FitSugar

Healthy Sandwich: Skip Mayo and Use Avocado

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

A sandwich sounds like a healthy meal, but if yours isn't a real sandwich without a thick layer of mayonnaise, then you're looking at added cholesterol and calories you could do without. So the next time you make or order a sammy, spread a quarter of a ripe avocado on your bread instead of mayo. As you can see from the chart below, you'll end up with plenty of flavor and less calories, cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium. Avocado also offers fiber and potassium.

	2 tbsp mayo	1/4 avocado
Calories	115	80
Total Fat	9.8 g	7.4
Saturated Fat	1.4 g	1.1
Cholesterol	8 mg	0 mg
Sodium	209 mg	4 mg
Carbs	7 g	4.3 g
Fiber	0 g	3.4 g
Sugar	1.9 g	.3 g
Protein	.3 g	1 g
Calcium	4.1 g	6 mg
Potassium	2.6 g	243.7 mg

Source

Snack Attack: Creamy Cottage Cheese Avocado

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

I'm always looking for quick and easy snacks that taste good. After telling you about my salty avocado snack idea, Sugar user The New Black made this snack suggestion. Since I love avocados ever so much, this sounded really delish.

To learn this simple recipe, read more.

Cut an avocado in half. Use the side without the pit, and save the other half for later since the pit can help keep the green flesh from browning.
Fill the hole with two ounces of lowfat cottage cheese (I like Breakstone's).
Use a spoon to scoop bites right out of the avocado peel. You don't even need to bother with dirtying a dish.

This easy snack contains:

Serving Size	1/2 avocado + 2 oz. lowfat cottage cheese
Calories	212
Total Fat	15.9 g
Saturated Fat	2.8 g
Cholesterol	5 mg
Sodium	236 mg
Carbs	8.5 g
Fiber	6.7 g
Protein	9.8 g
Potassium	541.6 mg
Calcium	51.1 mg

I know it seems like a lot of fat, but remember, it's the healthy fat your body needs. It's very low in saturated fat, which is the unhealthy fat. So snack away!

Snack Attack: Salty Avocado

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:00:00 -0800

Hands-down, avocados are my favorite foods. Not only do I love their creamy deliciousness, but they're also full of vitamin K, potassium, and dietary fiber. Who knew something so smooth and creamy could contain a decent amount of fiber. Plus, they're a great source of healthy fats that help lower cholesterol and reduce your risk for cancer.

Avocados are not just for guacamole. There are many ways to enjoy this fruit and to see one of my favorite ways to snack on avocados, read more.

Cut an avocado in half. Use the side without the pit, and save the other half for later since the pit can help keep the green flesh from browning.
Sprinkle one tablespoon of salted sunflower seeds in the middle.
Use a spoon to scoop out bites right out of the avocado peel. You don't even need to bother with dirtying a dish.

This easy snack contains:

Serving Size	1/2 avocado + 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
Calories	208
Total Fat	18.7 g
Saturated Fat	2.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	41 mg
Carbs	10.4 g
Fiber	7.4 g
Protein	3.5 g
Potassium	556 mg

I know it seems like a lot of fat, but remember, it's the healthy fat your body needs. It's very low in saturated fat, which is the unhealthy fat. So snack away!

Fat Update: Eat Fat to Feel Full

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Fat has a bad reputation. While some of this rep is deserved, let us not forget that not all fats are bad. In fact, unsaturated fat offers some surprisingly healthy benefits, especially for dieters.

New research from UC Irvine indicates that monounsaturated fatty acids, affectionately known as MUFAs, can actually help you feel full. When they reach your small intestine, these fats ignite the production of a compound that tells the brain to stop eating since you're full. MUFAs help stop the hunger signal so you don't overeat.

This property of monounsaturated fats might be why the Mediterranean diet is so successful at helping people maintain their weight. Unsaturated fats, both poly and mono, help keep belly fat at bay. And belly fat can increase your risk of heart disease and high blood sugar levels, so you want to work to keep weight off your midsection.

To see what kinds of food will help you feel full, just read more.

I feel lucky because some of the foods high in MUFAs are a few of my favorites.

Avocado
Olive oil
Almonds
Peanuts
Cashews
Canola
Pistachios
Hazelnuts

Even if you are dieting and cutting calories, don't forget to eat some nuts with your meals. All these foods are easy to throw on top of a low-fat salad.

Source

Eat Green, Get Healthy

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:45:00 -0700

St. Patty's Day is all about the green and it is just around the corner. That doesn't only have to mean green beer. There are numerous healthy foods that you can add to your diet to not only up the green, but to also up the health as well. Here are just a few:

Avocado: Avocado is a good source of monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol, said Dr. Vickie Vaclavik, clinical assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern. Avocados also are good sources of both vitamin E and lutein, a natural antioxidant that may help maintain eye health.
Broccolini: It's packed with the cancer-fighting nutrients isothiocyanates, sulforaphane, and indoles all linked with reducing the risk of breast, prostate, cervical, lung, and other cancers and offers as much vitamin C as orange juice, said Dr. Jo Ann Carson, professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern.
Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are another cruciferous vegetable with cancer-fighting phytochemicals. "They're also high in vitamin C and are a good source of folate, vitamin A, and potassium," said Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

There's more so read more.

