10-08-2004, 01:00 PM
The answers...:p
1. False. Eggs are not only healthy and delicious, they have been called the perfect food. In one cute and convenient package, you get vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats. Eggs contain about 200 milligrams of cholesterol. However, current research indicates that saturated fat has a greater impact on blood cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol. And the good news is: eggs are very low in saturated fat.
2. Tomatoes have the most fibre, iceberg lettuce the least. A serving of iceberg lettuce provides less than a gram of fibre, the same-sized serving of cucumber, about 1 gram while the serving of tomatoes provides twice as much with about 2 grams of fibre. Fibre is filling without providing any calories – so eat plenty of fibre-rich foods for satisfying meals that will help you fill up – not out!
3. There is more caffeine in coffeeÂ… but only just! If youÂ’re drinking freshly ground coffee, count on about 135 milligrams per 200ml cup. Instant coffee has only about 90 milligrams of caffeine per cup while a cup of black tea (as opposed to green tea) contains about 85 milligrams of caffeine. If you like coffee but want less caffeine, decaffeinated contains only 5 milligrams per cup.
4. Nuts to that! Nuts are full of fibre, healthy unsaturated fat and protein. Because they are relatively high in fat and calories, pay attention to the portion size of nuts but don’t avoid them. They’re tasty, nutritious and add flavour and texture to foods that could be a little bit dull – try adding them to salads, stir-fries and casseroles. Walnuts are an especially good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protective against heart disease and cancer. Almonds are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant.
5. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener made from an amino acid called phenylalanine. All food additives are thoroughly tested for safety before they can be used and their use is tightly controlled. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for aspartame is set at 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight - thatÂ’s around 2800 milligrams for the average adult or 600 milligrams for an average 3-year-old child. To reach the ADI, an adult would need to drink 14 cans of diet soft drink containing maximum levels of aspartame.
6. Poultry with the skin removed is a great choice for those trying to limit saturated fat, but gram for gram, sirloin steak and chicken with skin have the same amount of saturated fat. Since the skin of the bird contains the fat, remove it for a healthier choice.
7. If it sounds too good to be true… well, you know! Cold water is just another one of those myths that we wish could be true – along with the negative calories of celery and the fat-burning properties of grapefruit! Drinking cold water will make your body work a little bit harder to maintain its temperature but the effect really is too small to lead to significant weight loss. Water will help fill you up, can act as an appetite suppressant and is great for flushing out the system, but it won’t make you actively lose weight.
8. Allergies can lead to symptoms including congestion, sneezing, hives, rashes, upset stomach and diarrhoea. A severe allergic reaction can even cause anaphylaxis. Most people produce an enzyme called lactase in the small intestine which is necessary to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Those who do not produce this digestive enzyme may experience bloating, cramps and diarrhoea after taking milk but should be able to enjoy milk products which are either treated with lactase or have lower lactose content.
9. False. A healthy and balanced diet should provide all the nutrients we need. However, some groups are advised to take supplements: women of child-bearing age should take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day, vegans and vegetarians may require a vitamin B12 supplement and women with very heavy periods may benefit from an iron supplement. Always consult your doctor before taking iron supplements.
10. False. You canÂ’t eat your way to hard nails. Yes, nails are made from protein but the whole entire body is composed of protein, collagen and other cellular material. When you eat protein, itÂ’s broken down into its component amino acids that circulate throughout the body to be used where theyÂ’re needed. If you eat excess protein, itÂ’s stored as - what else, fat! If you are malnourished, however, your nails, hair, skin and the rest of your body will be, of course negatively affected.
11. If it sounds too good to be true… guess what? In an attempt to re-create the flavour and texture that fat contributes, reduced fat versions of foods often contain higher levels of sugar. A low fat biscuit might provide the same number of calories as a regular biscuit but the ‘low fat’ label as is seen as a licence to eat as much as we like. Calories still count!
12. Muscles need two things to grow: adequate calories and a physical challenge. It isnÂ’t necessary to eat vast amounts of protein but as long as your diet is healthy and balanced and the muscle is being used and challenged through exercise or weight lifting, the muscle will grow.
13. Strawberries win, hands down! Strawberries are packed full of fibre and contain 60% more vitamin C than grapefruit. They are also good sources of vitamin A and potassium.
14. Is juice better than water? That depends. If you need extra calories, juice is a good option. But juice is essentially sugar in water. Fruit sugar is also known as fructose, and it is just as caloric as any other kind of sugar. If youÂ’re watching your figure, drink water!
15. Brown, white or speckled, the colour of the egg is a reflection of the henÂ’s breed and doesnÂ’t say anything about the nutrient value or freshness of the egg.
