Eating Low-Fat Foods Only Part Of Answer To Weight-Watching
If the number of low- and nonfat products available these days is any indication, Americans have taken to heart the message of limiting fat in their diets.
But something doesn’t quite make sense, according to a major survey by the National Center for Health Statistics.
The survey, called the NHANES III, showed the number of over-weight adults has jumped from 25 percent to 33 percent in the last decade.
If Americans are eating less fat, then how come their weight is going up?
Besides lack of exercise, the answer lies in the number of calories consumed. People are eating 100 to 300 more calories per day than they used to.
Consumers may erroneously believe that they can eat as much of a fat-free food as they want, without regard to calories and without gaining weight.
Low-fat eating is good, but it is not the whole answer. The focus should be on total caloric intake, including carbohydrates. Your body will store excess carbohydrates, just as it will store excess fat.
You can be a savvy shopper. Read food labels and note the calorie count and serving size, not just the fat content.
Have your low-fat pasta, but remember to eat moderate amounts.
Pasta with ‘Cream Sauce’
From “The Low-Fat Epicure” (Berkley Books)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
8 ounces pasta, cooked
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Optional: Freshly ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and pasta, tossing to heat through. Add evaporated skim milk and salt, and heat 1-2 minutes, just until milk is thickened. Remove from heat immediately. Sprinkle with grated cheese and, if desired, freshly ground black pepper.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 291 calories, 7 grams fat (22 percent fat calories), 43 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams protein, 43 milligrams cholesterol, 348 milligrams sodium.
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