FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Add Fat to Salads

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:30:00 PST

Look, I know that the reason most of us eat a salad is because it's fat free, but fat free is not always the best idea when it comes to eating a salad as a meal. You could find yourself scrounging for more food soon after finishing all those leafy greens. I'm not saying you should drench your salad in Ranch, but instead add a little bit of good fats like nuts, seeds or avocado. The good fat will not only add taste to your salad and keep you satisfied longer, but polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats have been known to lower bad cholesterol (or LDL cholesterol). While you are at it try to add some protein too. Almonds have more protein per gram than walnuts. Even the lovely avocado contains some protein.

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Let's Get the FATS Straight

FitSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 PDT

We all know that trans fat and saturated fat are major things to avoid, but what's the difference between the two?

And what about unsaturated fats, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Are they bad too? What foods contain them?

Are you confused about all these fats too? Let's get these fats straight once and for all.

If you want to check out the others, then

Trans Fatty Acids: Commonly called trans fat, these are "The chemically-altered guys." Most trans fat is a side effect of partial hydrogenation of plant oils (companies use them to increase the shelf life of their products). Trans fat are neither required nor beneficial to our bodies. Eating trans fat can increase your risk of heart disease.

Some trans fats can occur naturally (in small quantities) in meat and dairy products that come from ruminants (hooved animals that digest their food in 2 steps such as cows, goats, and buffalo). These aren't considered as bad for you as the chemically-altered kind.

Look out for:

Processed foods like crackers, snacks, breads, chips, and baked goods
margarine
shortening like Crisco
candy like caramels and chocolates (Ghirardelli)
dips
Some fast foods such as French fries and biscuits
frozen foods

Saturated fat: "The bad guys." These are often solid at room temperature, like butter. Saturated fats are not essential to your health. Most come from animals and are found in meat, eggs, and cheese. Some are found in vegetable oils such as palm, palm kernel and coconut oils. Saturated fats are harder to digest and full of cholesterol, which clogs your arteries. Foods that contain Saturated fat are:

lard
butter
high fat dairy products such as cream, whole milk, cheese, and sour cream
high-fat meats like ground beef, bologna, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and spareribs
coconut oil
skin from chicken and turkey
chocolate

Unsaturated fat: "The good guys." These are often liquid at room temperature, like olive and sunflower oil, and are essential to our overall health. They are thought to reduce our risk of heart disease, enhance memory, and other mental functions. They are derived from vegetables and plants. Monounsaturated fats are one type of unsaturated fat. These are liquid at room temperature, but solidify at cold temps. Some studies have shown that these kinds of fats can actually lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol. Foods that contain Monounsaturated fat are:

avocado
olives and olive oil
almonds and almond butter
cashews and cashew butter
peanuts, peanut butter and peanut oil
sesame seeds

Polyunsaturated Fats are also liquid at room temperature. This type of fat has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, but too much can also lower your HDL (good) cholesterol. Foods that contain Polyunsaturated fat are:

walnuts
corn oil
some tubs of margarine like Earth Balance
sunflower oil
pumpkin and sunflower seeds
some salad dressings

Fit's Tip: Even if you are only eating the good fats, remember they are still fattening (duh!?!), and you should aim to have 30% or less of your diet come from fat. Source

Nutrition Myths That Can Cause Weight Gain

Shape — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:04:23 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Myth: Going Vegan Will Make You Lose Weight
"While various research shows that vegetarians and vegans, on average, consume fewer calories and less fat than omnivores (a 2009 Oxford study found that vegetarians weigh 3 to 20 percent less than their meat-eating counterparts, and a National Cancer Institute study found that subjects who consumed four ounces or more of red meat weekly were 30 percent more likely to die of any cause than those who ate less), these numbers may be misleading," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, a certified nutritionist and owner of Essential Nutrition for You.

Going vegan solely for weight loss can backfire, big time. If you aren’t vigilant with a vegan diet, it’s easy to lack in vital nutrients, vitamins, and proteins, which give you energy and help keep your metabolism stoked. Many first-time vegans may also find themselves reaching for more processed foods like vegan cookies, chips, or even ‘ice cream’ more often with such a restricted diet, and many end up packing on the pounds instead.

