While most of the items could fit into a healthy diet, nutrition expert Elisa Zied, R.D., compares some everyday foods and snacks and suggests which ones can best help you stick to a well-balanced -- and leaner -- diet. ","");
Whichisbetter_health.appFooter = "Source: Elisa Zied, R.D., co-author of “Feed Your Family Right!” and “So What Can I Eat?!”
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Whichisbetter_health[1][0] = new Array("Apple or banana");
Whichisbetter_health[1].answer = "A banana is actually the better fruit to keep the doctor away.
A medium banana packs in 105 calories and 3 grams of fiber. It also boasts 15 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, three times the potassium of an apple, as well as vitamin B6 and manganese. It’s also touted as one of the least contaminated fruits.
A medium apple contains 70 calories and 3 grams of fiber (the pectin in apple skins is a soluble fiber that moves cholesterol out of the body). It has 10 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and some potassium, and contains quercetin, a flavonoid that acts as an antioxidant, supports immune function and protects against inflammation. However, conventionally grown apples are notorious for containing high levels of pesticides."; Whichisbetter_health[1][1] = new Array("Apple ",'',0); Whichisbetter_health[1][2] = new Array("Banana",'',1); Whichisbetter_health[2] = new Array(); Whichisbetter_health[2][0] = new Array("Oat bran flakes or oatmeal"); Whichisbetter_health[2].answer = "While both are excellent sources of whole grains, cooked oats provide the dynamic duo of protein and fiber that fills you up without lots of sodium and sugar.
One cup of oat bran flakes (Kellogg’s Complete Oat Bran Flakes) contains 140 calories, little fat (1.4 grams), and generous doses of fiber (5 grams — one-quarter from soluble fiber) and protein (about 6.6 grams). It also provides 100 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. However, it delivers 8 grams (2 teaspoons) of sugar and 260 mg of sodium, more than 10 percent of the daily recommended amount.
Meanwhile, one cup of cooked oats (Old Fashioned Quaker Oats) contains 150 calories and 3 grams of fat, and is a good source of fiber (4 grams, one-half of which are soluble) and protein (5 grams). It’s sodium-free and has only 1 gram of sugar.
If you don’t love plain oatmeal, mix in some fresh berries, or a handful of chopped walnuts.
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Whichisbetter_health[3][0] = new Array("Corn muffin or plain bagel");
Whichisbetter_health[3].answer = "The plain bagel is certainly the lesser of two evils. It has significantly fewer calories than a corn muffin, 50 percent more protein, and only 13 percent of the fat.
Weighing in at a hefty 510 calories, a Dunkin Donuts corn muffin has little to brag about. Although it does have 8 grams of protein and about 15 percent of the recommended daily amount of iron, it’s loaded with fat (18 grams, and 3.5 grams saturated fat), sugar (32 grams, or about 8 teaspoons), and a whopping 860 mg of sodium. If that’s not bad enough, it has only 1 gram of fiber and 75 mg of cholesterol — one-quarter of the maximum amount recommended for an entire day.
A plain bagel, with 320 calories and only 2.5 grams of total fat and one-half gram saturated fat, is a good source of protein (12 grams) and iron. But watch out, it has little fiber (only about 2 grams) and is surprisingly loaded with sodium (650 mg).
An even better bet would be to have half of a whole wheat or oat bran bagel and limit toppings to one tablespoon of natural peanut butter, one pat of butter, or one teaspoon each of light cream cheese and jelly.
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Whichisbetter_health[4][0] = new Array("Tuna salad or egg salad");
Whichisbetter_health[4].answer = "With 191 calories per half cup, tuna salad is loaded with protein (16 grams) and the potent omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. It’s also low in cholesterol. It does contain a lot of fat (9.5 grams), albeit little saturated fat (1.5 grams).
One-half cup of egg salad is loaded with 290 calories. While it does have 8 grams of protein and contains some omega 3 fatty acids, they’re the less useful alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA form. Egg salad is dripping in 28 grams of fat, more than 40 percent of what you need all day. It also has about a day’s worth of cholesterol (290 mg).
When making a tuna salad, choose the kind packed in water and mix with light mayonnaise and/or mustard to cut even more calories and fat.
[Pregnant or nursing women and young children should limit albacore (white) tuna to 6 ounces per week; if they choose light tuna, up to 12 ounces per week is recommended per the FDA/EPA.]
