As we arrive back on campus, many “get-togethers” occur to celebrate reuniting with our friends. Much to my disappointment, it is rare to come across vegetable platters or fruit bowls at these events-you are much more likely to find dishes of the usual chips, cookies and candy. While obviously not healthy choices, it is OK to eat these foods once in a while. I may be the writer and creator of Health Beat, but that doesn’t mean I condemn the idea of eating a cupcake, a cookie or some chips every now and then. However, I do believe that that one must be very careful in doing so because it is easy to binge on tasty treats. You may not see an immediate impact on your health and well-being after enjoying something sugary, but it very well could wreak havoc on your waistline in the not-so-distant future.
So what, when and how can you indulge without ending up looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy?
There is a common belief in the dieting world that when it comes to junk food, it is allowed, as long as it is in “moderation.” In this sense, moderation is referring to the quantity and frequency with which one chooses to have high-calorie foods. I’ll use a doughnut as an example of quantity control. The average doughnut has 310 calories and 16.5 grams of fat, but a doughnut hole, which is much smaller, has just 65 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. When it comes to the frequency of eating junk food, having a concrete from Ted Drewes or fries from Bear’s Den every once in a while will not ruin your health. It is when a person has a concrete or fries every night that he or she may develop problems. So what is a healthy portion and how often can you eat these treats?
Appropriate portion size of different types of junk food can be determined by the calorie content of each food. For example, seven tortilla chips have more calories than fifteen mini pretzels. Every food differs in fat, carbohydrate, sugar and calorie content, and all are important components in determining the relative “healthiness” of a food. But when it comes to weight maintenance, calorie intake is the most important thing to watch. If you eat as many calories as you burn in a day, you will maintain your weight. Eat more calories than you burn and you will gain weight; eat fewer calories than the daily allotment and you’ll lose weight. Thus if you choose to splurge, it is important to keep in mind just how many calories you are adding to your daily intake.
There are many treats on campus that contain between 200 and 250 calories. If you are a sweets person, you can indulge on 1 whole Rice Krispie treat, 2/3 of a sugar cookie with M&Ms or half a brownie with walnuts. If salty is more your style, a snack-size bag of Rold Gold Pretzels, Ruffles, Nacho Doritos or ¬ of a serving of Bear’s Den tortilla chips are all good choices.
You can check the nutritional information of the “junk foods” on campus by visiting http://diningservices.wustl.edu/. Select a dining location on campus and click on the nutrition pyramids to find out ingredients and nutrition information in different food items.
Keep in mind that as a general rule you should eat healthy snacks and meals, but even in a healthy diet there is always some room for junk food, as long as it is “in moderation.”