Authors Offer Big Menu Of Ways to Eat Wisely

The supply of new books on diet and nutrition and managing weight is almost inexhaustible. Some merit attention from readers trying to sort through the glut of information (and misinformation) and make healthy food choices. Here are a few worth considering:

? "Feed Your Family Right!" (Wiley, $16.95). Elisa Zied, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, isn't willing to accept that we're doomed to be fat because we move less and face more temptation to eat high-calorie food. As a mother of two, she knows that lifetime eating habits often begin at home and affect the whole family. Here, she helps readers make individualized nutrition plans, make fitness fun (even if you're dealing with such troublesome types as "the picky eater," "the food pusher" or "the food cop") and keep dietary goals at home or dining out.

? "T he F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss" (Putnam, $24.95). Eat more, weigh less. That's the message behind nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot's book. So what is the F-word? "Fiber!" she explains. "Fiber may not be the sexy answer you were hoping for, but when it comes to losing weight and improving your health, nothing works better." Why? Because fiber fills you up, Zuckerbrot explains, before it fills you out.

? "SuperFoods HealthStyle: Simple Changes to Get the Most Out of Life for the Rest of Your Life" (Harper, $14.95). Time was, a bagel weighed 1.5 ounces and contained 116 calories; today they weigh some 4.5 ounces each and pack about 350 to 400 calories. Portion control is one of the four basic pillars of health on which Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews base their book. The other three ingredients? Exercise, sleep and less stress.

-- Health staff