Nutrition News by Charlyn Fargo

We all know that there's no magic pill for losing weight — not pills, supplements or fad diets. But there is one approach to weight loss that may really help to feel full. If you feel full longer, you're less likely to overeat later, yet not feel deprived. So, how can you feel more full? The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter (October 2009) offers some insight:

— Eat slowly. In a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, women were told to eat as fast as possible using soup spoons for a day; then on a second day, they took small bites using teaspoons, put the spoon down between bites and chewed each bite 20 to 30 times. When the women ate more slowly, they consumed less (67 fewer calories, on average) and felt more satiated afterward.

— Start your meal with soup, salad or a fruit. Those foods are low in energy density, a factor that Barbara Rolls at Pennsylvania State University has shown to increase satiety. Researchers have also found that starting a meal with high calorie foods can increase the total number of calories you eat. So, your soup should be broth based instead of cream, and your salad dressing should be light.

— Eat more protein. For most, protein is more satiating than carbs or fats. A review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that protein promotes prolonged satiety as opposed to momentary satiety. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that overweight people on a low-calorie diet who ate eggs for breakfast had greater weight loss than those eating a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories.

— Drink water before meals. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that women who drank 2 cups of water a half-hour before breakfast ate, on average, 74 fewer calories than when they didn't drink the water. — UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, October 2009.

Q and A:

Q: Are breakfast sandwiches pretty much the same nutritionally, or are some healthier than others?

A: Breakfast sandwiches — made famous by fast-food restaurants, but now available in other restaurants and in grocery store freezers to microwave at home — do vary in calories, fat and sodium. To get the long-lasting energy and fullness these sandwiches can offer while maintaining your waistline and health, choose sandwiches made with English muffins, toast or tortillas instead of biscuits.

They are usually at least 100 calories lighter, allowing you to skip about a third of a day's limit on the saturated fat in a biscuit.

Sausage, bacon and ham are processed meats best kept to occasional use only due to their link with colorectal cancer risk. Sausage, especially, adds a substantial calorie and saturated fat toll, too. If you're making the sandwich at home or ordering from a place where you can add some tomatoes and peppers to the egg, that's a top option. Even if you choose an egg and cheese sandwich (in the smaller size if that's a choice), you can probably get the sandwich for 300 to 380 calories. That leaves room to include a piece of fruit, either from a restaurant or home, to deliver a balanced breakfast within the 400 to 425 calorie limit that best meets the needs of most adults.

And while you may feel like it's a calorie splurge, it's the same or less than you'd get from one of those jumbo muffins that's nothing but refined grain, six or seven teaspoons of sugar and often still a significant load of fat. — American Institute for Cancer Research.

RECIPE

This recipe for Pretty Autumn Soup, from Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine, is as healthy, from the carrots, squash and sweet potatoes, as it is colorful.

Pretty Autumn Soup

2 1/2 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash

3 medium carrots, sliced

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

3 cups fat-free milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Place the squash, carrots and sweet potato in a steamer basket; place in a large saucepan over 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 12 to 16 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor; add juice concentrate. Cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan; stir in the milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through (do not boil). Top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream, 1 teaspoon chives and 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds. Makes 6 servings. Serving size equals 1 cup.

Per serving: 166 calories, 7 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 190 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian in Springfield, Ill. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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