True or False:

1. Avocados are fattening.___
   
   
2. Canola and olive oils satisfy my body’s fat requirements.___
   
   
3. It’s a good idea to eat only the egg whites since the yolk raises your cholesterol.___
   
   
4. Nutrasweet is better than sugar in my coffee.___
   
   
5. Coffee helps me control my weight.___
   
   
6. Margarine is better than butter.___
   
   
7. Fresh juice, whole grain toast and fruit make a good breakfast.___
   
   
8. A calorie is a calorie. The most important factor in keeping the weight down is keeping calories under control.___

"Get Wise" Quiz Answers:

1. False. Avocados contain fat, but are not "fattening" due to their high content of monounsaturated fats that have actually been shown to promote thermogenesis, the process of fat metabolism and use for energy throughout the body.
   
   
2. False. Olive and canola oil, though high in healthy monounsaturated fats, lack the essential fatty acids known as omega 3’s and 6’s. These are found in deep sea fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut and some plant sources such as flaxseed and evening primrose oil.
   
   
3. False. The results of original studies showing links between egg consumption and high cholesterol done over fifty years ago with questionable techniques have never been reconfirmed. Ironically the egg yolk contains the highest concentration of an artery-friendly substance: lecithin. See "Final Word On: Eggs"
   
   
4. False. Nutrasweet has shown its dubious colors in recent years, racking up more complaints than any other food additive at the Centers for Disease Control. Studies link this substance to seizures and one of its by-products with oxygen deprivation. Now how bad does that teaspoon of sugar sound?
   
   
5. False. Most of us are familiar with the coffee jitters -- a symptom of the caffeine- caused release of "fight or flight" hormones. But few of us are aware that coffee causes a subsequent drop in blood sugar, leading to energy slumps and sugar cravings. Coffee has its other downsides too. It’s detrimental to our cholesterol profile, our adrenals and impedes nutrient absorption.
   
   
6. False. I’m sure you know by now that margarine isn’t what it was whipped up to be. The main fat component in it, hydrogenated fat or "trans-fat" is now acknowledged by the American Heart Association to be as bad or worse than butter in its causal relationship to heart disease and arterial buildup.
   
   
7. False. These three items are all high carbohydrate items -- particularly the juice. Orange juice contains more sugar than a bowl of Fruit Loops and causes an over-secretion of insulin and the subsequent "crash" associated with the resulting drop in blood sugar. You’re better off incorporating some protein and fat into your breakfast, both of which slow the absorption of blood sugar into the bloodstream when eaten with higher sugar foods.
   
   
8. False. We now know that while the number of calories that makes up a pound of body hasn’t changed, certain qualities of carbs and fats result in better utilization of food and fat storage for energy. Two meals containing the same calories may have drastically different affects on your energy and metabolism and therefore drastically different results for the bottom...line.