'Healthy' foods a pitfall for dieters

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Sun, May. 21, 2006

'Healthy' foods a pitfall for dieters

CANDICE CHOI

Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. - On a mission to whip herself into shape, Kate

Kowalczyk tossed out the junk food and stocked up on her idea of

good-for-you staples like yogurt and low-fat cookies.

Despite her persistence, the 35 pounds she was trying to shake

wouldn't budge.

It turns out those " healthy " foods were just as fattening as the

chips and soda they replaced: The yogurt was filled with Reese's

Pieces and the low-fat cookies were brimming with sugar that kept

her hunger on razor's edge.

As concerns grow over rising obesity rates, so does confusion about

the difference between what is healthy and what aids weight loss -

with many believing the two are interchangeable.

" That's why so many people just give in and so many diets fail, "

said Gerbstadt, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic

Association.

Foods with wholesome images - nuts, yogurt and granola - are often

consumed with abandon by dieters and end up sabotaging them, she

said. Many brands of granola, for example, can be packed with up to

600 calories per cup and are loaded with more sugar than a cup of

Cap'n Crunch.

While foods like granola and yogurt are certainly more nutritious

than a bag of Cheetos, it's important to pick the lower-calorie

brands that are not loaded with sugar or fat.

" When you have different choices and brands, just look for the ones

with lower calories, " Gerbstadt said.

Still, some weight watchers manage to convince themselves blueberry

pie has its place in a diet - simply because it features a fruit,

said , a registered dietitian at Cedars Sinai in Los

Angeles.

" Just because the basic thing is healthy doesn't mean it's a healthy

dish, " said.

That's true for fish and vegetable dishes, too, which may have been

prepared with loads of butter, cream, or breading, she said.

According to a survey by the Washington-based Food Marketing

Institute, 59 percent of shoppers were trying to eat a healthier

diet last year, up 14 percent from 2000. Forty-two percent of those

shoppers said losing weight is a health goal that influences their

purchases.

But confusion is rampant about what healthy means; the same survey

found 20 percent of respondents didn't know what " organic " meant,

except that it was " better for you. " But even foods labeled organic

or " natural " can have just as many calories.

An ounce of Pringles potato chips contains 160 calories, for

example, while potato chips made by the organic food company

Barbara's Bakery have 150 calories for the same serving size.

Frito Lay's Tostitos Natural Blue Corn Tortilla Chips and the

brand's Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips each have 160 calories per

serving.

Yet people seem to binge on " natural " snacks free of guilt, even

though there is virtually no calorie difference in many instances,

said.

Although there are no figures tracking the growth of " natural "

foods, health experts say they are seeing a growing abundance of

such products riding on the coattails of the booming organic food

market - which grew 13 percent to $18.4 billion in 2004, according

to FMI.

" It's all in the advertising - you see this bright packaging that

says it's good for you, " said Kowalczyk, 34, of Troy, N.Y.

Since joining a weight-loss support group at work last month,

Kowalczyk has learned to look beyond the veneer of " healthy "

products and pay attention to calories.

" Rather than using all the marketing claims, the best thing to do is

turn the product over and look at the nutritional facts to check the

caloric content - and pay attention to the serving size, " Gerbstadt

said.

When scaling back calories, Gerbstadt said it is important to get as

many vitamins and nutrients as possible since less is being eaten.

Making substitutions - like an apple instead of applesauce - is a

good way to keep calories down and nutrition up, she said.

ON THE NET

American Dietetic Association, http://www.eatright.org

Food and Drug Administration, http://www.fda.gov