If you do decide to adopt a vegan diet, be sure to keep the ‘treats’ to a minimum and plan balanced meals (we love ‘Domestic Vegan’ Diva Jessica Olson’s tips for "going veg"). "Aim to get about 10 to 20 percent of your calories from protein (or about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight), replacing animal protein with healthy plant proteins, like those found in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products," Batayneh says. "And, whether you are vegan or not, eating more green, leafy vegetables is great for your health and your waistline."

See which other diet habits may also being causing weight gain after the break!

4 Surprising Diet Disasters

Prevention — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:15:23 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

The surprising ways you turn healthy foods into diet disasters
By Nancy Rones, Prevention

1. Your marinades pack a big fat punch
You're wise to choose skinless grilled chicken, but be careful with condiments. Barbecue sauce is filled with sugar, which equals calories (about 94 per 1/4 cup).

The healthy move
Ditch the high-sugar sauce and instead spice up chicken by marinating it with cayenne red-pepper sauce, or mix hot sauce with some fat-free yogurt and smear it on your sandwich for buffalo-inspired flavor. Another way to punch up the taste and nutrient power of grilled chicken sandwiches and turkey burgers: Try a topping of homemade slaw. Bagged shredded cabbage makes a convenient base; toss it with flavored vinegar or fat-free mayo and a little mustard. At 11 calories per 1/2 cup, raw cabbage offers filling fiber and vitamins such as C and B6, and as a cruciferous veggie, it contains cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Swap These Foods to Lose Weight Fast!

2. Your coffee is anything but "regular"
Sipping coffee or tea plain isn't the problem. In fact, both beverages have been linked to a number of health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry also suggests that drinking coffee may reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes. But major calories and saturated fat come with added ingredients such as sugary syrups, honey, whipped cream, and whole milk (1 percent and percent aren't much better). For about the same 450 calories in a large Iced Mocha Raspberry Latte at Dunkin' Donuts, for instance, you can eat two slices of Pizza Hut's hand-tossed pepperoni pizza. And while honey may seem like a natural, healthier alternative to sugar, the fact is it has 21 calories per teaspoon versus sugar's 16.

The healthy move
For a low-cal, lower-fat drink that feels like a sweet treat, choose coffee beans in tempting flavors such as chocolate almond, hazelnut, or white chocolate, rather than using syrupy mix-ins after brewing, and lighten your coffee with fat-free milk. Teas, too, come in sweet vanilla, berry, and tropical fruit blends. And whether you use Splenda, sugar, or honey in your beverages, limit yourself to about a teaspoon.

Sneaky Names of Sugar on Your Food Labels

Make sure you're not committing the other two disaster when you read more!

Fatty Foods Worth a Little Indulging!

Heather Dale — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:06:39 PDT

Not all fats are bad for you; in fact, incorporating healthy fats into your diet can actually be good for you! The general rule of thumb is that good fats are liquid at room temperature and bad fats are solid at room temperature. Therefore, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats fall into the good fats category, while saturated and trans fats fall into the bad fats category. Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while boosting your HDL (good) cholesterol. Dietary fat is also good for us because it is one of three macronutrients that supports a number of our body's functions and provides us with energy.

Now for the fun stuff - the foods with all the healthy fats:

Avocados: Avocados contain monounsaturated fats (and antioxidants and beta carotene too!), which is said to help enhance memory and prevent heart disease. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of fat is 65 grams and one cup of avocado contains almost one third of your fat intake for a day, about 23 grams. So it's probably best to stick with eating just a half an avocado each day.

Keep reading for more healthy fatty foods!

How to Cook With Less Oil

Leta Shy — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:44:04 PDT

Often, cooking at home is healthier than dining out. But if you're not careful, cooking with too much oil can lead to a lot of added calories (more than 100 per tablespoon for many oils; read this for our full nutritional breakdown of different types of oils) and fat. While cooking with oils can be beneficial - many contain healthy monounsaturated fats that help lower your cholesterol - if you want to keep that calorie count down, here are some suggestions for how to cook with less oil.

Stick to recipe quantities. If you're following a healthy recipe with nutritional information, stick to the measurements laid out in the recipe. While you may think it's easy to eyeball oil quantities, you may not realize just how many tablespoons you're using if you don't use measuring spoons.

