Sally Squires

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The Lean Plate Club
With Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 23, 2002; 1 p.m. EDT

Welcome to The Lean Plate Club, hosted by Washington Post health and nutrition writer Sally Squires. On Tuesdays at 1 p.m. ET, Sally leads a discussion for people who want to eat healthier, move around more and otherwise get better but not bigger. We're not about fad diets or crash weight-loss plans; we're about eating wisely and living healthy for the long haul.

We want to hear from you -- your tips, strategies, meal plans, successes, warnings, setbacks and more. Of course Sally will be happy to answer questions, and turn others over to the Club. None of this, of course, is a substitute for medical advice.

Health section editor Craig Stoltz will join Sally sometimes. Stoltz has none of Sally's impressive credentials but labors under a decade-long medical directive to control his weight and eat wisely, takes a statin to lower his blood cholesterol and keeps track of everything he eats on a Palm handheld computer, a fact most of his acquaintances no longer find interesting.

Want to get the upcoming Lean Plate Club E-newsletter? Send your E-mail address with "LPC" in the subject line to squiress@washpost.com to be added to the list.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Sally Squires: Welcome to the Lean Plate Club! It’s hard to believe, but next week, we celebrate the one year annivesary of the Lean Plate Club. E-mail me at squiress@washpost.com if you’d like to discuss how being a member has helped you instill healthier habits. Please put habits in the subject line.

Okay, so how do you control your sweet tooth? Do you use sugar subsitutes? Or small amounts of the real thing? What did you find this week that could be helpful to other Lean Plate Club members?

The freebies this week are:

The Top 100 Zone Foods by Barry Sears, PhD. (ReganBooks; $16)

Eating Healthy for Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine ( Wiley; $14.95)

The Power: 11 Ways Women Gain Unhealthy Weight and How You Can Take Charge of Them (John Wiley & Son; $14.95)

Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Diabetes by Physicians Committee for Responsible (John Wiley & Sons; $14.95)

You know the drill: Inspire us. Surprise us. Mesmerize us with your habit changes and one of these volumes could be yours.

On to the chat...

Crystal City, Va.: Your column today reminded me of a story: The summer following graduation from college I spent a week or two with my best friend’s family. Nutrasweet was fairly new on the market (this was 1985). We would make lemonade the old-fashioned way –- lemon juice, sugar, water, ice; and we also would mix a pitcher of it using Nutrasweet. My friend’s mother insisted that we drink only the sugared stuff -– "You’re young. Nutrasweet is new and there’s no telling what it would do to you over the long-term. Dad and I are old and it won’t matter as much by the time this stuff catches up to us." ("Old" -– maybe late 40s?) Maybe I’m not quoting her exactly verbatim, but I remember it as being a very sweet and thoughtful consideration.

I stayed away from the stuff then, and I do now. I seldom drink sodas – two or three times a week, at most –- and when I do, it’s medicinal. I specifically want the sugar and caffeine "hit," so drinking diet sodas would defeat my purpose. I don’t consume other products made with alternative sweeteners, either, except maybe chewing gum. I prefer the real stuff, and anyway I was fortunate to have learned good nutrition and moderation at mama’s knee.

Sally Squires: Hey Crystal City: Great story! Thanks.

Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally!
I enjoyed the column on atrifical sweetners today, but I'm definitely a person who prefers to have the real thing while eating less of it. Anyway, I have a specific lunch questions for you: I've fallen in love with caprice sandwhiches -- fresh mozarella slices, with tomatoes, basil, vinegrette dressing, and onions on French bread. Is this at all healthy? I've tricked myself to believing it's better for me than, say, a turkey sandwhich, but I wanted to ask an expert. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hi DC:

Glad you enjoyed the column today. Now as for that sandwich--sounds pretty good to me. Of course, you'll get less fat with the turkey. One ounce of part skim, low moisture mozarella has 331 calories and about 5 ounces of fat. So portion size is key here. Turkey has about 70 calories per 100 grams, which is roughly 3 ounces and only three grams of fat. But hey, it's all about what you like and how it fits with what else you're eating. Only you can answer that.

