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---
title: Quiz: Which of These Foods Should You Eat?
description: Click through our quiz to see which food is better for you and why. The answers may surprise you.
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author: TIME Staff
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article:published_time: 2017-09-29T14:51:38.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:08:18.023Z
article:section: Health
og:title: Quiz: Which of These Foods Should You Eat?
og:description: The answers may surprise you.
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og:image:alt: Which is less fattening: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6d29bb44a0ecc6cf/6986970d06f2c17e7332f6a0/cookie-chocolate1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?

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| --- | --- | --- |
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### FAQ

#### What is TIME's health newsletter?

Health Matters is TIME's daily health newsletter, written by TIME's health journalists. It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. It reaches 240,000 subscribers with a 54.1% open rate as of August 2026, TIME's highest open rate of any newsletter.

#### Where can I get reliable health news by email?

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by 

[TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/)


## TIME Staff


Sep 29, 2017 2:51 PM UTC

![Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6d29bb44a0ecc6cf/6986970d06f2c17e7332f6a0/cookie-chocolate1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?

Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?Getty Images (2)

by 

[TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/)


## TIME Staff


Sep 29, 2017 2:51 PM UTC

For decades, fat has been vilified as the worst part of the American diet. Scientists made their case, the government codified it with nutritional guidelines, and industry launched a fat-free food frenzy that hasn’t abated. But in those 40 years, people got sicker—and fatter. The new science shows [fat isn’t the reason](http://time.com/2863227/ending-the-war-on-fat/), and in fact, the nutrient might deserve even more room on our plates. Overall, the [latest science on weight and dieting](http://time.com/4793832/the-weight-loss-trap/) shows that there’s likely no one-size-fits-all approach and that people can succeed at achieving better health through a wide variety of ways—and foods.

Still, all this back and forth has made eating healthy seem more complicated than it really is. You might be surprised by what foods you don’t need to be avoiding. Click through the quiz above to see if you can guess which food is healthier.

**MORE:** [The Weight Loss Trap: Why Your Diet Isn’t Working](http://time.com/4793832/the-weight-loss-trap/)

_(Note: For our assessments we consulted nutritionists, like registered_ [_dietitian_](http://kerigansnutrition.com/) _Keri Gans, weighed nutritional data from the_ _USDA_ _National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and used our common sense)._

_This story was originally published June 12, 2014._

![Which is better for you: A 1/2 cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0dcd6ba4542df1bf/69869703361760c4d390c8cb/sorbet-icecream2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet? Getty Images (4)

![Answer: A 1/2 cup of ice cream](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltafd9c3a5ba842273/698696c4361760ee7f90c858/icecream.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat. Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME


![Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfe7c1266c414bdae/6986973c1eebf7219f371676/butter-pam2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter? Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME

![Answer: Butter](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt51c5755d7858efa2/698696fdcd804d2321ccb668/butter.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

![Which is better for you: A sirloin burger or a turkey burger?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5d34f2664ce95fd0/6986970f55a859cba4a814fb/sirloin-burger-turkey-burger1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger? Getty Images (2)


![<span style="font-size:medium;"><strong><b>Answer: Sirloin burger</b></strong></span><br>
Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you \(and for the record, they aren't low-fat\). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte1b297940ae4e4e0/6986970ce53aba0cb54d318e/sirloin-burger.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

![Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt16e1e6d1d8c582c2/6986970e810bbb98b6c921d1/almonds-pretzels.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels? Getty Images (2)

![Answer: Almonds](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5b21660de6689807/698696f1f983e73c4504e551/almonds-pretzels.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME


![Which is better for you: Eggs or Special K?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf602e8d6c60cb43b/6986970ff983e7cb9304e58b/egg-specialk2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: Special K or eggs? AP; Getty Images

![Answer: Eggs](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd9b137f0cdb6ba79/69869708361760617290c8d9/egg1.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

![84505234](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt962c2f51f81ad25b/6986973f35ba6f546dc028b1/salad-dressing.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing? Tara Johnson for TIME


![Answer: Regular salad dressing](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8494b1b55550dab6/6986973f13c79f77cc1929c4/regular-salad-dressing.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt. Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

![Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6d29bb44a0ecc6cf/6986970d06f2c17e7332f6a0/cookie-chocolate1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate? Getty Images (2)

![Answer: Dark chocolate “People tend to believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies may be lower in fat, but higher in other ingredients like sugar. Try a nice piece](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc5d7b73e6b87c4fb/6986970dcd684835d9095289/chocolate1.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead. Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME


![Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt?](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blted3be39fb51dc5a7/69869744cd684847960952e9/yogurt2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt? Tara Johnson for TIME

![Answer: Low fat Greek Yogurt](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteece0567a8f49f95/6986974455a8591e71a81555/greek-yogurt2.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp)

Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein. Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

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