Simmons College Nutrition Website

1. How many calories a day does a twenty year old woman who is 5'4" and 120 pounds and does not exercise regularly need to maintain her weight?

Answer: c A twenty year old woman of normal weight leading a sedentary lifestyle needs roughly 1600 calories a day to maintain her weight. A woman who is more active may require as much as 2000-2500 calories a day to maintain her weight.

2. Which of the following has more calories?

Answer: a The Chicken Caesar Salad is higher in calories and fat than the Quarter Pounder with cheese. The chicken Caesar salad has a whopping 920 calories and 60 grams of fat. The dressing alone has 390 calories and 38 grams of fat. The McDonalds Quarter Pounder with cheese has 510 calories and 25 grams of fat. Not all salads are healthy! It is important to consider what is in the salad and especially the dressing. Many dressings are high in fat and loaded with calories. When ordering a salad, look for one with lots of colorful fruits, vegetables, and lean meats and ask for a low-fat or low-calorie dressing.

3. True or False: Cottage cheese is not a particularly good source of calcium.

True: There are about 65 milligrams of calcium in a ½-cup portion of cottage cheese, while an 8 ounce serving of milk or yogurt contains nearly 300 milligrams and an ounce of cheddar cheese about 200 milligrams.

4. True or False: Carbohydrates have more calories per gram than protein.

False: Carbohydrates and protein both provide 4 calories per gram. Fat provides 9 calories per gram and alcohol provides 7 calories per gram.

5. True or False: Butter and margarine have about the same number of calories.

True: There are about 100 calories and 12 grams of fat per tablespoon of stick margarine or butter. Margarine is made from a liquid oil that is turned into a solid through a process called hydrogenation. This process adds unhealthy trans fats, which increase the risk of heart disease.

6. Which of the following oils are high in saturated "bad" fat?

Answer: b Coconut oil is 92 percent saturated fat and palm oil is 45 percent saturated fat. The Dietary Guidelines form Americans recommend that we consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids. On the other hand, olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil are higher in monounsaturated "good" fat and lower in saturated "bad" fat and are a more healthful option to use when cooking.

7. Your total calories from fat intake should be less than:

Answer: c The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that we keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

8. True or False: Too much stress can cause weight gain.

True: Whenever we are angry, scared, anxious, or tense the brain produces the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones incite the fight-or-flight response. They make you alert and focused. Since, your body thinks you have done something active in response to the 'fright', your hormones send signals to your brain to refuel the body as soon as possible. Thus, you will crave foods loaded with carbohydrates and fat that can lead to weight gain. To combat the weight gain, eat foods that will give you long lasting energy, such as whole grains, and exercise to counteract the negative effects of stress hormones.

9. Too much sodium in your diet can cause which of the following:

Answer: d Too much sodium in the diet can cause your body to retain fluid, which will increase blood volume, causing your heart to work harder and increasing your blood pressure. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that we consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.

10. True or False: Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables contain fewer nutrients than the fresh fruits and vegetables.

False: There's usually little difference. The canned or frozen varieties may even have more nutrients because they are processed at their peak, during harvest. But, canned fruits preserved in syrup will be higher in sugar and calories than fresh fruit.