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Buy This, Not That!

Which grocery store item is better for your weight-loss goals?

Gatwiri Muthara

En español

Published June 13, 2018

8 Questions

To give yourself a better shot at losing weight, you need to make wise choices about what goes into your grocery cart — and to understand why one option might be better than another. (That much easier to stick with your choice when the chips are down/on lockdown.) The trick, nutritionists say, is to eat fewer calories — and fewer empty calories — but also foods that make you feel satisfied enough to stay the course. Here, we tell you which common item is better for your diet, and why.

Buy This, Not That!

[ {
  "question" : "As your family's milk:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Skim",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "2 percent",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Research shows not only that the extra fat in 2 percent milk can help a person feel more satisfied and as a result eat less, but that higher fat diary products can help fend off future weight gain.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "For a quick breakfast:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Cereal",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Cereal bar",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "A breakfast bar can be the equivalent of eating a doughnut or pastry, since many have lots of added sugar. Generally, you’ll find more diet-friendly options in cereal itself, especially whole grain, low-sugar versions.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "As your apple a day:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Apple",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Apple juice",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "The rule of thumb is to eat your fruit instead of drink it, since the fruit itself has fiber, which helps you feel full longer in a way similar to protein. What's more, juice always has more calories per serving.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "To go with a tofu stir fry:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Cauliflower rice",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Regular rice",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Cauliflower rice, available in the produce or frozen aisle, has 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates per cup compared with 200 calories and 45 carbs for white rice.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "To dip into:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Hummus",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Ranch",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "With fiber, a little protein, and healthy fat from the olive oil, hummus beats out higher-fat mayo or cream-based dips, which can be high in calories.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "As your daily yogurt:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Greek yogurt",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Regular yogurt",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "With as much as 17 grams of protein, compared with 9 grams of protein in regular yogurt, Greek is the powerhouse option to help you feel satisfied. Choose a “plain” version and add your own fruit.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "For your dinner tonight:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Beef",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Chicken",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Both",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "The difference between three ounces of skinless chicken and three ounces of lean beef, amounts to only about 1.5 grams of fat and about 20 to 30 calories.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "As your all-important leafy green:",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Fresh spinach",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Frozen spinach",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Either fresh or frozen spinach",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Frozen vegetables really are as healthy as fresh, so load up on either to get your diet-friendly servings of leafy greens. Just beware of pre-flavored frozen options, such as creamed spinach, that come with additional fat, sugar and sodium.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

Quiz Progress

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