Great news, some of your favorite foods are good for you!" Doesn't it feel great when your favorite health magazine declares that chocolate, pecans and olive oil make you younger and healthier! I agree, there is nothing better than sipping a cup of coffee and enjoying nuts and chocolate guilt free. But alas, like everything in life moderation is key.
I recently worked with a client who fit the perfect mold of “too much of a good thing.” She wasn't working out regularly and was putting on weight for the first time in years. She claimed her diet was “impeccable” so she didn't understand why the numbers on the scale continued to rise. Here was her typical diet:
Breakfast - a slice of toast with 2 tbs. natural peanut butter, “natural peanut butter is full of fats that lower your cholesterol”. 2 tbs peanut butter = 16 grams fat.
Mid-morning – A Venti Starbucks Mocha, the full-fat version, “some studies show benefits to drinking the fat found in 2% milk versus consuming fat-free skim”. Venti Mocha (2% milk) = 17 grams fat
Lunch - Salad with olive oil, “olive oil has a high ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat making it a healthy choice”. 1 tbs olive oil = 14 grams fat
Afternoon snack - a handful of pecans, “healthy fat and filling”. ¼ cup pecans = 22 grams fat
Dinner - grilled meat, often chicken but red meat a few times/week and vegetables. Oh and sometimes a piece of bread with 1 tbs. full fat butter, “some fat is good for you” 3.5-ounce pot roast = 10 grams fat, 1 tbs butter = 14 grams fat
Nighttime Snack - a cup of decaf and a few chunks of chocolate, “the 70%+ dark chocolate because dark chocolate is suppose to be great for your health”. Two chunks dark chocolate = 13 grams fat
Total daily fat = 106 grams! This is too much of a good thing.
According to the USDA website, this client should have been consuming closer to 50 grams of fat to maintain her current weight. She would probably want to consume closer to 30 grams to lose weight but she was consuming almost three times this amount! Needless to say, this client’s blood pressure and cholesterol were high.
So how can you include these yummy “health” foods into your diet? MODERATION.
Write down everything you eat, including measurements and use an online calorie calculator such as the USDA MyPyramid Tracker. This will help you determine if you have become victim to “too much of a good thing”.
Alternate peanut butter with an all-natural fruit spread or honey on your toast. Try substituting some “low fat” alternatives to “healthy fats” such as skim milk and low fat dressing. Try saving high fat chocolates for a Friday night treat and grab a peppermint patty or a 100-calorie snack pack for a desert. And even though pomegranate juice may be loaded with anti-oxidants, don’t drink several glasses a day.
Let’s face it. It feels good to consume foods that taste great and are “healthy”. But basic nutrition guidelines cannot be thrown out the window just because the New York Times claimed "chocolate can make you look 10 years younger". Be smart, practice moderation, and enjoy some peanut butter...from time to time.