Washington, D.C.: I am trying to "eat less and exercise more," but I am addicted to cheese! I was wondering if there were some cheeses that were better or worse for you? For example, I love to sprinkle some feta cheese over my salad at lunch. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey DC: Cheese is a great food, rich in calcium, but it often comes with fat. Feta is definitely a better choice because it's lower in fat. Harder cheeses generally have less fat than softer cheese, such as brie. Parmesan is good because it's such a rich flavor that you don't need to use much.

Alexandria, Va.: What is the difference in complex carbohydrates and simple?

Sally Squires: Alexandria: Complex carbohydrates refers to the chemcial structure. They're more difficult for hte body to break down to simple sugar (sucrose for example) and so raise blood sugar more slowly and give you great staying power. You can find them in fruits and vegetables, whole grains etc. Walter Willett's book Eat Drink and Be Healthy goes into this idea in more detail. It's worth a read.

Washington, D.C.: I keep meaning to submit, but then miss out, so here are quite a few comments:
Re: healthy fats-with all of the fresh fruits I love to make pies; Fannie Farmer has a oil-based crust (which I use canola) instead of lard or shortening, plus it's the flakiest I've ever made!
One way to keep me from snacking after dinner is I clean up the kitchen, then I don't want to create another dirty dish.
I just bought my first Hagen-Daaz sorbet, mango, 120 calories and NO Fat! (Does this count as a fruit serving?)
For increasing water consumption: At work, every time I have to use the ladies' room, I get another glass of water.
And finally, I've started packing a week's worth of lunches on Sunday, then I always have enough nutritious food every day.
I hope this helps!

Sally Squires: All great suggestions, DC. Thanks for submitting. That mango sorbet can indeed count towards your 5-a-day. All depends on how much you eat, but my guess is that half a cup is probably one serving. Or close to it.

Somewhere, USA: I help control the sweet urges by eating only high-quality sweets when I eat them. They're infinitely more satisfying, so I end up sharing a tiny creme brulee with my husband or eating a bite or two of really good chocolate and then putting the rest away for later, and feeling satisfied with it. I've gotten to the point where cheapo twinkies and waxy chocolate sound downright disgusting.

Sally Squires: Way to go Somewhere. There you are having your creme brulee and eating it too. Sounds really good.

Fairfax, Va.: I stopped using artificial sweetners about 1.5 years ago because I found out that I actually became hungrier when I ate/drank something containing them. Turns out that if you eat an artificial sweetner on an empty stomach that it can fake your body into an insulin surge, which will leave you tired/grumpy/hungry. I decided that if my body sent insulin looking for sugar, it should find it, and not wander around aimlessly.

To kick the habit, I stopped drinking all sweetened drinks--artificial or otherwise -- for a week. It was tough, but one week lead to another, and now I rarely drink anything with sweetner.

The few exceptions: I switched to small amounts of real sugar and/or honey in my drinks/yogurt/etc. I find I'm more full afterwards. And I will drink a chai latte or a mocha with sugar.

Gotta have SOME fun.

Sally Squires: Thanks Fairfax. You raise an interesting point about whether sugar substitutes increase appetite. I couldn't find any research to back up that idea last week, but I have heard folks talk about it before. May be it's an individual variation...

St. Louis, Mo.: Hi Sally,

I'm getting 79 calories for an ounce of mozzarella -- this is from the USDA site.

Anyway, on to today's question. I avoid artificial sweeteners, my philosophy being that if you eat enough sugar that switching to an artificial sweetener will have any significant effect on your weight or health, you're simply eating too much sugar. I don't drink soda, and I sweeten my foods reasonably: for example, two teaspoons of sugar or maple syrup in my oatmeal, 1 teaspoon of sugar in my tea. A tip for fellow readers: buy sugar cubes to place in your tea or coffee. That way, you won't inadvertently spoon in sugar with a too-heavy hand.

Sally Squires: Hmmm, St. Louis. I'll go back and check because I was using USDA too.

