Diet & Weight Loss Articles: Do We Have Too Many Choices?

Article: "Do We Have Too Many Choices?"

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Grapefruit Half from The Breast Health Cookbook by Dr. Bob Arnot

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Do We Have Too Many Choices?

Recently a group of scientists made a strange, (and probably unexpected), discovery with some caged rats. I know that we aren't the same as rats, but I think these little creatures may have something to teach us.

The scientists wanted to know if the rats would regulate their own diets for optimum health, so they put three bowls in their cages - one filled with a carbohydrate like corn, another with a protein food, and a third with an oil or fat. The rats did just fine

Then the researchers added some choices to see what happened. Instead of one kind of carbohydrate, they now gave the rats two. They added another protein food, and another fat.

Within a few weeks, some of the rats had eaten themselves to death.

Now think of last year's Thanksgiving dinner. Did you have sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes and dressing and dinner rolls and apple or pumpkin pie? If both turkey and ham were offered, did you have some of both? Did you have gravy on your potatoes, and butter on your rolls? Most of us did.

Choices aren't always a good thing. We live in a country that is bursting with choices, especially for snacks and fattening food. But we don't have to be overcome by all this bounty.

In order to succeed with your diet, the food in your cupboards should be a direct reflection of your New Year's resolution to eat a healthy, balanced diet - and that usually means that some of the stuff that's in there now needs to get thrown out.

This is probably the most difficult part of a diet. We don't want to start a diet while there's still half of a chocolate cake on the counter, do we? "It's a shame to let it go to waste." But by throwing it out, along with all the other things in the cupboards that aren't on your new diet, you give yourself a fighting chance. If the urge to eat a fattening snack overcomes you when there aren't any fattening snacks in the house, it gives you time to let the urge pass you by.

You may also find yourself eating far less during each meal if you limit yourself to fewer choices. Serve whole wheat bread or brown rice, but not both. And have only one type of snack on hand - grapes, perhaps, instead of crackers and grapes.

Reduce the choices to the best choices. It will help you get thinner, and it will help keep your kids from getting fat.

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This week's great low-cal recipe:
Grilled Grapefruit Half

From The Breast Health Cookbook: Fast and Simple Recipes to Reduce the Risk of Cancer by Dr. Bob Arnot

This is wonderful, because it tastes so good and it's so easy! Try this next Saturday morning.

"Grilled grapefruit halves are an elegant addition to any breakfast. They are so simple and quick to prepare that you can serve them often. The sweetened, warm, grilled grapefruit is a good addition to a breakfast in winter, when you might not want a cold grapefruit first thing in the morning."

Ingredients:

1 medium grapefruit
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 large strawberry, cut in half lengthwise

Preheat broiler.

1. Cut the grapefruit in half. Cut around each segment with a serrated knife.
2. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
3. Place grapefruit halves on baking sheet.
4. Place under preheated broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, until brown sugar melts.
5. Top with strawberry, flat side down.

Estimated nutrients per serving:

Calories: 60
Total protein (grams): 1
Total carbohydrate (grams): 15
Total fat: 0
Total fiber (grams): 2

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Until next week, yours in good health,
Jonni Good

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