PREPARED MEALS

Report #6979; 12/21/96

Myriad studies show that a low fat, high-fiber diet can help to prevent heart attacks and certain types of cancers and treat diabetes and high blood pressure, but many people don't know how to prepare such foods and many who do know, don't have time to cook for themselves. An exciting study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that prepared low fat, high-fiber foods can help busy people prevent heart attacks and strokes (2). Another study in Canadian Family Physician shows that most physicians are not capable of giving adequate dietary advice (2).

In the study, people ate prepared meals that contained the recommended dietary allowances of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients, but were also low in fat and high in fiber. They found the food tasty and lost weight and lowered their cholesterol.

A low fat, high-fiber diet should be loaded with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, but whole grains don't taste good unless they're cooked with a little salt and other seasonings. Many people don't understand that you can make vegetables taste good by combining several kinds, and adding fruits for sweetness and whole grains to fill you up. The food should be cooked in bouillon or other flavored liquids, instead of oil or butter, with a generous amount of herbs and spices added for taste appeal.

Unfortunately, most commercial prepared meals don't come close to these guidelines. Instead they rely on tiny portion sizes to meet calorie limits and usually taste awful. Perhaps this new study will encourage manufacturers to devise packaged meals that are low in fat and high in fiber and satisfying and delicious.

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News