Chasing down healthy food is no easy task, especially when labels throw deceiving claims at consumers ("fat free" can often be worse for you than regular options). Test your health knowledge by examining some popular kitchen items--it's not always clear which one is better to eat, so it's important that you understand nutritional contents.
MARGARINE vs. BUTTER
1 tsp of margarine: 34 calories, 3.8g of fat (.6g saturated), 44mg sodium
1 tsp of butter (without salt): 102 calories, 11.5g of fat (7.3g saturated), 2mg sodium
Takeaway: Butter is very high in saturated fat (bad fat), but low in sodium. Not all margarine is the same (some brands are worse than butter), so when selecting one make sure you read the nutritional label carefully.
VEGGIE BURGER vs. TURKEY BURGER
1 Amy's All American All American Veggie Burger (no bun): 120 calories, 390mg sodium, 15g carbs
1 Foster Farms Turkey Patty (no bun): 150 calories, 80mg sodium, 22g protein
Takeaway: Veggie burgers are high in vitamins and low in calories, but this particular brand is fairly high in sodium. Most ready-made burgers (prepackaged) are high in salt so examining the nutritional info is key.
SKIM MILK vs. SOY MILK
1 cup skim milk: 86 calories, .4g fat (.3 saturated), 127mg sodium, 11.9 carbs, 8.4 protein
1 cup soy milk: 100 calories, 4g fat (.5g saturated), 120mg sodium, 8g carbs, 7.0g protein
Takeaway: While soy milk is a viable lactose-free alternative, it can be very high in sugar, so it's essential that you select an unsweetened option. It's important to note that some studies suggest that soy can affect hormone production.
PEANUT BUTTER vs. ALMOND BUTTER
1 Tbsp of peanut butter: 94 calories, 8g fat (1.7g saturated), 73.5mg sodium, 3.1g carbs
1 Tbsp of almond butter: 101 calories, 9.5g fat (.9g saturated), 2mg sodium, 3.4g carbs
Takeaway: There's little difference between these two spreads, until you focus on sodium counts. Regular peanut butter (and again, not all jars are the same) is incredibly high in sodium, plus most brands are chock-full of hydrogenated oils and sugar. The better low-cholesterol/no sugar option is almond butter.
+ If you're interested in MTV's commitment to health and fitness, make sure you tune in Dec. 29 at 10/9c for the premiere of "I Used To Be Fat," a new series that follows the inspirational journey of overweight teens as they try to change their lives through weight loss.
All estimated calories are from caloriecount.about.com