Humans (and laboratory rats) have an appetite for fatty, salty, sugary foods. We'd eat them over other foods if someone hadn't taught us otherwise. These foods should be eaten only after we've met our nutritional needs and still feel hungry.

Of course, a complete list of "think before you eat" foods could stretch for miles. But here's how to spot these not-so-nutritious foods:
1. Nutrients are virtually absent from the food, or the food manufacturer adds nutrients to make the food appear more nutritious than it really is. The food is high in fat, with more than 5 grams per serving, or the fat content is responsible for more than 35 percent of total calories in meat-based foods.
2. The food contains excessive amounts of sodium and/or sugar (i.e. more than 4 milligrams of sodium per calorie, and more than 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of sugar per serving.

Pseudo Fruits and Vegetables

• Fruit Drinks (e.g. Hi-C, Tang, Life-Saver Punch)
• Fruit juice for babies
• Onion rings
• French fries

Breads, Cereals and Grains

• Croissants
• Sugar-coated, ready-to-eat cereals
• Granola/Snack Bars (e.g. Betty Crocker Popcorn Bars, Nabisco Granola-Cookie Bars, Nature Valley Low-Fat Granola Bars, Healthy Valley Fat Free Granola Bars)
• Toaster pastries
• Doughnuts
• Danish rolls
• "Big" muffins
• "Big/gourmet" cookies

Snacks

• Vitamin-fortified fat-free cookies (e.g. Keebler Fruitastic Bars)
• Breaded and fried mozzarella cheese sticks
• Reduced fat potato chips (e.g. Ruffles, Pringles "Right" Snacks)
• Cheese and salsa dips (e.g. Old El Paso, Cheez Whiz, Tostitos)
• Gelatin snack cups (e.g. Jell-O, Del Monte, Swiss Miss)

Fast Foods

• Extra meat and cheese sandwiches (e.g. McDonald's Double Big Mac)
• Cheese-in-the Crust Pizza (e.g. Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pizza)
• Breaded Chicken Sandwiches

Beverages

• Regular soda
• Flavored "waters"
• Bottled sweetened iced tea
• Wine coolers
• Bottled "mixed" alcoholic beverages

Protein Sources

• Turkey franks
• Hot dogs
• Meat/Cheese/Cracker packs (e.g. Oscar Mayer, Hillshire Farms)

Dairy/Dessert

• Premium ice cream (e.g. Haagen Dazs, Ben and Jerry's)
• Pudding snacks (e.g. Jell-O, Hunts, Swiss Miss, Del Monte)

by Judy Fitzgibbons, M.S., R.D., L.D.
Tribune Media Services syndicated columnist.
(c) 2001 Tribune Media Services WebPoint(r)

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