Green Giant broccoli and cheese is pretty darned good. It’s low in calories, it has some saturated fat but not much, and it’s not too carb-heavy. You also get the added bonus of 2g of fiber.
Here are some basic tips about choosing food that is good for you:
1. AVOID TRANS FAT — DO NOT go by the nutrition percentages. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen something advertised as “No Trans Fat” and it says 0g of trans fat on the label, but when you read the ingredients there is some type of partially or fully hydrogenated oil in it. If the ingredient list has any type of partially or fully hydrogenated oil, it has trans fat in it and should be avoided.
2. AVOID HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE — This stuff is the father of all dietary evil, but it’s in so many things. Soft drinks are LOADED with it. Try to find stuff that does not have HFCS in it. Real sugar is better for you than HFCS, but…
3. KEEP SUGAR TO A MINIMUM — The problem with sugar is it’s one of those carbohydrates that is easily broken down by the body and converted to fat. People gain weight more quickly by eating too much sugar than they do too much fat.
4. CHECK THE FAT GRAMS — Some things are high in fat but are high in healthy types of fat. Other things are low in fat but high in the wrong types of fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are good for you (they help promote weight loss and lower your cholesterol), but the jury is still out on saturated fat. Doctors have said for years that too much saturated fat causes high cholesterol, but recent studies suggest that’s not true. For now, keep the saturated fat low. Good sources of the other healthy fats are: Avocadoes, eggs, fish, fish oil, flax seed, flax seed oil, nuts (any kind), and olive oil.
5. GO HIGH-FIBER — High-fiber diets have been shown to help lower cholesterol. They recommend getting at least 25g of fiber in your diet a day, but that’s a lot unless you take fiber supplements. Best sources of fiber are: Apples, beans and legumes, dried fruit like prunes, flax seed, and whole grain products like bread, cereal, and pasta.
6. GO HIGH PROTEIN — Most Americans eat too little protein, too little fat, and WAY too many carbs. The FDA claims an average-sized adult needs about 65g of protein per day. WRONG!!! You need at least DOUBLE that every day. When reading labels, try to find foods that have at least some protein in them, and be careful about foods that have a little bit of protein but a lot of carbs. Healthy Choice and Weight Watchers Smart Ones entrees are high-carb and low-protein, so avoid them. South Beach Living entrees have a lot more protein and not as many carbs.
7. DON’T SWEAT THE VITAMINS — As long as you’re eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables you’ll get your vitamins and some minerals. The rest of the minerals you can get from meat and nuts. The key is to get a good balance. Aim for an even three-way split between protein, fat, and carbs, and the vitamins and minerals will take care of themselves.