FitSugar

Granola Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:00:00 PDT

You know how I feel about breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day because it jump starts your metabolism and feeds your brain so you're more productive during the day. It helps people maintain their weight and eating breakfast gives you energy to exercise later in the day. Breakfast eaters are also more likely to consume their daily amount of fiber since so many morning foods are full of whole grains, like cereals and bread.

Granola is one of my favorite breakfast foods, but some can be high in fat or sugar. To see how some popular granolas compare,

This is the nutritional info for 1/4 cup of granola.

Granola	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Bear Naked Peanut Butter	140	6	17	3	4	4
Bear Naked Fruit and Nut	140	7	18	3	5	3
Bear Naked Peak Protein	140	7	16	2	6	5
Bear Naked Heavenly Chocolate	130	3.5	19	3	6	3
Bear Naked Banana Nut	140	7	18	2	5	3
Bear Naked Apple Cinnamon	140	5	17	3	7	2
Bear Naked Fit Vanilla Almond Crunch	110	3	18	2	3	4
Bear Naked Fit Triple Berry Crunch	110	1.5	20	3	3	4
Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Raisin	79	1.1	16	1.1	6	1.9
Cascadian Farm Maple Brown Sugar	83	1.9	16	1.1	5.3	1.9
Cascadian Farm Oats & Honey	87	2.3	16	1.1	4.9	1.9
Kashi Cocoa Beach	115	4.5	16.5	3	5.5	3
Kashi Mountain Medley	110	3.5	18.5	3	6	3
Kashi Orchard Spice	110	3.5	18.5	3	5.5	3
Kashi Summer Berry	105	3	18.5	3	4.5	3
Kellogg's Low Fat Granola with Raisins	87	1.5	18.6	1.5	6.8	1.5
Kellogg's Low Fat Granola without Raisins	72	.95	15	1.5	5.3	1.5

Fit's Tips: When comparing granola on your own, check the serving sizes. Although the info above is based on 1/4 cup servings, serving sizes tend to range from 1/4 cup to 1 cup. So you may think a granola is low in calories, but the serving size may be small.

Food Review: Cascadian Farm Vanilla Almond Crunch

FitSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:00:00 PDT

One of my favorite afternoon snacks is fruit, granola, and vanilla yogurt. Not only does it satisfy my sweet tooth, but the fiber from the whole-grain oats and the protein from the yogurt fill me up and give me energy for my evening workouts.

I usually pick up Cascadian Farm Oats & Honey Granola, but I saw this box of Vanilla Almond Crunch sitting on the shelf and decided to give it a try instead. Was it as tasty as it looks? To find out

Compared to the Oats & Honey Granola, this cereal ($4-5) was much lighter, since it had little rice crispies mixed in with the oats. Not only was it tasty with my yogurt, but it was great with milk, too. I liked the vanilla flavor, but it was a little too sweet for me. It does have whole pieces of almonds, which the granola doesn't have, but it would have been better if there were more. If I had to choose, as far as taste and nutrition go, I'd go for the granola. Even though this Vanilla Almond Crunch contains more calories and fat, it also has less sodium and sugar.


Serving Size	3/4 cup	2/3 cup
Calories	200	230
Total Fat	3g	6g
Saturated Fat	less than 1g	1g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	210mg	120mg
Carbs	41g	42g
Fiber	3g	3g
Sugar	16g	13g
Protein	4g	5g

A Makeover For Your Grocery List

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:17:02 PDT

If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy, you know both cooking at home and dining out can quickly become a challenge. Since healthy eating begins at home, and eating at home begins at the grocery store, we turned to Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple for some advice on how to stock your pantry for success, whether you're dealing with food allergies or just want to take a cleaner approach to your family's diet. See how Amie, a nutritionist who specializes in clean eating, fills up her own grocery cart, and how you can transform your own to accommodate your family's dietary needs.

"Cleaning" Up Your Grocery List

Essential Condiments

Extra-virgin olive oil
Flaxseed oil
Grape seed oil
Champagne vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Organic Dijon mustard
Organic coarse, seeded mustard
San-J wheat-free tamari soy sauce
Amy's Organic salsa
Sun-dried tomatoes
Hummus (try Tribe, Wild Garden, Sabra, or Cedar's)
Hot sauce (try Cholula or Sriracha)
Miso (white, barley, and red)
Organic lemon juice

Continue reading for what to buy in the gluten-free, dairy-free, and freezer departments.

