FitSugar

Food Review: Yo-Plus Digestive Health by Yoplait

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:00:00 PDT

I love yogurt and am fascinated by functional foods. Now I know probiotics might be trendy, but this healthy bacteria seems to benefit many people with digestive issues.

I was curious to try Yo-Plus by Yoplait ($3.50 / 4 pack). No only does it contain Yoplait's Optibalance bacteria mixture, this yogurt has added fiber in the form of inulin as well as vitamins A and D. Yoplait claims that the added fiber helps keep the good bacteria happy, and don't we all really want plentiful and happy bacteria living in our guts.

To see how this yogurt tastes and how it compares with Acitiva by Dannon, just

Yogurt 4 oz.	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)	Calcium %	Fiber (g)
Dannon Activia	110	2	5	17	4	15	0
Yoplait Yo-Plus	110	1.5	10	16	4	15	3

Since I have a healthy fear of sweets, I was delighted that this vanilla yogurt didn't overwhelm my palate with sweetness. The texture was fine, too, nice and smooth even with the added fiber. I don't really suffer from excessive bloating or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), so I cannot speak to the health claims of "natural regulation." I do appreciate getting three grams of extra fiber in my diet, but am used to yogurt being made with milk and active cultures, aka bacteria. This yogurt contains among other ingredients: modified corn starch, whey protein concentrate, kosher gelatin, and tricalcium phosphate. Not that these ingredients are necessarily bad, but I think of yogurt as a simple, unprocessed food. But I guess to make a food multitask on such a high level you have to add a few things.

If you have the time, you can print a coupon to save $1 when you buy a four pack of the Yo-Plus. You have to load the "coupon printer" in order to print. If you use a Mac, I found it easier to print when using Safari as my browser.

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!

Fashion's Night Out Is Tomorrow - Our List of the Best Parties and Events!

Chi Diem Chau — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:06:08 PDT

Fashion's Night Out is tomorrow - which parties are you hitting up? Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour created the ultimate shopping extravaganza, Fashion's Night Out, in 2009 and the festivities are still going strong. This year's schedule is super packed and we have the latest for you with party announcements from Stella McCartney, Aldo, and Diane von Furstenberg. As expected, it's going to be a hoopla of fun, fashion, and shopping tomorrow. Check out the latest list of events and don't forget to dress to impress!

Diane von Furstenberg NYC: Hit up DVF's Meatpacking locale and sip cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while you shop. A photo booth will be on hand so you can capture the moment and also take a whiff of DVF's new fragrance, DIANE.

QVC NYC: It's going to be a star-studded night at QVC's party at The Suspenders Building in NYC with guest appearances from celebrities like Heidi Klum, Kris Jenner, Melania Trump, Olivia Munn, Camila Alves, and Isaac Mizrahi. Check out the live broadcasted runway show, receive makeup consultations, along with free giveaways and cocktails.

More happening events and parties!

What Not to Keep in Your Wallet

SavvySugar — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:15:00 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

We love the motto “be prepared.”

But when it comes to the average American’s wallet, there’s such a thing as over-prepared. From the looks of our bulging billfolds, we must be heading out each day to open a new line of credit, fill out a W-2, shop at several department stores, use a few gift cards, return an item or two, and grab a fro-yo at our favorite punch card spot on the way home.

1,000 wallets and purses are stolen every two minutes in America (44% of LearnVest readers have had their wallets lost or stolen once, while 8% have had theirs stolen twice or more). While it’s smart to be concerned with online security (check out our article on creating the perfect password here), 76% of identity thefts result from the theft of something physical, like a wallet. Additionally, it costs an average of $8,000 to recover from identity theft.

Most police who receive reports of stolen wallets lament the same thing: people carry way too much stuff in their wallets, handing their entire lives over to identity thieves.

So before you leave the house, read our list of what NOT to keep in your wallet, so you can pare down to just the essentials - and protect your finances and identity.

Social Security Card

This is the number one thing to NOT keep in your wallet. If a thief gets ahold of your Social Security card, he can open credit cards, take out loans or even buy a car - it makes you very vulnerable to identity theft. There is no need to carry this around as an extra form of ID, and even the U.S. government's website recommends leaving your card at home in a safe place. Your Social Security number is only nine digits - just memorize it.

(Learn how to safely store your important information; read this.)

Read on for more items you shouldn't keep in your wallet.