Archive for the 'Healthy Eating' Category

Healthy Diet Quiz

amy April 7th, 2007

About.com has a Healthy Diet Quiz that asks questions about what you ate in a particular day and then gives you a score.

I got a B for today, mostly because of all of the carrot cake I ended up eating (I made it for Easter.) Otherwise I ate a good variety of fruits and veggies, dairy, and tried not to overeat.

Nutrition Myths

amy March 28th, 2007

Medical News Today has a great article that dispels 10 of the most commonly held diet and nutrition myths, including some of my favorites most hated:

  • Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day. You should replace water lost through breathing, excrement and sweating each day - but that doesn’t necessarily total 64 ounces of water. It’s hard to measure the exact amount of water you have consumed daily in food and drink, but if your urine is pale yellow, you’re doing a good job. If it’s a darker yellow, drink more H2O.
  • Eating carbohydrates makes you fat. Cutting carbs from your diet may have short-term weight loss benefits due to water loss from a decrease in carbohydrate stores, but eating carbs in moderation does not directly lead to weight gain. The body uses carbs for energy, and going too long without them can cause lethargy.
  • All alcohol is bad for you. Again, moderation is key. Six ounces of wine and 12 ounces of beer are considered moderate amounts, and should not pose any adverse health effects to the average healthy adult. All alcohol is an anticoagulant and red wine also contains antioxidants, so drinking a small amount daily can be beneficial.

Check out the article for some more logic on common food myths.

There are some additional diet myths not featured in the article that drive me crazy, including:

  • You shouldn’t eat after [insert your favorite number here] PM.
  • Drinking a lot of water will “flush out” the fat.
  • Organic foods are more nutritious.
  • Caffeinated beverages don’t “count” as water.
  • “Muscle weighs more than fat, which explains why I gained a pound last week after I exercised so much.”
  • Green tea and/or dairy products are miracle weight loss foods/beverages.

What diet myths have you come across? Or do you disagree that any of these are myths?

Update:

Here’s another good article with some additional diet myths, including one of my favorites:

Organic food is always more nutritious.

Myth. Few studies have compared organic and conventionally grown foods, according to food toxicologist Carl Winter, director of the FoodSafe program at the University of California, Davis.

Some evidence suggests that organic produce may be higher in certain antioxidants, but there appears to be no nutritional advantage to organic milk and meat, he said.

The descriptor refers to the practices on the farm and not the nutritional content of the final product. When it comes to the snack aisle, don’t assume that “organic” gives you the green light to load up. An organic cheese puff is still a cheese puff.

Quick Links

amy March 12th, 2007

  • Memory loss fear over obesity ops. Weight loss surgery could lead to a condition which can result in memory loss, according to US research. Frequent vomiting that occurs after the operation can lead to a lack of the B1 vitamin. Another of many reasons to avoid WLS and lose weight the natural way if at all possible!
  • Chained to your desk? Beware blood clots. I try to go for a walk around the outside of our office complex at least once or twice a day when it’s nice. It’s a great way to break up the monotony of the work day and re-energize. Apparently I’m reducing my risk of blood clots too!