The healthy weight installments continue! Read the previous parts on motivation (Part 1a and Part 1b), and the preceding section on better eating. In this part 2b, we focus on practical tips on gearing you up to eat better, healthier and cleaner. And here are they….
6. Read the Nutrition Labels
I know that Indonesian Government has not been great in enforcing the placement of nutrition labels, and we just have to make do with what we have. When nutrition label exists on the back of packaging, the main values to watch: calories, saturated fat, sugar count, dietary fiber, and cholesterol. Caloric is pretty obvious. Saturated fat is artery clogging and elevates cholesterol – the lower the better. Dietary fiber is good to make you feel full, helps you regular with #2, and improves your bad cholesterol level. Sugar content is always a good thing to watch. The recommended intake of sugar daily is no more than 6 teaspoons (or 100 calories) per day for adult female, and 9 teaspoons (150 calories). In general, the lesser ingredients is better – meaning it is less processed and contains less fillers. This rule doesn’t always sound true though. If the only ingredients listed are flour and sugar, better stay away from that food! Be also wary with claims and stamps of ‘healthy’, ‘fat free’ or ‘loaded with fiber’. A lot of stuff that is fat free contains a lot of artificial sugar, or just sugar to compensate with the lack of fat (fat adds taste). When the claim is about fiber, read how much of dietary fiber there is. I don’t see how ‘nutritious wheat biscuit’ containing only 2 grams of fiber per serving is really that much better than a glass of low-fat of milk containing 5 gr of fiber (with about the same calories, more calcium and protein).
