As we become more aware that we are what we eat and what we eat affects our immediate and long-term health, we are making healthier choices with an eye on nutrition and weight loss. You choose granola instead of sugary breakfast cereals, salad instead of the cheeseburger, dried fruit, yogurt-covered nuts and banana chips instead of a candy bar. But nutritionist Joy Bauer warns that some of the foods we consider the healthier choices, might be so loaded in sugars, fats and calories that we are defeating our purpose of being healthy without realizing it. Bauer appeared on NBC's Today show with Al Roker, and gave some examples of foods that are considered healthier choices but might not be -- and offered some suggestions on alternatives.
- Granola, loaded with sugar, is one of the most calorie-dense cereals. Bauer suggests you keep your portions small, and mix it with cereals with less calories and sugar such as Bran Flakes or Cheerios.
- Salad, such as a typical Caesar salad, with dressing, croutons and cheese topping, has 1,130 calories and 90 grams of fat. Bauer suggests that you request a salad with no dressing and no croutons. Instead, use an olive oil and vinegar dressing.
- Dried fruit is higher in calories that fresh fruit. Bauer's example -- 12 small pieces of dried mango have 320 calories, which equals the same as 2 apples, 15 grapes, and half of a small cantaloupe combined.
- Yogurt-covered nuts have little is any redeeming nutritional value. Loaded with sugar, fat, and no active cultures, 20 yogurt covered nuts contain 460 calories, 32 grams fat, 14 grams saturated fat, and 8 teaspoons sugar.
- Banana chips are fried in oil and sugar. One cup of banana chips has 300 calories, 20 grams fat, 18 grams saturated fat, and 19 grams sugar, or 4 3/4 teaspoons of sugar. Bauer's common sense solution? Eat a real banana. It has 110 calories and no added fat or sugar.
1. If you made your own granola's you can substiute sugar with natural maple, even sugar cane is healthier than grandulated sugar. Yogurt made with your own fruts and toppings are lower in calories. They also have salad dressings that are lower in calories and fat. Sea salt is a great substitute for salt also. I have heard that the food we get from the grocery store has so many different additives and meat has growth hormone and anitbotics in them that it makes it harder for us to loose weight. I was on a diet years ago where I could eat all the vegatables and fruit that I wanted and I lost a lot of weight. They also say you have to eat to keep your motabilism up so it will burn fat and calories. A clean body and liver will help your body work better where you will be able to burn fat and calories easier.
Posted at 5:53PM on May 29th 2006 by Leasa Rosolino