Answers to the Nutrition Quiz
NO!! They'd like you to think so, but if they can't explain the science behind their recommendations so that you can understand it, then their recommendations very likely have no basis in fact. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact there is NO evidence that eating foods in certain combinations at one sitting have anything to do with losing weight. Try again Close! You will ONLY lose weight on fad diets if you eat fewer calories than you burn, just like any other diet. However, there is a better answer. Try again Exactly! While you may lose weight, is it worth damaging your health? Especially when you can lose weight with our system and NOT damage your health!?! Of course not! Congratulations, fad diet pushers won't fool you! Proceed to question #2 NO! You may be bored and not eating much for awhile, but this actually makes it VERY likely that you will get tired of it and simply quit the diet, returning to eating like you used to -- for NO longterm weight loss! Try again Exactly! If you need more information on how we use the Food Guide Pyramid for weight loss, please see our Nutrition page. But first: Proceed to question #3 NO!! Once any food is entirely forbidden, it is extremely difficult to stop thinking about it. Of course you should mostly avoid these foods, saving them for an occasional treat. But you are MORE likely to cheat on a diet MORE often if it has forbidden foods! Try again NO!! These may be OK for some people some of the time, but you will NOT learn new eating habits using these, and if you get bored enough you will probably QUIT dieting entirely. These generally do NOT result in longterm weight loss! There is a better choice. Try again NO!! The motivating nature of fast weight loss is how many very low calorie diets are sold, but in fact the diets are so restrictive that you are likely to feel deprived and QUIT before too long, and/or the calories are so restrictive that you will get physically ill and QUIT. Most people do NOT lose weight longterm with very low calorie diets. But if you insist on a very-low-calorie, please be sure to be followed VERY closely by an M.D.! Try again NO!! This is typical of high protein diets, but in fact this is not healthy. Too much protein can damage the kidneys. Try again Exactly! The plant foods include grains, starches, veggies and fruits, and contain many antioxidant vitamins that are essential to good health. Congratulations! Proceed to question #4 NO!! Too many older Americans, especially women but also many men, suffer from osteoporosis (dangerous bone loss leading to disabling broken bones) because they haven't had sufficient dairy products throughout their adult lives. Drink milk in moderate amounts if you can, eat other dairy products if possible, take calcium and vitamin and mineral supplements as prescribed by your doctor if you are unable to ingest many dairy products. Try again NO!! A heavy dessert here and there is OK so you don't feel deprived, but they have a lot of fat and calories. Better choices, if you can't forego dessert, are fresh fruit for dessert, or one tiny piece of excellent-quality chocolate. Try again Yes! Actually, this one is a trick question; there are three correct answers and one wrong answer. Look at this one again! Or go on to the next question! Yes! Actually, this one is a trick question; there are three correct answers and one wrong answer. Look at this one again! Or go on to the next question! NO!! This is the WRONG answer! Actually, high protein and/or high fat meals will keep blood sugar and hunger under control, but it is not the BEST way. Too much protein can damage the kidneys; too much of the wrong kinds of fat can cause a whole host of problems, most notably endanger the heart. Try again Yes! Actually, this one is a trick question; there are three correct answers and one wrong answer. Look at this one again! Or go on to the next question! Yes!! You may find it easier to concentrate on one aspect of wellness at a time, and we certainly don't discourage this as a place to start, but if one aspect of wellness resulted in longterm weight loss for you, you would be in the minority. Most successful clients find that all aspects of wellness support each other -- when you're more active, less stressed, enjoying life more, you're more likely to eat right; and when you eat right, you feel like doing more and feel more healthy and able to enjoy life. But you knew that! Congratulations! Proceed to question #6 NO!! Both calories taken in and calories burned are important, and other aspects of wellness can make a difference in your motivation to stick with your weight loss program. Try again NO!! Both calories taken in and calories burned are important, and other aspects of wellness can make a difference in your motivation to stick with your weight loss program. Try again NO!! Some people are emotional eaters and these aspects of wellness can make a difference in motivation, but calories taken in and calories burned will ultimately determine whether or not weight is lost and kept off. Try again NO!! Some diets, especially fads, will make this claim. But such rapid weight loss can result in serious health problems that only become apparent