Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN
American Institute for Cancer Research
Q: Is ketchup a good source of lycopene?
A: Lycopene, found primarily in tomatoes, is a natural phytochemical that acts as an antioxidant and seems to help lower the risk of cancer, like other phytochemicals in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. Although lycopene in ketchup comes in a form easily used by our bodies, one tablespoon of ketchup provides only 2.9 milligrams (mg) of it.
Every little bit helps, but foods we eat in larger portions can provide much more. For example, one-half cup of tomato sauce provides about 19 mg, while one cup of tomato juice provides about 23 mg. If you eat large amounts of ketchup, you will get more lycopene. But keep in mind that your sugar and salt consumption will also rise. If you eat seven tablespoons (almost half a cup) of ketchup, you would get the same amount of lycopene as in the tomato sauce and juice examples above. But you would also consume half a day?s worth of sodium and about 6 teaspoons of sugar. While tomato juice and sauce can provide quite a bit of sodium, too, unless you choose reduced-sodium varieties, any choice will have less than ketchup.
Q: Do I need to eat some enriched refined grains to get folate, or do whole grains supply enough?
A: The most concentrated sources of folate, a B vitamin, are actually legumes (dried beans) and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and kale. Although they do not contain as much, grains enriched with folate are also a significant source. Refined grains that have been enriched generally have more folate than whole-grain versions of the same product, but breakfast cereals are an exception. Both kinds of cereals can be fortified to reach similar levels. You should choose the whole-grain kinds because of their fiber advantage. However, you do not have to worry about your folate intake at all, if you eat in accordance with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans or the American Institute for Cancer Research's recommendations for cancer prevention. Because of their emphasis on high-folate-content beans and dark green vegetables, these eating styles will take you well beyond the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for folate. By eating five to ten vegetable and fruit servings daily, you will further increase your folate consumption. Enriched grains may be advisable for people who don't follow these healthy eating styles. But, although these people would get folate, they would miss the fiber, magnesium and other health-promoting plant compounds found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.
Q: Will the small 100-calorie packs of about six cookies help me try to lose weight?
A: By helping you limit your snack portion, a small six-pack of cookies would definitely be a wiser weight-loss move than munching from a full-size package of cookies. But are you sure that your small package is a low-calorie treat? Check the label. Many small packages of cookies contain 190 to 270 calories. Instead of one of these, you should try taking just one or two regular-sized packaged cookies. Even better, a delicious piece of fresh fruit would give you few calories, good nutrition, and more fiber to keep you feeling full longer.
Diets 
