For this post I want to share with you the calorie count of some fruits and vegetables. The information was obtained from the USDA nutrient data base. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
Each item is of the same weight, 100 grams, which is below the usual serving size for most of these items and far below the size many people actually consume. So this is not a list of calories for a piece of fruit or a serving of broccoli but a comparison of energy density. You can determine the amount of calories in a serving of food by using the above link.
This is also NOT a tool to denote a food as good or bad. This is an exercise in awareness. Be aware that not all fruits and vegetables are equal. Remember too, that Dr. Walter Willett encourages more vegetables per day than fruits. A variety of foods is best, and yes, it would be wise to not always choose the highest calorie ones.
All of these foods are fresh and do not have anything added to them. The amount is 100 grams. All foods are uncooked except the black beans and lentils.
Remember this is the amount of calories for that food at the 100 g serving size. Most of these items are eaten at 150 to 200 gram sizes. I did list them from least to most calorie dense. Do remember though, this is by weight and some things are heavy, i.e. watermelon and some are very light, i.e. mushrooms.
The veggie list should give you good ideas for volumetric meals. Also, today I uploaded a full day food diary on You Tube... which shows you all the food I ate on a recent Saturday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=760kHgpLUL4
Fruits
Watermelon 30
Strawberry 32
Cantaloupe 34
Honey dew 36
Peach 40
Orange 46
Plum 46
Apricot 48
Pineapple 50
Apple 52
Raspberry 52
Blueberry 57
Pear 58
Kiwi 61
Sweet cherry 63
Mango 65
Grapes 69
Banana 89
Vegetables
Summer squash 16
Tomato 18
Bell Peppers 20-30
Mushroom 22
Eggplant 24
Greens 26
Broccoli 30
Spaghetti squash 31
Green beans 31
Carrots 41
Butternut squash 45
Onion 40
Potato 69
Peas 81
Corn 86
Sweet potato 86
Lentils (cooked) 116
Black beans (cooked) 132
Showing posts with label heart healthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart healthy. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Labeling
I am working on a new public service announcement regarding fruit juice which I hope to have ready tomorrow evening. I did get some interesting feedback from yesterday's post regarding the amount of sugar ( by weight and teaspoons) in many of our popular beverages. Readers were especially surprised to find that what they thought was a health promoting beverage at best and an healthy alternative to soda at the least, was neither.
I am a label reader. I generally won't consume a product if I can't figure out what is in it, and that makes me unique. That is unfortunate.
I bring this up today as I was just reading more about Wal-Marts new initiative to have eco or green labels on all store products so that the consumer can tell if sustainable practices were used in the manufacturing of said product. In the Wall St Journal article that I was reading, there was concern noted by some that the concept was complex and scientific which would make the task of creating a consumer friendly label rather daunting. Another person said that they envisioned the labels to be much like the nutrition labels that were commissioned by the FDA in 1990. Not such a good comparison.
I think that the labels are a fantastic idea and the more information that becomes required the better. The problem is, there hasn't been adequate education on how to read and use the labels. The info is available on line and in handouts, but seriously, have YOU ever seen it? One of the reasons many people drink fruit juice is because they think it is healthy, but a label check would quickly prove otherwise. We have got to learn how to determine a food's content, what is good and bad in that content, and then make healthy choices so that we can avoid illness. This is why nutrition info on menus are also needed.
Here is a link to some of the educational material available for reading food labels. Remember, the serving size is very important. Many times you are reading about a third or half of the package but eating all of it.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm114022.htm
I am a label reader. I generally won't consume a product if I can't figure out what is in it, and that makes me unique. That is unfortunate.
I bring this up today as I was just reading more about Wal-Marts new initiative to have eco or green labels on all store products so that the consumer can tell if sustainable practices were used in the manufacturing of said product. In the Wall St Journal article that I was reading, there was concern noted by some that the concept was complex and scientific which would make the task of creating a consumer friendly label rather daunting. Another person said that they envisioned the labels to be much like the nutrition labels that were commissioned by the FDA in 1990. Not such a good comparison.
I think that the labels are a fantastic idea and the more information that becomes required the better. The problem is, there hasn't been adequate education on how to read and use the labels. The info is available on line and in handouts, but seriously, have YOU ever seen it? One of the reasons many people drink fruit juice is because they think it is healthy, but a label check would quickly prove otherwise. We have got to learn how to determine a food's content, what is good and bad in that content, and then make healthy choices so that we can avoid illness. This is why nutrition info on menus are also needed.
Here is a link to some of the educational material available for reading food labels. Remember, the serving size is very important. Many times you are reading about a third or half of the package but eating all of it.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm114022.htm
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