Apr. 2--You can almost hear the mini Oreos calling to you from their 100-calorie pack.
Go ahead, eat me...
Of course, if you don't like Oreos, then how about the 60-calorie peach-flavored Light & Fit 0% Plus yogurt, the Healthy Choice turkey dinner, the mini rice cakes drizzled in chocolate or the Campbell's soup with natural sea salt? All promise to help you manage you weight in a low-calorie, tasty way.
But is there such a thing as weight-management foods?
Well, sort of, says Cynthia Conde, celebrity trainer, author and nutrition consultant. Good weight management foods, she says, are "something low-calorie, but nutritionally dense... that's the key to weight loss."
"You should look at the label to see that the product is actually giving you good nutrition for the calories, meaning fiber, vitamins, minerals, less added sugar and heart healthy fat," says Jessica Hagey, registered dietitian with Heartland Wellness Connections.
We asked Ms. Conde and Ms. Hagey for their advice on weight-management foods. The bottom line from both experts is that people need to use common sense when choosing weight-management foods.
Q. With obesity such a problem, it's no surprise that many companies are offering weight-management foods -- everything from soups to snacks. Is there a such thing as a weight-management food?
A. Jessica Hagey: I have seen a lot of new products come on the market probably as a result of the obesity crisis and increased publicity around this issue. Many of the products offer a nutritious alternative to other snack foods. These products usually have less added sugar, possibly more vitamins/minerals and more fiber. These products alone are not the solution, however. We still need to create a calorie deficit between calories eaten and calories burned through exercise to lose weight. Not every product out there is the same either. You still need to look at the label to make sure you are getting a nutritious product that will be of benefit to you.
Q. I went through a magazine and clipped more than 20 ads for weight control foods, from oatmeal to crackers with two servings of vegetables in each chip to soups with natural sea salt and zero-fat yogurt. Do you think ads like this make it harder or easier to make good food choices?
A. Ms. Hagey: Sometimes ads can be deceiving, which makes it difficult for the consumer to know what to look for when choosing healthy foods. When people are bombarded by so many messages and sometimes conflicting messages, it is hard to know what to do. I teach my clients/participants that it always comes back to the basics. No matter what the marketing says, you still need to look at the label and decide is this food offering me good nutrition? Are the calories really high? Is the product high in unhealthy fat? Is the product offering me any good nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber?
Q. What are examples of food to help people manage their weight?
A. Ms. Hagey: We encourage our participants to have at least half of their plate at a meal be filled with fruits and vegetables. This is the natural way to help with weight loss. Fruits and vegetables are low-calorie, low-fat and offer a lot of good vitamins/minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. Studies show increasing fruits and vegetables can aid in weight loss... Low-fat dairy such as yogurt, milk and cheese, nuts, peanut butter, cottage cheese, eggs, soy products and lean meats are all sources of protein.
Cynthia Conde: I also recommend low-fat cheese, low-fat or non-fat yogurt, flavored rice cakes, whole grains and nuts.
Q. How can the home cook use weight management food to make them appealing?
A. Ms. Hagey: One example I can think of here are frozen entrees. Sometimes using frozen entrees such as Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Weight Watchers Smart Balance are beneficial for those trying to lose weight to help with portion control. These meals can seem kind of skimpy, though so I always tell people to feel free to add fruits and vegetables to the meal. Even if you add fruits and vegetables, you will still be keeping your calories low.
Ms. Conde: This personal trainer loves to make protein shakes using nonfat yogurt. She also likes to top whole-grain snack crackers with almond butter. She'll take the flavored rice cakes and spread almond butter or humus on them, as well.
Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com
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