EatToLive: Not as healthy as we think

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- After all that's been written over the last year about trans fats, calories consumed against calories dispatched through exercise, and the vital importance of eating breakfast, how adequate would you guess is American understanding of how to control weight and improve health?

Not terrific, if you read the 2007 study from the International Food Information Council Foundation just out. Delusional, even.

Start with breakfast, as we all should. Ninety percent of the people who responded to a Web survey cited breakfast as the most important meal of the day, but only 49 percent agreed they eat it seven days a week.

Ninety-three percent of Americans -- that's nearly everyone in the land, people! -- eats at least one snack a day. Nationals globally from Spain to Cambodia would be astonished at that figure.

Sixty percent of Americans trying to lose weight said they were making an effort "to reduce the number of calories" they consume. Yet only 11 percent guessed accurately the number of calories per day a person their age and weight could eat.

Only 31 percent properly understood that all calories from anywhere can increase weight. (No, "empty calories" like those in a soda, doesn't mean they don't count, just that they won't fill you up -- although they will add to your total calorie count.)

And 44 percent said they didn't balance their diet with physical activity to manage their weight.

On the plus side, awareness of trans fats (that's the bad cholesterol-raising kind) increased from 81 percent last year to 87 percent this. And 75 percent say they're limiting their consumption of them.

On the downside, despite the column inches and media minutes devoted to the subject, Americans are still confused about the "good" fats you can eat more of -- mono and polyunsaturated fats. Forty-two percent of Americans are trying to consume less polyunsaturated fats, against 33 percent in 2006.

Sixty-three percent of Americans say they check the trans fat information on the Nutrition Facts Panel, up from 49 percent in 2006. Sixty-three percent also believe that more healthful oils are being incorporated into processed foods, compared with last year's 45 percent.

On a happier note, in 2006, 33 percent of Americans thought their health was "excellent" or "very good". This year, 39 percent believe this. In 2006, 66 percent were concerned about their weight, this year it's 75 percent. And 70 percent say that they've changed their eating habits because they want to lose weight, while 56 percent say they're actively trying to lose weight.

If you're getting bogged down trying to sort out all the dazzling information coming from healthy nutrition advocates, don't worry. There's an easy solution: Buy all your food in the fresh produce aisle and at the meat and fish counters. Then by-pass every other aisle (stopping only to replenish household cleaning items) and head straight for the check-out.

At this time of year, this salad from Jamie Oliver is wonderful. He calls it -- and it is -- "The easiest sexy salad in the world." Here it is, from Happy Days with the Naked Chef, in his own bubbling words.

"I love this salad. Apart from being a great combination, it always seems unbelievably effortless, which is the kind of recipe I like. The constant success of this is due to the common-sense marriage of salty Parma ham, milky buffalo mozzarella and sweet figs, which obviously need to be of a good quality. The best figs to use are Italian and the best time to buy them is June to August when they are in season. Greek figs are a good second-best and are in season from September to November. The best figs always seem to be those that are about to split their skins. Use green or black figs - it doesn't really matter.

One thing I do is to criss-cross the figs but not quite to the bottom - 1 fig per person is always a good start. Then, using your thumbs and forefingers, squeeze the base of the fig to expose the inside. At this point you'll think, 'Oooh, that looks nice, I think I'm quite clever ...' or at least I do. More importantly, it allows your dressing to get right into the middle of the fig. All these little things really help to make a salad special. Simply place the figs in a dish, weave around 1 slice of Parma ham or prosciutto per fig, throw in some slices of buffalo mozzarella and rip over some green or purple basil. Mix 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a tablespoon of good honey and some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper together in a bowl and drizzle everything with this dressing. As far as salads go, it's pretty damn sexy.

P.S. It's a good idea to have some spare bread on the table to mop up the juices - always a treat."