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Whichisbetter_health[5][0] = new Array("Tofu or lentils");
Whichisbetter_health[5].answer = "While both are nutritional powerhouses, fat-free lentils provide a unique combination of protein and fiber, as well as key nutrients that make it a true superfood.
A one-half cup of cooked lentils contains a mere 110 calories, mostly from complex carbohydrates (20 grams) and protein (9 grams). Lentils are also naturally fat- and sodium-free. They boast 8 grams of dietary fiber, 20 percent of daily iron, and are a good source of potassium.
A 4-ounce portion of tofu (extra firm) weighs in at only 100 calories. Low in carbohydrates, sugar and sodium, it’s also a great source of high-quality plant protein and serves up 11 grams of protein. It provides 20 percent of the recommended daily amount of calcium, 10 percent of daily iron, as well as some zinc and B vitamins. Although it’s devoid of fiber and most of its calories come from fat (it contains 7 grams of total fat), the majority are heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
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Whichisbetter_health[5][2] = new Array("Lentils",'',1);
Whichisbetter_health[6] = new Array();
Whichisbetter_health[6][0] = new Array("Tomato soup or cream of broccoli");
Whichisbetter_health[6].answer = "With tomato soup, you’ll save on fat and get higher levels of many nutrients. One cup has 181 calories, 4 grams protein, no fat, and 2 grams fiber. It’s a good source of vitamins A and C and also contains some iron. However, it is high in sodium, with 1,421 mg or more than 60 percent of what you need for an entire day. It also has 24 grams (6 teaspoons) of sugar.
One cup of cream of broccoli soup also has 181 calories, 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. But the cream is loaded with 7 grams of fat, including 2 grams of saturated fat. Sodium is also through the roof at 1,500 mg. It has some vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and only 6 grams of sugar.
Try to choose any kind of soup with no more than 400 mg sodium per cup or just stick to one-half cup and call it a day.
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Whichisbetter_health[7][0] = new Array("Whole wheat bread or whole wheat tortilla");
Whichisbetter_health[7].answer = "A 2-slice portion of whole wheat bread supplies about 140 calories and is a good source of both protein (5 grams) and fiber (4 grams). It also provides two servings of whole grains. However, it does have almost 5 grams of fat, 295 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar.
Similarly, a whole wheat flour tortilla (Trader Joe’s) has 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, and counts as whole grain. It provides 3 grams each of protein and fiber, as well as 150 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar.
In the end, whole wheat bread has more fiber and protein to fill you up and less sodium and sugar to weigh you down.
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Whichisbetter_health[7][2] = new Array("Whole wheat tortilla",'',0);
Whichisbetter_health[8] = new Array();
Whichisbetter_health[8][0] = new Array("Sirloin steak or salmon");
Whichisbetter_health[8].answer = "Salmon has less total fat, 70 fewer calories, a lot more healthy fats like omega-3s, and much less saturated fat.
A juicy, 3-ounce slab of top sirloin steak (the size of a deck of cards) contains 270 calories. While it boasts 24.5 grams of high-quality protein, the high-fat content (18 grams of total fat and 7 grams of saturated fat) and 85 mg of cholesterol eat up about one-quarter of a person’s recommended daily total.
But the same portion of salmon (wild, Alaskan, King, Chinook) reels in just 200 calories and almost as much protein (22 grams). It may have a relatively high fat content, but it’s almost all unsaturated with heart-healthy omega-3s. Salmon also offers some vitamin C and iron. However, certain types of farm-raised varieties may contain high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which have been linked to skin and liver problems.
To reduce PCBs, opt for wild over farm-raised varieties, trim the skin, and enjoy it grilled or broiled.
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Whichisbetter_health[9][0] = new Array("Romaine lettuce or spinach");
Whichisbetter_health[9].answer = "You can’t go wrong either way, but spinach rules with significantly more folate, vitamin K and lutein.
One cup of spinach has only 5 calories, and 1 gram each of protein and fiber. While it does contain a small amount of sodium (25 mg), it’s brimming with a whole host of nutrients – 60 percent of the vitamin A and 15 percent of daily recommended vitamin C. Spinach also boasts tons of beta carotene
For only 10 calories, one cup of romaine lettuce contains 1.4 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber. This naturally fat-free and sodium-free food also comes loaded with 70 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, 20 percent of daily vitamin C, and 80 micrograms folate (20 percent of daily needs). Romaine also contains some vitamin K, iron, calcium, beta-carotene and lutein, a carotenoid that may protect the eyes.
