Health Facts Vs Food Fiction

A wholesome diet doesn't revolve around lettuce, lentils and lean meat. You have to make healthy food choices on a regular basis. Test your nutrition IQ.

Ditch regular for low-fat
But it might just be a waste of time. For example, when fat is 'removed', most biscuit manufacturers adjust for the change in taste/texture by adding more sugar.

What to eat: Regular digestive biscuits have 74 calories and 3.3g of fat each. Low-fat digestives provide 2.4 g of fat each and only save on four calories.

Label reading
The quantity of fat, fiber and salt on the nutrition information label is important, but only after finding out the number of servings in the container.

What to eat: A tin of soup might contain 220 calories per serving, and suffice for two servings. But if you eat the entire can, you're eating 440 calories!

Eat & sleep...
The calories you consume and the calories you then burn constructs the balance. Pay attention to your growling tummy. You may want to have a snack before bed if you're hungry - do it.

What to eat: A cup of low-cal hot chocolate or warm skimmed milk is a good pre-bed snack.

A carb's a carb In truth, different types of carbohydrates have different effects on the body. Complex carbs like bread, potatoes, rice and pasta are digested more slowly and release their energy gradually. Simple carbs or sugary foods quickly increase our blood sugar levels - hence the sugar 'high' and the release of insulin.

What to eat: Go for wholegrain complex carbs - they give us more energy for longer, filling us up and protecting us against heart disease and some cancers

That protein high
It's true - we eat almost double the amount of protein we need. Multiply your weight in kg by 0.8 to find the approximate amount of protein you need if you're moderately active - it should be 1 to 1.2 g per kg.

What to eat: Many plant foods have good amounts of protein, and are healthier because they contain very little saturated fat. By combining grains and legumes (beans and pulses) with cereals and nuts, you'll consume the full complement of essential amino acids.

Just quit already
You've succeeded and failed on so many diets that you may as well give up? Don't, yet. It's like smoking; the more times you try to quit, the better the odds of succeeding. Think: does your health worry you; are you overweight; is each passing year making it tougher for you to get fit. Make your diet modifications now, bearing the above in mind.