Healthy or Not?

By Jill Weisenberger
Her Sports + Fitness

Most active, healthy women are label readers. We are the ones clogging up the grocery aisles, carefully perusing the shelves and comparing products. Which foods will help me set a new PR? Will this keep my family healthy?

Turns out, not everything is what it seems. Some oft-shunned old favorites receive a healthy nod of approval while other so-called health foods earn a thumbs down. Here we set the record straight.

New Praise for Old Favorites

If you've taken burgers and pizza off the menu, you might want to reconsider enjoying them every once in a while. In fact, foods like these offer surprising nutrition perks--if portioned reasonably and prepared properly.

Hamburgers

Beef is a great source of iron and zinc. Don't expect to be first at the finish line if you're low in either of these essential minerals. Inadequate iron zaps both your aerobic capacity and your exercise endurance. Iron is part of hemoglobin, the protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. And it's vital to myoglobin, the oxygen-storing molecule in your muscle cells. Rely on zinc, a key nutrient for immune function, to stay healthy after a long, hard run.

How to enjoy: Make a moderate-sized, 4-ounce hamburger with 90-percent lean meat to avoid extra saturated fats. Skip the fries, and if you're topping your burger with cheese, choose the reduced-fat version to dodge more saturated fat. Just remember not to overdo it: The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends consuming no more than 18 ounces of red meat (including lamb and pork) weekly--more than that increases your risk for colon cancer.

Pizza

You'll get a healthy dose of the antioxidant lycopene in each slice of pie. In fact, cooked tomatoes found in pizza sauce offer a more potent dose of lycopene than raw tomatoes--cooking the tomato makes the antioxidant more available to your body. Researchers speculate that lycopene can lower the risk of heart disease and several cancers, including those of the stomach, lung and prostate.

How to enjoy: Skip deep dish, extra cheese and fatty toppings like sausage and pepperoni. See just how healthful you can make your slice by piling on the veggies. And boost the fiber and magnesium by choosing a whole-grain crust. Make your own pie, try Kashi frozen pizza (kashi.com) or build your pizza on a Boboli whole-wheat crust (boboli.com). Don't forget: portion size counts--a serving of pizza should be smaller than your plate.

Eggs

Once shunned from the breakfast table, the egg is reclaiming its spot on a healthy plate. This former nutritional miscreant earned its bad reputation for having a high cholesterol content, but scientists now believe the saturated fat in food has a much larger effect on blood cholesterol levels than does its cholesterol content. At only 80 calories, a large egg delivers 6 grams of high-quality, muscle-repairing protein, some vitamins and minerals and lutein, zeaxanthin and choline. Lutein and zeaxanthin, found in egg yolk, protect your eyes from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Choline is vital during pregnancy and lactation to aid in infants' brain and memory development.

How to enjoy: Eggs can be part of a quick, filling breakfast or an easy-to-make dinner. Eat them scrambled, hard-boiled or in omelets. Punch up the nutritional value by topping eggs with salsa or scrambling them with your favorite veggies.