Are you looking for the magic food, pill or potion that will help you lose weight?

The bottom line from numerous studies on weight loss is that there is no single food or combination of foods that will promote weight loss. Body weight is all about calories eaten vs. calories burned. To lose weight you must eat fewer calories and/or burn more calories by exercising.

An important question is whether a person loses more weight by eating less or exercising more. To get some answers to this question the Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University conducted a study in which participants were divided equally into three groups. The first group cut calories by 25 percent and the second group cut calories by 12.5 percent and increased calories burned through exercise by 12.5 percent. The third group, which was the control group, did not make any changes. The first two groups lost equal amounts of weight and body fat. The control group did not lose a significant amount of weight. The study concluded that either reducing calories or exercising is equally effective for loss of body fat.

Body fat distribution did not change in any individuals in these two groups, which seems to show that fat storage in the body is genetically programmed (in other words, you cannot select the areas of your body where you gain or lose fat).

Although exercise and calorie restriction appear to have the same benefits for weight loss, exercise has the added benefits of improving aerobic fitness level and increasing muscle strength and endurance.

If you are trying to lose weight by cutting calories, think about “watering down” the calories in your meals. In other words, choose foods with a high water content. The concept of “calorie density” is used to determine how dilute or concentrated the calories are in a food. If a food has a nutrition label, you can calculate its calorie density by dividing the calories listed by the grams listed. The higher the number, the higher the calorie density of that food.

Make an educated guess about the calorie density of the following foods by considering how much water each one contains. Number the following foods from 1 to 10 starting with the lowest calorie density food and ending with the highest calorie density food: cheddar cheese, tomato, cucumber, olive oil, pasta (cooked), carrots, corn, saltine crackers, peaches. (Check the end of this article for the answers).

Eating meals with lower calorie density (higher water content, less fat) is the best way to cut calories without feeling hungry. You can accomplish this by eating more vegetables, fruits and cooked whole grains (brown rice, bulgur, barley, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta) and fewer baked goods, snack chips and high fat foods.

Using fresh produce from the Farmers Markets in Cayuga County is a great way to eat low calorie density meals.

If you come to the Auburn Farmers Market Thursday, Aug. 2, stop at the Cornell Cooperative Extension table to experience low calorie density vegetables with just enough dressing to bring out their flavor.

Calorie density from lowest to highest: Cucumber, tomato, carrots, peaches, corn, pasta, cheddar cheese, saltine crackers, peanut butter, olive oil.

Visit www.cce.cornell.edu/

cayuga for more nutrition information and easy recipes.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resourceeducator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County.

Corn, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Makes 8 servings

4 ears of corn

(about 2 cups corn)

2 large ripe tomatoes

2 medium cucumbers

1/2 cup lime juice

(or white wine vinegar)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 red onion

6 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro

Cut kernels (uncooked) from cobs into medium bowl. Wash, seed and dice the tomatoes and cucumbers and add to corn. In small bowl, whisk together lime juice, sugar, oil, salt and pepper. Wash peel and chop red onion and stir into dressing in small bowl. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Refrigerate until served. Add washed and chopped parsley or cilantro just before serving.