Terrific Tuesday. Here we go and I've got to quit reading those magazines in the doctor's office. This one from, of all places, A Man's World. More Food, Fewer Calories by Frank G. Bottone, Jr. Ph.D. I won't copy all of his article, but salient points - one of the biggest challenges in cutting calories is dealing with hunger. There's nothing fun about eating less food than you're used to, but cutting down isn't just about volume and it's not just a matter of shoveling less food into your mouth. It's also about energy density, a simple concept that enables you to consume significantly fewer calories without axing half your diet.
The article goes on to talk about energy density being defined as the number of calories divided by the number of grams in a food item. Groan - can't do the math!! Foods containing mostly water or fiber approach zero calories per gram and are considered "energy lean" while high-fat "energy-dense" foods can contain up to nine calories per gram. Choosing energy lean foods works well because it allows you to eat your usual amount of food - if not more - while still taking in fewer calories. I think I can handle that. Okay, what do we look for? Whole grains, cereals, lean cuts of meat, most fruits and vegetables are all nutrient-rich, energy-lean foods. Avoid (or limit) deep-fried anything, cheeses and cream-based sauces/soups.
Don't know whether the 'density' is listed on our labels, but keeping in mind the information on whole grains, cereals fruits and veggies, etc will be a big help.
Dr. Bottone did list some foods on the density scale - (use or avoid)
Density Scale 0 Lettuce (0.1) Broccoli (0.3) Apple (0.5)
Density Scale 1 Tilapia (1.0) Baked potato (1.1) Egg (1.6)
Density Scale 2 Salmon (2.0) Miso soup (2.0) Guacamole (2.0)
Density Scale 3 Pork sausage (3.4) Clif Bar (3.4) Oatmeal (3.8)
Density Scale 4 Sugar doughnut (4.0) Popcorn (4.0) Granola Bar (4.7)
Density Scale 5 Ranch Sauce (5.0) Fried bacon (5.4) Corn chips (5.5)
Density Scale 6 Almonds (6.0) Walnuts (6.0) Pecans (6.7)
Density Scale 7 Butter (7.0) Mayonnaine (7.1) Macadamias (7.3)
Density Scale 8 Olive Oil (8.0) Canola Oil (8.8) Corn Oil (8.9)
Density Scale 9 Pure Fat
So --today can be a Terrific Tuesday or a Taboo Tuesday - you choose.