Cruising: I'm levaing for a cruise in a few weeks, and am an LPC follower. Any tips on how to avaoid weight gain?

Sally Squires: Yes. Get as much activity as possible while you're on the cruise. Take advantage of the gym, the pool, exercise classes, off board excursions, etc. Enjoy the food, but plan ahead. That means scouting the buffet before you dig in, and choosing carefully. Try to stick to regular meals and go easy on the alcohol, which adds calories and can undermine resolve. Have your wine or beer or whatever with your meal, rather than starting to drink alcohol during the cocktail hour. Bon Voyage!

Washington, D.C.: I find that right now I don't want to have sugary-sweet things anyway -- not when mangoes are in season. I bought a case of them a few days ago and haven't even thought about other sweets. I find that I use sugar for things that I drink consistently. I have one cup of coffee every morning, and I put a little real sugar in. However, I don't generally drink sodas. When I do, I sometimes have several. So I usually drink diet sodas. Otherwise the sugar does me in.

Sally Squires: Hi DC. Aren't those mangoes delicious? I'd add cherries to the list too, which almost taste like candy. You're absolutely right, it's easy during the summer to eat a lot more healthfully. We should call it the no excuses season!

Burke, Va.: For the past year or so I've been addicted to Dentyne ICE gum, and it's helped kill the craving for dessert I experience after every meal (even breakfast -- probably from the days when my dad cooked a great bacon-and-eggs Sunday brunch and topped it off with a giant Hershey bar split nine ways). It's the only food with a sugar substitute that I use -- can't stand diet soda -- and I'm convinced it's helped me lose weight.

Sally Squires: Interesting, Burke. And here again, let's underscore that you've found something that works really well for you.

Frederick, Md.: Hi Sally. When NutraSweet began being added to soft drinks, I noticed I always got headaches after drinking diet soda. I stay away from all artificial sweeteners and just consume products made with real sugar at appropriate serving sizes. It really isn't a big deal to use real instead of fake/toxic/who knows what else. And anyway, since starting the Everyday Challenge back in January I haven't had any soda and don't miss it at all.

A question, though, about diet sodas and other products containing aspartame, etc. How safe is it for kids? I had heard years ago that kids under 10 shouldn't have it, but now its used in fever reducers and other medications as well as food. So, what gives?

Sally Squires: Richard Wurtman, one of the MIT scientists who did a lot of the early research on aspartame, told me years ago during an interview that kids should not be drinking lots of this stuff. The reason is that children weigh less, so they could potentially get a higher dose than an adult. I believe that the aspartame used in over the counter medicines is at quite low doses, more as a flavoring. And by the way, you're not alone in getting headaches...a small percentage of folks who use these products report that very thing. As Michael Jacobson said, if that happens to you, don't use them.

Washington, D.C.: I am a big believer in artificial sweetners. When I vowed to change my lifestyle and lose weight a couple of years ago, sugar-rich soda and the ilk was the first thing to go. I think it made a big difference in me losing weight (40 pounds which this fall I will have kept off for three years). Now I use a couple of sweetener packets in my tea in the morning and then limit my diet soda intake to one/day.

Sally Squires: Congratulations DC. That's a super weight loss and the fact that you've maintained it for three years is just great. Clearly, you have instilled healthy habits.

Boston, Mass.: Favorite ways to satify sweet tooth: Lowfat vanilla yogurt over fresh fruit; in season mixed fruit (peaches, blueberries, etc.) with a half teaspoon of sugar to get juices flowing; Trader Joe's frozen mango, mixed berries or rapsberries. You can let the frozen stuff thaw completely or keep them semi-frozen. When they're fozen you can treat them like hard candy -- they last a long time and get you over the craving hump.

Sally Squires: Thanks Boston. Sounds really good.I was just at Trader Joe's yesterday. They really have some great, healthy choices.

Mozzerella: Sally-- I believe an ounce of part-skim mozzerella is only about 80 calories, not 330. Though add enough mozzerella for a sandwich, and it may get up that high.

