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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.

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[ {
  "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" : ""
} ]

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Buy This, Not That!

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The following nutritionists contributed to this article:

Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD; Nutrition Consulting; Dallas, TX

Adriane Kozlovsky, MS, RDN, LDN, RYT; Clinical Dietitian; Oak Crest Village; Baltimore, MD

Angel C. Planells, MS, RDN; National Media Spokesperson; Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics; Seattle, WA

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