March is National Nutrition Month. This year the theme is Eat Right. On its website, www.eatright.org, the American Dietetic Association has an interactive quiz http://www.eatright.org/nnm/NNMWEBNEW/flashquiz.swf  to help you sort out fact from fiction in eating right.  It is a fun way to both test your knowledge and gain new information.  I highly recommend that you visit the site. It has a wealth of information and the following is one example of the several quizzes you can take to increase your healthy food knowledge. The site also has nutrition information, fact sheets, recommended books, healthy heart info and much, much more.

Here is a portion of the interactive quiz.

1. In a healthy eating plan, all the foods I eat should be low in fat.
   
   1. Fact
   2. Fiction

   Your goal should be to keep your total daily fat intake within 20 percent to 35 percent of your calories, but that doesn’t mean every single food you eat must be low in fat.  You can balance high-fat and low-fat selections over  a day or two and still be following a healthful eating pattern.  Look for foods that are low in saturated fats, transfats and cholesterol.  Most of the fat you eat should be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.  Answer: fiction. 

2. Snacking may keep me from becoming ravenously hungry and overeating at mealtime.
   
   1. Fact
   2. Fiction

   Healthful snacking – including carbohydrates and protein, like whole grain crackers with low-fat cheese or fat-free yogurt with fresh fruit-can help your body stay fueled so you will be less inclined to overeat at your next meal. But don’t overdo it on the snacks; keep your portions small.  Answer: fact. 

3. Eating too many carbohydrates causes weight gain.
   
   1. Fact
   2. Fiction

   Calories are calories.  Consume too many calories from any source – carbohydrate, fat or protein – combined with a sedentary lifestyle, and you are more likely to gain weight.  Despite the claims of “low-carb” weight-loss plans, a high-carbohydrate diet doesn’t cause your body to store fat by enhancing insulin resistance.  Excess calories from any source are stored as fat.  Answer: fiction.

4. Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are not as nutritious as fresh.
   
   1. Fact
   2. Fiction

   In almost all cases, there is little nutritional difference between frozen or canned and fresh. Canned or frozen produce is generally processed at its peak, so it may contain more nutrients than fresh produce. On the other hand, canned or frozen produce may contain added sugar or salt, so read food labels when purchasing these items.  Answer: fiction.

5. It’s easy to spot whole-grain food products.  They’re brown.
   
   1. Fact
   2. Fiction

   Color is not a reliable method for identifying healthy food products. The most reliable information is on the food label. To get the full range of health benefits provided by whole grains, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, eat three or more servings or whole grains every day.  Answer: fiction

6. I’ll gain about 10 pounds a year by eating an extra 100 calories a day.
   
   1. Fact
   2. Fiction

   One hundred calories per day add up to about a pound of weight gain per month. On the other hand, look at it this way: you can lose 10 pounds in a year by cutting 100 calories per day and increasing your physical activity.  Try to get at least 30 minutes of activity every day.  Answer: fact