Kale: A good source of vitamins K, C, and beta carotene. A half-cup of cooked kale packs 1.3 grams of fiber but just 20 calories, said Cindy Cunningham, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern.
Nopales: Also known as nopalitos or cactus pads offer numerous nutritious advantages and are a great option for those managing diabetes or high blood pressure. "Not only is it low in calories at 22 calories per cup, the vegetable is also low in sodium and high in fiber," Dr. Carson said. "In addition, a cup contains more calcium than an ounce of cheese and about half the potassium of a banana."
Okra: This staple of Southern cuisine is naturally low in calories and a good source of soluble fiber. It also provides some vitamin A.
Tomatillo: The vegetable, which is a good source of vitamin C and potassium, is used in salsa verde and can be eaten raw.

Source

You Asked: Daily Avocado Snack – Too Much?

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:00:00 -0800

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. One cup equals 150 grams, which is 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.

Source

Healthy Lunch Idea: Stuffed Avocados

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Sick and tired of the same old boring tuna sandwich for lunch? I sure am, which is why I am loving the idea of Stuffed Avocados. Not only do I love avocados, but this lunch idea from RealAge is a great way to get loads of monounsaturated fat (the good fat), protein, fiber, and potassium.

For the super easy recipe just read more.

Stuffed Avocados (serves four)
(via RealAge.com)

Forget the bread; next time you're serving chicken (or seafood or tuna) salad for lunch, try mounding it in an avocado half instead.

What you need:

2 medium avocados, halved and pits removed
1 cup prepared seafood, tuna or chicken salad

What you do:

Top each avocado half with 1/4 cup of the salad.

Nutritional Information: (Per serving)
Calories: 175
Carbohydrates: 9g
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 9g
Protein: 7g
Cholesterol: 21mg
Dietary Fiber: 6g
Potassium: 604mg
Sodium: 117mg
Nutrition Bonus: What you get: Protein, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium.

Print recipe with images | without images

Have your own great healthy recipe ideas? Then share it in the healthy recipe group. Or feel free to browse all the other tasty recipes already submitted by other users.

Foods to Stop Avoiding: Avocado

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 11:45:00 -0800

Just like anything else foods can get a bad reputation. The thing about reputations is that they can be repaired, and scientist are working round the clock to make sure we're not skipping out on foods just because we've heard it through the grapevine that they're bad. Avocados, peanuts, eggs, and coffee top the list of the top foods with the worst reputations that you should stop avoiding.

Here are highlights on why you should stop avoiding avocados:

Avocado
Misconception: I shouldn't eat avocados because they're high in fat.
Why they're good for you: A lot of attention centers on the fact that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the heart-healthy kind. Yet scientists are now more interested in the active compounds in avocados that might help prevent cancer. One recent study found that those compounds can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in the laboratory. While conducting the study, these researchers found avocados are loaded with a variety of antioxidants, including familiar disease-fighting compounds such as lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin E.

The lycopene in tomatoes or the beta-carotene in carrots may be better absorbed if there's a slice or two of avocado in the bowl. Scientists suspect that the fat content of avocados helps the body absorb these antioxidants.

Source

A Breakdown of Tiny Tastes

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:15:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of enhancing my meals with a little somethin' somethin'. A slice of cheese here, a pat of butter there, a smear of peanut butter on that. It's just a little bit, so it can't really affect my diet, right?

Well, if you're trying to lose weight, cutting calories is the way to do it. If you're always adding and sprinkling and smearing extras onto your food, well all those little things could start to add up. I'm not saying you need to ditch the little pleasures of life, like a dollop of mayo, but here's a breakdown so you can add them up for yourself. It's just good to be conscious of what they're worth, instead of just pretending that they don't mean much.

Want to see the random list of common tiny tastes? Then read more

	Serving Size	Calories	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Cheddar Cheese	1 slice (1 oz.)	114	9.4	176	.4	7.1
American Cheese	1 slice (1 oz.)	105	8.8	417	.4	6.2
Avocado	1/4 of the fruit	72	6.7	3.4	3.7	.9
Tomato	1 slice (1/4" thick)	4	.1	0	.9	.2
Cucumber	1/4 of whole, sliced	11.2	0	1.5	2.7	.5
Hummus	2 tbsp	54	2.6	72.6	6	1.4
Salt	1/4 tsp	0	0	581	0	0
Pepper	1/4 tsp	1.2	0	.2	.4	0
Heinz Ketchup	2 tbsp	30	0	380	8	0
Heinz Organic Ketchup	2 tbsp	35	0	355	8.8	0
Yellow Mustard	2 tbsp	6	.4	112	.8	.4
Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard and Country Mustard	2 tbsp	10	0	240	0	0
Beaver Honey Mustard	2 tbsp	30	0	90	4	0
Honey	1 tbsp	64	0	.8	17.3	.1
Peanut Butter (salted, chunky)	2 tbsp	188	15.9	150.4	6.7	8
Cream Cheese	2 tbsp	90	9	75	0
Salted Butter	1 pat	36	4.1	28.8	0	2
Balsamic Vinaigrette	2 tbsp	90	8	300	4	0
Ranch Dressing	2 tbsp	148	15.6	287	1.3	.4
Mayonnaise	2 tbsp	180	20	180	0	0
Bread and Butter Pickles	1 slice	6	0	54	1.5	.1
Sweet Pickle Relish	2 tbsp	39	.1	243	10.5	.1
Whipped Cream	2 tbsp	70	.7	60	.6	1.6
Chocolate Fudge Syrup	2 tbsp	133	3.4	132	24	1.7
Strawberry	1 large, sliced	6	.1	.2	1.4	.1

Source

How Well Do You Know: Snacks!!!!!

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

How well do you know your snacks? We often choose our snacks for different reason - calories, protein, fiber. So what snack is best for your needs? Test your snacking IQ and see.

Take the quiz