Use a nonstick pan. Searing meats and sauteing vegetables are easier to do sans too much oil if you have a good nonstick pan. Just make sure you don't heat your pan higher than 500 degrees Fahrenheit (leave it on low to medium-high heat) in order to prevent releasing toxic fumes from the nonstick coating.

Spray it on. For adding a finishing touch of oil to dishes, use an oil mister instead of a heavy-handed pour from the oil bottle.

Read on for more suggestions for cooking with less oil.

Olive Oil: Everything You Need to Know

Heather Dale — Fri, 06 May 2011 03:05:41 PDT

Originating from Mediterranean countries, olive oil is delicious, flavorful, and rich in monounsaturated fats, making it a healthy option to cook with and enjoy daily. But what's the difference between regular olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil? And doesn't it go bad if you store it for too long? Or what about overheating it - does that make it lose all of its nutritional goodness? Here are all of the important details you need to know about incorporating olive oil into your diet.

Sarah Jessica Parker Loves The Hamptons Diet, But What Is It?

Michele Foley — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 03:06:40 PDT

Founded by the former medical director of the Atkins Center, Fred Pescatore, MD, The Hamptons Diet is what you'd get if the Mediterranean Diet, South Beach Diet, and Atkins Diet crossed paths. It's also got major celebrity draw: Sarah Jessica Parker, Renée Zellweger, and Kim Cattrall follow The Hamptons Diet, and Kate Hudson went on it to help lose her baby weight.

That's good and all, but what is it exactly? Keep reading to find out!

3 So-Called Healthy Foods That Aren't

Shape — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:58:20 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, here on FitSugar.

This morning I visited The Early Show to talk to host Erica Hill about healthy imposters - selections that seem nutritionally superior, but really, not so much! Here are a few examples:

Veggie Sticks or Puffed Veggie Snacks

They may look like dried veggies but the first ingredient in many of these snacks is potato flour with veggies far lower in the ingredient list (which means they make up a smaller percentage of each bite). They also tend to have more sodium - up to twice as much - and you only save about 30 calories and 3 g of fat per serving compared to their traditional counterparts. Stick with good old fashioned potato chips, as long as the only ingredients are potatoes, pure vegetable oil, and salt. They're much more natural and potatoes are a good source of potassium and antioxidants. 

Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

 Reduced fat PB can pack the exact same number of calories per serving and usually more sugar than regular PB. That's because they aren't able to take the fat out, so they have to add sugar or carbs to displace the fat content. Plus, the fat in peanut butter is "good" heart healthy monounsaturated fat (or MUFAs), which has been shown to reduce belly fat. Stay true to all natural regular PB or other natural nut butters, like almond, cashew, pecan, etc.

Keep on reading to learn one more food to avoid.

You Asked: Daily Avocado Snack – Too Much?

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:00:00 PST

You're asking and I'm answering . . .
Hi Fit. I was wondering if eating avocados every day is unhealthy and bad for my diet? I love avocados and i just recently was wondering if when I get super hungry before lunch or dinner, I could eat one? I know it has a bad rep for being a fatty fruit/veg..but I wanted to make sure and I was hoping you could help because I honestly don't know! Thanks!
– Amorous of Avocados Ava

I too love avocados; they are green creamy goodness. While avocados do contain a high amount of fat, they mostly contain monounsaturated fat, which is one of the healthy and beneficial fats that might actually help prevent heart disease and enhance memory. However, fat is still fat even if it is the "good" kind. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of fat is 65 grams and one cup of avocado contains almost one third of your fat intake for a day, about 23 grams. (One cup of avocado equals about 150 grams, a little over half a pound, and roughly the equivalent of a medium avocado.) Aside from fat content, avocados offer plenty of antioxidants like lutein and beta carotene.

I think a better approach is to eat a half an avocado a day. This will lower your fat intake, but you will still get to enjoy the ease and taste of snacking on an avocado. Half an avocado contains about 8 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein, making it a great pre-meal or pre-workout pick me up. I like to spread avocado on toasted whole wheat bread, which is why I often refer to avocados as vegan butter. This makes the perfect snack, mixing the fat, protein and carbs.

How do you like to eat avocado? Share the details in the comments section below.

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