Foods you don’t expect actually make you fat

I’m an obsessive calorie counter, and a bit of a health freak. When I come across news that my so-called “healthy” eating habits are really not healthy at all, I get mildly upset. This week I came across two separate health related stories that blew me away. What you think is nutritious might actually contribute to that spare tire.

To be specific, pop corn and fruit juice are making you fat.

The Center for Science and Public Interest conducted a study that delved into the nutritional makeup of movie popcorn. The results indicate that eating a medium size popcorn along with a soda is the equivalent of eating three Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s with 12 pats of butter.

Just to give you a better perspective of how disastrous this movie popcorn and soda combination is, each Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s contains 410 calories. Multiply that by three and you get a whopping 1,230 calories! In order to maintain a healthy weight, the average person typically wants to avoid intaking more than 2,000 calories per day. Wasting 1,230 cals on a SNACK alone is a terrible idea.

CSPI’s study also found that although the Regal movie theater chain claimed that their medium popcorn contained 720 calories, it really has 1,160 calories!

Here is my suggestion: Take your own damn snacks to the movie theater. I know I’m not supposed to tell you that, and movie theater owners are about to write me threatening emails. But we’re in the middle of an economic mess, America is fighting an obesity epidemic, and you don’t want to spend $10 on a snack that will clog your arteries.

Slice up some delicious gala apples (my personal favorite) and pack them in a little baggy! Or if you want something salty, pack one serving of pretzels. Whatever you decide to munch on, just make sure you educate yourself on what you’re eating. Be educated on the contents of your snacks, and ask yourself whether or not what you’re eating is worth it. You can also ask the employee at the concession stand if the theater sells unbuttered popcorn. If they do, stick to a small size and you should be okay.

Fruit juice is another devil in disguise. An article in the Los Angeles Times indicates that orange juice is just as hazardous to your health as soda. In fact, a growing number of health professionals are trying to undo the myth that the longtime breakfast staple is healthy.

“It’s pretty much the same as sugar water,” said Dr. Charles Billington, an appetite researcher at the University of Minnesota. In the modern diet, “there is no need for any juice at all.”

A glass of juice concentrates all the sugar from several pieces of fruit. Ounce per ounce, it contains more calories than soda, though it tends to be consumed in smaller servings. A cup of orange juice has 112 calories, apple juice has 114, and grape juice has 152, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The same amount of Coke has 97 calories.

Although orange juice is commonly known for providing a healthy dose of Vitamin C, the nutrient is lost when processing the oranges. The vitamin is re-added during the packaging stage of the beverage. Fiber can be found in abundance when eating oranges. But an orange’s fiber nearly vanishes in juice form.

Here is another suggestion: Don’t twist the message and think I’m trying to convince you to substitute fruit juice with soda. Avoid both sugary liquids and stick to good ol’ H20. Water contains no calories, helps keep your skin clear, and even curbs your appetite. Once in a while I’ll splurge and have a small glass of cranberry juice with my breakfast. Moderation is key if you cannot give juice up. There is no excuse for soda. It’s pure poison and is known for increasing appetite.

UPDATE: After writing and publishing this story, I received an email from Karen Bennett Mathis, the Public Relations Director for the Florida Department of Citrus. The Department believes that Karen Kaplan’s LA Times article about fruit juice included inaccurate information about one hundred percent orange juice. Mathis shared a copy of a letter that the Florida Department of Citrus sent Kaplan. The complete letter can be read below:

“On behalf of the Florida Department of Citrus, I am writing in response to your recent article in the Los Angeles Times titled, “It’s time fruit juice loses its wholesome image, some experts say.” Please allow us to share further information.

We respectfully disagree with Dr. Charles Billington that one hundred percent orange juice is “pretty much the same as sugar water” as quoted in your article. Orange juice is a natural source of essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients needed for a lifetime of good health. In fact, one 8-ounce glass counts as almost 25 percent of your USDA-recommended daily fruit and vegetable servings, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A recent analysis of NHANES data reports that 60% of adult men and 53% of adult women had dietary vitamin C intakes less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) established by the Institute of Medicine and over 22% of adults had plasma vitamin C concentrations that put them at moderate risk of developing vitamin C deficiency. An 8-ounce serving of orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and provides at least 100% of the Daily Value for this important antioxidant. Additionally, an 8-ounce serving of 100% orange juice is a good source of thiamin, potassium and folate, and delivers other important nutrients such as vitamin B6 and magnesium.

As mentioned in your article, a comprehensive review of studies regarding 100% fruit juice intake and increased weight in children and adolescents reported that the preponderance of evidence does not support such an association. In fact, this review suggests that consuming 100% fruit juice in moderate amounts “may be an important strategy to help children meet the current recommendations for fruit.” A recent analysis of NHANES 1999-2002 data reported that 50% of children age 2-5, 74% of children age 6-11, and 81% of adolescents age 12-18 are not meeting MyPyramid fruit intake recommendations based on a single day’s dietary intake. An evaluation of the same NHANES data reported that 100% fruit juice intake was associated with higher daily intakes of whole fruit in children age 2-11 years. We strongly support the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 100% juice intake guidelines for moderate intakes of juice (i.e., 4-6 ounces per day for children age 1-6 years and 8-12 ounces per day for older children) as we believe these can help children get the nutrients they need and help meet fruit intake recommendations.”