Instructions: A healthful diet has room for a little junk food

No nutritionist will tell you junk food is good food, but more than a few will recommend keeping it in your diet.

That is, if you insist.

``Each of us has our own weaknesses, said Linda Van Horn, a dietitian and professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Medical School. ``Potato chips or corn chips are basically worthless for nutritional purposes; they are simply calories and salt. But some people find them to be fun food.

Eating habits that dont allow for some fun wont last.

``I cant stand chips, Van Horn said. ``But I like cookies and choose to have a few now and then.

The key is knowing when you can ``afford junk foods as part of your daily intake.

``The typical person needs roughly 2,000 calories each day to fuel basic living activities, Van Horn said. ``It takes about 1,200 calories to get vital nutrients for the body. So the other 800 calories are for discretionary use.

Anyone who exercises regularly will need more calories, and consequently boost the ``fun quotient in his eating habits.

For example, according to the ``University of California-Berkeley Wellness Encyclopedia, 10 minutes of running at a 9-minute-mile pace will rack up 104 to 156 calories for a woman and man, respectively; climbing stairs tallies up 140 to 207 calories; ballroom dancing, 28 to

Still, you are better off getting most discretionary calories from nutrient-dense foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains. This helps control weight and is better for your heart. If you are going to eat some sort of junk food, keep the calories within your discretionary limits.

Thats not always easy advice to follow, said Sarah Murphy, a dietitian with Quaker Oats.

``You can work anything into the diet, said Murphy, who counseled patients at a suburban hospital before joining Quaker Oats as an adviser on nutritional matters. ``You simply must keep it to one piece of chocolate or a small slice of cake. Thats hard for some people. They cant just stop at a handful of chips; they want to eat the whole bag, just as the TV ad suggests.

Keep track of your junk food intake for a week, including any soft drinks, Murphy suggests. Then determine total calories and any average, and notice any days or times of day when you are most susceptible to munching or drinking empty calories.

Next, consider making small changes to get started in the right direction. Substituting orange juice or non-sugary sparkling water (or mixing the two for added flavor) for an afternoon cola might reveal the same pick-me-up without the excess sugar, empty calories and caffeine.

Same goes for trying a piece of fruit with one of those miniature candy bars instead of buying the regular size.

Many people in Van Horns Northwestern research studies get up to a third of their daily calories from junk food, she said: They arent making clear distinctions about what is junk and what is healthful. The growing number of fat-free products hasnt made things any easier.

``Yes, high-fat diets are not good for you, Van Horn said. ``But there has been an onslaught of fat-free products that get people thinking that `no-fat gives license to eat more.

``This is an incorrect way to control nutritional value in the diet.

Many of these fat-free cookies and other products are full of highly refined sugar, which means a high percentage of empty calories.

Van Horn recommends snacking on items that are naturally low in both fat and sugar, such as baked tortilla chips and salsa rather than fried chips with nacho cheese. Salt-free pretzels and bagels are other good choices.

``Then you can find room for indulgences, she said. ``Theres nothing wrong with having some Haagen-Dazs or a Dove Bar if the rest of your diet is low in fat. That allows you to enjoy it without feeling guilty.

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