Vivid Your Health June 2004

Regulars
YOUR HEALTH
Food fashion: what's in and what's out

by Michelle Dietrich
June 2004

Counting calories is in (still!)
Let's begin with some numbers to help make sense of what we are putting into our body. How many calories should we consume each day? If you have normal activity and are maintaining your current weight 1,500-2,000 per day is a good benchmark.

To give you an idea of number of calories in some popular foods:

Enjoy a tasty, small cheese pizza - the whole delicious experience is guaranteed to give you about 920 calories. With other toppings additions you 'win' at least another 200 more calories. How about a pasta dish? The lightest option (tomato sauce and parmesan cheese) begins from 500 calories. If you enjoy fluffy white bread - two pieces buys you more calories.

On the other hand, a salad with loads of peppers, cucmbers, tomatoes, and a tad of feta cheese and dressing reveals a mere 200 calories.

Sandwiches begin at 300 calories. This is the healthier variety containing whole grain bread, thinly sliced white cheese or tofu plus lettuce, tomato. A word of caution: watch the choice of bread - the white fluffy stuff can result in your own increased fluffiness.

Choosing the right kinds of food is very in
This is not just a numbers game. Finding quality and understanding the complex digestive system is an information 'must have' today. Let me give some specifics:

White starches are out
This means foods like white bread, pasta and white rice. They create a negative effect on the body by causing blood sugar to spike which results in excess insulin to the bloodstream, finally signaling the body to store calories as fat!

Know your friendly carbohydrates
Substitute in brown or wild rice, wholegrain pasta, small baked potato, oats and other grains, grilled vegetables, salads and fruits as the more fashionable and friendly options. Contrary to the high sugar carbohydrates (that are out), friendly carbs are ones with low sugar which result in decreasing appetite and caloric intake.

Discovering Omega-3s
If you want to increase your metabolism, flush water from the kidneys and better burn the fat find the Omega-3 enriched foods. Topping the list of Omega-3's is Alphalinolenic acid - ALA which is indicated on food labels. Omega-3s are the ultimate high yield solution that can be found in flaxseeds, walnuts, soybeans, white germ, sprouts, sea veges, leafy greens and other protein sources.

Sodium is very out
But this is obvious, right? If you have high blood pressure or experience water retention, this is mandatory. The daily intake should be limited to 500 - 2000 mg per day.

Finding the balance is in (and always should be)
Rememebre to enjoy the food that you eat. While you establish healthy habits, you should be able to splurge a bit from time to time. You can treat yourself to cheesy pasta, savoury dishes, sweets or whatever your food craving might be. Just make sure to find your way back to the healthier habits.

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