when you end up in the emergency room. Don't risk it! Try again NO!! This is still too high a rate of loss for most people. But yes, you are more likely to be successful if you use both changes in your nutrition plan and increases in physical activity to lose weight. Try again NO!! Unfortunately, most medical schools still do not require courses in clinical nutrition or weight loss for aspiring physicians, so they may be responding to the popular media, with nearly as little knowledge base as a layperson. If your doctor tells you to lose weight so rapidly that it does not sound safe, check with a registered dietitian or state-certified nutritionist who specializes in helping clients lose weight safely. And don't hesitate to ask about their training and background. Try again Yes! For most people, even with combining changes in their nutrition plan and a reasonable increase in physical activity, losing a pound of fat weight a week is an excellent accomplishment. If you have particular medical conditions, your medical doctor may want you to lose a bit more slowly or a bit more quickly. But 1 pound a week is the general guideline. Congratulations! You know enough to lose weight safely! Proceed to question #7 NO!! This claim has been made by some people, particularly some who enjoy spreading rumors and trying to start panic on the Internet. But there is no reason for the government to support certain special interest groups at the expense of the health of the general population, since they eventually pay for much of our health care through Medicare and Medicaid, etc. And there are tons of scientific studies providing many very, very good reasons for the number and size of servings as they exist in the Food Guide Pyramid. The trick is to make smart choices within each category (i.e., a whole grain bagel is better than a donut). Try again NO!! This is what some high protein diets claim, but this is too much protein, which can be damaging to the kidneys. Try again Yes! High protein foods such as meat, meat alternatives and dairy products, should be eaten in moderation. The bulk of our diets should be plant-based foods. But you knew that! Congratulations! Proceed to question #8 NO!! Actually, if you follow the Food Guide Pyramid as per our recommendations, you will be taking in about 1200-1500 calories, along with all the nutrients most people need for optimal health. This is few enough calories for most people to lose weight with a moderate activity level. Try again NO!! This wouldn't be too far off, but actually the serving sizes are smaller and the number of servings larger. Try again Yes! Grains provide lots of fiber, especially the insoluble kind that helps protect against constipation and even colon cancer, so it's important to get plenty. Congratulations! Proceed to question #9 NO!! This is not enough. You'd be likely to miss adequate fiber and some B vitamins. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by some unbalanced fad diets, but is false. Grains only have about 80 calories per serving. It's the additives that can be fattening. So make smart choices, but eat more than this. Try again Yes! They are particularly good sources of insoluble fiber, which is known for protecting against constipation and even colon cancer. Congratulations, you know your grains! Proceed to question #10 NO!! Fruits and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants. Grains are not particularly, but they are good sources of some other nutrients. Try again NO!! Actually, whole grains are not a bad source of protein and iron, but you would not be able to get enough of either if you only ate grains. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact whole grains have plenty of necessary nutrients and health-promoting fiber. There are approximately 80 calories per serving, which is reasonable for the nutrients you gain. Try again NO!! This claim is entirely false. Some people don't like some vegetables, but you may like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, herbs, maybe some veggies you haven't tried yet. As for health benefits, people who eat large quantities of vegetables tend to live longer, have less cancer and fewer other health problems. The substances that make some veggies bitter have actually been proven to be good for you. So eat up! And: Try again Yes! Vegetables average only 25 calories per serving, except the starchy or fatty vegetables, potatoes, corn, olives and avocadoes. All have lots of vitamins, especially if you can eat the peel. Congratulations, you know your vegetables! Proceed to question #11 NO!! This is the number of servings for grains and starches. Actually, you could probably eat this many servings of vegetables without harm, but most people don't like veggies enough to do so. And if you were thin, this many servings may not allow you to take in ENOUGH calories! Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact all vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, cooked or raw. Some water-soluble vitamins and minerals are lost in the cooking, but you can solve this by either cooking them very quickly (i.e., steaming, stir-frying) or drinking the cooking water (i.e., making soup). But even the most overcooked vegetables still have SOME nutrients and are worth eating. Try again NO!! Twice! Some vegetables are a little bitter and an acquired taste (like broccoli). Others, many people think are quite tasty: Think tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, herbs. As for green tea, the taste varies quite a bit between different manufacturers, and many have added flavors. With a little lemon & honey, you get what most people consider a good taste, and an extra antioxidant kick! Try again NO!! Green tea has the caffeine of about 1/4 of a cup of coffee, unless you choose decaffeinated. But most vegetables do not have caffeine, or anything like it. If you feel more energetic when you eat your vegetables, it's probably because you're becoming healthier! Try again NO!! Veggies have lots of important antioxidant (anti-aging) vitamins, plus some minerals most fruits don't have. You can do without green tea, although if you try it you may find you enjoy it; but it would be a mistake to try to do without all veggies! Try again Yes! Green tea itself has virtually no calories, but if you flavor it with lemon and honey it will gain a few. But that's not bad considering all the antioxidants it provides. Plus it's being investigated for its anti-inflammatory properties! Green tea looks very promising as a health drink in the future. So drink up! Proceed to question #12 NO!! These still have plenty of vitamins, but unfortunately quite a bit more than 25 calories per serving (but other vegetables, NOT counting these, average about 25). Try again NO!! Most saturated fat is in animal foods, plus there is some in the tropical oils -- coconut and palm. Olives and avocadoes have fat, but not the most damaging, saturated kind. Try again Yes! Other vegetables average about 25 calories per serving, but these will average closer to 80 calories per serving. They still have lots of vitamins like other veggies, though, so they're OK once in a while, particularly if substituted for a grain serving. But you knew that! Congratulations! Proceed to question #13 NO!! Some of them may be fruit botanically, but they are NOT particularly sugary. And fruit averages only 60 calories per serving, while these tend to average more. So: Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact you need the antioxidant vitamins and soluble fiber in fruit, and with the fiber they are digested fairly slowly and only average about 60 calories per serving. Try again NO!! This is probably too much of a good thing. At this extremely high level, fruit's 60 calories per serving could start to add up to some serious calories. Try again NO!! Twice! This is the number of vegetable servings, although this number of fruit would probably be OK for most people. However, frozen or canned fruit are also OK. How much fiber and vitamins remain depends on how they are processed. But even the most processed fruit will still have a little vitamins and fiber, enough to make it worth eating. So choose some fresh fruit, but look around the cans and frozen shelves for more variety. Try again Yes! 4 small servings is probably best, for maximum antioxidant intake at minimum calories. At 60 calories a serving, you can afford four servings even while dieting. But you probably knew that! Congratulations! Proceed to question #14 Yes! People who eat lots of fruits and veggies tend to have very few health problems. Congratulations! You know your fruit! Proceed to question #15 NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact fruit contain fiber that slows the rate of absorption, and fruit sugar does not tend to raise blood sugar like concentrated sweets do. And you need the antioxidant (anti-aging) vitamins they contain. Try again NO!! Fruit and veggies do contain quite a bit of water, but not enough to supply all your water needs at recommended amounts. Even eating according to the Food Guide Pyramid, you still need approximately 8, 8-ounce glasses of water or other liquid (not counting those with caffeine or alcohol) every day. If for some reason you cannot eat, you need about twice as much liquid! So foods in a well balanced diet supply about half of our water needs. If you're not eating, also check with your doctor about your need for mineral replacement. Try again NO!! Fruits average 60 calories per serving, which is worth what we receive in nutrients from them, including antioxidant vitamins and fiber. So you need more than just the occasional serving as a substitute for heavy desserts. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact dairy products are necessary to protect against bone loss and osteoporosis as we age. Too much saturated fat can be avoided by choosing lowfat and nonfat dairy products. Try again Yes! Dairy products are needed to maintain strong, healthy bones. Without them, we not only need calcium supplements, but an array of vitamins and minerals. But you knew that! Congratulations! Proceed to question #16 NO!! Yes, calcium is important, and yes, calories can be kept reasonable by selecting lowfat or nonfat products. However. Except for pregnant teens, this is probably too much of a good thing, including too many calories for many people. