pdf

CHRONIC 'BUTTER FLAVORING' EXPOSURE LINKED TO HARMFUL BRAIN PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Diacetyl is used to give a buttery taste and aroma to common food items such as microwave popcorn, margarines, snack foods, candy, baked goods, and other products.  Previous studies have linked diacetyl to severe respiratory disease (so-called “popcorn-lung”) among workers at microwave popcorn and food-flavoring plants.  Cases of frequent consumers of microwave popcorn also suffering related lung problems have been reported as well.  Now researchers at the University of Minnesota have uncovered yet another reason to steer clear of this common flavor additive.  The chemical structure of diacetyl is similar to a substance that makes beta-amyloid proteins clump together in the brain. This clumping is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

The recent research linking diacetyl with Alzheimer’s disease processes was conducted in a lab using cell cultures not living organisms but their findings of how the additive influences physiologic processes is cause for concern none the less.  Previous experiments have revealed that diacetyl crosses the "blood-brain barrier," which helps protect the brain from dangerous substances.  This means that when inhaled or ingested, diacetyl can potentially reach the brain.  The current research found that when brain cell cultures were exposed to levels of diacetyl similar to that experienced by popcorn factory workers, the diacetyl increased the amount of beta-amyloid clumping and that diacetyl also prevented a beneficial protein from protecting the brain cells.

What to do:  While this was only a laboratory study, the fact that chronic diacetyl exposure has been linked to lung disease, justifies minimizing exposure to the additive.  To spare your lungs, reduce your salt intake, and save money, make your own microwave popcorn.  Add ½ cup of popcorn kernels (optional: toss kernels with ½ tsp oil, salt, and/or spices) to a sack lunch paper bag. Shape the bag so that it can sit up and fold the top of the bag over just once and put one staple in the middle (this will not cause sparking).    Cook at full power for 2 ½-3 minutes, or until you hear pauses of about 2 seconds between pops. Carefully open the bag to avoid steam.  Enjoy!

Information adapted from article available at: 

http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=667295

http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13653/research_raises_more_toxic_health_concerns_for_popcorn_workers/

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flavorings/

SOURCE: American Chemical Society, news release, Aug. 1, 2012

BREAD WINNERS: MAKING A HEALTHY CHOICE IN THE BREAD AISLE

BREAD WINNERS:  MAKING A HEALTHY CHOICE IN THE BREAD AISLE

Bread remains a staple in the American diet with the average American consuming 53 pounds of bread each year.  Because we eat bread so often, it is particularly important that we select a nutritious choice.  However, with the array of products labeled with healthy sounding phrases like “wheat”, “cracked”, “stone-ground”, and “multi-grain”, it can be quite challenging to determine which products are the most nutritious.   Here’s what you need to know to be a savvy bread shopper.

GRAIN BASICS

Before it is processed, a wheat kernel is a whole grain comprised of the outer layer known as the bran, the inner bulk called the endosperm, and the grain’s core, called the germ. The outer sheath, the bran, is rich in fiber, B-vitamins, and minerals. The germ is the portion of the grain that sprouts to generate a new plant. It is full of B-vitamins, antioxidants, and vitamin E.  The endosperm, making up the volume of the grain, is comprised of starch and some protein. 

To process whole grain flour into refined white flour, the nutrient-rich bran and germ are removed, leaving behind only the starchy endosperm.  

SELECTING A HEALTHY BREAD PRODUCT:  UNDERSTANDING THE FRONT OF THE PACKAGE

-Choose 100% whole: If the packaging says “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” this is your guarantee that the bread contains no white flour.

-Whole vs. 100% whole:  If the packaging says “whole grain” or “whole wheat” this means that the product is comprised of 51% or more whole grains.  So, beware, these products may contain nearly as much white (refined) flour as whole grain flour. Ingredients are listed in descending order based on how much they weigh in the product. This means that the first ingredient is the most prevalent ingredient.  To determine if a product is mostly whole grain check to see where the whole grains appear in the ingredient list.    

-Multi-grain does not mean whole:  When the package says “multi-grain”, this simply means that there are different kinds of grains (i.e. oat, wheat, rye, barley, etc.) in the product.  Whether these are whole or refined grains has nothing to do with number of different grain sources.

-Other names for white flour:  Do not fall for deceitful terms such as “wheat flour,” “unbleached wheat flour,” “multigrain,” “enriched,” or “stone-ground wheat flour” on the package or ingredients list.  These are just sneaky ways of saying the product contains refined white flour. 

-White flour vs. white whole wheat:  Regular whole wheat flour is made from a variety of wheat known as red wheat. White whole wheat breads are made from a special variety of albino wheat. White whole wheat flour is as nutritious as regular whole wheat flour, but bread made with white whole wheat flour has a milder taste and texture due to the characteristics of that particular type of wheat.  For picky eaters (including kids) who don’t like the taste of regular whole wheat bread, white whole wheat bread could be a good option.

SELECTING A HEALTHY BREAD PRODUCT:  SIZING UP THE NUTRITIONAL LABEL

-Calories:  Aim to choose slices that have no more than 100 calories.  With bread, if it is thinner, it generally has fewer calories.  Pita and “thins” or “flats” (that offer a svelte sandwich top & bottom for 100 calories) have about half the calories of regular slices.  Another calorie conscious option are the breads labeled “light”, “diet”, or “low-carb”.  These are formulated to contain less of the digestible grain carbohydrate than regular slices. 

-Sodium:  Bread is the leading source of salt in the American diet.  Because salt is baked into the bread rather than being on the surface (such as with chips) it does not necessarily taste that salty but a typical slice has 220mg sodium.  This means 2 typical slices can have around a third of the advised 1500 mg daily sodium limit. Try to make choices with less than 120mg of sodium per slice.  

-Fiber:  Most Americans get much less than the recommended 25-30g of dietary fiber.  Whole grain options contain the grains’ bran making them naturally high in fiber.  Many breads are also formulated with added fiber, though this may not have all the benefits of the naturally occurring fibers.  Look for a 100% whole grain slice with 2g or more of fiber.