Sally Squires: Okay, I hear a drum roll...Let me go back to the USDA site. I may have looked too quickly...

Alberta, Canada: I hunger for rich tasting sweets but I find if I indulge I am sluggish several hours later. I noticed this only since I started following LPC in March.

So I strictly control how much I eat. When I have a real craving I try to either get in a small portion or look for a low cal version of it. If I ignore the craving I seem to be hungry forever.

I avoid most chocolate but when that urge hits, I find eating chocloate ice cream or a hot chocolate (homemade with nutrasweet)fixes the craving without setting of a binge like a mini candy bar will do.

Sally Squires: Thanks, Alberta. And do you also find that if you do start eating sweets again that after a while you crave them, but if you give yourself a respite, you don't miss them?

Cheese, cheese, cheese!: If I was told I could never have chocolate again, I'd think, oh, well, that's kinda sad, but if I could never have cheese again, I think I'd slit my throat! That said, there was an article in the most recent Readers Digest about how 3-4 servings of dairy a day can actually help you lose weight -- especially cheese and yogurt (not ice cream, cream cheese or cottage cheese). Is this too good to be true?

About artificial sweetners: I completely abstain, if for no other reason than the word artificial -- if it's cooked up by some geek in a lab, it can't possibly be good for you. The couple of times I've inadvertently gotten a hold of some aspartame, I've come down with splitting headaches, which just proves to me how bad they've gotta be for you.

Sally Squires: Okay, we'll never tell you tat you can't eat cheese. I'm not familiar with the Reader's Digest article, but the DASH diet, which was developed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, helps control blood pressure and includes dairy products--yes, low-fat cheese-- as well as fruits and vegetables.

New York City!: I'm eating some cooked crab sushi rolls right now thinking this is a healthy, nutritious meal. Then I look at the crab and I think it has may or something in it. The whole thing has crab, cooked rice, seaweed, alvacados and I think cucumber. Is this a low cal or low fat thing? If not, is raw sushi the best for good nutrition? Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey NYC: You're getting a lot of healthy things in that sushi. Crab has omega-3 fatty acids--good for your heart--seaweed is filled with good nutrients, avocado gives you some healthy fat, and cucumber is another good vegetable.That rice is also good--despite what the NYTimes magazine said. Only way you might get into trouble with sushi is with the raw fish. There have been reports of tape worms...Yes, before you sushi lovers gasp, it's true--but they're rare. You're eating cooked, so you should be okay.

Caprice Sandwiches: That poster is fooling herself if the mozzarella's not part-skim and the vinagrette is loaded with oil. It's an approximation, but the tomato, mozzarella, and pesto sandwich from Au Bon Pain has 395 calories and 21 grams of fat. And four ounces of regular, fresh mozzarella clocks in at over 300 calories just by itself. If you want the sandwich, make it yourself so YOU can check the nutritional information of the ingredients and substitute healthier ones if need be.

I have a hard time believing that that Haagen-Daz sorbet counts as a fruit serving. A serving is only half a cup, or 60 g - 29 g of that is sugar -- you're better off eating a mango.

Sally Squires: We'll have to ask the member if this is the sandwich she's eating. If so, you're right: that's about a day's worth of fat. Fruit sorbet does count towards those five a day. We did a column earlier this year on hidden fruits and veggies. But yes, absolutely, actual fruit is usually preferrable to processed.

Arlington, Va.: The best (and only way) to cure a sweet tooth this time of year is with fresh fruit. Nothing satisfies my need for sweets like some of nature's candy.

Sally Squires: There you go Arlington. Thanks!

Sunny California: I used to be a big soda drinker. Back in high school it was a 6-pack or big gulp of Mountain Dew every day or so, and in college and beyond it was about that much Diet Coke (provided free by an employer, for better or worse!) But it was cutting into my water intake, so my rule now is one diet soda per day -- mid-morning snack, with lunch, late night -- whatever. I don't limit the amount -- if I'm at lunch and there's free refills I can have them, but once lunch is over, so is the diet coke. It keeps me from feeling like I am restricted in the amount or time I can have it.

