Weekend Fun

This cartoon perfectly captures a lot of the skewed reasoning that tends to accompany people's perceptions of healthy eating.

In case the small print is hard to read, a cashier tells a customer: "If you'd like a healthy alternative, we can wrap your cheeseburger, french fries, and fruit pie in a low fat tortilla."

Someone recently told me they were disappointed when they switched to whole wheat pasta and didn't lose any weight.

I explained that whole wheat pasta, while higher in fiber, is calorically equal to its refined relative.

The real revelation came when I asked this person how they ate their pasta.
"Alfredo sauce. Lots of it!" was the answer.

Including one healthy -- or healthier -- component in an otherwise high-calorie, high-fat meal does not make it a nutritious choice.

Other examples? Deep fried tofu, high-sugar tea, canned fruit in heavy syrup, and tempura vegetables.