Some eating habits to avoid

Last week we talked about some eating habits that promote healthy eating.  What are some eating habits to avoid? 

• Added sugar – Americans eat way too many foods loaded with added sugar.  And some people equate “sugar” with “added sugar”.  The natural sugar in foods is not what we need to cut back on.  Rather we need to cut back on foods and beverages with lots of added sugar such as sugary drinks.  Not just soda/pop but also lemonade, sweet tea, juice drinks, sports drinks can be loaded with added sugar.  Coffee has virtually no calories until you add milk, cream, sugar such as ordering a coffee latte.  A large caramel latte from Starbucks contains over 13 teaspoons of added sugar. 
• It is easy to cut back on sugary drinks.  Start reading the ingredients in the beverages you choose to see if sugar, or sugar in its many forms, like high fructose corn syrup has been added.  Many people buy “juice” but it isn’t real juice but a juice drink loaded with added sugar.  Real juice has no sugar listed in the ingredients.  When going to Starbucks – order a “skinny” drink.  For example, instead of getting an iced vanilla latte, choose an iced skinny vanilla latte.  This will cut back on added sugar and cut back on the fat and carb content.  A 16 ounce Iced Blonde Vanilla latte normally has 190 calories and 28 grams of sugar.  Compare this to the Iced Skinny Vanilla Latte which has about 78 calories with 10 grams of sugar.  A much healthier choice. 
• Most food labels now list “added sugar” so you can easily tell if the beverage or food contains added sugar.

 

• Supplements – Vitamin and mineral pills shouldn’t be your source of good nutrition.  Rely on food and healthy beverages for nutrition.  In the class I teach, I asked students what they would tell a mother whose child was low in vitamin D.  Many students responded they would tell the mother to give her kid a vitamin D supplement.  Parents shouldn’t rely on supplements for their kids’ nutrition.  Some students did recommend going outside.  Which is a good answer.  None of the students suggested giving the kid real cow’s milk at every meal.  Eating all the food groups at each meal is the best way to be sure you are getting the nutrients you and your children need.  A health care practitioner may prescribe supplements to correct a deficiency.  But otherwise, focus on foods, not supplements for your nutrition.
  

•  Avoid easy and instant food – So many foods today are grab and go. 

• Fruit:  Rather than eating an apple, some people choose a fruit roll-up thinking they are getting a serving of fruit.  Look at the ingredient list on the fruit roll up package and the first ingredient is corn syrup and the second ingredient is dried corn syrup and the third ingredient is sugar.  So, the fruit roll up is mostly added sugar.  The label notes of the 11 grams of carbs in the fruit roll up, over half or 7 grams are from added sugar.  

Note the ingredients: corn syrup, dried corn syrup and sugar. Skip Fruit Roll Ups and buy fresh fruit.

• Yogurt, real cow’s milk yogurt, is a healthy choice.  Real cow’s milk yogurt provides excellent protein, calcium and vitamin D.  Plus, the probiotics are so good for health.  Many kids are now eating Go-Gurt with their lunch.  Unlike fruit roll ups, Go-Gurt is a pretty healthy choice.  The good thing about Go-Gurt is the first ingredient is “Cultured Grade A Low Fat Milk” which is good.  The second ingredient is sugar.  Go-Gurt has 9 grams of added sugar but your child is also getting calcium, vitamin D, some good quality protein and real milk.  So even though there is some added sugar, Go-Gurt would be a good way to get a serving of real dairy into your child’s lunch or as a healthy snack option for a child.
• Peanut Butter & Jelly:  This is a longtime favorite of kids and adults.  But take the time to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Forget the Uncrustables.  The Uncrustable has 210 calories, and 8 grams of added sugar.  Rather than buying this packaged product, buy some whole wheat bread, peanut butter and jelly and make your own PB&J sandwich.  Better for you and better for the environment.  

Skip the Uncrustables and make your own PB&J sandwich.

 

Going to Starbucks this week?  Ask for the “skinny” drink as a way to cut back on added sugar and fat.  Choose some fresh fruit instead of the packaged fruit roll ups.  Make your own lunch, your own peanut and jelly sandwich and skip the packaged product.  For your nutrition, rely on real food, not supplements. 

Sources:  avoid , caramel latte , Avoid easy and instant food , fruit roll up package ,  Go-Gurt , Uncrustables  Image Sources:  Fruit Roll Ups , nutrition  , Latte