In part one of this series I talked to you about foods that appear healthy but are in fact sugar and calories in disguise. Now I would like to flip to the other side of the food myth coin. I want to talk to you about foods that appear junky but are in fact pretty healthy! Now before you go stock piling these foods, I would like to remind you of portion control. Just because these tasty treats are healthier than you thought, that doesn't mean you should eat more of them.
- Eggs are thought to be high in cholesterol. They are in fact high in protein and have half the fat of a tablespoon of most salad dressings. It would still be a good idea to keep your yolk consumption to around 4 or 5 a week.
- Jelly (thought is has a lot of sugar) has half the calories of butter or margarine and is fat free. So instead of putting both butter and jelly, try just the latter.
- Pancakes are usually not the unhealthy culprit. It is the toppings we put on them that stick pancakes with a bum wrap. Low fat toppings such as yogurt, brown or powdered sugar, fresh fruit, and jam or jelly are good choices.
- Pizza is actually a fairly balanced meal. Especially when topped with low fat mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato sauce, and vegetables. If pizza is a main staple in your diet, it is best to keep the meat toppings (pepperoni, sausage, and ground beef) to a minimum.
- Red Meat is a good source of iron, protein, zinc, and several B vitamins. As I indicated above, it should be consumed in moderation. It is also important to point out that you should be choosing lean cuts of meat.
- White Bread contains plenty of complex carbohydrates and little fat. White breads today are enriched with iron, folic acid, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. With that said, wheat bread (especially with whole grain) has way more nutrition packed into each slice.
