Latest news with #grocery
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Protein is key to healthy aging, but do you need it in everything? Why a dietitian says foods fortified with the nutrient may be 'unnecessary'
Visit a grocery store nowadays and many aisles are filled with protein-fortified foods. Are these items as healthy as the real thing, or is it all marketing? Protein is having its moment in the spotlight, and people are more conscientious than ever about eating enough of this nutrient. For food brands, this is their time to shine as consumers seek out products that help them meet their daily protein goals, which are key to healthy aging. If you browse some grocery store aisles right now, many foods that naturally contain little to no protein now have protein added to them. From high-protein yogurt to breakfast cereals boosted with the nutrient, it seems like many products are promoting protein as some sort of magic ingredient. As a registered dietitian, I've felt the recent obsession with protein. Many of the people I work with want to meet their protein needs in the most efficient and healthful way possible. However, they feel food companies have made it confusing to do so, and I can understand the challenge of determining if a product is actually healthy or just has good marketing. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. What is protein and why do I need it? Protein is an important nutrient that plays a vital role in bodily function, and it's a necessary part of healthy eating. It supports: Skin and tissue repair Muscle growth and maintenance Satiety The immune system How much protein do I need to consume each day? Everyone's protein needs are different depending on age, gender, weight, physical activity level and health goals. An average, healthy adult needs an estimated 0.8 to 1.2g/kg per day of protein, with the lower end of that range being considered the minimum amount to consume. To determine your unique needs, multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8 and 1.2, and aim to eat within that range of protein each day. What foods might have added protein? Many products are now being marketed as a source of protein, even though they might not inherently contain a lot of the nutrient. It's common to see breakfast cereals, granola bars, pancake mixes, plant-based yogurts, plant-based milk, bread and even chips now labelled as "a source of protein." Depending on the product, you might be getting anywhere from five to 25 g of protein per serving. Companies are adding soy protein, whey protein and pea protein to bump up the overall protein content in these products, but it's hard to know if these protein supplements are of the highest quality. If you're curious what might be contributing to the high protein content of what you're adding to your cart, watch for the following ingredients: Soy protein concentrate Soy protein isolate Roasted soybeans Whey protein concentrate Whey protein isolate Pea protein isolate A protein blend Are these protein-enriched foods healthy? Being high in protein doesn't automatically make a food healthy. Sometimes sugar, salt and/or fat is also added to make the final product taste good, so some products are healthier than others. The best way to know is by reading the nutrition facts and the ingredients on the back of the package. Use these tools to compare products to choose the healthier option. When looking at the nutrition facts, you can use "% Daily Value" to determine if there's a lot or a little of a nutrient in that product. Five per cent or less is "a little," while 15 per cent or more is "a lot." Here's what to look for: Sugar This can be found under "carbohydrates" and is based on total sugar quantity, including both added and natural sugars. Look at the ingredients to determine if sugars have been added to the product, and see the order of listed ingredients to gauge how much is used. If sugar is one of the first ingredients, there's more of it in the product. Ingredients that are sugar are typically words that end in -ose, so look for names like "sucrose," "glucose," "dextrose" and "maltose." Keep in mind that fruit and dairy are natural sources of sugar, so a product might be higher in sugar, but it's from natural sources. Fibre When choosing high protein granola bars, cereals, bread and pancake mixes, look for ones that are also a source of fibre. A good source should meet 15 per cent of your daily value for fibre. Whole grains, oats, flax seeds, nuts, seeds and fruit are whole foods that are high in fibre, so prioritize products that contain these. In terms of fibre quantities for certain products, aim for: Granola bars: At least 3 g per bar Cereal: At least 4 to 5 g per serving Bread: At least 4 g per slice Sodium Processed foods tend to be high in sodium, particularly savoury foods. Next time you're grocery shopping, look for products with lower quantities of sodium. An amount that equals five per cent of your daily value or less is ideal. Fat The type of fat is important here, not necessarily the amount. Choose products that are low in saturated fats and higher in unsaturated fats. Products with nuts, seeds or nut butters will be higher in fat, although it's generally unsaturated fats. Protein As mentioned above, many products supplement with a protein concentrate or isolate, but some do use protein-rich whole-food ingredients to provide the nutrient. Look for nuts, seeds, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, eggs, milk and nutritional yeast listed in the ingredients, and try to choose these products more often. Ingredients Get familiar with reading the ingredients to get a sense of what's in a product. It's a good rule of thumb to choose products that have a shorter ingredient list. However, don't fall for the trope "if you can't pronounce it, you shouldn't eat it." For example, vitamins and minerals are often added to foods, and their names are long and difficult to pronounce, but they're beneficial. The verdict Prioritize whole foods that are naturally good sources of protein, rather than relying on processed foods that are fortified with protein. Protein-rich foods include: Greek yogurt Cottage cheese Meat and fish Legumes including lentils, beans and chickpeas Soy Eggs Nuts and seeds Milk Aim to include one or two of these sources at each meal, and at least one per snack to help meet your protein needs. These whole-food protein options are also packed with other nutrients like fibre, calcium, iron, vitamins and omega-3 fats. Processed foods with added protein tend to be lower in these beneficial nutrients and higher in less desirable nutrients. Foods that have protein added to them aren't inherently unhealthy, but they're likely unnecessary for people who already meet their goals through balanced meals and snacks. These products are convenient and might be suitable for athletes with higher protein needs, or older adults with small appetites who struggle to meet their needs at meals alone. They may also be beneficial if you're busy and need a quick protein snack on the go. Still, try not to depend solely on protein-fortified foods to meet your daily needs of this nutrient. Additionally, these foods tend to be more expensive, since you're paying for the convenience factor. Protein is essential, but more doesn't necessarily mean better. Most people meet their protein goals without needing to rely on protein chips and enhanced breakfast cereals. Prioritize whole-food protein sources over foods with added protein. But when you do, be sure to read the nutrition facts and ingredients to find the healthiest product the daily Crossword
ABC News
12 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Bedourie's Simpson Desert Oasis scales back groceries due to power, freight costs
The only grocery shop for hundreds of kilometres in far western Queensland is scaling back due to the "astronomical" cost of supplying produce. The Simpson Desert Oasis lives up to its name. It is a motel, caravan park, roadhouse, restaurant and grocery shop wrapped into one business in the outback town of Bedourie. In the town of 150 people, Robbie Dare has worn many hats. He has run the Oasis for 37 years, was the race club president and the mayor of the local Diamantina Shire for 12 years. While other sections of the business remain open, Mr Dare has had to stop supplying most fresh produce and frozen goods because the cost of electricity, freight and fuel had made it unsustainable. "The old bushie in me thinks we can live without it, but a lot of people need it … fruit, fresh milk, ice cream, things like lettuce," he said. "Raspberries, grapes, strawberries, cherries, anything with a short date will have to go." Mr Dare said they would keep supplying canned and dry goods, frozen meat and long-lasting produce like potatoes and onions, as well as anything they needed to keep the roadhouse kitchen open. The weekly shop has become much harder for Bedourie residents. Resident Kevin Barr said the grocery shop's partial closure had hit the town hard. He remembered in the 70s when the only food outlet in Bedourie was a "tin shed behind the hotel with no fresh veggies or bread". "To be able to drive down here and walk into a shop and get what you can get out of a normal supermarket in the cities is unbelievable," Mr Barr said. Without the Oasis, Mr Barr said he would have to make the 236-kilometre drive to Boulia for groceries. The other option is to order online from Townsville supermarkets, 1,200km away, then wait for the fortnightly truck to arrive in Bedourie. Mr Dare said online delivery had also impacted on his business, with cheaper groceries swaying residents away from his brick-and-mortar shop. "It's just common sense — if you can buy a product somewhere else for less, you will." Electricity, freight and fuel are the three "real killers" when it comes to running a shop in the bush. Mr Dare said they had been losing money for a while due to the growing overheads. Bedourie can be cut off by road for months at a time during the wet season, so the Oasis runs about 19 freezers to last residents during the period of isolation. By cutting frozen goods and fresh produce, he said he can could turn off half of the freezers to save on electricity. Last summer, the power bill for the Oasis reached $9,800 a month. Mr Dare said because the business used more than 100 megawatts-hours of electricity a year, it was classified as a "large customer" by the energy provider and had to pay higher tariffs and service fees. Then there is the cost of freight. For a punnet of strawberries to land in the Oasis, it first needs to be trucked 1,500km from Brisbane. The cost varies depending on the product, but Mr Dare said the freight bill came to about $700 per tonne. He said businesses in the bush were crying out