FitSugar

Milk Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:45:00 -0800

Isn't it amazing how many types of milk are available? You can get cow's milk, but if you're lactose intolerant or vegan, you can use soy milk instead. If you're worried about the possible health risks of eating too much soy, you can pick up some rice milk. If you're not into the watery consistency, then there's always almond milk. Basically, you have a lot of options.

So nutritionally speaking, ever wonder how all these types of milk compare? If so then read more

Serving Size = 1 cup	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Carbs (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Skim Milk	90	0	0	less than 5	13	12	8
1% Milk	110	2.5	1.5	15	13	12	8
2% Milk	190	16	2	20	7	3	8
2% Chocolate Milk	170	5	3	20	24	23	8
Whole Milk	150	8	5	35	12	12	8
Half and Half	320	28	16	80	8	8	8
Heavy Cream	800	96	56	320	0	0	0
1% Buttermilk	100	2.5	1.5	15	12	12	8
Plain Soy Milk	130	4	.5	0	13	7	11
Vanilla Soy milk	150	3	0	0	23	15	7
Chocolate Soy Milk	180	4	1	0	28	14	8
Plain Rice Milk	120	2.5	0	0	24	11	1
Vanilla Rice Milk	120	2.5	0	0	23	10	1
Chocolate Rice Milk	160	3	0	0	34	28	2
Almond Milk	90	2.5	0	0	16	14	1

Well there you have it. If you're watching your calorie intake, skim milk or almond milk are definitely the way to go. If you're trying to lower your cholesterol, I'd stick with cholesterol-free soy, rice, or almond milk. If you're trying to get more protein in your diet, than surprisingly enough, plain soy milk is the best choice. When choosing which one, it all comes down to your dietary or ethical preference, but I'd only use heavy cream in small quantities.

Almond Milk: It's Dairy, Cholesterol and Soy Free

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:30:00 -0800

If you're lactose intolerant or vegan, then you obviously steer clear of cow's milk. It's great that there are a few milk alternatives out there, but if you've ever tried them, you know they're not perfect. There's soy milk which tastes a lot like regular milk, but some people don't want to drink it because they're concerned about the health risks of eating too much soy. There's also rice milk, but it's kind of thin and watery, and has a grainy aftertaste.

Then there's almond milk, which is by far my favorite. Have you ever tried it? It's made by soaking almonds in water, and then they're ground into a liquid. Since these nuts have a soft texture, mild flavor and light coloring (when skinned), the liquid looks and tastes like sweet milk, making it a great substitute.

Interested in seeing the nutritional info? Then read more

One cup has only 2.5 g of fat and zero saturated fat so it's great if you're watching your cholesterol. It doesn't have a ton of protein, but it does have 30 percent of your daily calcium. Plus it only has 90 calories, which is less than soy milk (110), cow's milk (102), and rice milk (130).

This Lowfat Vanilla Almond Milk from Pacific Natural Foods tastes like a creamy vanilla milkshake (I'm not kidding). They also make Chocolate Almond Milk for even more of a treat. If you want more of plain taste, you can just buy the Original or Unsweetened flavors.

Fit's Tips: Almond milk is delicious if you drink it alone or in your cereal, but you can also substitute it for cow's milk in your recipes.

What Does Your RDI Look Like: Calcium

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Drink Your Milk. Milk Does a Body Good. Got Milk?

Alright already, so we know we are supposed to be getting calcium daily, and dairy products do contain this valuable mineral, but you can find calcium in many other foods including broccoli, almonds, salmon, and fortified orange juice. Try to get your calcium from the food you eat, rather than supplements, since a new study shows that it's better for your bones.

For women over the age of 19, we should be getting 1,000 mg of calcium a day. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. It is also vital in daily body functions like muscle contraction and relaxation, blood clotting, and the transmission of nerve impulses. Our bodies do not produce it, so we need to get it from the foods we eat, or from supplements. If we don't get enough, our bodies will drain calcium from our bones, leading to osteoporosis.

Are you getting enough? To help you figure that out, I made a chart listing a variety of foods and the amount of calcium they contain. To check it out read more

Food	Amount	Amount of Calcium in mg
Milk	1 cup	300
Hard cheese (cheddar)	1 oz	240
Nonfat or 1% cottage cheese	1 cup	155
Plain yogurt	6 oz	290
Ice cream	1 cup	218
Tofu	1/2 cup	258
Fortified soy or rice milk	1 cup	300
Fortified orange juice	1 cup	300
Black beans	1/2 cup	38
Pinto beans or chick peas	1/2 cup	40
Sesame seeds	2 tbsp	180
Tahini (sesame seed butter, used to make hummus)	2 tbsp	130
Almonds	1/4 cup	93
Almond Butter	2 tbsp	86
Brazil nuts or hazelnuts	1/4 cup	55
Bok choy	1/2 cup	75
Kale	1 cup	94
Broccoli	1 cup	178
Celery	1 cup	54
Cooked green beans	1 cup	58
Cooked butternut squash	1 cup	84
Cooked sweet potato	1 cup	70
Naval orange	1 medium	56
Raisins	2/3 cup	53
Dried figs	5 medium	135
Sardines (canned)	8 medium	370
Salmon	3 oz	180
Oysters (canned)	1/2 cup	60
Shrimp (canned)	1/2 cup	40

Can you get too much calcium? Yes, if you are consuming more than 2,500 mg a day from food and/or supplements, it can interfere with the absorption of zinc, iron, and magnesium. It may also increase the risk of kidney stones. So check your diet and make sure you're getting the right amount.

