I don't really think that food is inherently good or bad. I save those adjectives for people who litter on the highway or think a yellow traffic light means drive faster.Food is fuel, and in its simplest form, food is a bunch of different chemicals, organized into food groups like protein, carbohydrate and fat. No matter what the science, people are often emotional about food, projecting their perceived values onto it, as in when someone says: "It was so bad, but it tastes so good!"
What makes food "bad" is when it's unbalanced, over-processed and adulterated from its natural state. But it's possible for a "bad" food to be "better."
Think potatoes. One medium-sized baked potato has only about 100 calories, without any fat, cholesterol or sodium. Scrubbed and skin-eaten, it is a good source of carbohydrate energy and fiber, plus a mass of beneficial vitamins and minerals.
But the quickest way to ruin a potato is by scooping out the insides and adding in gobs of saturated fat and cholesterol (butter and cream). Presto, you've ruined a good thing. But you can prevent the damage and preserve the flavor by using a bit of nonfat milk and trans-fat-free spread.
However, my favorite is to scrub the potato, bake until just done, split and brush with olive oil, broil or grill ‘til toasty, and serve with salsa. Yum! That's called prevention with a capital "P"; you eliminate the added fats and add antioxidants and fiber, not to mention flavor and sensory satisfaction!
Here are some other ways to ruin components of a good meal-- and ways to repair them:
1. Salads: Most popular restaurants offer wonderful entree-sized salads, featuring grilled chicken or fish. Sounds healthy, right? Not so fast -- they can ruin a healthy salad by overloading it with fat and calories. Nix the added cheese and croutons, and save yourself a couple of hundred calories. Add lean, grilled meat or fish, and if you like poultry, be sure it's skinless because the skin is where the saturated fat lives.
Keep the dressing on the side. Maybe use just a forkful, but add some flavorful balsamic vinegar for flavor. I like to drizzle some good olive oil, squeeze some lemon and grind some pepper for the best tasting salad imaginable.
2. Soups: Starting a meal with soup is a smart strategy for maintaining a healthy weight because, with the right soup, you're going to be satisfied with a smaller entree. A cup of soup before dinner helps control your appetite, but the type of soup and the portion size counts. The quickest way to ruin a good soup is to load it up with cream and cheese. Cream soups have more calories and fat than clear soups; add a couple of hundred calories to soups topped with cheese like French onion soup.
A lentil soup or vegetable soup are good choices. I recently enjoyed soup for my entree -- I ordered a bowl of black bean soup with rice. However, I changed the topping from the menu's suggested sour cream to tomato salsa. Satisfying, nutritious, high in fiber and low in calories.
3. Entrees: Chicken and fish definitely belong on the menu when you're trying to lose weight or are just trying to stay healthy. But if it's topped with heavy sauce or slathered with butter, you've ruined a healthy meat.
Broiled, baked, grilled, poached (as in salmon!), or even stir-fried means cooked with a minimum of fat, and you can actually taste the food, rather than the sauce. Hey, steak can be on the menu even if you're on a weight-loss plan. Just grill or broil it, and eat approximately a palm-sized portion (about 3-4 ounces).
4. Bread: I love bread, but not all breads are created equal. If I'm served white-flour bread, the choice is easy -- I skip it. If it's whole grain, then I'll indulge, but I won't ruin a good piece of bread by making it a vehicle for fat. I'll usually ask the waiter to not deliver butter.
And don't be fooled by the "olive oil dipping sauce." Each dip adds about 50 calories. So by the time you've dipped enough, you may have eaten as many extra calories as there are in your entire meal. Remember, the quickest way to ruin a good meal or recipe is to add unnecessary ingredients in oversized amounts.
5. Drinks: Over July 4th weekend, we went out to our corner pub and sat outside in the early evening enjoying a glass of wine before dinner. I glanced over at the other patrons and noticed quite a few people drinking huge colorful drinks. Turns out, the potion was a mixture of juices, rum and vodka -- about 350 calories per drink. It had 2 ounces of spirits (about 200 calories) plus another 8-plus ounces of juice and a splash of sugary soda.
Added mixers can ruin a nice cocktail. They could have enjoyed a nice, light Pinot Grigio or vodka and soda with lime for about 100 calories. If you're trying to lose weight, stick with club soda with a fresh wedge of lemon or lime. Alcohol may interfere with weight loss -- your body will burn alcohol before it burns fat.
6. Desserts: Dessert is a celebration and by all means, you shouldn't feel the need to deprive yourself all the time. But "in moderation" doesn't mean daily. It means a moderate amount for a special occasion. Don't undo your diet by overindulging in the fattiest, gooiest concoction you can find. After all, it's just sugar and fat in a dish.
A good choice is fruit sorbet, a lower-fat alternative to full-fat ice cream. Don't forget extra forks and spoons so you can share the treat.
eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan L. Burke is a registered and licensed dietitian and a certified diabetes educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management.
Labels: diet, diet foods, dieting, good meals, healthy living, healthy meals, Nutrition
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