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact adults who do not get enough dairy have serious problems, including osteoporosis that can lead to disabling bone injuries, including breaks. You need enough dairy intake throughout life. Try again NO!! For the health benefits they provide, nonfat dairy products are a good bargain. They have fewer calories than this. Try again NO!! Even nonfat dairy products have more calories than this. So even as good for you as dairy is, there is a limit. Try again Yes! For all the health benefits dairy products provide, including substances that help keep bones strong that are very difficult to get any other way, the number of calories taken in with sufficient dairy products is a bargain. Congratulations on knowing your dairy products! Proceed to question #17 NO!! In fact, many vitamins and minerals remain in the nonfat milk. Those few that are removed with the milkfat are replaced. So skim milk is just as full of nutrients as whole milk, and allows you to avoid the saturated fat that can contribute to clogged arteries. Try again Yes! Meat or meat alternatives are necessary for sufficient protein, and if meat is avoided altogether, a supplement with B vitamins, iron and zinc should be taken. Congratulations! You know your meat! Proceed to question #18 NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact there is a limit. Meat has too much cholesterol, plus saturated fat that can raise circulating levels of "bad" cholesterol. Protein is important for all these reasons, but we receive sufficient protein in a well balanced diet with less meat. Try again NO!! Some vegetarians do pretty well getting sufficient nutrients without eating meat or dairy, but you have to be knowledgeable. Many vegetarians actually suffer from nutrient deficiencies. The question assumes you will NOT eat meat alternatives, which would make it very difficult to get adequate protein. If you refuse to ingest animal products, know your alternative protein sources, and take a multivitamin and multimineral supplement with 100% of the daily value for all the vitamins and most of the minerals, every day. Then take extra calcium supplements. And talk to your medical doctor or check with us about what else you might need. Try again NO!! This is too little for most people, actually, unless you also eat meat alternatives. You want to avoid excess, but you need enough. Try again NO!! This is too much. Try again NO!! This is too little. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by some, but actually this is too much. In combination, meat alternatives and whole grains provide nearly as good quality protein as meat. Eggs are the exception; they are a nearly-perfect, complete protein all by themselves, better than many meats! Try again Yes! This is the amount that in protein and calories roughly matches a serving of meat. Congratulations, you know your meat alternatives! Proceed to question #19 NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact you need a small amount of essential fats, or you will experience health problems. This can be as merely annoying as dry skin or as dangerous as poor immune function. Try again Yes! These are the guidelines of the AHA, because this allows enough fat for a diet to be palatable and well balanced, without too many calories or too much of a boost in circulating levels of "bad" cholesterol. A diet that is too low in unsaturated fats may result in a dangerous decrease in circulating levels of "good" cholesterol. But you knew that! Congratulations on knowing your fats and oils! Proceed to question #20 NO!! You got them mixed up. It's the UNsaturated fats that aren't bad for you. Try again NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but in fact these diets are VERY dangerous to heart health. And the lack of vitamins from lack of plant foods contributes to other health problems. Being overweight is generally healthier than these diets! Try again NO!! You might not be doing awfully if you did this, but it is far better to get your nutrients from food than from supplements, and to eat a wide variety of foods. Try to find the choices you like in each category, and experiment with new tastes now and then. Meanwhile: Try again NO!! This is being too concerned about all this. As long as you roughly hit these targets over the longterm, you will be OK. If in doubt, take a multivitamin/multimineral supplement with 100% of the daily values for all the vitamins and most of the minerals; this will cover any inadvertent shortfalls. But if you get too obsessed with what you eat, you won't enjoy life any more and are likely to give up and eat just any old thing. Keep track generally, but don't worry about small deviations. Try again Yes! Hopefully, the 6-5-4-3-2 system, with plant foods comprising the high numbers, is easy to remember. Congratulations! You really DO know nutrition! Run back up to the buttons on the side for where you'd like to surf next! And thanks to Alchemy Mindworks Inc. for providing our animation! If you would like to see Alchemy Mindworks' site, click below: NO!! This claim has been made by certain unbalanced fad diets, but this is too much meat and too little starch. Take a closer look at the Food Guide Pyramid, and: Try again This page was last updated on 04/23/03.
