Diet Foods Demystified: Add More Nutritional Punch to Eight Popular
Diet Tactics
(ARA) - From salads and yogurts to cereals and sodas, grocery store
shelves are lined with a myriad of products to help a person maintain
and lose weight, control cravings and add vitamins and nutrients. But
are all of these products healthy?
Elizabeth Somer, M.S., R.N., a registered dietician and author of “10
Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet” and “Nutrition for a Healthy
Pregnancy” weighs in on these products and offers tips to add
nutritional punch.
1) Toss More Nutrition Into Salad.
Salads are a popular choice for people trying to adopt a healthier
lifestyle, but Somer warns there are many fatty concoctions lurking
beside those healthy choices. “Salads that contain mayonnaise, whipped
cream or cheese like egg, pasta, potato or tuna salad sound nutritious.
But just because they contain the word salad doesn’t mean they are good
for you,” says Somer.
Somer’s suggestion: Load the plate with dark leafy greens and strive
for a minimum of four colors from vegetables or fruits. Don’t top salad
with lunch meats, bacon bits or croutons. Try something healthier like
jicama for crunch or garbanzo beans and tofu for protein. Pour one
ladle’s worth of low-calorie dressing into a small container and then
lightly dip your fork into the dressing before grabbing the veggies.
Most of your dressing should remain in the container even after your
salad bowl is empty.
2) See Cereal for What it is.
A popular topping added to yogurt is cereal or granola, giving it
crunch. Cereals also have been marketed as a fast and convenient meal
replacement for lunch or dinner and as a weight loss tactic. But look
carefully at suggested serving sizes as cereal manufacturers may try to
pass off a higher calorie cereal with a miniscule portion.
“Cereal is a great way to start off the day if you choose the right
kind,” says Somer.
Somer’s suggestion: The first ingredient in cereal should be whole
grain. Look for at least three to five grams of fiber and less than
four grams or one teaspoon of sugar per serving. Rev up the nutritional
content of cereal by adding fresh fruit and Horizon Organic Milk Plus
DHA. Sweeten bland cereals with vanilla-flavored soymilk. Include a
glass of orange or tomato juice on the side.
3) Manage Meal Replacement Bars and Drinks.
Several shakes and bars touted as meal replacement plans and snacks are
convenient for on-the-go lifestyles. How do the different brands
compare? “They’re pretty much the same nutritionally,” says Somer. “But
beware of some of the bars. While they may contain more vitamins and
nutrients, they don’t cut out the sugar. They’re pretty much glorified
candy bars.”
If your diet can’t do without a meal replacement bar, Somer likes many
of the bars marketed toward pregnant women, such as Oh Mama! and
Bellybar nutrition bars. The bars are loaded with vitamins, minerals
and life’s DHA, a vegetarian source of omega-3 DHA that is crucial for
eye, brain and heart health.
Somer’s suggestion: Save money by making your own meal replacement
drink with a handful of fresh fruit and a cup of Silk Soymilk Plus
Omega-3 DHA. Short on time? Prepare the night before and store in a
blender pitcher overnight in the refrigerator and blend first thing in
the morning.
4) Look for Low Sugar Yogurts.
While yogurt is one of the best sources for calcium, some varieties can
be full of sugar. A cup of yogurt naturally contains 12 grams of sugar.
The fruited varieties can contain 10 teaspoons of sugar.
Somer’s suggestion: Look for low-sugar brands of fruited or plain,
non-fat yogurt, particularly those that contain vitamin D and
vegetarian-derived omega-3 fatty acids. For the plain varieties, add
fresh or frozen fruit and a teaspoon of jelly, jam or honey to sweeten.
5) Fortify Frozen Meals.
Frozen meals, in most cases, are a great way to control portion sizes.
And they’ve come a long way from such classics as Salisbury steak and
macaroni and cheese to include vegetarian and ethnic varieties.
Shoot for entrees containing 250 to 400 calories, no more than one gram
of saturated and trans fats combined for every 100 calories and no more
than three grams of total fat for every 100 calories. Also keep an eye
on grams of sugar. “This will automatically cut out gravies and sauces
high in sugar, and battered or fried meats, which are high in fat,”
says Somer.
Somer’s suggestion: Frozen meals are often high in sodium. Eat a large
salad or add frozen veggies to help dilute the salt.
6) Avoid Pitfalls of 100 Calorie Packaging.
While dieters may find 100-calorie meals or snacks, such as soup,
cookies and crackers helpful for automatic portion control, remember to
read the label as products may contain more than one serving per
package.
Somer recommends broth-based soups because they are lower in saturated
fat and calories. Studies also have shown they help curb hunger with
fewer calories. But she also advises people not to limit themselves to
soup when it’s fine to add a salad or a peanut butter sandwich made
with whole grain bread. Dilute high sodium by adding frozen vegetables
to the soup.
As for the snack packs, remember these are treats, not staples. “Junk
food doesn’t turn into health food just because it comes in a smaller
bag,” says Somer.
Somer’s suggestion: If you cannot live without chips or cookies,
control your portions and your pocketbook by buying a larger bag of
snacks and dividing it out into individual baggies with a scale or a
measuring cup. Ideally, switch from these highly processed foods to
baby carrots, frozen blueberries and other unprocessed foods.
7) Keep An Eye on Enhanced Waters and Sodas.
What’s the difference between plain old tap water and enhanced water?
For one thing, the price: a glass of water in most cases is free.
Enhanced water can cost around $1.50. While enhanced waters do contain
nutrients and vitamins not contained in tap water, some have as many
calories as a can of soda.
Beverage companies also offer diet sodas with vitamins, eliminating the
calories, but they don’t contain nearly the vitamins contained in a cup
of whole strawberries, which contains only 46 calories.
“The body needs about 40-plus nutrients and what you’re getting from
these enhanced waters and sodas is miniscule,” says Somer. “An
occasional diet soda or enhanced water is fine, but it does not add
much nutritional value to your daily diet.”
Somer’s suggestion: There are no quick and easy substitutes for a
balanced diet and a good multivitamin. Drink flavored sparkling water,
try zero-calorie waters or add a wedge of citrus fruit to plain water.
8) Save room for dessert.
Dieters shouldn’t deprive themselves of dessert. But when it comes to
prepackaged desserts labeled as low-carb, low-fat or reduced sugar,
buyers beware. Some tempting treats may simply be disguised with
smaller portion sizes.
To avoid sacrificing taste, treats with reduced fat and carbs may
contain more calories and sugar than their full fat and carb
predecessors. Labels also may disguise sugar with other names,
including high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, glucose,
sucrose, maltose, fructose, dextrose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, fruit
juice concentrate, barley malt and carob syrup. Maltitol, a sugar
alcohol commonly used as a sugar substitute because it has fewer
calories and does not promote tooth decay, is known to cause diarrhea,
especially if consumed in large quantities.
“People may gain weight from eating these desserts because they think
they can eat more,” says Somer.
Somer’s suggestion: Enjoy a guilt-free dessert by keeping a close eye
on nutrition labels and limiting portion sizes. If you need something
sweet, consider eating fresh fruit or a frozen fruit juice bar.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