for increased freight subsidies. Queensland's vast and complex trucking network means many outback towns receive road or rail freight subsidies from the state government to keep costs down. However, Bedourie receives neither. A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) said the department acknowledged "the challenges faced by communities such as Diamantina and recognises the importance of affordable and reliable freight services". "TMR is exploring options to enhance freight-subsidy initiatives and assess how subsidised freight services can continue to best support Queensland communities most in need," the spokesperson said. While Member for Gregory Sean Dillon stopped short of pledging to bring a freight subsidy to Bedourie, he said the Crisafulli government was looking at equitable solutions that "don't rob Peter to pay Paul". "At the moment I think the best fit for Bedourie is better road access and better actual support for the trucking industry," Mr Dillon said. "For people in that region to maintain their liveability, they'll need certainty from the government and that's what we intend to provide."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DoorDash adds 6 grocery retailers
You can find original article here Supermarketnews. Subscribe to our free daily Supermarketnews newsletter. DoorDash continued building on its list of grocery retail partners this week with the Tuesday announcement that it has added six new small grocery chains. The San Francisco-based delivery service, which initially delivered restaurant orders and expanded into the grocery delivery space in 2020, said in a press release that nearly half of U.S. consumers are still new to delivery in grocery, convenience, and alcohol. 'The new partners announced today bring shoppers across the West Coast and Ohio more grocery choices, joining several other grocers of all sizes in these regions on DoorDash,' the company said. Those new vendors include: Bi-Rite Market: A San Francisco-based grocer with three locations that features local, organic produce; sustainably sourced meat, poultry, and seafood; staple and specialty grocery items; and in-house meals and private-label ice cream. Dave's Markets: A 12-unit chain with supermarkets in Northern Ohio, featuring fresh meat, baked goods, and produce. Dorothy Lane Market: A three-store chain in Southwest Ohio that features in-house prepared foods, scratch bakery, local produce, and specialty foods. Lucky's Markets: A four-store chain in Ohio offering organic foods, prepared meals, and products from local vendors. Lunardi's Markets: The eight-store chain in the San Francisco Bay Area features domestic and imported products, fresh produce, seafood, and more. Superior Grocers: A 74-store chain with locations across Southern California, the Central Valley, and Nevada. ** Join us at Grocery NEXT, September 10-12 at the Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca, Ill., where industry leaders will explore the future of grocery technology, AI, automation and evolving consumer trends. Register now to be part of this groundbreaking event. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Quebec retailers warned over price display violations
Pork chops are seen in the meat counter of a grocery store in Montreal, on Thursday, April 30, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson Quebec's new rules on grocery store price displays and tipping have been in effect since May, but the province's consumer protection office says some grocers and retailers are not complying with key provisions. Metro, Costco, Couche-Tard and Adonis are among a dozen or so retailers that received non-compliance letters following audits conducted by the Office de la protection du consommateur. Under the new requirements, grocery stores must display information including the price per unit of measure and the price for customers who don't belong to a store's loyalty rewards program. The rules apply to any retailer that sells food. The province also raised the threshold for its existing price accuracy policy from $10 to $15. If the price at checkout is higher than the advertised price, the item must be offered for free if it costs less than $15. The policy has been in place since 2001. Based on the letters, most of the grocers targeted failed to clearly indicate whether taxes were included in the price. Some also did not display the regular price alongside the sale price or show the price per unit of measure using a consistent unit, making it harder for customers to compare similar products. According to the letters, most retailers had multiple violations, with fines ranging from $3,000 to $75,000 for a first offence. The following grocers and retailers received letters: Metro Costco Couche-Tard Adonis Giant Tiger Sobeys Avril Supermarché Santé Walmart Loblaws Les aliments Kim Phat These companies have until Aug. 8 to confirm in writing that they have implemented corrective measures. In a statement, Francis Mailly, a spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, said retailers are 'actively' working to comply with the new price requirements set out in Bill 72. 'While many items are already compliant, implementation remains a significant challenge due to the complexity of the labelling rules, technological limitations and ongoing labour challenges,' Mailly said. 'The industry remains fully committed to transparency and continues to make the necessary adjustments in good faith, despite operational constraints on the ground.' With files from the Canadian Press
