How healthy is your lunch? You may be surprised
More of us are brown-bagging lunches to save a few bucks these days, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for slapping a piece of Spam between slices of white bread - and tossing in a bag of potato chips for good measure.
Toby Smithson, the Lake County Health Department's community dietitian, believes you can do much better.
Smithson, a national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, is trying to get people to eat more healthfully. Even if your primary goal is saving money, bringing lunch from home offers a golden opportunity to improve your nutrition.
"I think those people who bring their lunch (to work) put thought into it," Smithson said. "Those people who eat out, don't. It's a second thought to them: 'Oh, oh, it's lunchtime. Hey, let's jump in the car and go somewhere.' "
But just because it's not fast food doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Smithson recently visited Warren-Newport Public Library in Gurnee, where six employees were good sports and allowed her to put their lunches to the nutritional test.
Jan Keane, 55, acquisitions associate
Her lunch: Three-fourths cup white chicken chili, one apple, a 16-ounce diet Coke.
Keane says: "I would probably say that's too much Coke."
Smithson's analysis: 277 calories, 4 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 32 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber, 45 grams protein, 1,164 milligrams sodium and 205 milligrams calcium.
"My recommendations would be to add a low-fat yogurt, a salad with low-fat dressing and a whole-grain roll with her meal. ... Her sodium intake at this one meal was half of the intake she should consume for the day."
Keane's reaction: "I was surprised by how high the sodium content was in my lunch and will try to be more conscious of using low-sodium products."
Amy Appelt, 33, reference librarian
Her lunch: 12 ounces homemade split pea-and-ham soup, one yogurt cup, a half-cup of mixed berries, two tablespoons homemade granola, one cup carrots, one cup grapes, one bag of Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop with Butter and water.
Appelt says: "If you're eating good stuff, it doesn't matter really how much you eat."
Smithson's analysis: 1,144 calories, 28 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 172 grams carbohydrates, 44 grams fiber, 45 grams protein, 1,156 milligrams sodium and 627 milligrams calcium.
"Amy's meal was high in calories, carbohydrate, fiber, protein and sodium. To cut back on her fat as well as some of her calories, she should switch to a low-fat yogurt. Her meal had great sources of fruits and vegetables."
Appelt's reaction: "I thought my results were a bit high in calories and fat, especially since I made the soup and didn't use much ham. ... I won't change the way I eat. The evaluation was a snapshot of lunch. It didn't track my eating habits over a period of time, so I won't take much stock in it." She noted she didn't eat the popcorn that day.
Matt Paugel, 29, maintenance technician
His lunch: Two servings of chili and macaroni made with whole-wheat pasta and lean beef, water.
Paugel says: "Because I lift weights, I try to go above the (recommended) dietary amount of protein."
Smithson's analysis: 970 calories, 16 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 135 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 78 grams protein, 1,449 milligrams sodium and 150 milligrams calcium.
"Matt mentioned that he likes to eat a diet that is high in protein, carbohydrates and fiber because he tries to weight lift and do some cardio workout. Unless Matt is working out routinely, he should not continue to eat a 'workout' diet every day of the week. If he continues to follow a 'workout' diet while he is not expending those calories, he will gain weight."
Paugel's reaction: "When I was preparing my lunch, I was hoping to have it high in protein and fiber, with the majority of the carbohydrates coming from whole-grain sources. What I didn't intend on doing was to have so many calories in one meal. I think that this goes to show that no matter how good the intentions of your meals are, it helps to have someone show you just how much you are taking in to create a good balance for your own dietary needs."
Debbie Hoffman, 53, reference/readers' advisory librarian
Her lunch: One slice whole-wheat bread, one teaspoon light mayonnaise, one slice provolone cheese, two slices deli turkey, one lettuce leaf, eight ounces V8 V-Fusion juice, one yogurt cup, two clementines and water.
Hoffman says: "I think she's going to say, 'Wow, you made the best lunch.' "
Smithson's analysis: 600 calories, 13 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 95 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 28 grams protein, 1,048 milligrams sodium and 542 milligrams calcium.
"My recommendations would be to replace the V8 Fusion beverage with more fresh vegetables."
Hoffman's reaction: "I was actually surprised by the information I received about my lunch. I thought it was pretty balanced, but in actuality it was high in fats and carbs. It is obvious that much more nutritional information is important for everyone, and I certainly plan on looking into this further."