Sally Squires: Hi West Coast: Seems like you've made a better switch. But...think about cutting back a little more on that carbonated soda. You're still probably replacing some other healthier drinks...skim milk, calcium rich orange juice, etc. You're also getting a pretty big swig of caffeine...Just a thought...

Fairfax, Va.: I think you are right, Sally -- aspartame and hunger is an individual reaction. In my case, cutting out aspartame worked. Others may not have a problem. Viva la difference.

Sally Squires: Hear, hear. Thanks!

Sushi -- New York, N.Y.: Hey is that real crab or it imitation crab, which is what most California rolls are made with(imitation crab is mostly pollack? Not sure)? Will that make a difference Sally?

Sally Squires: If it's made from fish--even if it's pollack--you'll still get some of those good omega three's.

Hill Habit Change: The single best change I did for myself is walking to work. I used to commute on metro but its a mile and a half to work so I started walking there and back. If you can't do that due to geographic constraints, then start working to do your errands. Even just 30 minutes picking up the dry cleaning, stamps, milk, etc. really adds up. To get my family into things, we routinely take a 30-minute walk after dinner. Even if it is late, we are all together. One person leads the discussion, and we get 30 minutes together, and exercise to boot.

Sally Squires: This is just a great way to incorporate daily activity. And how wonderful that you've also got your family to participate too. I sometimes take the dog as well. And you're right, it can really add up when you're counting those steps.

Cheese: I've lost 20 pounds on Weight Watchers since March (now maintaining) and I LOVE my cheese. I make it through with that wonderful stuff, Laughing Cow cheese. Tasty and automatic portion control. I also switched to the fat free shredded stuff. It does taste like plastic, but it melts a lot better if you give it a quick spray with Pam or your Misto. Or, mix with the 2 percent for a half-and-half effect. Velveeta Lite has also been my salvation. No real cheese tastes as good as being thin and healthy feels!

Sally Squires: And you've just reminded me of a lunch that one of my dearest friends told me about--by the way it's her birthday today too. She makes an open face sandwich with nonfat cheese and tomato on bread and says it's really great. She doesn't notice the missing fat at all.

Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally,
Love LPC, it keeps me sane! I have a question about exercise. Is it really true that walking three miles uses the same calories as running three miles? I know you spend more time walking, so I can understand it from that perspective, but I have to think there must be some caloric difference between a brisk three mile walk (heart rate elevated and everything, a good workout) and the heart-pounding rapid heart rate of a three mile run. Are they really identical workouts?

Sally Squires: Thanks, Capitol Hill. I'm afraid it's true: the calories burned for walking vs. running a mile are surprising close. Of course, you don't get the same aerobic workout when you walk that you can get when you run. And you can complete your workout faster when you run. Of course, you're not as likely to perspire--except in our recent heat--when you walk. There are tradeoffs both ways. I also don't think that you'll feel the runner's high with walking unless you really get a good pace going.

Wheaton, Md.: what's the word on Sweet-n-Low and a link to dehydration and dizziness? Any research found for a very large amount being linked to these areas? Really need to know!

Sally Squires: Nothing that I know of linked to dehydration or dizziness.

Washington, D.C.: I add artificial sweetner, Splenda, to my healthy whole grain cereal (just one packet) and no-sugar plain yogurt. This really helps me stick to the "plan."

Also -- brush your teeth when you are hungry and this delays the craving a bit.

Sally Squires: Thanks, DC. And yes, that old tooth brush really does the trick, doesn't it?

Damascus, Md.: With sugar (and fat, and just about everything else), I find moderation is the way to go. The 16 calories that I would save by using an artifical sweetener in my oatmeal isn't worth it. When I do get a soda craving, though, I do use diet soda, because 140 calories IS significant.

I do find that plain yogurt does wonders for keeping the edge of my sweet tooth, though, on everything from oatmeal to cherry pie (instead of ice cream or, the artificial food of them all, Cool Whip).