Source

How Much Calcium is in That?

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:30:00 -0700

The RDI of calcium for women over 19 years old is about 1,000 mg a day.

So do you get enough? In order to answer that question, you need to know how much calcium is in the foods you eat.

Dairy products are a great source of calcium, but they're not the only source. Here's a list so you can figure out just how much calcium you get in a day.

If you find that you aren't getting nearly enough, try to add some high-calcium foods into your diet. You can also think about taking calcium supplements.

Food	Amount of Calcium in milligrams (mg)
1 cup of milk	300
6 oz of yogurt	350
1 oz hard cheese (cheddar)	240
2 slices processed cheese	265
1/4 cup cottage cheese	120
1/2 cup soft serve frozen yogurt	100
1/2 cup ice cream	85
1/2 cup tofu	258
1/2 cup pinto beans or chick peas	40
1/4 cup almonds	95
1 Tbsp almond butter	43

Want to see what other foods contain calcium? Then read more

Food	Amount of Calcium in milligrams (mg)
1 Tbsp sesame seeds	90
1 Tbsp Tahini	63
1/4 cup Brazil nuts or hazelnuts	55
8 medium sardines (canned)	370
3 oz salmon	180
1/2 cup oysters (canned)	60
1/2 cup shrimp (canned)	40
1/2 cup bok choy	75
1 cup kale	94
1 cup broccoli	178
1 cup celery	54
1 cup cooked green beans	58
1 cup cooked butternut squash	84
1 cup cooked sweet potato	70
1 medium naval orange	56
2/3 cup raisins	53
10 medium dried figs	269
1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice	300
1 cup enriched soy milk	300
1 cup enriched rice milk	300

Make Your Own Cereal With MojaMix

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:56 -0800

Bored with Breakfast? MojaMix allows you to choose from an array of nutritious nibbles, so you can make your own personally customized cereal. It's really simple to do. Just choose your cereal base (granola, flakes, Os, etc.) that costs $4.99. Then choose as many dried fruits as you want including mango and goji berries, and you pay between $.40 and $1.30 for each, depending on what you choose. Then add nuts and seeds (they even have chia seeds), which cost between $.30 and $.90 for each. Then if you want, throw in some extras like raw cacao nibs. You get to name the cereal made especially by you, and when it arrives in the mail, it comes with the nutritional info on the bag.

See what my bowl of Good Morning Medley looks like when you read more.

Here's the cereal I made with these ingredients: Three Brothers (Wheat Flakes, Rye Flakes, Oat Flakes), Mango, Raisins, Almonds, Cashew Nuts, Cranberries, Blueberries, Cherries, Sunflower Seeds, and Walnuts. This hearty cereal is delicious with milk, yogurt, or heated up like oatmeal.

Halloween Candy Breakdown

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:00:54 -0700

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers were my favorites when it came to Halloween as a kid. After a night of trick-or-treating, I loved to sprawl my goods on the kitchen table and count how many I got of each. Now I would never eat as much candy as I could fit in a pillowcase, since many of them are high in calories and contain trans fat, but I still like to enjoy a couple pieces this time of year. Just what is that candy doing to your waistline? Check out the nutritional info below.

1 treat size (fun size)	Calories	Fat (g)	Sugar (g)
Snickers	71	3.6	7.6
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup	90	5	8
Reese's Caramel Cup	100	5	11
Reese's Nutrageous	95	5.5	7.5

If you don't see the candy you crave, read more.

1 treat size (fun size)	Calories	Fat (g)	Sugar (g)
Milky Way	75	3	10
Butterfinger	85	3.5	8.5
Butterfinger Crisp	105	5.5	9
Milk Duds	40	2	6.3
M&M's	90	4	11.5
Peanut M&M's	93	4.7	9.1
Nestle Crunch	51.3	2.7	5.6
Peppermint Pattie	47	1	8.6
Kit Kat	73	3.7	.67
Dots	70	0	11
Skittles	80	.8	15
Jelly Belly Jellybeans	35	0	7
3 Musketeers	63.3	2	10
Milky Way Dark	81	3	11
Hershey's Bar	66.7	4	7.7
Take 5	105	5.5	9
100 Grand	95	4	11
Nerds	50	0	12
Whoppers	100	4	13
Mike & Ike	50	0	9
SweeTarts	10	0	2.4
Charleston Chew Minis (13 pieces)	180	5	22
Babe Ruth	85	4	10
Health Bar	77	4.7	8.7
Almond Joy	91	5.1	9.2

Food Review: Chia Goodness

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:30:52 -0700

Chia seeds are in fact used to grow Chia pets, but these little brown seeds are also an excellent source of omega-3s. If you're worried about getting enough of this valuable nutrient, then check out this new cereal called Chia Goodness.