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sprouts (NASDAQ:SFM) Exceeds Q2 Expectations
Grocery store chain Sprouts Farmers Market (NASDAQ:SFM) reported Q2 CY2025 results beating Wall Street's revenue expectations , with sales up 17.3% year on year to $2.22 billion. Its GAAP profit of $1.35 per share was 9.4% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy Sprouts? Find out in our full research report. Sprouts (SFM) Q2 CY2025 Highlights: Revenue: $2.22 billion vs analyst estimates of $2.17 billion (17.3% year-on-year growth, 2.3% beat) EPS (GAAP): $1.35 vs analyst estimates of $1.23 (9.4% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $217.8 million vs analyst estimates of $200.5 million (9.8% margin, 8.6% beat) EPS (GAAP) guidance for the full year is $5.26 at the midpoint, beating analyst estimates by 3.3% Operating Margin: 8.1%, up from 6.7% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow Margin: 2.3%, similar to the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales rose 10.2% year on year (6.7% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $15.36 billion "We are pleased with our excellent results for the second quarter," said Jack Sinclair, chief executive officer of Sprouts Farmers Market. Company Overview Playing on the secular trend of healthier living, Sprouts Farmers Market (NASDAQ:SFM) is a grocery store chain emphasizing natural and organic products. Revenue Growth Examining a company's long-term performance can provide clues about its quality. Any business can put up a good quarter or two, but the best consistently grow over the long haul. With $8.40 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, Sprouts is a mid-sized retailer, which sometimes brings disadvantages compared to larger competitors benefiting from better economies of scale. As you can see below, Sprouts grew its sales at a mediocre 7.5% compounded annual growth rate over the last six years (we compare to 2019 to normalize for COVID-19 impacts), but to its credit, it opened new stores and increased sales at existing, established locations. This quarter, Sprouts reported year-on-year revenue growth of 17.3%, and its $2.22 billion of revenue exceeded Wall Street's estimates by 2.3%. Looking ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to grow 10.2% over the next 12 months, an acceleration versus the last six years. This projection is eye-popping and indicates its newer products will spur better top-line performance. Software is eating the world and there is virtually no industry left that has been untouched by it. That drives increasing demand for tools helping software developers do their jobs, whether it be monitoring critical cloud infrastructure, integrating audio and video functionality, or ensuring smooth content streaming. Click here to access a free report on our 3 favorite stocks to play this generational megatrend. Store Performance Number of Stores A retailer's store count influences how much it can sell and how quickly revenue can grow. Over the last two years, Sprouts opened new stores at a rapid clip by averaging 6.4% annual growth, among the fastest in the consumer retail sector. This gives it a chance to become a large, scaled business over time. When a retailer opens new stores, it usually means it's investing for growth because demand is greater than supply, especially in areas where consumers may not have a store within reasonable driving distance. Note that Sprouts reports its store count intermittently, so some data points are missing in the chart below. Same-Store Sales A company's store base only paints one part of the picture. When demand is high, it makes sense to open more. But when demand is low, it's prudent to close some locations and use the money in other ways. Same-store sales provides a deeper understanding of this issue because it measures organic growth at brick-and-mortar shops for at least a year. Sprouts has been one of the most successful retailers over the last two years thanks to skyrocketing demand within its existing locations. On average, the company has posted exceptional year-on-year same-store sales growth of 7.5%. This performance suggests its rollout of new stores is beneficial for shareholders. We like this backdrop because it gives Sprouts multiple ways to win: revenue growth can come from new stores, e-commerce, or increased foot traffic and higher sales per customer at existing locations. In the latest quarter, Sprouts's same-store sales rose 10.2% year on year. This growth was an acceleration from its historical levels, which is always an encouraging sign. Key Takeaways from Sprouts's Q2 Results We were impressed by how significantly Sprouts blew past analysts' revenue, EPS, and EBITDA expectations this quarter. We were also glad its full-year EPS guidance exceeded Wall Street's estimates. Zooming out, we think this was a good print with some key areas of upside. The stock traded up 2.5% to $162.01 immediately following the results. Sprouts may have had a good quarter, but does that mean you should invest right now? If you're making that decision, you should consider the bigger picture of valuation, business qualities, as well as the latest earnings. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it's free.
