As we head into a new year, one of the top resolutions on many people's lists is to eat better in 1994. But that's not always as easy at it sounds.
A survey taken last fall by the American Dietetic Association found a growing interest in nutrition and health. Eight out of 10 of the survey respondents rated nutrition as very important, up 5 points from a 1991 study.But the survey also found that a much smaller percentage of Americans said they were doing all they can to achieve good nutrition. Among men ages 35-54, those making the effort declined in two years from 41 percent to 31 percent.
What are the biggest obstacles to healthful eating? Some 22 percent said keeping track of their diet takes too much time; a similar percentage said they're too confused to know what's healthy. But the most popular excuse - cited by 39 percent - was not wanting to give up their favorite foods.
But that's not always necessary. While three-fourths of those surveyed think there are "good" and "bad" foods, dietitians say that's not true - any food can be part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet. The secret is in the balance. If you overindulge in one area, cut back in another. Making small changes - a switch to lower-fat milk or salad dressing - can add up to big changes. Don't take all the enjoyment out of mealtime, but keep your eye on the overall picture.
As you look at your eating habits, here's a quiz to help you see what you know about links between diet and health.
1. The recommended serving size of meat (3 ounces) is about the size of:
a. a paperback book
b. a deck of playing cards
c. a checkbook
2. Large doses of vitamin C can cure or prevent a cold.
a. true
b. false
3. The cooking method that best preserves vitamins in vegetables is:
a. boiling
b. baking
c. cooking in microwave oven
4. Buttermilk contains less fat than whole milk.
a. true
b. false
5. Fish is cholesterol-free.
a. true
b. false
6. Strawberry ice cream and strawberry yogurt contain the same number of calories.
a. true
b. false
7. In a balanced diet, which nutrient should contribute the highest percentage of calories?
a. protein
b. carbohydrate
c. fat
8. Skim, low-fat and regular whole milk all contain the same amount of calcium.
a. true
b. false
9. The U.S. RDA for calcium for adults is:
a. 1000 mg
b. 750 mg
c. 500 mg
10. Which of these foods contain cholesterol:
a. peanut butter
b. olive oil
c. avocado
d. mayonnaise
e. none of the above
11. Which is highest in cholesterol:
a. 3 oz. plain broiled fish
b. 3 oz. roasted dark turkey meat
c. 3 oz. lean roast beef
12. A lack of calcium in your diet could lead to which of the following:
a. hypertension
b. high cholesterol
c. colon cancer
d. all of the above
13. Which lunch is most nutritious and also low in calories:
a. a 3-oz. hamburger patty, 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup fruit salad
b. 2 slices whole-wheat bread with 1 teaspoon margarine, 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup cantaloupe and 1 medium-sized fresh peach
c. 1 slice whole-wheat bread and salad of 1/4 avocado, 31/2 ounces iceberg lettuce, 3 ounces water-packed albacore tuna and 1/4 large green pepper.
14. The most well-balanced, nutritious breakfast is:
a. 2/3 cup bran flakes with 1 sliced fresh strawberries and 8 oz. low-fat milk, and 2 slices whole-wheat toast with 2 teaspoons margarine
b. 2 poached eggs, 2 strips crisp bacon, 2 slices whole-wheat toast with 2 teaspoons of margarine and 4 oz. orange juice
c. 3 pancakes with 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 sausage links and 4 oz. orange juice.
15. Which statement about fast food is true:
a. chicken nuggets contain more fat than a hamburger
b. a vanilla shake contains more sodium than a regular serving of french fries
c. a breaded and fried chicken breast fillet has more fat than a plain roast beef sandwich
d. All of the above
16. Anemia can be caused by too little:
a. vitamin B6
b. vitamin B12
c. iron
d. any of the above
17. Which of the following foods is rich in complex carbohydrates:
a. bananas
b. rice
c. margarine
18. Which of the following is not high in fat:
a. pickles
b. olives
c. avocado
19. Which of the following is highest in fiber:
a. sourdough bread
b. pumpernickle bread
c. whole grain bread
20. People who eat 1,600 calories per day should limit their total fat intake to how much?
a. 23 grams
b. 53 grams
c. 93 grams
ANSWERS
1. b. If this is less than the amount you usually eat, try extending the meat by combining it with other foods and by thinking of meat as one small part of the meal, not the most important element.
2. b. Vitamin C cannot cure or prevent a cold, but some studies indicate that large doses (200 to 1,000 mg a day) when taken at the first sign of a cold may have a slight antihistamine effect, lessening stuffy-nose symptoms.
3. c. According to a recent study, up to 50 percent less vitamin C is lost from fruits and vegetables when they're cooked in a microwave oven, compared with baking or boiling. Shorter cooking times and less water make the difference.
4. a. Buttermilk is essentially fat-free; it's made from skim milk and has 90 calories per cup.
5. b. Fish does contain cholesterol. But some researchers think that a fatty acid in finfish and shellfish may help lower the types of body cholesterol that lead to heart disease and also help increase the so-called "good" cholesterol that helps keep arteries unclogged.
6. a. Each contains about 260 calories per cup.
7. b. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that we consume about 55 to 58 percent of our daily calories as carbohydrates;about 12 to 15 percent as protein; about 30 percent as fat.
8. a. Only the fat is removed from whole milk to make skim and low fat. Other nutrients remain the same.
9. a. The U.S. RDA for calcium for adults is 1000 mg.
10. d. Plant foods don't contain cholesterol, though the ones listed all are high in fat. Mayonnaise that is made with egg yolk contains 10 mg per tablespoon.
11. b. Three ounces of roasted dark turkey meat contains 76 mg of cholesterol (all dark-meat poultry has more fat than white meat); the same amount of beef has 73 mg cholesterol; 3 ounces fish, 52 mg.
12. d. Calcium's relationship to the prevention of osteoporosis has been well publicized. But leading medical investigators in calcium research have uncovered evidence that calcium deficiency may also be linked to other life-threatening diseases.
13. b. All lunches contain 350 calories, but Lunch B is the most nutritionally balanced. It contains 20 percent calories from fat, 58 percent from carbohydrates and 22 percent from protein.
14. a. It contains 27 percent calories from fat, 57 percent from carbohydrate, 17 percent from pro-tein and no cholesterol. There's plenty of fiber and vitamins from the whole grains and fruit.
15. d. All of the statements are true.
16. d. Too little of any of these nutrients can cause different types of anemia.
17. b. Rice, pastas and other grains are rich in complex carbohydrates. Although fruits contain a lot of carbohydrate, most of it is in the form of sugars. Margarine is mostly fat.
18. a. Pickles contain almost no fat, while olives and avocados get most of their calories from fat.
19. c. Breads that are chewy or dark in color are not necessarily high in fiber. The highest-fiber breads are made from whole wheat and other whole grains.
20. b. Fat intake should be limited to 30 percent of total calories. Use this shortcut method to figure out grams of fat. Start with the total calories you consume in one day (for example, 1,600), drop the last digit and divide by three. The result is the number of grams of fat you should eat in a day (160/3
53.3).