Peggy Molloy, 55, cataloger
Her lunch: One Kraft Easy Mac and Cheese cup, one caffeine-free Diet Pepsi and a plastic bag with six carrots, three small celery sticks and seven grape tomatoes.
Molloy says: "I would say there is probably going to be too much sodium in the macaroni. But I also eat at my desk, so it's easy."
Smithson's analysis: 280 calories, 4 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 54 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 7 grams protein, 640 milligrams sodium and 220 milligrams calcium.
"Peggy's meal was low in calories, fiber, protein, fat and calcium. In order to boost up her nutrients, my recommendations would be to add another protein and calcium source such as a slice of cheese."
Molloy's reaction: "I was surprised at two things in Toby's analysis. One is that she said that (my lunch) is low in calories, and the more surprising thing was that she did not say that it was too high in sodium."
Wally Dragan, 60, computer technician
His lunch: One-third bag of nut-and-fruit mix, one chocolate Chex Mix bar, a Fiber One bar, one banana and water.
Dragan says: "I eat a lot of Subway. I usually get the tuna with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, banana peppers, green peppers and onions. I like a lot of veggies."
Smithson's analysis: 835 calories, 34 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 118 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams fiber, 17 grams protein, 126 milligrams calcium and 466 milligrams sodium.
"My recommendations are to choose a sandwich with a lean meat to replace the nut-and-fruit mix and one of the bars."
Dragan's reaction: "I was somewhat surprised at the elevated calorie level. Who knew bananas were so high? ... That particular day, I was either running late or just didn't feel like making (a sandwich), so I grabbed whatever was handy."
Dietitian offers lunch ideas
Good lunches should have balance, variety and moderation with as many of the five food groups as possible, says Lake County's community dietitian.
Toby Smithson, the dietitian from the county's health department, offers ideas for lunches that are considered good for you.
One lunch would be one cup of chili made with kidney or black beans, 11/2 ounces of shredded low-fat cheese for a topping, one cup spinach and tomato salad, one tablespoon low-fat Italian dressing, one whole-grain roll and a fresh apple.
If that doesn't excite you, Smithson has another lunch possibility.
She suggests two slices of whole-grain bread with three ounces of lean roast beef, one teaspoon mayonnaise, one leaf romaine lettuce, two tomato slices, one cup of raw baby carrots and a cup of yogurt layered with sliced banana and crumbled ginger snaps.
"The lunch should use whole grains, be high in fiber and low in fat," Smithson said.
Fats, oils and sweets - known as extras in dietitian circles - shouldn't exceed one serving.
Smithson said you can gain weight by skipping meals, so make sure to eat lunch every day.
<p class="factboxheadblack">Looking into the brown-bag lunch</p> <p class="News">• Brown-bagging is most common with 35- to 54-year-olds, white-collar consumers and professions and those who are more affluent.</p> <p class="News">• Men carry more lunches than others, but women usually prepare them.</p> <p class="News">• Even before the recession officially hit the United States, weekday lunches carried from home by adults 18 and older reached a high point of 8.5 billion in 2007. More than half were devoured in the workplace.</p> <p class="News">• Nearly half of consumers reported they decide what to bring for lunch the day before they eat it or earlier.</p> <p class="News">Source: NPD Group Inc. in Rosemont, most recent lunch research released in July 2008.</p> <p class="factboxheadblack">Nutrition guidelines</p> <p class="News">Recommended daily for adults:</p> <p class="News">• No more than 2,300 mg of sodium</p> <p class="News">• 30 grams to 38 grams of dietary fiber for men, 21 grams to 25 grams for women</p> <p class="News">• Between 20 percent to 35 percent of total calories from fat, or 40 grams to 70 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet</p> <p class="News">• 1,000 mg of calcium; 1,200 mg after age 51</p> <p class="News">Protein and carbohydrate needs vary by age and gender. To calculate yours, go to <a href="http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/protein.asp" target="new">healthcalculators.org/calculators/protein.asp</a> and <a href="http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/carbohydrate.asp" target="new">healthcalculators.org/calculators/carbohydrate.asp</a>.</p> <p class="News">Sources: American Dietetic Association; Mayo Clinic; University of Maryland Medical System </p>