What's your nutrition condition?

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Your belly is bursting, your belt buckle feels extra tight and the taste of turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie still lingers on your tongue.

Welcome to the morning after.

You've overindulged and now you're feeling guilty about your Thanksgiving-weekend binge.

Now you're ready to get back on track, nutritionally speaking.

Are you prepared?

Take this pop quiz to find out if you have the nutrition IQ to make the right food choices:

1. You've heard that limiting your sugar intake will make you healthier. Which of the following contains the most sugar?

A) 1 tablespoon of store-bought strawberry jam

B) 1 tablespoon of honey

C) 1 tablespoon of white sugar

ANSWER

You may be surprised to find out that strawberry jam and white sugar are equals in the sugar department; each contains 13 grams of the sweet stuff.

Meanwhile, 1 tablespoon of honey contains the highest amount of sugar in a tablespoon -- about 17 grams. Proponents of raw honey claim it has some health benefits. Most experts agree, however, that sugar -- regardless of where it comes from -- generally has the same effect on the body. (It promotes insulin release, it can elevate trigycleride levels and it gives your body a shot of empty calories).

Something to consider: People may tend to use less honey than sugar because of its intense taste and sweetness. When scanning an ingredient label to check whether your food contains sugar, keep in mind that corn syrup, agave nectar, cane sugar, glucose, fructose, dextrose and grape juice are all just synonyms for sugar.

2. Greek yogurt is good for you because:

A) It's made in Greece, the cradle of ancient western civilization

B) It's higher in protein than regular yogurt

C) It's richer, yet lower in saturated fat than regular yogurt

ANSWER

If you chose B, you're correct. Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt. Where regular yogurt may contain 9 grams of protein in a 3/4-cup serving, the same amount of Greek yogurt could contain more than 20. Greek yogurt seems to be all the rage these days -- and for good reason.

You can get it with various fat counts, but even the non-fat version of Greek yogurt is extra thick and high in muscle-building protein. That's because of the process of making Greek yogurt. (The term refers to the way it's made, not necessarily where it's made). After the milk and/or cream to make yogurt is heated and enriched with live bacterial cultures, it is strained in a fine filter. This removes the water and the whey.

The result is a yogurt that contains double the protein, just because it's more concentrated. It's also extra thick and doesn't require added thickeners such as gelatin and carrageenan that are sometimes found in conventional North American yogurt.

3. You and your family require fibre to keep your digestive systems and arteries running smoothly. Which of the following foods contains the most fibre in a typical serving?

A) 1/2 cup of cooked long-grain brown rice

B) 1 slice of Dempster's WholeGrains 12-grain bread

C) 1/2 cup of raspberries

ANSWER

Of the foods listed above, raspberries contain the most fibre at a fairly sizable 4.6 grams per serving. One slice of the 12-grain bread contains three grams of fibre. The 1/2-cup serving of cooked rice contains only 1.7 grams of fibre.

Experts say that North Americans, both adults and kids, are not getting adequate amounts of fibre in their diet due, in part, to eating highly processed, nutritionally-empty foods.

Fibre -- the part of plant-based foods that you can't digest -- is essential to health. Soluble fibre acts like a sponge by soaking up cholesterol and sweeping it out of the body. Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, keeps your digestive system running well and prevents constipation.

Many foods contain both types of fibre and can increase life expectancy, quality of life and keep you full longer. How much should you get? According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, kids age 1-3 need about 19 grams of fibre a day; kids age 4-8 need about 25 grams of fibre daily; and those age 9-13 need between 26 and 31 grams of fibre daily. Older teens and adults need between 25 and 38 grams daily, according to the Mayo Clinic.

4. Along with eating better, you're trying to exercise more. Which of the following would make the best meal following an intense hour-long workout?

A ) Whole-grain pasta and tomato sauce

B) Peanut butter on whole-grain toast

C) Grilled chicken breast

ANSWER

The peanut butter and toast option is the correct choice. Most experts agree that following an intense period of exercise, you should eat within an hour or two at the latest, a window when your body is most ready to receive the nutrients it needs to recover from what you just put it through. Your meal or snack choice should contain lower fat protein, healthy carbs and a bit of heart-healthy fat. The pasta option would offer you predominantly carbohydrates while the chicken breast would offer you just protein and fat. The peanut butter and toast offers you all three macronutrients.

5. Cardiologists warn that ingesting saturated fat can elevate blood-cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart disease, clogged arteries and early death. Which of the following contains the most saturated fat?

A) 1 bag of Orville Redenbacher's Light Buttery Flavour popcorn

B) 50 grams of Old Dutch Rip-L potato chips -- about 25 chips

C) 1 medium avocado

ANSWER

The buttery flavoured popcorn -- even though it's "light" -- contains the most saturated fat at 4 grams a bag. Meanwhile, a serving of potato chips contains 1 gram of saturated fat. The avocado contains about 3 grams of saturated fat. (The other 19 grams of fat in an avocado is monounsaturated -- which means it's actually good for your heart and can even lower bad cholesterol).

Have an interesting story idea you'd like Shamona to write about? Contact her at shamona.harnett@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 11, 2011 0