12 Cereals With Fewer Than 150 Calories Per Serving

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:52:13 PDT

A bowl of cereal is a common go-to breakfast in our house because it's quick, it's a cinch to whip up, and most importantly, it offers a healthy dose of necessary fiber. If you're not careful, there are many reasons that bowl of cereal is making you fat. Avoid weight gain by pouring one of these healthy cereals, all under 150 calories per serving.

1 cup Arrowhead Mills Oat Bran Flakes: 140 calories, 4 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 5 grams protein
3/4 cup Barbara's Bakery Cinnamon Puffins: 90 calories, 5.5 grams fiber, 6 grams sugar, 2 grams protein
3/4 cup Barbara's Bakery Shredded Spoonfuls: 120 calories, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
3/4 cup Barbara's Bakery Original Puffins: 90 calories, 5 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, 5 grams protein
3/4 cup Cascadian Farm Multi Grain Squares: 110 calories, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, 3 grams protein

Read on for more low-calorie cereals.

Ways to Save on Health Food: Website Coupons

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:55:27 PDT

Every time I step foot into my local health food store, I instantly drop at least $20. I feel good knowing the food I pick up is all natural, often organic, and fresh, but jeez - why does it have to be so expensive? If you're looking to save money on your favorite healthy brands, many companies post coupons on their websites you can print out. You may need to install a program, sign up for a newsletter, or answer a short survey, but if you're looking to save some dough, it's worth the time and effort. Here's a list of some pretty good deals that are available now. If these coupons have expired, click on the website's link anyway since companies are always updating their coupons.

Food Should Taste Good: Go to the top of the website where it says "Special Offers" and click on "coupons." Join their fan club by giving some simple info and get a coupon for $1 off a bag of chips. Expires: 8/31/11
Stonyfield Farms: Once you fill out a little form including your name, birthday, and email address, you'll come upon a whole page of coupons for all of Stoneyfield Farm products. Just click on the ones you want and print. I got a coupon for $.50 off two 5.3 ounce containers of Oikos Greek Yogurt and $.50 off a half gallon of Stonyfield Organic Milk (expires: 7/1/11).
Silk: Fill out a little form including your name, email address, and a few questions, and receive coupons. Today I printed out a coupon for $.75 off a half gallon of Silk. Expires: 7/20/11

For more coupons keep reading.

Create a Go-To Snack Center in Your Fridge

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:16:10 PST

When in a rush or feeling snacky, you want to grab a nutritious snack that won't break the caloric bank. You might have good-for-you options scattered about your kitchen, tucked away in different cabinets and drawers, but a central location of healthy snacks will make the whole process much easier - especially if you're feeling a dip in your blood sugar.

To make your snacking decision a breeze, create a snack center in your fridge. Prepare appropriate serving sizes in baggies or containers, place them in a plastic bin, and the next time you need a morning or afternoon snack, just grab one. Having portable snacks at your fingertips means that if you need to run out the door, you have a handy snack to take.

If you need some ideas for healthy snacks to include in your snack center, keep reading.

Organic vs. Conventional: Price Breakdown of 10 Common Groceries

SavvySugar — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:00:59 PDT

To choose organic, or not to choose organic: that is the question. Whether it is nobler to choose better quality and suffer the outrageous fortune at the cash register or buy conventional items that are lighter on the wallet. Luckily, we have done the dirty work for you by comparing the prices of 10 common groceries. You might be surprised how comparable some of the prices are. If you choose the completely conventional route, all of these groceries add up to $34.22 a week. Likewise, if you opt for 100 percent organic fare, you will pay $53.41 a week. That's a $19.19 difference, which may seem pretty steep.

You'll notice we have checked off our Savvy Picks. You might be wondering why we're opting for the more expensive organic animal products. If you haven't seen Food Inc., you should definitely educate yourself on the conventional animal farming practices in the USA. Think: cramped animals in unsanitary conditions that are fed hormones, steroids, and antibiotics to synthetically accelerate their growth and prevent illness. In our opinion, sometimes the quality of organic food trumps the price of its conventional counterpart, and our Savvy Picks reflect which foods we think are worth going organic.

Ultimately, only you can decide what feels best for you and your budget. It might make sense for you to buy cheaper coffee and cereal to save up for organic milk. Or, maybe you're paying off a credit card, and every cent you save counts. Now's the time to calculate all of your options, so you can stick to your budget while shopping.

See the complete breakdown of organic vs. conventional foods here.