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Peanut butter turns out to be good for you

By Greg Goodsell
March 15th, 2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Few people think of peanut butter as being healthy – but according to the Web site quickandsimple.com, the kid-friendly food is! They recommend you stick to the organic kind and limit it to two teaspoons a day, however.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – Other foods that can be recommended for cutting down on belly fat include oatmeal. It's very filling and full of fiber. They strongly advise any pre-packaged oatmeal loaded with sugar. Get the plain stuff, and then flavor it with berries.

Unsalted nuts are also a great way to keep hunger pangs at bay. Twenty-four almonds a day is a great way to fill up.

Another healthy alternative is protein powder, found at local health food stores. A few teaspoons to a smoothie is a nutritious snack. Again, the Web site warns: "Make that smoothie with fruit, yogurt, and low-fat milk — adding protein powder to a chocolate shake doesn't make it health food (we wish)."

Olive oil or canola oil is perfectly OK. "Everyone needs a little fat — it controls hunger. Go for monounsaturated fats like olive or canola oil. They will help keep your cholesterol under control and satisfy cravings." Stay away from hydrogenated vegetable oils; they're loaded with unhealthy trans fat.

Berries have a lot of fiber and vitamin C. A single cup of raspberries has six grams.  Again -- "Watch out: Jelly is the junk food of the fruit world. It has almost no fiber and contains added sugar."

Surprisingly, eggs are a healthy food – depending on the individual. "Eggs contain vitamin B12, which your body needs to metabolize fat. In fact, researchers at Louisiana State University found that people who ate eggs for breakfast every day lost more weight than those who ate bagels." Just be sure to consult your physician about your individual cholesterol level.

For more food and diet hints, go to quickandsimple.com

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