For lunch today...

Friday, September 26, 2008

So, people ask me all the time: "What do you eat for lunch?" So here it is: what I had for lunch today.

Salad (2 cups mixed greens {spinach, endive, spring mix}, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 1/4 cup shredded red cabbage, 1 oz mushrooms, sliced cucumbers {3 slices}, sliced radishes, 2 tbsp black olives, 4 whole green olives, 1/8 cup cheese, 1/4 cup croutons, and 1 oz sunflower seeds, and creamy caesar dressing);

1/2 cup Campbell's Wisconsin cheese soup;

8 oz skim milk

1/2 cup red grapes.

Calories: 514 Protein: 24 Carbohydrate: 56 Total Fiber: 8 Total Fat: 24.5

So, what that all boils down to:

1.)There's a little too much fat. (I should have skipped the cheese soup and gone for chicken noodle or vegetarian chili instead!) But considering that my breakfast - which consisted of a Fiber One bar, a container of yogurt and an apple - contained minimal fat, I'm not too terribly concerned.

Here's a tip: cream based soups contain more fat than water based soups.

2.)There are lots of colorful veggies: red, purple, orange, green - lots of antioxidants and phytochemicals!

Fruits and vegetables that are the darkest and brightest have the highest amount of antioxidants and phytochemicals! For example: spinach (dark green) contains more nutrients than iceberg lettuce.

Tip: When shopping for produce, choose the brighest and/or darkest.

3.)It's balanced in terms of energy sources: contains a source of carbohydrate (croutons, milk, grapes); contains a source of protein (cheese, milk); and a source of fat (cheese, dressing, soup).

4.) It has a food from each of the food groups: Grains - croutons; Milk - milk, cheese; Meat/Meat Alternative - sesame seeds; Vegetables - endive, spinach, carrots, red cabbage, cucumbers, radishes; Fruit - grapes.

Tip: visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for more tips on getting the right amount of each food group each day.

5.) It contained 1/3 my daily recommendation for fiber: 8 grams is about 1/3 of the amount needed for the entire day. My breakfast consisted of about 17 grams so I've had my fiber recommendation for the day. (25 grams is the recommended intake for most Americans.)

Tips for increasing the amount of fiber in your diet:

Eat whole-grain cereals for breakfast.

Eat at least two pieces of whole fruit per day, such as pears, apples, bananas and strawberries. Add them to your cereal, yogurt or salads.

Eat whole-wheat bread. Remember, just because it’s brown doesn’t mean it’s whole-wheat. Check the label to make sure it reads “whole-wheat.”

Add tomatoes, lettuce or other vegetables to sandwiches.

For a snack, munch on popcorn, which is also a whole grain. Go easy on the salt and butter.

Make side dishes with short-grain brown rice. It’s loaded with fiber and flavor.

Put vegetables in soups and pasta dishes. If you’re having pizza, load up on the vegetable toppings.

Just remember, when you start to increase the amount of fiber in your diet, make sure to increase the amount of water you consume as well! Otherwise, you may be pretty uncomfortable!