FitSugar

California Law Puts the Ban on Trans Fat

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0700

It looks like California has just bought a ticket for the trans-fat-free boat. Just like New York City, the Golden State is banning trans fat from their restaurants and other retail food places. This includes prohibiting the use of any oil, margarine, or shortening that contains trans fat.

This unhealthy fat is worse than saturated fat because it reduces your good cholesterol levels and has been linked to heart disease. Although New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Montgomery County, MD, have ordinances that ban trans fats, California is the first state to adopt this as a law. Signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, this law will take effect on January 1, 2010 for oil, shortening, and margarine used in spreads or for frying. When it comes to deep frying though, the law will be in effect a year later, Jan. 1, 2011. Violations could cost restaurant owners between $25 and $1,000.

I hope we can soon see other states adopting such laws banning trans fat. Do you think you'll eat out more often if you know that restaurant food is free of trans fat?

Source

The Most Active States in America

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Are people in your state active?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has put together a list of the most active states, as well as the least active states in the nation. Each state is ranked based on the percentage of people in each state meeting physical activity recommendations. Does your state make the top ten?

Alaska: 56.7%
Vermont: 55.9%
Wisconsin: 55.6%
Wyoming: 54.8%
Montana: 54.7%
New Hampshire: 54.4%
Oregon: 54.3%
Washington: 52.9%
Maine and Utah: 52.8%
California: 52.7%

Yay California - woot, woot!

To see the most sedentary states, just read more

The following ranks states by the percentage of people who are physically inactive, defined as those who report being physically active for less than 10 minutes per week.

Puerto Rico: 37.3%
Kentucky: 28.8%
Louisiana: 25.3%
Tennessee: 24.3%
West Virginia: 24%
U.S. Virgin Islands: 22.3%
Mississippi: 21.9%
Alabama: 20.1%
North Carolina: 19.5%
Georgia: 19%

To see the full list, visit the CDC website.

CA Evens the Playing Field

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 02:00:00 -0700

While I was mourning over an overturned law that would require NYC restaurants to post calorie counts on menu boards, I nearly missed some good news on the same matter in my neck of the woods.

Here are the details:

By a vote of 42 to 31, the California Assembly [on 9/11/2007] made California the first state in the nation to pass statewide legislation requiring fast-food outlets and chain restaurants to provide nutrition information at the point of purchase – a move favored by 84 percent of Californians in a statewide poll last April. Commonly known as the menu-labeling law, Senate Bill 120 (Padilla/Migden) is seen as landmark legislation to help Californians make healthier choices.

Furthermore:

When signed by the Governor, SB 120 will make California the first state to require chain restaurants and fast-food outlets to provide nutritional information for standard menu items. Specifically, the bill requires the number of calories to be posted on menu boards. Printed menus would provide the amount of calories, grams of saturated fat, trans fats, sodium and carbohydrates.

How cool is that? Being a Californian, this makes me a lot more excited than the pesky NYC law. No word on a proposed date it would go into effect, but I'll keep you posted. Let's hope it passes!

Source

Organic Clif ZBaR: For the Little Kid in You

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Whether you have kids or not, I think you'll want to know about the Clif ZBaR. OK, so they're made for kids, but that doesn't mean someone over 30 can't enjoy one as well.

These bars are sweet and chewy and drizzled with chocolate, and are a great alternative to a candy bar. Plus, ZBaRs are certified organic and made with healthy sounding ingredients including rolled oats, oat flour, flaxseed, fig paste and brown rice syrup.

Fortified with 12 vitamins and minerals, a Zbar provides 30% calcium, 35% vitamin C, and 10% iron of your kids RDI. Plus, ZBaRs contain zero hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup.

What else is cool about Clif ZBaRs? In California, they're working on passing a law that sets guidelines for food served in California schools and ZBaRs are the first snack created that would be compliant with this law. Sure they taste great, but they are also a great combination of protein, carbs, fiber and vitamins and minerals for active kids (and grown-ups).

Want to see the nutritional info for 1 bar? Then read more

Here's how the 3 flavors compare:

	Peanut Butter	Chocolate Chip	Chocolate Brownie
Calories	140	130	120
Total Fat	5g	4g	3g
Saturated Fat	1g	1.5g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	0mg
Sodium	170mg	100mg	125mg
Potassium	160mg	140mg	110mg
Carbs	20g	24g	22g
Fiber	3g	3g	3g
Sugar	11.7g	11g	12g
Protein	3g	3g	3g

Fit's Tips: These are the kinds of bars you can keep in your purse or car in case of a snack emergency.

Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Get ready for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on June 3, 2007. This marathon is renowned for the more than 40 bands that play live music along the 26.2 mile tour of beautiful San Diego, California.

If you register online between now and April 20, it costs $90. Register between April 21 and May 25, it's $100. Or you can sign up right before the big day for $120.

The marathon weekend also includes a 2 day Health & Fitness Expo where you'll find the latest in gear, services, and apparel.

Get those sneaks warmed up because if you've ever thought about running a marathon, this one was voted "Best Race" and "Best Post-Race Party" by Competitor Magazine. It's fun because it combines running with entertainment - you can't go wrong.

Grapple: Say "Grape-L"

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 05:08:22 -0800

Apparently people are getting bored with traditional fruits. Apples and oranges are just not cutting it anymore.

