Ellie Krieger is a nutritionist, registered dietitian and author. She shares her nutrition knowledge in biweekly live chats. In a recent Q&A, she gave advice on a common healthful-eating challenge: indulgences. Here’s an edited excerpt.
• Wine
I like to have a glass of wine with dinner, and it is certainly something that can be integral to a healthy lifestyle. There is nothing beyond the calories in wine (120 calories in five ounces) that would make you put weight on, but it’s easy to drink way more than a five-ounce glass, especially with the goblets that pass as wine glasses these days. Next time, measure and see how much your glass really holds. And if you get a little too tipsy from wine, it could lead you to be more impulsive in your eating. I suggest keeping it to one five-ounce glass a night if you are trying to lose weight.
• Chocolate
I like to have small squares of individually wrapped dark chocolate as a treat. Sometimes, just that little bite to savor does the trick perfectly. Chocolate that is about 70 percent cocoa solids has the perfect balance of taste and health benefits. Also, you cannot go wrong melting a little dark chocolate and using it as a dip for fresh fruit (strawberries/orange slices/banana).
• Pizza
There are many brands of pasta and pizza sauce that have no added sugar, but they can be more expensive. Regardless, here is an easy no-cook pizza sauce: In a food processor, puree one 14-ounce can of whole tomatoes with one clove of garlic, one teaspoon of oregano and two teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Simple as that.