But I agree with the previous poster -- if you are going to have something sugary, make it worth your while. Twinkies aren't worth it (but dark chocolate is!).

Sally Squires: I'm with you too, Damascus. Last week when I was in Florida, I tried a sugar substitute sweetened lemonade by Minute Maid, which was actually quite good. No aftertaste and it was a lot less than a regular lemonade calorie-wise. As for that yogurt, someone once told me to try a little lemon nonfat yogurt on top of fruit. It's also quite good.

Carbs: Hi Sally,
Soemtimes I crave carbs like there's no tomorrow. Does that indicate something is missing from my diet? Last night I had to give in to my urge for pasta and cheese, when I wanted to make something healthy. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Could it be that you didn't eat enough during the day? If you haven't done this, you might also try some whole wheat pasta, which may help you feel full witha small portion. And remember, there's nothing wrong with pasta and cheese. It all comes down to protion sizes and what else you've eaten during the day.

Del Ray, Va.: Here's another vote for the "real thing." I don't use artificially sweetened products -- except for gum (seems to be a common thread)! I'd much rather have a very small amount of real sugar in my coffee or yogurt or ice cream. In fact, it irritates me that so many products are artificially sweetened when some of them don't need to be -- i.e., some of the flavored waters out there. I prefer seltzer with a little lime or raspberry juice -- but sometimes my husband mistakenly picks up a flavored water with sucrolose or aspartame in it -- Yuck! too sweet! Also, I have made the mistake of buying "no sugar added" juice pops that I thought contained only the naturally occuring juices for sweeteners. WRONG! Filled with aspartame. I'm a pretty diligent label reader but some of the newer artificial sweetners sound too much like the real thing and I miss them. Buyer beware!

Sally Squires: You raise a really good point, Del Ray. Read the label carefully because sugar substitutes are creeping into a lot of foods. I was buying ice cream--not for me, for my 15 year old son!--and inadvertantly bought the aspartame stuff. Surprisingly, it didn't even save that many calories, because it's the fat in ice cream that provides most of the calories.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Dear Sally,
Complements on the lovely column and chat. What I really like is the simple way in which you present all those scientific facts!

I have been folling LPC since last October or so. I have learned and incorporated a lot of ideas. Last summer, my goal was to loose 20 lbs: 1-2 pounds every month. Right now, I have added five pounds. My explanation is that I lowered my intake and metabolism had slowed down. so, as of 2 weeks ago, I have changed my eating. etc. and hopefully I'll be back on track soon. Now that I am eating more calories, I also find that I don't crave more sweets! But as a rule, I and my family always stay away from synthetic foods.

Anyway what I really have incorporated and enjoy enormously, from LPC is this: Eating at least five fruit/veg per day and making them colorful!

Very curious to know this: What is the difference in omega-3 vs. 6? Not trying to understand their chemical structure, just what they do for us inside our body? i.e.: It was clear from your article that omega-6 is not as desirable. Right? But, why?
Thanks.

Sally Squires: Thanks Gaithesburg for your kind words. And congratulations on what you have achieved. Even gaining back those five pounds has probably helped you learn something, and it sounds like you've already made the right adjustments.

As for those omega fatty acids. The three's seem to be incorporated into muscle cells where they help reduce the risk of a sometimes deadly irregular heart beat. The omega 6's don't get into the heart muscle. Both, however, seem to be beneficial.

Hollywood, Calif.: Tip for drinking lots of water:
I fill a 16-oz bottle at the water cooler and I'm not allowed to go to the bathroom until it's finished. Then when I return from the bathroom, I start again. I have to go to the bathroom so much from all the water that it makes me finish the water quickly so I don't have an accident! A self-perpetuating cycle.

Sally Squires: Great idea, Hollywood. Thanks!

New York, N.Y.: I grew up in a household where my mother was diabetic so I am more used to the sugar subsitutes.

In cooking meals I use regular sugar because usually the amounts called for are not large in comparision with the number of servings that are yielded.

