Eating, for some, is the joy of life. For others, especially at holiday time, it is a load of stressful choices and an avenue for a myriad of health dilemmas. But armed with a bit of basic knowledge, choices can be delicious and easy.
Wholesome Bread
You’ve heard it before: Cut carbohydrates, including bread, and you will lose weight and be healthier. But many believe you don’t have to give up bread completely. Small changes and careful choices will save you some calories and actually improve your health without giving up what you love.
Studies show that eating whole grains helps prevent heart diseases and certain cancers. They help lower your LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) and blood sugar, and prevent hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
Whole grains are also rich in fiber, as well as a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. But when whole gains are refined (i.e., white bread), these nutrients are completely or partially lost. Fiber helps relieve constipation and keeps you regular. It might also help you control your weight by keeping you feeling full longer.
Understanding labels:
- White bread and brown bread most probably don’t contain any whole grains or fiber. Brown is simply an added coloring.
- Multi-grain, 7-grain, 9-grain, rye breads are not necessarily made from whole grains. It is good they contain so many grains, but they are not “whole” grains. So, there is not much fiber here either.
- Wheat bread does not equal whole wheat bread. It only means white refined flour was used along with whole-wheat flour.
Tips for choosing bread:
- Always choose “whole” wheat or grains. The best choice is bread that lists “whole wheat” as its first ingredient. You can check the fiber amount on the label. (2g per slice should be enough.)
- Avoid bread that contains fat. It unnecessarily adds calories to your diet. Look out for the word “oil” in the ingredients list and check the amount and kind of fat on the label. (Saturated and trans fats should be avoided).
- Avoid bread that contains sugar. It could be in the form of honey, plain sugar or high fructose corn syrup. These only add unnecessary calories.
Bottom line: The best breads are the ones with least amount of fat and sugar and the highest amount of fiber.
Remember, you only need flour, water, yeast and salt to make bread. You want bread, not pastry. Other ingredients are frosting on the cake!
Healthy Fats
Good news, not all fats are bad for your health! The bad news is the fats you should avoid are used in most of the packaged foods found in supermarkets and fast food chains because they provide better shelf life and withstand food processing.
Understanding labels:
Trans and saturated fats
Trans fats, which are not natural fats, are a byproduct of the hydrogenation process that solidifies liquid oils to produce shortening, explains Nagwa Sadek, Ph.D., a food consultant and oil chemistry expert. Most processed food containing hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils contain trans fats as well as vegetable shortening and margarine.
Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs. Coconut and palm oils also contain saturated fat.
Both of these fats contribute to the elevation of bad blood cholesterol, Sadek said. They increase the risk of obesity and heart disease. Next time you buy food, check the nutrition label for trans and saturated fats. A low-fat version of animal products will cut the intake of saturated fats. Avoiding packaged/processed food (and cooking at home) will lower the intake of trans fats. Starting this year, food manufacturers are required by the FDA to list trans fats amounts separately in all their products.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
You need good fats “for caloric intake, for flavor and to allow the absorption of vitamins soluble in fats such as Vitamin A, D, E and K,” Sadek said. “The mono- and di-unsaturated fats are good because they work as anti-oxidants preventing or reducing the cholesterol level and increasing the body’s resistance to diseases.”
These healthy, unsaturated fats are found in nut, seafood, canola, olive and sunflower oils. It is important to keep them in your diet. You can use olive and canola oils for cooking. Sunflower, soybean and cottonseed oils are best for frying.
For your salads, olive and flax seed oils add a nice taste.
Tips for choosing fats:
- Read the label and check the amount of each different fat, not only the total amount.
- Food with 0 g trans fat can be still be high in saturated fat and sugar.
- A “0 g trans fat” snack can still contain some trans fat. Under FDA regulations, a food is labeled as such as long as it contains less than 0.5 g per serving.
You’ll find that just by making a few tweaks to the foods you consume daily will help you feel better and perform at your best. There’s no need to ascribe to a diet that deprives you of foods you enjoy; just be a smart consumer and you can stay healthy and still eat well.