I frequently find myself spending countless minutes in the Caf every meal. My friends actually complain about my inability to make a decision on what to eat, thus delaying our meal. But, with the delicious, savory options St. Olaf has to offer, I can’t help but stand by the array of bread, debating whether I should eat the pita or a slice of whole wheat bread?
Below is your not so average version of a game I called “This vs. That.” I hope these pointers help you make a tasty, but healthy decision the next time you’re choosing between X food and Y food.
1. Pita vs. Normal BreadÂ
Both these breads have their nutritional advantages but you might find pita has fewer calories, depending on where you buy it. A 60g pita has about 165 calories. But, pita is nothing but a diet busting carb, especially rich in sodium. According to FitDay, the average 60g pita has 322 mg of sodium. Large amounts of sodium tend to increase blood pressure which can put you at a higher risk of heart disease. Normal bread, wheat, still has some fibrous content (4g of fiber per slice). So, opting for the normal bread would be the healthiest choice, if you pick wheat.
2. Diet pop vs. Normal pop
America is addicted to pop. While consuming diet pop as opposed to regular pop may benefit you calorically, the innocent beverage isn’t as innocuous as people deem it to be. MSNBC released a study conducted by the University of Miami that demonstrated a 61% increase in vascular diseases such stroke and heart diseases in those individuals who did not abstain from drinking diet drinks everyday. There is a general misconception that diet pop can be consumed as a replacement for water because it has no caloric value. But, while water has proven to satiate thirst and hunger, diet pop substantially increases one’s hunger. Thus, people who drink 2 cans a day have a 55% higher chance of obesity as well (LiveStrong). Next time, maybe neither is the option between diet pop and regular pop.
3. Spinach v. Lettuce
My mom always told me, “the greener the better.” Granted spinach is better than french fries, but its important to not overstate its benefit. Cracked.com writes about the myth-filled history of spinach. The idea that spinach makes you strong, as popularized by Popeye, was really due to an old mistake on nutritional labels that said that spinach had x10 more iron than it actually had. In fact, Watermelon has the same iron content as spinach, with the added benefit of not tasting like moss and grass compost (Just kidding..I actually enjoy spinach). Chewing lettuce burns more calories than consuming, but it is primarily water with significantly less nutritional value than the iron pumping spinach. So the next time you try to walk past the spinach to lettuce, take the two steps backward and make sure to put at least a few leaves of spinach on your plate.
4. Sweet Potato Fries v. French Fries
I know some of you actually love sweet potato fries. I am not one of those who does, sadly. But, nutritionally, sweet potato fries have a high fiber content, which is beneficial in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Ironically, eating fried foods increases that risk. But at the point where both kinds are deep fried, isn’t it better for me to eat something I enjoy? And simply moderate it by not eating them with every meal. Those of you who do enjoy sweet potatoes, power to you.
5. Energy Drinks v. Coffee
What’s your source of caffeine? Is it the best one? The main purpose of consuming an energy drink over coffee is for the Vitamin content they provide. But the catch? They have ridiculous amounts of sugar and you tend to consume the drink in a rush as opposed to sipping a hot cup of coffee that slowly stimulates your brain. If you can control your energy drink intake, then perhaps one can a day won’t hurt you. The caffeine content is comparable because the average energy drink has about 80 mg of caffeine and a cup of coffee with 120mg, give or take a bit (USA Today). If considering long term effects, coffee would be the safest option, especially because substance abuse for energy drinks is much more prevalent.
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