This gluten-free cereal contains more calcium than a glass of milk, more omega-3s than flaxseeds, and is a great source of fiber. It sounds healthy, but if you're curious to know how it tastes then read more.

The directions on the package say to stir two tablespoons with 1/3 cup of hot or cold liquid such as milk, soymilk, or water. Then you wait three to five minutes for the liquid to absorb. I mixed the Apple Almond Cinnamon with hot water, and this is what it looked like after eight minutes.

I have to say, it smelled really good, like homemade apple pie. The consistency however is really bizarre. When chia seeds get wet, they become gelatinous, so they feel slimy and wet. The texture reminded me exactly of the gooey seeds inside cherry tomatoes. This Chia Goodness may be healthy, but in my opinion, it's a little too weird to eat on its own (not to mention it doesn't exactly look too appetizing). It tasted much better when sprinkled on my yogurt. Check out the nutritional info below of all three varieties.

	Original	Cranberry Ginger	Apple Almond Cinnamon
Calories	140	140	140
Total Fat	8 g	7 g	6 g
Saturated Fat	1 g	1 g	.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	125 mg	120 mg	125 mg
Carbs	14 g	16 g	16 g
Fiber	5 g	4 g	4 g
Sugars	0 g	3 g	4 g
Protein	6 g	4 g	4 g
Omega-3	4 g	3 g	3 g
Omega-6	2.5 g	2 g	1.5 g
Ingredients	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, celtic sea salt.	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, currants, cranberries, organic cane sugar, ginger, celtic sea salt.	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, dehydrated apples, almonds, raisins, organic cane sugar, cinnamon, celtic sea salt.

Gabrielle Reece Dishes About Food and Abs

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:45 -0700

I have been a fan of Gabrielle Reece for a while, and after talking to her recently I would love to work out with her. Why? She doesn't believe in crunches. Gabby is all about functional exercises since the hardest thing to move is your own body. She explained how she tones her midsection: "Over the years, I learned to incorporate doing abs within an all-body exercise. Then you're working in all the planes of motions and the abs have to coordinate with the rest of the body." One of her favorites is plank with row. Yeah, your arms are moving in this exercise, but the abs are working the most to hold you steady in plank position.

Food is an essential part of healthy living, and to learn what Gabby eats for breakfast just read more.

When it comes to her diet, she has recognized that her needs vary from day to day, but she most always begins with a smoothie. Gabby starts with almond milk and frozen fruit, then adds peanut butter for fat and powdered greens. It is full of protein, but easy to digest before training. She explains her general food philosophy like this:

"I do better when I eat smaller meals throughout the day, especially a smaller dinner. I try not to freak out about food too much and be neurotic. But I do avoid processed food . . . I avoid flour and sugary drinks. I have learned to eat colorful foods. If it doesn't have a shelf life of 50 years . . . it is real food and that's what I am all about these days."

Gabby also believes in an afternoon pick-me-up. She savors dark chocolate and sips on jasmine tea. Since those are two of my favorite treats, maybe I would rather take afternoon tea with her instead of having her push me through a functional fitness workout.

Snack Attack: Almond Berry Banana Yogurt Smoothie

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:44 -0700

Strawberries and blueberries are in season now, so stock up and use them to make this delicious yogurt smoothie. The fruit adds natural sweetness, and the Greek yogurt makes it rich and creamy. I like to add almonds to my smoothies because not only do they add fiber and protein, but they give the smoothie an interesting slightly crunchy texture.

A 16-ounce glass contains about 300 calories so it makes a tasty treat to enjoy for breakfast or a pre- or post-workout snack. To learn how to make this simple recipe and see the rest of the nutritional information, keep reading

Foods With the Most Nutrition For the Price Per Portion

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:30:00 -0700

The majority of you haven't felt the recession in terms of gaining weight - you've figured out that just because you might be feeling a financial pinch, you don't have to resort to junk food that adds inches to your waistline. Because we're all concerned about balancing our diet while keeping balanced checkbooks, Dr. Adam Drewnowski, who directs the University of Washington Center For Public Health Nutrition, took it upon himself to research
which foods provide the best nutrition for the buck.

Dr. Drewnowski used federal statistics to compare average national prices per portion with the nutritional value of different foods, per 100 calories. He compared the two rankings to find the best buys, which he defined as the "middle ground between most nutritious yet expensive and the not-so-healthy in each food group." His list favors carrots over peppers and apples over strawberries for their longer-lasting qualities, and lean hamburger over pricier salmon and cheap bacon. For other foods singled out, read more.

Low-fat dairy (milk, yogurt, cheddar, American, or mozzarella cheese)
Lean ground beef, chicken, canned fish
Whole eggs
Beans
Peanut butter, sunflower seeds, almonds
Bread (enriched or made with whole wheat), tortillas, rice
Bananas, apples, frozen orange juice concentrate, 100 percent fruit juice or fruit-vegetable blends
Potatoes, iceberg lettuce, canned corn, canned tomatoes

I'm surprised that iceberg lettuce passed the nutrition component of Dr. Drewnowski's research. Do any of the foods stand out as surprising to you?