Answers to questions from our Web site
Q: I am trying to lose a few pounds. Is it bad to snack between meals?
A: In-between meal snacks may be very appropriate; in fact, snacking can be an important strategy in your weight loss plan. Before choosing a snack, consider hunger and nutrition. It makes sense to eat if you are truly hungry. If you wait too long to eat between meals, you’re likely to become overly hungry and eat too much at the next meal. Most people do best eating every three to four hours. This is especially true if you are eating a low fat diet. Foods low in fat tend to be digested quicker than fattier foods that empty from the stomach as a much slower rate.
Snacks provide an opportunity to fuel your body for optimal energy and health. When it comes to your waistline, make it easier to reach for a healthy snack by planning ahead. Stock your desk drawer, car and home with foods such as dried apricots (vitamin A and fiber), string cheese (calcium and protein), and whole-grain crackers (carbohydrates and fiber). Keeping healthy food choices on hand is the key to snacks that satisfy your hunger and nourish your body.
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Q: Should I eat breakfast? I am usually not hungry.
A: Your mother was right, you should eat breakfast. Your body operates best if it is fueled regularly. Studies show that breakfast skippers tend to work less efficiently and perform more poorly on tests. Don’t let the following excuses get between you and your breakfast.
- Don’t have time for breakfast? Pack it with you— bagels, sandwiches, yogurt, bananas, boxed juices are fast food options.
- Not hungry in the morning? You don’t have to eat breakfast the minute you hop out of bed. It may work better to fit it in at a 9 a.m. break. A lack of appetite in the morning may be due to a kitchen raid the night before. Curbing night-time munchies can help balance the hunger equation.
- Not into breakfast foods? Try some nontraditional ideas— dinner leftovers, soup or a peanut butter and honey sandwich might hit the spot.
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Q: How important is water? How much do you need each day?
A: Water, an important nutrient, is easily forgotten over the course of a busy day. It benefits our bodies in many ways— preventing dehydration; transporting nutrients; ridding the body of toxins and waste products; and regulating the body’s heating and cooling system. Drinking 8-12 cups per day is the recommended level. Be sure to count only noncaffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages. You require more water in warm weather, at higher altitudes and whenever you exercise. Signs that your body is dehydrated include headache, fatigue, dark urine (should be pale yellow), flushed skin, heat intolerance, light-headedness, dry mouth and eyes.
Here are a few tips for drinking more water:
- Get in the habit of carrying a water bottle with you. Put it where you can see it as a reminder to drink.
- Drink a glass with every meal.
- Drink before, during and after exercise.
- If water from your tap leaves a bad taste in your mouth, try a filter to improve the flavor.
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Q: I have been a partial vegetarian (no poultry or meat - I do eat seafood & eggs) for almost ten years. My friends are concerned that I am not getting enough protein. With the legumes in my diet, I believe that I do. What factual information can I offer to them that a vegetarian lifestyle poses no health dangers?
A: A well-planned vegetarian eating style can be nutritionally sound and even beneficial in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. A common myth about vegetarian eating is that the diet makes it hard to get enough protein. This is generally not a problem as most foods, even plant foods, have small amounts of protein. The Recommended Dietary Allowance is 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight (0.8 grams/kg). So, for example, a 130-pound woman needs approximately 47 grams of protein a day. Achieving this level is fairly easy if you include non-meat sources of protein such as dairy products, beans and legumes, nuts and soy products.
Check the chart below for good sources of protein.
|
Animal sources of protein
|
Portion size
|
Protein (grams)
|
|
Egg
|
1
|
6
|
|
Cheese
|
1 ounce
|
7
|
|
Milk, 1%
|
8 ounces
|
8
|
|
Yogurt
|
1 cup
|
11
|
|
Cottage cheese
|
½ cup
|
15
|
| |
|
|
|
Plant sources of protein
|
|
|
|
Peanut butter
|
1 tablespoon
|
4.5
|
|
Kidney Beans
|
½ cup
|
6
|
|
Hummus (mashed garbonzo beans)
|
½ cup
|
6
|
|
Refried beans
|
½ cup
|
7
|
|
Tofu, extra firm
|
3.5 ounces
|
11
|
|
Veggie burger
|
1 pattie
|
11
|
|
Baked beans
|
1 cup
|
14
|
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