Enter the Grapple which is a hybrid of the Washington Apple and Concord Grapes. The Washington based creators of the Grapples claim that eating grapples gives you all the nutritional value of an apple, with the sweet taste of grapes -- Though it does look more like an apple. One Grapple has 80 calories, 22 grams of carbs and 16 grams of sugar. They are a great alternative for nabbing a sweet tooth instead of other high calorie, processed snacks.

Fit's Tip: Put them in your kids lunches as a healthy alternative to the highly processed fruit snacks.

Another Plastic Health Risk - Erectile Dysfunction

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:13:34 -0800

While there have been previous studies, linking bisphenol A (BPA), found in hard plastics, to health problems, including precancerous tumors, prostate cancer, and brain damage, a new study, conducted in China, substantiates its claims with results in humans. In one of the first studies of its kind to be conducted on humans, researchers are finding that much of what they've previously seen in animal studies holds true - men exposed to significant amounts of BPA are at greater risk of sexual health problems.

The study compared the levels of sexual dysfunction in two groups of male factory workers - one group, which was exposed to high levels of BPA, while the other was not. The overall findings of the research reveal that when BPA enters the body, it may mimic estrogen, and block male sex hormones from functioning. In the males who were exposed to high levels of BPA, researchers observed that the risk of erectile dysfunction was four times that of a man not exposed to the chemicals.

According Dr. Rebecca Sokol, the director of the andrology program at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, and specialist in the effects of toxins on the reproductive system, these are some "compelling results." She notes that, "It's not cause and effect, but when you have the kind of ambient air quality assessment that they made, it comes pretty close to cause and effect."

To learn more about the study keep reading

Gear Review: Radiance Jacket by Mountain Hardwear

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:33 -0700

If you are looking forward to Winter but not the cold that accompanies it, Mountain Hardwear has constructed a jacket for you. The Radiance Jacket ($230) is pre-wired for the Ardica Moshi Power System ($145).

When fully charged, the battery powered energy pack will keep you warm for a little over eight and a half hours when set on the low setting and three hours when set for high. The heater fits into an internal pocket in the back of the jacket that sits between your scapula with extra heating coils in the front just above the pockets. Simply pressing the black button on the top of the jacket turns on the heater. The contrast between the lightweight jacket and the stiff battery is quite noticeable though. Known for their lightweight yet warm jackets (I ski in an older version of the company's Flip Jacket), the power system makes the jacket heavy.

I sat in my cold house (why houses in Northern California aren't well insulated is beyond me) and cranked the jacket to the high setting and was quite toasty. I was sweating in minutes. I have no doubt it would keep me warm on the slopes or sitting at a snowy football game, I am not sure I want to pay $375 to stay warm. Think of all the hot chocolate you could buy, even overpriced ski lodge cocoa, with that kind of dough.

If you're an electronics junkie, the jacket will charge them. To learn how read more.

The left pocket of the jacket houses a USB cable, they come with a variety of adapters making it useful for charging your iPhone, iPod, camera, or BlackBerry. The Ardica System takes more than a few hours to fully charge, but it can fully charge your phone multiple times once it's charged.

I think the concept of a warming jacket that helps you stay wired (or at least charged) is cool, but I am not completely sold on the technology. While the jacket is cute and streamlined - it would fit well under a shell to keep for added wind and water protection - but if it is so cold that I need a heater to keep me warm riding up a mountain, I might just opt for a lodge day. What about you? What do you think of the Radiance Jacket?

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Citrus Shortage: Vitamin C Alternatives

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:00:00 -0800

Recently California suffered when temps (remember we are talking about California here) dipped to around 30 degrees killing a good amount of the bountiful citrus crops.

So even though we are facing a minor citrus shortage, it is still recommended that you get at least 75-90 mg per day of vitamin c. In light of all this, you can still get your oranges from Florida, but there are lots of other foods high in vitamin c that you may also want to consider such as:

Papaya: 313.1 mg in one
Bell peppers: 174.80 mg in one cup
Broccoli: 205.7 mg in one cup
Brussel sprouts: 161.2 mg in one cup
Strawberries: 136.1 mg in one cup
Cantaloupe: 112.5 mg in one cup
Kiwi (the fruit, not the bird): 95 mg in one
Cauliflower: 91.5 mg in one cup
Kale: 88.8 mg in one cup

Fit's Tip: It is recommended that adults don't consume above 2,000 milligrams in one day.

McDonald's Introduces The Bigger Burger

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Recently we heard that McDonald's and Prince Charles were at odds. The Prince thinks the restaurant should be banned, while McDonald's says the Prince obviously hasn't noticed all their efforts to add healthy fare to their menu. Perhaps during this little argument McD's forgot about their latest menu addition, which is anything but healthy...

The Bigger Burger (aka the Angus One Third Pounder) is the latest burger to be added to the apparently super healthy McDonald's menu. Currently the bigger high-end (it costs a little bit more - $3.99) Angus burger is being tested in 600 Southern California locations. There are three variations to The Bigger Burger, which reportedly range in 720 to 860 calories.

Maybe it's just me, but this "bigger burger" really does not help their healthy argument -- In thinking of a previous post: Do you think McDonald's should be banned? Take the poll.