FitSugar

Have You Ever Given Up an Unhealthy Food?

Leta Shy — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 03:08:46 PDT

I'm a firm believer in everything in moderation, except when it comes to french fries - my thought on the subject is usually "there's no such thing as too many." So a few months ago (spurred by this study claiming that french fries are at the top of the foods that are making us fat), I decided to challenge myself and see how long I could go without eating them.

Forgoing sharing fries with friends at happy hour or dinner has been a little hard, but it has saved me a few calories and forced me to make healthier choices overall, like ordering a side of broccoli with my burger instead. And while I'm not sure how long this self-imposed no-fries rule will last, I'm noticing that I crave them less and less the longer I stay away.

Have you ever given up an unhealthy food? What did you give up, and how long did it last?

Would You Eat Gray Cheetos?

Katie Sweeney — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:32:13 PDT

Earlier today I watched an interesting clip on Good Morning America about how a food's color affects perception of taste. In the video, children and adults are given the same flavor of jello and chocolate pudding, but it's been dyed several different colors. Both the tots and grown-ups assume each color is a different flavor.

Most food is artificially colored in some way and at the end of the segment they point out that showing the natural color of certain junk foods, like Cheetos, might get more people to stop eating them. Cheetos are naturally gray and they're given a bright orange artificial color. Would you eat them, and other junk foods, in their natural state? How do you feel about artificially colored foods?

Source: Flickr User jeffeaton

Make It: Healthier Vegetarian Chili Cheese Fries

Heather Dale — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:21:18 PDT

On days when I'm craving some comfort food, you can find me in my kitchen making nachos or this mouth-watering snack - vegetarian chili cheese fries. Even if you love the real deal - fries piled high with beef-based chili - my recipe below won't disappoint. I might add that it's much lower in calories than traditional chili cheese fry dishes because it's made without meat and is substituted with much healthier ingredients.

Here's the full recipe!

New Study Shows Foods May Be as Addictive as Drugs

Susannah Chen — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:15:17 PDT

Like nicotine, alcohol, or heroin, is food a habit-forming substance? New research says yes, and suggests pathological eating belongs in the category of addiction.

A recent study at Yale University claims to be the first to differentiate food addicts from mere overeaters. Before subjecting 39 women to magnetic resonance imaging, the study asked participants to complete a questionnaire designed to identify pathological eaters. When shown an image of a milkshake, those who scored high on the questionnaire also had dramatically greater neurological activity in the same regions of the brain where cravings for drugs and alcohol are experienced.

The conclusion? Among dependent eaters, "the current emphasis on personal responsibility . . . may have minimal effectiveness."

The proliferation of junk food could be part of the issue, too, as they're packed with more salt, sugar, and fat to enhance their flavors, sending more immediate messages of gratification to the brain. Where do you stand in the debate? Could you see the possibility of certain foods being habit-forming?

Did You Watch What You Ate While Pregnant?

Leta Shy — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:01:00 PDT

No matter what foods you ban from your house, your tots may still have a hankering for the contraband goods. But where did they get that sweet tooth? A new study says that what mom ate before they were born may be at fault.

The study found that mama mice who were fed junk food passed on the genes that released those feel-good chemicals in their babies when they were later fed the same foods. The babies also chose to eat much more of a high-fat, high-sugar diet than those whose moms didn't eat the unhealthy stuff.

The researchers say moms should try to limit their junk food diet when they are pregnant and breastfeeding. But it can be hard to ignore those pregnancy cravings! Were you able to eat healthy while you were pregnant?

Make It: Healthy Gluten Free Pizza

Heather Dale — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:30:05 PDT

There's nothing quite like a few slices of delicious cheesy pizza to ring in the weekend. But because I'm unable to eat food products that contain gluten, pizza night usually consists of me making my own mini pizzas at home rather than hanging out at the local pizzeria. What's great about making your own pizzas is that you can add all of your favorite toppings and decide how healthy/unhealthy you want your pizza to be.

To build my own tasty masterpiece, I use whole grain gluten free bread or gluten free pizza crust. And to prevent any food hangovers the next day, I strive to make my mini pizzas somewhat healthy and nutritious just like my healthy nachos recipe. Because do we really want to scarf down 710 calories thanks to one tiny six-inch pizza? I think not!

Keep reading to check out my favorite healthy pizza recipe.

Make It: Healthier Nachos

Heather Dale — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:00:56 PST

Oh nachos, why do you have to be so delicious? I really do love a good plate of nachos - especially when they come loaded with all the good stuff like cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and jalapeños. Not exactly the healthiest guilty pleasure, but they sure are tasty. With Spring right around the corner, I'm trying to get my body back to pre-Winter shape by amping up my workouts and cutting back on my junk food favorites.

Rather than kiss nachos goodbye for the next four months, I've decided to tweak my recipe by cutting out the fat and calories and adding in some wholesome goodness.

Keep reading to see what I've come up with for my new and improved nacho dish.

A Taste of Dunkin' Donuts' New Cocoa Yeast Donuts

YumSugar — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:03:38 PST

We'd love to start off the morning with a little fuel from Dunkin' Donuts, but sadly, it's not possible to do here on the West Coast. So we felt a twinge of agony when we heard the East Coast chain would be the first to launch chocolate yeast doughnuts, which we could admire, yet not try.

The chain's new, limited-edition cocoa yeast flavors are here just in time for Valentine's Day and available through the end of February. The editors at Slashfood were lucky enough to sample the three flavors: Cocoa Confetti, Reverse Boston Kreme, and Cocoa Kreme Puff. How did the new stack up to the old? Browse the pictures and full review at Slashfood to find out.

Source

Junk Food Junkies: What Foods Have You Banned?

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 07:00:00 PST

Rules are meant to be broken, but mama's rules are golden! The Food Revolution has given moms more reason than ever to revamp their family's eating habits, though LilSugar readers were quick to show us where they cheat at the grocery store.

During a weekend playdate, my son asked his friend's mom for cream cheese to put on his bagel. The mother quickly informed us that she does not allow cream cheese in her home. Another friend revealed that the only waffles her tots eat are homemade – the packages found in the frozen food section have never crossed the threshold of her home. What foods are banned from your home?

Junk Food Junkies: Find Out How Much Families Eat!

Heather Maddan — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:00:00 PST

Everyone wants to be part of the Food Revolution until they get to the grocery store! When parents have their kids in tow (and even when mom doesn't), choosing healthy options can be tough. We asked our readers to open their cupboards and let us know what types of treats and sweets they have in the house. Here's what they had to say!

Nothing calms a sugar craving like a bite of chocolate, a lick of a lollipop, or a scoop of ice cream. From cupcakes to cookies, sweet snacks are not uncommon in a family home. In fact, 80 percent of moms said they had a stash.
There are plenty of parents and kids that like to sip on a soda pop. Some moms claim the caffeine gives them a kick start and others just can't say no to their sugar beverage loving kiddos. Twenty-four percent of moms keep soda in the fridge.
Processed food can be bought in bulk and stored for long periods of time, which makes it attractive to some moms and dads. The non-perishables also may be a good deal cheaper than fresh alternatives. Forty-four percent of moms purchase processed goods.
Kids love eye candy, but should they eat it? Nothing catches a youngster's attention like a heaping stack of rainbow hotcakes! Forty-five percent of moms see no harm in buying or preparing dyed foods.
Parents want the best for their kids, but are lax about their own eating habits. Forty percent of moms sneak junk food they don't allow their children to eat.