Q: I really don’t want to give up butter. Is there a way to include it in a healthy diet?

A: Almost any food can fit in a health-promoting diet: it depends on how often you eat it, your portion size, and what else you eat. The two major problems with butter are calories and saturated fat. The calories in butter are not any higher than in oils or regular margarine. (The margarine-like “spreads” made with less oil are lower in calories.) The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans group butter with other foods that don’t provide nutrients we need, including alcohol, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and the fat in high-fat meats. For adults to meet nutritional needs and maintain a healthy weight, the guidelines suggest limiting these Discretionary Calories to 150 to 350 calories a day. Consider how many 35-calorie teaspoon pats of butter you have room for among your other choices from this group. The saturated fat content of butter poses another issue. Most of us should eat no more than 18 to 24 grams of saturated fat a day. People who have high blood cholesterol may need to stay under 12 to 15 grams. Each teaspoon of butter contains 2.4 grams of this fat, more than three times as much as in the recommended soft tubs of margarine. If you use only nonfat dairy products and lean poultry, fish and meat, you probably have room for about two teaspoons of butter a day. But be careful saturated fat does not sneak into your diet through such foods as regular cheese, desserts and snacks.

Q: Is weight gain unavoidable when someone quits smoking?

A: Modest weight gain is not unusual when a smoker quits smoking, but it is not universal. Nicotine can cause an increase in the body’s metabolic (calorie-burning) rate. When people stop smoking, they can gain weight from the body returning to its normal metabolism and the tendency to eat when they would have smoked. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to avoid weight gain after quitting. Two or three ten- or fifteen-minute blocks of activity can burn up enough calories to compensate for a drop in metabolic rate. Exercise can also reduce stress and improve your mood, which can decrease emotion-based eating. The main sources of increased calorie consumption when people quit smoking seem to be snacks and alcohol. Some people find the urge to smoke or eat excessively easier to handle if they eat small amounts of food several times a day. This will keep your blood sugar from dropping too low, which can stimulate the urge to eat. The key is to choose balanced snacks, not just sweets or chips.

Q: Are the stalks of broccoli nutritious, too, or do the florets contain everything good?

A: Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables, providing vitamin C, folate, and special cancer-fighting phytochemicals called isothiocyanates. It also contains a group of phytochemicals called carotenoids, including beta-carotene and lutein, which seem especially good for our eyes, The florets and leaves are higher in carotenoids than the pale stalks, but the stalks are just as good at providing vitamin C and folate. The stalks are also great sources of fiber. Little information is available about the phytochemical content of different parts of the broccoli plant. Regardless, you can be confident that the whole broccoli—stalks and florets—provides numerous nutrients for your health.

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The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) offers a Nutrition Hotline online at www.aicr.org or via phone 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday, at 1-800-843-8114.  This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer.  A registered dietitian will respond to your email or call, usually within 3 business days. AICR is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on how the risk of cancer is reduced by healthy food and nutrition, physical activity and weight management. The Institute’s education programs help millions of Americans lower their cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. Over $77 million in funding has been provided. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.