Table Talk

Kristen replied:

Think of calories from food and drinks as energy that powers your body. If you’re very active, you need more calories than a person who is less active.

Of course, other things affect your calorie needs—age, height, weight, and more.

Adult women often need 1,600–2,400 calories a day.

Leah replied:

We don’t like to call any food “bad.” But some fats are on the “try to avoid” list.

There are three kinds of fats in food. We’ve listed them from best to worst for your health:

Kristen replied:

We get asked this all the time! The Nutrition Facts label contains lots of info, so it can be really helpful—once you know what to look for.

Kristen replied:

Great question! It turns out that a lot of the ideas in Eat Easy How-Tos also help keep your energy levels up. Why? We often crave sugar, caffeine and super-processed food when we’re stressed or hangry. They provide quick energy, but you can crash later, feeling worse than you did before.

Leah replied:

People talk a lot about carbs, so it’s natural to wonder how many we should eat.

Some people think of carbs (or carbohydrates) as coming from grain-based foods like bread and pasta. But there are carbs in fruits, vegetables, dried beans, dairy, and more. Carbs provide sugar, starches and fiber, and they’re an important part of your diet. The trick is to choose sources that offer lots of fiber and nutrients—like whole wheat bread instead of white bread or whole fruits instead of juice.