Beetroot vs capsicum
Beetroot contains about 70 per cent more calories and over twice the natural sugar of red capsicum, but with that comes four times as much magnesium, twice the folate, almost twice the fibre and more potassium. Capsicum has five times the vitamin C, over 30 times the beta-carotene and over 40 times the vitamin E. Each contains different antioxidants and eating both is your healthiest choice.
Winner: it’s a tie
Custard vs vanilla ice-cream
Deciding what to serve with your pudding? Brands vary, but vanilla ice-cream typically has about 10 per cent more calories than custard, as well as twice the saturated fat, less protein and half the calcium and potassium. However, ice-cream usually has less sugar and salt, too. For the healthiest option, make your own custard using eggs, milk and vanilla bean, with minimal sugar and no cream.
Winner: custard
White wine vs sparkling wine
In terms of calorie and alcohol content, white wine is on par with sparkling. The difference is whether you go for a dry or sweet drop, as sweeter wines have more than twice the sugar of drier varieties. Some studies have found that sparkling gets you tipsy faster – with alcohol entering the bloodstream more rapidly – but wine drinkers tend to catch up in under an hour, so any effect is short lived.
Winner: it’s a tie
Smoked salmon vs prawns
Smoked salmon tends to have about 50 per cent more calories than prawns due to its higher fat content. It has about five times the overall fat, but it also has far more healthy omega-3 fats. It’s a better source of potassium and vitamin B12, although it tends to have over twice the salt. Prawns have five times the iodine, and more calcium and selenium. Prawns win, but variety is the healthiest choice.
Winner: prawns
Dark fruitcake vs shortbread
Brands vary, but dark fruitcake is typically the healthier choice. Shortbread generally has 50 per cent more calories than fruitcake, as well as over three times the saturated fat. It also has one-third of the potassium and less than half the iron, as well as less calcium and fibre. Plus, shortbread tends to have more salt. Its saving grace is that it has less than half the sugar, but fruitcake wins overall. Both are sugar-loaded treats that should be eaten in moderation.
Winner: dark fruitcake
Rockmelon vs watermelon
These two melons are on par in calorie terms, however, watermelon has about 15 per cent more sugar than rockmelon. Watermelon also has about half the fibre, potassium and beta-carotene, as well as less folate, calcium and vitamin C. Rockmelon wins, but getting fruit variety is the best choice. Whichever you choose, remember: the riper the melon, the sweeter it will be, with a higher sugar content to go with it!
Winner: rockmelon