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Whichisbetter_health[9][1] = new Array("Romaine lettuce",'',0);
Whichisbetter_health[9][2] = new Array("Spinach",'',1);
Whichisbetter_health[10] = new Array();
Whichisbetter_health[10][0] = new Array("Red cherry tomatoes or carrots");
Whichisbetter_health[10].answer = "With only 25 calories per cup, red cherry tomatoes have protein, fiber, only a few grams of sugar and are virtually free of fat and sodium.
They also contain 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, 25 percent of daily vitamin A, and small amounts of iron and calcium.
One cup of fresh baby carrots has 53 calories, protein, fiber; and 6.7 grams of sugar. They’re bursting with beta-carotene, have 330 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, and 15 percent of daily vitamin C.
Even though they have less vitamin A and fiber than carrots, tomatoes have half the calories and still provide healthful amounts of vitamins A and C and some other key nutrients. "; Whichisbetter_health[10][1] = new Array("Red cherry tomatoes",'',1); Whichisbetter_health[10][2] = new Array("Carrots",'',0); Whichisbetter_health[11] = new Array(); Whichisbetter_health[11][0] = new Array("Baked potato chips or unbuttered air-popped popcorn"); Whichisbetter_health[11].answer = "With fewer calories, less fat, almost double the fiber and more protein, in addition to being a whole grain (potato chips are enriched/refined grains), popcorn is hands down the better bet.
2 ounces of baked chips (about 22 chips) has 220 calories and 3 grams of fat. While it does provide some fiber and protein (4 grams each), it otherwise lacks nutritional punch. And 300 mg of sodium (about 13 percent of the maximum daily recommendation) and 4 grams of sugar (a teaspoon) are nothing to brag about.
Six cups of unbuttered air-popped popcorn has only 186 calories and 2 grams of fat. It boasts 7 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, with no sodium or added sugar to boot. It also counts as two servings of whole grains (the recommended daily amount for adults is at least 3 whole grains a day). Just be careful about toppings. Healthful options include sodium-free low-calorie seasonings or a teaspoon of canola oil.
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Whichisbetter_health[11][2] = new Array("Unbuttered air-popped popcorn",'',1);
Whichisbetter_health[12] = new Array();
Whichisbetter_health[12][0] = new Array("Chocolate ice cream or chocolate cake");
Whichisbetter_health[12].answer = "Ice cream may be the lesser of two evils, but it does have fewer calories, more nutrients (vitamin A and calcium), and a lot less sodium.
A one-half cup of chocolate ice cream may sound skimpy, but it costs you 190 calories, 13 grams of total fat (8 grams saturated fat), 15 grams of total carbohydrates and 13 grams (about 3 teaspoons) of sugar. It also contains some cholesterol (45 mg) and sodium (40 mg). On the plus side, it has 3 grams of protein (but only 1 gram of fiber), and 10 percent of the recommended daily amount of both calcium and vitamin A.
A decadent slice of chocolate cake covered with chocolate icing is an indulgent 230 calories, with 10 grams of total fat (3 grams saturated fat). It also has some cholesterol (25 mg), and a good dose of sodium (210 mg). The good news is it has 3 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 8 percent of the recommended daily amount of iron.
A smart move would be to limit yourself to a few tablespoons or forkfuls of either. Really savor the flavor while you consume fewer calories.
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Whichisbetter_health[13][0] = new Array("Starbucks latte or chocolate chunk cookie");
Whichisbetter_health[13].answer = "You’ll save more than half the fat, saturated fat and sugar, and get a little extra protein.
A grande (16 ounce) latte from Starbucks will cost you 200 calories. Half the calories come from fat (11 grams total; 7 grams saturated). It also serves up 16 grams of sugar (4 teaspoons), 140 mg sodium and 35 mg of cholesterol. A good amount of protein — 12 grams — rounds out the contents of this rather large cup of java.
One chocolate chunk cookie from Starbucks has an insane 420 calories. Although it does contain some nutrients – protein, fiber and 8 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A and iron -- the 20 grams of total fat (13 grams saturated), 460 mg of sodium and 28 grams of sugar (7 teaspoons) make it a major indulgence.
When ordering a latte, ask for skim milk and you’ll cut 70 calories — all from fat!
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