FOODS
THAT CAN REALLY RUIN YOUR DIET
Some foods that we think are healthy can be sneaky little diet wreckers.
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BREAKFAST
LOW-FAT GRANOLA
- The low-fat version of this crunchy cereal has only 10% fewer calories but is still full of sugar
- Also, the low-fat label can easily lead you to overeat
- A study at Cornell University found that people ate 49% more granola when they thought it was low-fat, easily blowing past the measly 10% calorie savings
- Food Fix: Look for low-sugar, whole-grain cereal & sweeten it with fresh fruit
LOW-FAT YOGURT
- Yogurt is rich in protein & calcium
- However many yogurts have lots of added sugar
- Some brands add 30 or more grams of fructose, sucrose or other sweeteners
- Compare plain to fruited yogurts to see the difference between the sugars that are naturally
in milk & added sugar listed on the nutrition facts panel - Food Fix: 6 oz should be 90-130 calories & under 20 grams of sugar
1. Avoid sugary "fruit on the bottom" yogurts
2. Blend sweetened yogurt with plain, non-fat yogurt
BREAKFAST MUFFINS
- Muffins beat doughnuts, but they're still mainly sugary little cakes of refined flour
- 1 store-bought muffin can hit 500 calories with 11 t off sugar
- Food Fix: Go no larger than 2 1/2 inches in diameter or look for 100 calorie muffins
MULTIGRAIN PRODUCTS
- When you see multigrain or 7 grain on bread or waffles, flip the package over & check
the nutrition label - Even with more than one type of grain, the product could be made largely from refined grains, such as white flour, which have been stripped of fiber & many nutrients
- Food Fix: Look for "100% whole grain" (oats, wheat) as the first ingredient or choose the
brand with more fiber
FRESH SMOOTHIES
- That berry blend can have a whopping 80 grams of sugar, 350 calories or more, little protein
& often no fresh fruit - Fruit concentrates are often used instead of fresh fruit
- Food Fix: Get the small cup & ask for fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, milk, or protein powder to
blend in protein & good nutrition.
2% MILK
- Two-percent milk sounds healthier than whole milk
- You may not realize that it still has more than half the saturated fat of whole milk
- Here's what's in a cup of milk:
1. Whole milk (3.25%) = 150 cal., 8g fat, 5g sat. fat
2. Reduced-fat (2%) = 130 cal., 5g fat, 3g sat. fat
3. Skim (nonfat) = 80 cal., 0g fat, 0g sat. fat - Food Fix: If you like whole milk, blend it with 2% for a while, then 1%, then skim, until you get used to the taste of non-fat milk
2% MILK LATTE
- It's tempting to choose reduced-fat milk in a latte & reward yourself with whipped cream on
top but this trade-off still adds up to 580 calories & 15 grams of saturated fat in a 20 oz white chocolate mocha - Food Fix: A sweetened, frothy beverage is a diet splurge
1. Limit the damage with non-fat (skim) milk & no whipped cream
2. You'll avoid 130 calories & two-thirds of the saturated fat
ENERGY BARS
- Many of these are simply enhanced candy bars with more calories (up to 500) & a higher
price tag - Their compact size also leaves many people unsatisfied
- Food Fix: Choose bars that have 200 calories or less, some fiber & at least 5 grams of
protein, which helps provide energy when the sugar rush fades
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LUNCH OR DINNER
LIGHT OLIVE OIL
- Anything labeled 'light' is enticing when you're watching your weight
- But often the food is not what you expect
- For example, light olive oil has the same calorie & fat content as other types
- It's just lighter in color & taste
- Food Fix: Some light foods do help you save calories so compare the labels in the store
ICEBERG LETTUCE
- This popular lettuce is big on crunch but a big 'zero' when it comes to vitamins & fllavor
- It also has a boring taste which leads many people to overdo it on the dressing & toppings
- Food Fix: Add spinach or arugula to the mix
1. Crumble 2 T(100 calories) of blue cheese or feta on top
2. Then splash the salad with a little oil & vinegar to spread flavor without a lot of calories
SALTY TOPPINGS
- Processed artichoke hearts, chickpeas & olives are just a few of the salt shockers lurking
on the salad bar - To avoid getting too much sodium, limit anything that comes out of a can
- Also pass up cured meats
- Choose tuna or canned beans (rinse to remove a lot of the salt) but not both
- Food Fix: Radishes, bell peppers, cucumbers & other fresh vegetables are low in sodium.
CAESAR SALAD
- You might think that because it's a salad, it's fine
- Just a small bowl has 300-400 calories & 30 grams of fat because of the dressing
- Food Fix: Use only 1 T of dressing & 2 T of tangy Parmesan cheese
COLESLAW
- Cabbage is fine but coleslaw can be a diet disaster
- At some restaurants, a small cup (4.5 ounces) has 260 calories & 21 grams of fat which is
1/3rd of most people's daily limit because of the mayonaise - Food Fix: Some places make a healthier slaw, so ask for nutrition information & at home,
try low-fat mayonnaise or mix your mayo with nonfat yogurt
ADDED OMEGA 3
- Some yogurt, milk, eggs, cereal & other foods boast of added omega-3
- But they may not have the kinds of omega-3 best known to help your heart - EPA & DHA
or there's only a smidgen - about as much as in one bite of salmon - Instead, they may have ALA from vegetable sources. ALA is not as potent or beneficial as DHA/EPA
- Food Fix: Try 6 oz of salmon
1. It has 100 times more omega-3 than is in a serving of fortified yogurt
2. Vegetarians could consider algae-derived omega-3 supplements
TURKEY HOT DOGS
- The nutritional content of turkey hot dogs varies from brand to brand
- It may say "less fat" on the front label, but when you check the fine print on the back, you
find there's still plenty of fat left in each hot dog - Food Fix: Compare nutrition labels for the lowest fat content or eat them only a few times
a year
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DRINKS
ENHANCED WATER
- Vitamins are commonly added to bottled water & advertised on the front label
- But some brands also add sugar, taking water from zero calories to as many as 125
- Food Fix: Refrigerating tap water may make it more appealing OR try packets of crystallized lemon to add flavor without calories
ICED TEA
- The antioxidants in iced tea don't make it a health food
- Too much added sugar can turn a tall glass into a health hazard
- A 20 oz bottle can have more than 200 calories & 59 grams of sugar
- Food Fix: Skip 'sweet tea' in favor of unsweetened iced tea
1. Lemon or artificial sweeteners add zing without calories
2. Herbal & berry teas taste mildly sweet without sugar
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MISCELLANEOUS
SUGAR-FREE FOODS
- Sugar-free food sounds like a no-brainer for weight loss but it can be a problem if you think
you can then have a large order of fries or a big dessert - Upsizing the fries adds nearly 300 calories to your meal
- If you eat more calories than you burn, you'll gain weight
- Food Fix: Watch your total calories
MICROWAVE POPCORN
- The word 'snack' can be a little misleading on microwave popcorn
- One popular brand packs 9 grams of fat into each 'snack size' bag
- Food Fix: Compare nutrition labels
1. Get a lower-fat popcorn that has no trans fat at all
2. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or low-salt spice blends for added flavor without a lot of fat
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