By: Toby Amidor, MS RD CDN
Some of my clients tell me they won’t touch pasta because it is “bad” or they drink tons of green tea because it is “good.” But is it really that black and white? Do foods fall into one category verses the other? Here’s a walk through some of the most controversial foods.
Pasta
Let’s get something straight—pasta doesn’t make you fat. Pasta has gotten a bad reputation due to super-sized portions slathered with ridiculously high fat sauces. One cup of cooked pasta has around 200 calories but folks eat 4 to 5 times that at one sitting! Not to mention each tablespoon of oil contains 120 calories and most recipes call for a lot more than 1 tablespoon per serving.
Bottom line: Keep portions to 1 to 1 ½ cups of cooked pasta and try adding veggies for color and nutrition.
Egg Yolks
Stop tossing your egg yolks! They’re the healthiest part of the egg. Although the yolk’s gotten poo-poo’d for having cholesterol, studies have shown that it’s really the saturated fat that raises your blood cholesterol. Embrace egg yolks for all its nutritional goodness! It’s considered a perfect protein and contains vitamins A, D, E, selenium and omega-3 fats. The yolk also contains lutein, shown to help with healthy eyes and skin.
Bottom line: Guidelines suggest one egg per day is perfectly healthy.
Salads
Labeled as the perfect “health” food, sometimes salads aren’t as healthy as you think! Top a bed of greens with numerous high calorie ingredients like buttery croutons, fried chicken and gobs of salad dressing and you can rack up over 1,000 calories.
Bottom line: Salads can be a healthy option, but aim for mostly veggies, and if it is an entree, then make sure to add protein and whole grain foods. As for salad dressing, use 2 tablespoons of your favorite vinaigrette — don’t go fat free.
Green Tea
Studies have shown that green tea can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Green tea contains compounds known as alkaloids which are stimulants (like caffeine). This doesn’t mean that more is better. Green tea supplements are known to interact with various medications. Also, green tea and a bad heart don’t go well together. It’s important to consult a physician before consuming large amounts or taking a green tea supplement.
Bottom line: Stick to 1 to 2 cups of green tea per day.
Diet Soda
Having a bottomless can of diet soda every day has its shortcomings. Some researchers believe that too many artificial sweeteners may increase craving to sweet foods—not a positive thing if you’re trying to watch your calories.
Bottom line: Moderation, moderation, moderation! If you’re longing for diet soda, stop at one can per day.
Toby Amidor, MS RD CDN (link: http://tobyamidornutrition) is a nutrition and food safety consultant. She is a Nutrition Expert at FoodNetwork.com and blogs for their healthy eating blog (www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats). She is also the Nutrition Advisor for FitStudio.com (powered by Sears) and an Adjunct Instructor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Follow her on @tobyamidor or www.facebook.com/tobyamidornutrition.