For teas, coffees, and deserts I try to use Splenda because it can be measured.

The question about sweet tooths I use the sugar free hot chocolate. In the summer when it is warm I use it to make shakes with coffee, skim milk and ice.

I have a question for all of you. Now that I have lost all of this weight, should I change my behavior so I do not continue to lose weight? How do I add things back in?

Sally Squires: Hi New York: Hadn't thought about using hot chocolate in that way. Interesting. Congratulations on your weight loss. Yes, you want to tread carefully. If you go back to whatever your old habits were, odds are that you will see some of that weight creep back on. Try adding 100 calories daily for a week. Monitor the scale. Keep up your activity level. Maintain that for a week or so. Then add a little more. Just go very carefully. You may be right where you ought to be. It's another reason why whatever anyone does to lose weight needs to be things that they can life with for the rest of their lives. Otherwise you wind up yo-yo dieting,which is certainly no fun.

Glover Park, Washington, D.C.: Sally--what do you think of stevia? I started using the liquid form a few years ago (coffee and oatmeal are the only things I add sweetener to.) It's great!

Sally Squires: I was surprised to find that the World Health Organization and the European Union have reviewed the studies of Stevia and decided against approving it as a sugar substitute. Apparently it has to do with the quality of the scientific studies. They just felt that they were not good enough to set an adequate intake level. So I think the jury is still out and this substance ought to be used with great care.

Manassas, Va.: To Del Ray: I find Fruitwater a good way to get water down, it has a fruit flaver but no sweetening of any kind.

Sally Squires: Thanks Manassas. I just saw someone drinking this the other day and wondered how it was.

Westerville, Ohio: Trying to add color to my diet -- but some peaches I picked up this week are white inside instead of orange! Does anybody have any idea if these are comparable nutritionally to the old standard peaches? Same amount of vitamin A?

Sally Squires: Great question Westerville and one that I'll need ot research off line. I'll find out the answer and report back next week.

Burke, Va.: But how does it taste? The sweetener, I mean. I only consume aspartame in diet coke (1-2x week maybe), but will not consume it in other products. I even mix my own nonfat yogurt using plain nonfat and add fruit and honey or maple syrup, because you can't get nonfat flavored yogurt made without aspartame, and I can't stand the taste.

I won't be quick to try the new sweetener, for taste as well as health reasons. Healthwise, I think it is better for me to curb my sweet tooth, and I don't want my three-year-old to learn to indulge freely either.

I use several strategies for controlled indulgence. One is simply smaller portions and not keeping things on hand. When I get a hankering for chocolate, I get a small fancy mint chocolate cream bar (about 3 inches long by 3/4 inch wide and high). I don't keep these in stock, because I can't.

I also try subsituting. A good piece of fresh fruit (peaches!) can really hit the spot and often (not always) satisfy the craving. Even if not, at least I got in another fruit!

But my favorite indulgence is really rich Mexican hot chocolate. The way I satisfy myself here is to leave part of the chocolate in the bottom of the mug not mixed up, and then mix it at the end with just the last few sips of hot milk. Very very rich, but with no more calories than if I had mixed it as directed to begin with. I guess I am denying myself to indulge myself.

Sally Squires: Hmm, this chat is stoking my appetite today. Thanks Burke.

Washington, D.C.: Love all the questions about lunch, since I just finished mine, and it was yummy.

My two college age daughters are home this summer and working, and are both eating way too many of those frozen meals -- Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones. Sally, don't they have too much sodium? I told them that this week I would make them sandwiches everyday, so here's what we have all had for lunch today and yesterday: Peanut butter sandwiches! Made with 1 tablespoon of the reduced fat peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of fruit spread, on lite wheat bread. I've given them one of those mini yogurt cups (to complete the protein?), and a piece of fruit. Sally, can you give me some ammunition to tell these girls why this is healthier than the frozen meals?

Thanks!

