Test your food IQ

6. The daily need for vitamin C can be met by eating which of these foods?
a. One-half of a red pepper
b. One-quarter of a cantaloupe
c. 250 millilitres (one cup) cooked broccoli
d. 250 millilitres (one cup) strawberries
e. 250 millilitres (one cup) orange juice

Answer:
All of the above. It's not difficult to get the 75 to 90 milligrams of vitamin C we need daily for good health. Half of a red pepper contains about 120 milligrams; 250 millilitres (one cup) of orange juice, 103 milligrams; 250 millilitres (one cup) of cooked broccoli, 100 milligrams; 250 millilitres (one cup) of strawberries, 89 milligrams; and one-quarter of a cantaloupe, 60 milligrams.

7. Freezing raw ground beef will kill any potentially dangerous bacteria. True or false?

Answer:
False. Freezing does not kill bacteria; it just stops them from growing. The way to kill foodborne bacteria is to cook food properly. Beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 70 to 75C (160 to 170F). To ensure safety, cook ground beef all the way through, and don't eat it rare or pink.

8. In each group, which food is lower in calories?
a. One large skim-milk caffe latte or one large hazelnut coffee with 25 millilitres (two tablespoons) 2% milk
b. One-quarter of a cantaloupe or 250 millilitres (one cup) apple juice
c. One English muffin or one low-fat bran muffin
d. Eight green olives or 30 grams (one ounce) of pretzels (about 35 sticks or nine twists)
e. 250 millilitres (one cup) cooked long-grain white rice or one medium sweet potato

Answer:
a. One large hazelnut coffee, since there are no calories in flavoured coffees. The only calories would come from the added milk, and the latte would have more milk.
b. One-quarter of a cantaloupe contains only 50 calories yet is much more filling than 250 millilitres (one cup) of apple juice, which contains 125 calories.
c. One English muffin only contains 130 calories. As for the bran muffin, low-fat does not necessarily mean low-calorie. Even though low-fat muffins are lower in fat than regular ones, they still contain 250 calories or more.
d. Eight green olives contain 72 calories, while 30 grams (one ounce) of pretzels contains about 115 calories. Unsalted pretzels are a good snack because they're low in fat, but enjoying a few olives as a nibble or in a salad will not put on the pounds.
e. It may taste sweet and rich, but one medium sweet potato contains only about 150 calories. A 250-millilitre (one-cup) measure of cooked long-grain white rice contains about 230 calories. Sweet potatoes are also one of the best vegetable sources of beta-carotene and a source of fibre and vitamin C.

9. To build muscles, increase your intake of:
a. Protein-rich foods, such as steak and eggs
b. Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pasta and bread

Answer:
b. Building muscles requires a combination of food and exercise. It takes physical exercise to build muscles, and carbohydrate-rich foods are important to meet the increased energy needs of your muscle-building regimen. Although athletes and those who work out regularly need slightly more protein in their diets for extra muscle development and maintenance, this is easily achieved by eating a balanced diet.

10. Which is the lowest-fat menu choice at a fast-food restaurant?
a. Plain hamburger
b. Breaded-chicken sandwich
c. Slice of cheese pizza
d. Salad with house dressing and a sprinkle of cheese

Answer:
a. A plain hamburger has about 12 grams of fat, while cheese pizza has 15 grams per slice. The breaded-chicken sandwich and salad with all the fixings each contain more than 20 grams of fat.

Read more:
• How to boost your metabolism naturally
• 20 quick-to-make meals under 300 calories
• 9 ways to reach your weight-loss goals
• 8 healthy comfort foods