Avoid the Fat Trap

cooking

Jan 8

You are shopping in the snack aisle and those boxes of chocolate goodies, cookies, crackers and cereal bars are bursting with nutritional claims, “fat-free”, “reduced fat”, “99% fat free”, “low fat.” The question remains, “if they are fat free or low fat or even reduced fat, can you eat these instead of their regular higher-fat cousins to avoid gaining weight?”The answer lies in the calories. For weight control, calories still count. Recent research shows you may be able to control your weight better if you fill up on foods that have a lower caloric density.Foods with a caloric density well below 1000 calories per pound, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, make you feel full faster so you need to eat less of them to feel satisfied. Foods above that trick you into eating more of them to feel satisfied, causing you to eat a lot more calories.Now you know why one of the potato chip commercials boasts, “you can’t eat just one!”Look on the label and compare calories to the weight of the serving size. To stay well on an average of under 1000 calories per pound shoot for:Per Gram about 1 calorie or lessPer Ounce about 30 calories or lessFor example, if a fat free cereal bar weighing 1 ounce contains 140 calories, it contains 2240 calories per pound - probably not a great choice if you are trying to lose weight, considering you can eat an apple that weighs 6-8 ounces for under 100 calories (around 160 calories per pound).A few foods that you eat may be high in caloric density but you should keep the average of what you eat on a daily basis well under 750 calories per pound to better control your weight.

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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