Sally Squires: You're right, DC. The processed frozen foods do generally hvae more sodium. Unless your daughters have a weight problem, I'd go with the regular peanut butter, since they're not eating that much. You could argue that the frozen meals probably don't have as much calcium as that yogurt that you're giving them. I'd also go for whole wheat bread or some other kind of whole grain, which will give them more fiber--something else that thye're probably not getting from the frozen food. But really, the best argument is probably cost. And you're teaching them how to prepare food for themselves rather than just buy something that's already fixed. How about a compromise? Twice a week for the prepared food (and they pay for it) three times a weeek for your healthier lunches...

For Burke: Fresh Fields has nonfat yogurt flavored with sugar by Stoneyfield Farm. My favorite is Carmel Underground.

Sally Squires: Thanks!

West Coast: A snack idea that has held me over more than once:

Celery and bell peppers dipped in salsa sprinkled with a touch of salt. With the crunchiness, it could almost be fried tortilla chips.

Sally Squires: Sounds great! Thanks and there's all kinds of good stuff there...(although for those of you with high blood pressure, skip the added salt.)

Isla Del Sol, Fla.: Trying to drink eight glasses of water a day is pretty boring. What can I do to flavor the taste? Would Soda or Seltzer water help?

Sally Squires: You might try adding a little bit of juice: say an ounce or two of cranberry--plus a little lime or lemon. Or since you're in Florida, why not key lime?

Sweet Tooth: Hi Sally,
I've found that I can't really control my sweet tooth. I often give in and have a full-size candy bar, if I really want it. What I do to compensate however, is load up on fruit, veggies, and other clean foods. I just factor the calorie expenditure of the sweets into my daily tally. It's worked for me thus far! Go ahead and have your sweets, just compensate for it!

Sally Squires: There you go! Or even better, split that candy bar with someone else.

Love my pedometer!: Sally --

I just have to tell you that I got my first pedometer last night and one day into it, I love it! I intend to use it initially as a tool to figure out my walking/exercise habits. Hopefully, that will help me learn how to fit more lifestyle walking into my schedule. I used to exercise a lot more than I do now (which is, I have to admit, nil), but with two very small children, a full-time job and all the other life stuff, it's so hard to fit it all in without getting up at 4:00 a.m. Any suggestions for an already sleep-deprived mother?

Sally Squires: Walk to as many activities with your kids as possible. Load up that stroller and go. Take the stairs at work. Walk to as many errands as possible. Get up every hour and tool around the room--which reminds me, I better get going!

Suggestion: Have you ever thought about doing a column on the conception (misconception, in my experience) that it's cheaper to eat junk food than healthy food?

Sally Squires: In fact, we have done this. But maybe it's worth another crack at it.

Washington, D.C.: Hi
I'm looking for fat-free/sugar-free (or low sugar) yogurts -- I use Dannon's, but I wondered if there are any others out there? I found a great new way to get water and calcium, I mix the flavored yogurt with 16 oz of very cold water -- Almost like a smoothie and very low calorie.

Sally Squires: Smoothies are wonderful. You can also just take plain yogurt and add flavoring--vanilla, or almond--or fresh fruit. It's quite good.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Dear Sally,
Thanks for a wonderful weekly LPC great topic. Six months ago before I changed my eating habits slowly as you recomend I was drinking 1-2 soda a day (regular) I am sensitive to aspartame and dont like the after taste of most of the artificial sweetners I have now cut out all sodas and only drink water and herbal tea I feel so much better. my question is does any one have a particular sweetner that tastes like sugar with out the after taste? I still beleive sugar is best for one but in moderation.
Keep the LPC going look forward to it weekly.

Sally Squires: My experience is that the all have a slight afertaste, but this could vary from person to person.

Sally Squires: We're out of time folks. Before they get the hook, the winners this week are DC who lost 40 pounds, the Hill Habit changer, Arlington and DC who submitted to the chat for the first time. Thanks everybody. Don't forget to e-mail me if you'd like to talk about how Lean Plate has helped you change habits. Please put habits in the subject line. And books will be going out this afternoon for last week's winners. E-mail me and put winner in the subject line if you're one of the winners from this week.
Cheers!

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