man vs food vs food

Food vs food

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
October 13, 2013

Life is too short not to eat anything we want—or not! Sadly, food restriction becomes more apparent as we age. There are actually many things to consider before eating lechon, chocolate bars, or anything we fancy, unless we want to see ourselves heading to the nearest hospital.

We break down and compare some of the most common household Pinoy food favorites and discover which is better.

Banana vs. Mango

St. Luke’s Medical Center Geriatrics Specialist Dr. Eduardo Poblete says that any favorite fruit is healthy; however, there is a general preference for bananas since they are available in all seasons. He says that bananas and mangoes have the same nutritional value. According to him, one regular-sized latundan is equal to 1/2 mango.

Health website, Spark People (www.sparkspeople.com) says a cup of mashed banana has 201 calories, 2 g of protein, and 51 g of carbohydrates while a cup of sliced mango has 107 calories, 1 g of protein, and 28 g of carbohydrates.

Kangkong vs. Sitaw 

Any green vegetable is good for the body so it does not matter whether you prefer kangkong (water spinach) over sitaw (beans), since it is more abundant and cheaper. Poblete says that everybody should take a minimum of two servings of vegetables per meal.

Water vs. Juice vs. Iced Tea

Nothing beats water! An adult needs an average of eight glasses while a senior citizen needs six. However, if there are no glasses of water in sight, a glass of juice is healthier than iced tea.
What about desserts? 

Rejoice, those with a sweet tooth but restrained by diabetes! There are sugar-free and artificial sweeteners available in the market. Just remember to eat in moderation.

Pasta vs. Rice 

White rice is a Filipino staple food ergo, we go for them over pasta. According to a health-related website, Spark People (www.sparkpeople.com), a cup of white rice has 205 calories and 4 grams of protein while a cup of pasta has 221 calories and 8 grams of protein.

Pan de Sal vs. Tasty 

Both are good sources of carbohydrates for energy. Poblete says, in general, that older people prefer the bite-sized pan de sal. However, a loaf of bread can be mashed to become a pudding, which is easier to chew. A regular serving of pudding is equivalent to one and a half pan de sal.

According to the health website, My Fitness Pal (www.myfitnesspal.com), a regular-sized pan de sal has 87 calories, 1.7 grams of fat, and 2.7 grams of protein.

Boiled Egg vs. Fried Egg

Eggs are good sources of vitamins and minerals. However, hard-boiled eggs are better because they contain lower saturated fat, which can cause cholesterol.