Calories do not always equal health, there are many factors that determine if a food is healthy or not. When people think about losing weight or getting healthy, they typically think that they must eat less. This is not true, because if you eat to nourish your body instead of depriving your body, you will be healthy. Also, healthy foods have fiber which helps to keep you fuller longer.
In this picture, there are 160 calories of potato chips and 160 calories of strawberries. Notice how many more strawberries there are for 160 calories versus the potato chips. This is an actual portion size of potato chips, which is 28g according to the package. Normally, people just eat as many chips as they want and do not even consider portion sizes. This is very harmful to people’s health, because they will consume many more calories and grams of fat than needed. One serving size of potato chips contains 1.5g of saturated fat, 170mg of sodium, 350mg of potassium, 15g of carbohydrates, and 1g of dietary fiber. Consuming too much saturated fat is very bad for the heart, because it can clog arteries which raises the amount of LDL cholesterol, which can lead to heart attacks. Consuming too much sodium is also a concern, because it puts people at risk for high blood pressure. The recommendation is to consume less than 2,300mg per day. Consuming too much potassium can be a health issue as well, because if too much potassium is consumed, then it puts a lot of strain on the heart. Potassium helps the heart to beat correctly, and if potassium levels are too high the heart will not beat correctly, also called an arrhythmia. Consuming too many grams of carbohydrates can be bad for people with diabetes, because they need to monitor their carbohydrate intake. A high carbohydrate intake can be bad for people with and without diabetes, because everyone needs to consume a balanced diet. This includes eating adequate protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Finally, potato chips contain minimal fiber, which will not keep you full and next thing you know the entire bag of potato chips is gone, because the lack of fiber will keep you wanting more.
Strawberries are a very abundant source of antioxidants and vitamin C. Typically, when people think of vitamin C, they think of an orange. However, strawberries can provide more vitamin C than an orange. Calcium and fiber are also prominent in the sweet tasting red fruit. As a result of containing fiber, by consuming strawberries instead of potato chips the fiber will help to promote satiety, which will also result in consuming less calories for those trying to lose weight. The calcium in strawberries will also help to build strong bones. There is also no sodium, fat, or cholesterol in strawberries, which is what also helps to make this delicious fruit much healthier than the potato chips.
When making the choice between eating a healthy snack or an unhealthy snack, choosing the healthy snack is better, because it can help prevent diseases, such as obesity and diabetes and heart problems. Even though it may be “easier” to choose the unhealthy snack, it is not the best choice because in the long run the unhealthy food can cause potential long-term problems. Many people think that eating healthy is complicated and it takes a lot of effort. This is not true at all, because if you’re a person that is constantly on the go and you do not have time to make a meal, you could easily grab some strawberries for a snack just as quick as you could grab a bag of potato chips. There are also many healthy recipes that include strawberries and other fruits. It is up to you to make the healthier choices when it comes to food.
