Susan Gazerro Fitness Tips

SHOULDN'T EAT, SHOULD EAT

By Susan Gazerro

By Susan Gazerro By Susan Gazerro

I recently researched top ten foods not to eat and top ten foods you should eat. Here’s what I came up with and why. I will start with the “shouldn’t eat.” Number one, Marie Callender’s Large Size Chicken Pot Pie. Most people hear “chicken” and assume it’s good for you. Not this one. It’s loaded with saturated fat, calories, and sodium. Stay away. Number two, Five Guys Burgers. I was surprised at this one. I was thinking that they must use better meat than the other fast food places. I was wrong. Their burgers are loaded with fat. They’re burgers make McDonald’s Big Mac seem healthy. Stay away. Number three, Cambell’s Chicken Soup. Again, a little surprised, but I know there is a lot of sodium in anything canned. It doesn’t get any worse than this one. Number four, Chipotle’s Chicken Burrito. Again chicken. This has the most sodium and calories I have ever seen. You can eat six Taco Bell’s chicken soft tacos and still have half the calories and sodium of this item. Stay away. Number five, Cheesecake Factory’s Chocolate Tower Tru e Cake. Forget the calories and saturated fat. The grams of sugar in this cake add up to a three day supply of sugar intake in one slice. Stay away. Number six,

Uno Pizzeria and Grill’s Chicago Classic Deep

Dish Pizza. You can have three of Pizza Hut’s Pepperoni Lover’s Personal Pan Pizzas to one of these. It’s loaded with sodium, fat, and calories. Number seven, Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy. It should be named “triple bypass.” Lasagna, Chicken Parmigiana, and Fettuccine Alfredo. Too unhealthy for anyone. Stay away. Number eight, a Starbucks product. They call it “Starbucks on steroids.” White Chocolate Mocha. Even if you order this with 2% or nonfat milk, it has as many calories, ready, as a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with cheese! Who would have thought a co ee drink would be that unhealthy. Stay away. Number nine, Ben & Jerry’s Extreme Ice Cream. This was not so much of a surprise. There is so much sugar added to your fat cells and into your artery walls and that’s only with one serving. By the way, Haagen Dazs is no better. Stay away. Number ten, McDonald’s, but not food, rather its Shakedown. A 22 oz cup has 19 teaspoons of sugar, added sugar, and 13 grams of saturated fat. Granted, that’s a large, but a small has just as many calories as a Big Mac. Stay away.

Here are the “should eat.” Number one, sweet potato. This is an excellent source of carotenoids, potassium, and fiber. Add olive oil, cinnamon, or chili powder and enjoy. Number two, mangos. One cup of mangos provides about two-thirds a day’s supply of vitamin C, 10% of vitamin A, fiber, and a dose of blood pressure-lowering potassium. Number three, Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has twice the protein of ordinary yogurt. Greek yogurt is also strained so it is very thick and creamy. Add fruit, nuts, or granola and enjoy. Number four, broccoli. One of my favorite foods. Raw, broiled, frozen, steamed, baked, it doesn’t matter. Broccoli is loaded with vitamin C, vita-

min K, carotenoids and folate. Add olive oil, roast with onion until brown, delicious! Number five, garbanzo beans. All beans are loaded with protein, fiber, copper, folate, iron magnesium, potassium, and zinc, but garbanzo beans or chickpeas, as most know them as, are so versatile. You can add these to salad, make hummus, add to stew or soup, etc. Delicious and healthy. Number six, leafy greens. No surprise, right? Kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collards, etc. are all loaded with vitamins. You will get your vitamin A, C, and K, along with folate, potassium, iron, fiber, and magnesium. Add salad dressing or oil & vinegar and enjoy. Number seven, wild salmon. FOR TICKETS: text 489-8839 or call Thirsty Beaver 270-7686 Another of my favorites. Low in calories and high in potassium, vitamin C and A, and lycopene. So healthy! Number eight, watermelon. This is a nutritional winner. Loaded with vitamins and basically all water. No calories. No guilt. Just yummy. Number nine, oatmeal. Yes, quick, old fashioned oatmeal. Just a half cup has four grams of fiber and will help lower cholesterol. Add bananas, almonds, or diced apples instead of sugar and kick start your day. “When a diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When Number ten, butternut squash. Butternut Squash a diet is right, medicine is of no need.” is loaded with fiber, vitamin A and C, and what’s really great is that it’s filling. You won’t feel hungry “The right foods are the medicine we need.” after eating some butternut squash.