Busted! 5 Major Eating Mistakes |
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Nutrition experts discuss our bad habits--and offer some easy fixes.
by Holly
McCord, RD, with Gloria McVeigh
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Ever get the guilty feeling that you're being watched as you toss the double fudge brownie mix into your
grocery cart? Well, you are!
We checked with some of the top US nutrition experts, who admitted they secretly spy on
the rest of us as we make real-world choices in restaurants and grocery stores. Here are their top five gripes.
1. We can't tell the good fats from the bad ones. "Most
people still don't get that some fats are actually good for you," says Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, an American Heart Association
spokesperson. "You want to avoid saturated and trans fats, but you need more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Good
sources are fish, nuts, avocados, and soybean and canola oils."
Smarter: Fit in good fats. "If you keep track
of total calories, you don't have to worry about how much fat you eat, just what kind," explains Dr. Lichtenstein. Grandpa
Po's Slightly Spicy Nutra Nuts use only canola oil (160 cal, 10 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium); at healthy
food supermarkets.
2. We supersize to save money. "People
think that supersizing a restaurant meal is a money saver, but it's not a health bargain if it has way too many calories,"
says Karen Weber Cullen, DPH, RD, research nutritionist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Smarter: Judge
with your palm, not your purse. A serving size is about what fits into the palm of your hand (larger for men than women, smaller
for children). For most meals, pick one protein, one starch, one veggie, and one fruit based on the serving that will fit
into your palm.
3. We think anything liquid has no calories. "What
freaks me out is the amount of sugared soda and juice we drink," says Judith Stern, ScD, RD, professor of nutrition and internal
medicine at the University of California, Davis. "I'd like to see all the sugared drinks sent out into space, where they could
orbit the Earth forever." Sugared drinks balloon your calorie intake and squeeze out more nutritious foods.
Smarter:
Try a cup of tea. Available in myriad varieties, the calorie-free brew promotes heart health, staves off several types of
cancer, strengthens bones and teeth, and protects the skin.
4. We don't know how "hungry" really feels. "If
you don't know when you're hungry, you don't know when you're full, so you won't know when to stop eating," says Elisabetta
Politi, RD, nutrition manager of the Duke University Diet & Fitness Center in Durham, NC.
Smarter: Tune
in with mindful eating. Here's how. 1. Before you eat, relax, and rate your hunger from 1 (hungriest) to 7 (fullest). 2.
Eat slowly, pausing often to rate how your hunger changes. 3. When finished, rate yourself one more time. Try to stay between
2 1/2 and 5 1/2: not too ravenous when you start and not completely full when you stop.
5. We have a microwave addiction. Many
women come home from work and pop a frozen entrée into the microwave. "Eating too many heavily processed foods can leave you
short on fiber and antioxidants such as vitamin C," explains Jo Ann Hattner, RD, clinical dietitian at Stanford University
Medical Center.
Smarter: Complement a frozen entrée with a green salad, a 100 percent whole wheat roll, and
fruit for dessert. Stock up on the freshest fruit for maximum flavor. | |
1. |
Avoid heavy breakfasts packed with saturated fat like ham, bacon and
eggs; instead, start your day with lighter alternatives like high-fiber, hearty oatmeal and delicious yogurt and granola parfaits.
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2. |
When you crave a snack, instead
of eating processed, high-fat snack food like potato chips, reach for nuts. Whether your preference is peanuts, cashews or
almonds, nuts are an excellent source of protein. And because nuts are high in fat (the good, monounsaturated kind), eating
just a handful will satisfy your hunger. Toss in raisins or dried fruit for the perfect healthy snack. |
3. |
Give your cholesterol a break and try cooking a vegetarian meal once a week. You'll
be surprised how much you enjoy a light, meatless meal every so often. |
4. |
Instead of reaching for a candy bar when you crave sweets, always keep fresh fruit
around, such as apples, oranges and bananas. The natural sugars and fiber from fruit break down slowly and help to keep blood-sugar
levels stable.
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5. |
Keep plenty of leafy greens around and make salads with every dinner. Side salads
are an easy way to get in several servings of vegetables each day. Avoid high-fat, high-calorie bottled salad dressings; make
your own healthier alternatives with olive oil, vinegar and seasonings.
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6. |
In recent years, countless medical studies have shown that fish is one of the
healthiest foods you can eat. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, especially cold-water varieties such as salmon, combat Alzheimer's
disease and are good for your heart. Try cooking fish at least once a week for a high-protein, low-fat meal.
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7. |
Eating healthier doesn't necessarily mean giving up all your favorite foods. Even
bad-rep pizza can be healthy. Avoid frozen or takeout pies and make your own. Go lighter on the cheeses and high-fat meats;
top with loads of veggies like spinach, olives, and artichokes.
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8. |
Take a walk after dinner instead of plopping down in front of the television.
Walking after you eat reduces acid reflux, burns calories and helps you digest. Before you know it, you'll look forward to
your evening strolls. |
9. |
One easy way to improve your health on many levels is to cook with garlic more
often. Garlic is high in vitamins C and B6, and it contains powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents that help fight
colds and flu. Garlic is also believed to protect against cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
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10. |
Keeping your kitchen stocked
with fresh produce is a great way to keep you eating healthy. But frozen fruit and vegetables are a convenient and healthy
alternative during winter months. Frozen vegetables are steamed before they're packaged, so they don't lose their vitamins
like canned vegetables. Frozen fruits are handy for making smoothies or blended drinks-just drop them right in the blender
and add some fruit juice.
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