December 2019
Jacqui Lewis - BHSc Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine
What Are the Sneaky Diet Saboteurs?
Cutting the junk from your diet is the first step towards your healthy
weight, but sometimes, the healthy foods you swap in are surprisingly high in
fat and calories.
That's why serving size matters - even when it comes to
fruits, nuts, yogurt, and salads.
So STOP sabotaging your diet!
Follow our guide to healthy—but
sneaky—foods.
Health friendly swaps and serving sizes follow,
making it easier to indulge in meals that pack
the best nutritional punch.
NUTS
Nuts are packed with heart- healthy omega-3
fatty acids, protein, vitamin E, and fibre—but
they're also high in calories.
A quarter-cup of
almonds, for example, contains 132
calories.
It's all too easy to eat them by the handful,
like popcorn.
HERE’S A HOT TIP
Measure out a serving rather
than eating straight from the
container.
Better still – get yourself a E-ZY
SNAX stackable lunch box and you’ll be sure you are only
consuming a 100 calorie serving every
time!
RED WINE
People who consume moderate amounts of
red wine may be at reduced risk for heart
disease, Alzheimer's, certain types of cancers, and even weight gain.
The key word:
moderation.
A 150ml (half a cup) serving
is about 130 calories.
THINGS TO WATCH
Beware fishbowl-sized glasses,
which make you more likely to overpour.
Pour your wine into a measuring cup, and then dump it into your glass to see
what a serving looks like in your
glassware.
AVOCADO
This superfood is packed with good-for-you
nutrients and antioxidants, as well as
belly-filling fibre and heart-healthy
monounsaturated fats.
But if your goal is to
lose weight, you'll need to watch your intake.
Even foods packed with healthy fats are
calorically dense - so PORTIONS is
EVERYTHING!
WATCH YOUR SERVING SIZE
One serving size is about 1/5 of an
avocado, and clocks in at 50 calories.
A single avocado can deliver more than
350 calories.
This means that the small bowl of
guacamole you enjoy so much is more
than a snack
it's actually getting closer
to a whole
meal!
CHOCOLATE
Dark chocolate contains disease-fighting
polyphenols and has even been associated
with weight loss —if you don't eat too much
of it, that is.
25g of dark chocolate packs in 155
calories and 9 grams of fat, 5 of it
saturated.
TRY THIS...
Snack on dark chocolate that
contains
a high percentage of cacao
that means it's less sugary.
Have just a couple squares at a time.
DRIED FRUIT
Dried fruits are just normal fruits that have
had the water taken out of them.
So, a cup of dried fruit packs five to eight
times more calories and sugar than a cup of
the fresh stuff.
Here's some perspective: a
cup of fresh grapes is 60 calories,
while a cup of raisins is a whopping 460
calories.
GO FRESH
Go for fresh fruit whenever possible.
Use dried fruit sparingly as a garnish,
not as a snack.
YOGHURT
A container of plain yoghurt contains
just 100 calories and provides a dose of
bone-building calcium.
But one small cup of yoghurt that comes with
fruit on the bottom may contain up to 150
calories and 26 grams of sugar.
MAKE YOUR OWN
Buy plain, fat-free yoghurt and add
sweetness with fresh fruit and honey.
Fat-free Greek yoghurt is even better!
It's naturally lower in sugar
but contains double the protein
to keep you satisfied longer.
GLUTEN-FREE PACKAGE FOOD
If you have a gluten intolerance, then you
must drop wheat, barley, and rye from your
diet to stay healthy.
But gluten-free products
aren't necessarily healthy.
Gluten-free packaged foods often replace
regular flour refined flours, and are usually
loaded with sugar which decreases
nutritional content = sugar crash and
cravings a few hours later.
Removing glutenous grains also
lowers B group Vitamins and Fibre.
GO WHOLE, GO NATURAL
Whether or not you're
on a gluten-free diet, you should try to
eat as many whole, natural foods
as possible, and limit your intake of
heavily processed foods.
Wholemeal/rye/sourdough breads
are good alternatives to white breads!
COFFEE
The caffeine in coffee may help protect
your brain cells against the damage that
causes dementia, and your brew's
antioxidants ward off disease.
But if you order a large latte with whole
milk, you'll be sipping up to
300 calories and 15 grams of fat.
WHAT CAN BE CHANGED
Drink it black, and you set yourself
back just 5 calories.
Add a splash of
fat-free milk and a teaspoon of sugar
for just an additional 30 calories.
ICED TEA
Tea contains disease-fighting
antioxidants and has been linked to
improved heart health and reduced risk
for dementia.
However, drinking
sweetened bottled tea may do your
health more harm than good.
These products are loaded with sugar,
and one bottle may contain two or more
servings.
GET IT GUILT FREE
Brew your own iced tea and add
sweetener gradually to taste; you'll
probably use less than you'd get
from a bottle.
Or, simply buy an unsweetened
variety.
Jacqui Lewis
BHSc Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine