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The Real Truth about Diet food
from: Samreedhi GoelEveryone
is climbing onto the 'diet foods' bandwagon these days -- wholewheat
bread, oatmeal and fat-free dressings are to be found on most kitchen
shelves and people are spending huge sums of money in the name of
health.
If
you're planning on stocking up on health foods too, or are already in
the process of doing so, here are some little-known facts about those
available in the Indian market:
If
you are a calorie-conscious person and plan to become or stay slim, you
need not spend large sums of money on diet foods. You can eat healthy
without overspending and here's how:
first thing you need to do is make a habit of reading the labels on
every food product you buy. A dessert that is advertised as 'completely
sugar-free' may be using artificial low-calorie sweeteners to replace
the sugar content, but what about the fat? Ask yourself -- is it really
possible that a 'fat-free sponge cake' is completely devoid of fat?
Usually such cakes don't contain butter or margarine, but they more
than make up for with six to eight egg yolks, which can shoot your
cholesterol levels through the roof!
ingredient is replaced by an even unhealthier substitute -- for
instance, instead of normal cane sugar your product may be using liquid
glucose, sucrose, fructose or any other form of sugar to appear
sugar-free. This not only makes it more calorie-dense, but also more
expensive.
bread -- Do you know that 90 percent of the time a label that reads
'brown bread' actually means that you are paying extra for coloured
white bread?
While
normal sliced white bread costs between $.25 per packet,
brown bread can cost anywhere between $.50. So read the
label to see if the brown bread is actually whole-grain or made with at
least 75 percent whole wheat flour and only then invest in it. Also,
eating a slice or two of white bread in a day is not really such a big
deal even if you are on a diet, provided you are eating sufficient
whole grain foods throughout the rest of the day.
colas -- You might think you're doing yourself a favour by sipping on a
diet cola instead of a regular one whenever temptation takes over.
While that is okay once in a while, drinking colas (diet or otherwise)
regularly gets you addicted to them due to their caffeine content. They
use artificial flavouring and their acid content is not good for your
teeth and bones in the long run.
Moreover,
a can of a diet cola costs about $.50, while a natural and much
healthier option like coconut water costs only $.25 and comes with a
side-benefit -- it's great for your skin! You can also up your dose of
Vitamin C and refresh yourself with a glass of freshly-squeezed lime
juice for just $.25. So replace those colas in your refrigerator with
natural drinks that are cheaper and healthier and don't forget the
cheapest and best drink of them all -- water.
mayonnaise: A 200 ml bottle of 'light mayonnaise' costs about $2.50.
One tablespoon of light mayo contains 50 calories, as compared to the
90 calories in regular mayo. But while the calorie counts differ, do
not forget that you are taking in those 50 additional calories from the
fat content in the light mayo anyway.
If
you want to make a low-cal sandwich spread, tie up a large bowl of
curds in a piece of cheese muslin cloth and leave it to hang overnight
(or for two hours minimum) with a dish underneath. Once the whey has
drained into the dish, add a little garlic, salt and pepper -- it will
make an excellent low-calorie sandwich spread. If you refrigerate it,
you can use the spread for at least 2 days.
One scoop of low-fat Italian gelato can cost approximately anywhere
between $ 1 to $ 2.25. While it's a tasty way to beat the heat once
in a while, indulging in it all the time will cost you too much money
and too many calories. I would like to reiterate once again that while
these foods do contain less fat than the original product, they are
definitely not fat-free!
A
better, cheaper option? The ice-candy sticks available locally, each of
which contain only about 40 calories and cost $.25 each.
In
conclusion, if something really is making a difference to your health,
it's okay to spend a little bit extra on it -- tetrapack milk, for
instance, is less adulterated and more hygienic than what you buy from
the local milkman. But weigh your options carefully before spending
your hard-earned money on foods that don't make a dramatic difference
to your calorie intake and still cost a lot more than regular products.
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