1. False. Eggs are not only healthy and delicious, they have been called the perfect food. In one cute and convenient package, you get vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats. Eggs contain about 200 milligrams of cholesterol. However, current research indicates that saturated fat has a greater impact on blood cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol. And the good news is: eggs are very low in saturated fat.
2. Tomatoes have the most fibre, iceberg lettuce the least. A serving of iceberg lettuce provides less than a gram of fibre, the same-sized serving of cucumber, about 1 gram while the serving of tomatoes provides twice as much with about 2 grams of fibre. Fibre is filling without providing any calories – so eat plenty of fibre-rich foods for satisfying meals that will help you fill up – not out!
3. There is more caffeine in coffeeÂ… but only just! If youÂ’re drinking freshly ground coffee, count on about 135 milligrams per 200ml cup. Instant coffee has only about 90 milligrams of caffeine per cup while a cup of black tea (as opposed to green tea) contains about 85 milligrams of caffeine. If you like coffee but want less caffeine, decaffeinated contains only 5 milligrams per cup.
4. Nuts to that! Nuts are full of fibre, healthy unsaturated fat and protein. Because they are relatively high in fat and calories, pay attention to the portion size of nuts but don’t avoid them. They’re tasty, nutritious and add flavour and texture to foods that could be a little bit dull – try adding them to salads, stir-fries and casseroles. Walnuts are an especially good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protective against heart disease and cancer. Almonds are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant.
5. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener made from an amino acid called phenylalanine. All food additives are thoroughly tested for safety before they can be used and their use is tightly controlled. The Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for aspartame is set at 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight - thatÂ’s around 2800 milligrams for the average adult or 600 milligrams for an average 3-year-old child. To reach the ADI, an adult would need to drink 14 cans of diet soft drink containing maximum levels of aspartame.
6. Poultry with the skin removed is a great choice for those trying to limit saturated fat, but gram for gram, sirloin steak and chicken with skin have the same amount of saturated fat. Since the skin of the bird contains the fat, remove it for a healthier choice.
7. If it sounds too good to be true… well, you know! Cold water is just another one of those myths that we wish could be true – along with the negative calories of celery and the fat-burning properties of grapefruit! Drinking cold water will make your body work a little bit harder to maintain its temperature but the effect really is too small to lead to significant weight loss. Water will help fill you up, can act as an appetite suppressant and is great for flushing out the system, but it won’t make you actively lose weight.
8. Allergies can lead to symptoms including congestion, sneezing, hives, rashes, upset stomach and diarrhoea. A severe allergic reaction can even cause anaphylaxis. Most people produce an enzyme called lactase in the small intestine which is necessary to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Those who do not produce this digestive enzyme may experience bloating, cramps and diarrhoea after taking milk but should be able to enjoy milk products which are either treated with lactase or have lower lactose content.
9. False. A healthy and balanced diet should provide all the nutrients we need. However, some groups are advised to take supplements: women of child-bearing age should take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day, vegans and vegetarians may require a vitamin B12 supplement and women with very heavy periods may benefit from an iron supplement. Always consult your doctor before taking iron supplements.
10. False. You canÂ’t eat your way to hard nails. Yes, nails are made from protein but the whole entire body is composed of protein, collagen and other cellular material. When you eat protein, itÂ’s broken down into its component amino acids that circulate throughout the body to be used where theyÂ’re needed. If you eat excess protein, itÂ’s stored as - what else, fat! If you are malnourished, however, your nails, hair, skin and the rest of your body will be, of course negatively affected.
11. If it sounds too good to be true… guess what? In an attempt to re-create the flavour and texture that fat contributes, reduced fat versions of foods often contain higher levels of sugar. A low fat biscuit might provide the same number of calories as a regular biscuit but the ‘low fat’ label as is seen as a licence to eat as much as we like. Calories still count!
12. Muscles need two things to grow: adequate calories and a physical challenge. It isnÂ’t necessary to eat vast amounts of protein but as long as your diet is healthy and balanced and the muscle is being used and challenged through exercise or weight lifting, the muscle will grow.
13. Strawberries win, hands down! Strawberries are packed full of fibre and contain 60% more vitamin C than grapefruit. They are also good sources of vitamin A and potassium.
14. Is juice better than water? That depends. If you need extra calories, juice is a good option. But juice is essentially sugar in water. Fruit sugar is also known as fructose, and it is just as caloric as any other kind of sugar. If youÂ’re watching your figure, drink water!
15. Brown, white or speckled, the colour of the egg is a reflection of the henÂ’s breed and doesnÂ’t say anything about the nutrient value or freshness of the egg.