Tricky Nutrition Questions Answered- Part 7- What's the Best Junk Food?

If my options are a cheesburger, a hot dog, or a slice of pizza, which should I eat? There's a lot of room for debate about these American staples, since hundreds of varieties exist. It comes down to your choice of toppings. The more high fiber veggies you can include, the better. For that reason, your best option is probably a slice of pizza loaded with a combo of veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, and other greens. It's not the perfect meal ( the carbs in the crust are probably of the refined variety), but the pile of produce on the top at least makes it a healthier choice.

Tricky Nutrition Questions Answered- Part 6- What's the Best Fruit Source?

Is a glass of fruit juice equivalent in nutrition to a piece of fruit? Not even close. Most prepared fruit juices contain not only natural sugar but large amounts of added sugar to cut the tartness of the drink. Even juices labeled 100 percent pure aren't necessarily made exclusively from the advertised juice. Superfoods like pomegranate and blueberry are often on the front of the container, but a closer look at the ingredient list reveals that pear, apple, and grape juices- cheaper to produce and supersweet- are usually among the included ingredients. To avoid a sugar surge, pick single fruit juices, pour half a glass, and fill the rest with water or seltzer. Even better, stick with whole fruit. A medium orange has just 62 calories, 12 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of fiber compared with the 110 calories, 24 grams of sugar, and zero fiber found in an 8 ounce glass of orange juice.

Tricky Nutrition Questions Answered- Part 5- Is There a Nutritional Difference Among Cheeses?

Are white cheeses better than yellow cheeses? When it comes to weight loss, yes. Yellow cheeses tend to have more calories because of their higher fat content. Cheddar has 113 calories and 9 grams of fat per ounce, whereas Brie comes with 94 calories and 8 grams of fat. Either way, though, all cheeses are calorie-dense foods. One ounce, which is roughly the size of four dice, has about 100 calories, which is more than twice as many as you'll find in the same size serving of salmon. So remember to use portion control.