FitSugar

Does It or Doesn't It Contain Dairy?

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:00:42 -0700

If you're giving up meat in honor of World Vegetarian Awareness Month, you may consider doing the same with dairy products as well. Foods containing diary can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, so it's good to know which foods contain it. Ice cream, cheese, and yogurt are obvious, but can you figure out what other products contain hidden amounts of milk? Take this quiz and see.

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Barbara's Organic Cinnamon Crisp Granola Bars

Tips For the Lactose Intolerant

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Yogurt, creamy soups, ice cream, mac 'n' cheese, ranch dressing, butter on toast - these foods are so delicious and comforting but not for everyone. If you're lactose intolerant (and many people are), a simple slice of cheese on a cracker could have you running to the bathroom. So here are some tips to help you deal with your dairy-filled world.

If your body can't tolerate any dairy products whatsoever, keep Lactaid pills with you at all times. It contains the enzyme, lactase, which lactose intolerant people's bodies don't produce enough of. This enzyme is needed to help break down the lactose (milk sugar) in your foods. If it doesn't get broken down, the lactose causes bloating, gas, or diarrhea.
If you're able to tolerate small amounts of dairy products, be sure to enjoy them with other nondairy foods. This helps reduce the rate at which the lactose enters your small intestine, and allows the small amount of lactase that your body produces to break down the lactose without feeling overwhelmed.

For other helpful tips read more.

Avoiding dairy is your best bet, so be a keen label reader. Look for words such as milk, milk powder, butter, buttermilk, cream, cheese, whey, curds, or milk solids. Hidden lactose can be found in baked goods, dressings, chips, instant soups, candies, pancake mixes, margarine, and certain medications. If you think a food might have dairy in it, but you're not sure, don't take the chance.
Don't be embarrassed. Tell everyone who needs to know that you are lactose intolerant. That way when you show up at a friend's house for dinner, they won't offer you a plate of fettuccine Alfredo.
If possible, remove the dairy from your favorite foods. Peel the cheese off your pizza, order the baked potato but hold the sour cream, and enjoy popcorn without the melted butter.
Look for dairy-free alternatives to your favorite foods. Drink soy, almond, or rice milk instead of cow's milk. Choose soy yogurt, creamer, ice cream, and cheese instead of the dairy-filled versions. Use olive oil or a dairy-free margarine such as Smart Balance in place of butter. Pick up some dairy-free chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

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Have You Ever Tried a Dairy-Free Diet?

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:30:00 -0800

I love cheese, so giving up dairy would be tough for me, but I know many people who are or have gone dairy-free. Some say it helps relieve congestion or acne, and some avoid dairy because it bothers their stomach. What about you?

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Food Review: So Delicious Dairy Free Mini Sandwiches

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Ice cream is one of my favorite treats, but since it's high in saturated fat and cholesterol, I try not to eat it that often. With so many low fat and dairy-free alternatives out there, there's no reason I have to go without that sweet creamy goodness.

These So Delicious Minis ($5 for a box of eight) are made with vanilla soy ice cream, so they're cholesterol and lactose free. How do they taste though? To find out read more

For not not being ice cream, these Minis sure taste pretty darn close. They're creamy and sweet, and I loved how the cookies were soft and melted with each bite. There was a slight soymilk aftertaste that left my mouth a little dry, but overall they were very tasty. They definitely didn't taste like they were only 90 calories. At first I was disappointed at how tiny each sandwich was (only three inches long), but then I realized it's perfect if you just want a little something sweet - they are called minis after all. If you're in the mood for something bigger, they also make full size sandwiches. I, for one, can't wait to try the other flavors.

What is your favorite guiltless frozen treat? Tell me in the comments section below.

5 Things: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0700

Whether you are cutting back on meat and dairy products for health or moral reasons, it's good to remind ourselves that there are other forms of protein out there besides cheeseburgers, steak, and chicken satay. Check out these vegan sources.

Tempeh: 4 ounces gives you 22g of protein
Tofu: 1/2 cup serving equals 19.9g of protein.
Seitan: If you eat 3 ounces, you'll have consumed 19g of protein.
Plain soy milk: 1 cup of soymilk has 11g of protein.
Edamame: You'll get 10g of protein by eating 1/2 a cup of these beans.

Incorporating these foods into your meals will not only give you cholesterol and saturated fat free sources of protein, but since many of them contain fiber as well, they're even healthier.

Fit's Tips: Not sure how much protein you should be getting in a day? Then check out this chart.

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Saturated Fat: A Little May be Too Much

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:45:00 -0700

OK, so we know that saturated fat isn't good for us. These fats are NOT essential to our bodies whatsoever, but boy are they tasty. Butter, ice cream, hot dogs, bacon - all dairy and meat products contain saturated fat.

Why are they bad for us? Saturated fats are known to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels over time. This leads to plaque build-up in your arteries, making it difficult for blood to pass to and from your heart, which puts you at risk for a heart attack. Now new research shows that food loaded with saturated fat may have immediate effects on your heart.

A study conducted in Australia took 14 healthy adults (ages 18-40) and gave them 2 meals consisting of a piece of high-fat carrot cake and a milkshake. The first meal was made with 90% saturated fat and contained 68 grams of fat! That's equivalent to a double cheeseburger, a large order of French fries, and drinking a large milkshake (yikes!) The second meal was made with polyunsaturated oil, and only contained just 9% fat.

The researchers took blood samples of the participants before and after the meals to see what happened to their HDL (good) levels of cholesterol. They discovered that the levels of good cholesterol decreased after the first fat-filled meal, and increased after the second healthier version.

The effects may be temporary, but they are still a cause for concern since this happens every time a person eats a meal high in saturated fat.

Fit's Tips: Here's the deal. It's important to limit your saturated fat intake as much as possible. Aim for 10% or less each day. That means if you eat 2,000 calories a day, eat no more than 20g of saturated fat. Cut back on meat and full-fat dairy products. Also check labels to see if there is hidden saturated fat (they tend to lurk in processed foods and snacks). You can also go for meat alternatives like Gardenburgers and Tofu Pups. I also love dairy free foods such as Wildwood Soyogurt and Tofutti Cuties (dairy-free ice cream sandwiches). They taste great and are so much better for your heart.

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Dairy-Free Ice Cream: It's So Delicious

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:45:00 -0700

High cholesterol runs in my family, so sometimes when I'm craving a rich, creamy, frozen treat, I often reach for a pint of dairy-free ice cream.

So Delicious (formerly called Soy Delicious) is by far my favorite brand (I've tried many) because they taste the most like real ice cream. They're made with soymilk instead of cow's milk, so they contain less fat and zero cholesterol. Plus they have 3 different kinds, so you can choose depending on your mood or dietary needs.

First off, they make Organic So Delicious Dairy Free quarts in flavors such as Butter Pecan, Chocolate Velvet, Cookies 'N Cream, Mint Marble Fudge, Peanut Butter, and Creamy Vanilla.

They also make Fruit Sweetened It's Soy Delicious pints that are sweetened with a blend of fruit concentrates, brown rice and tapioca syrup. Check out these flavors: Almond Pecan, Mango Raspberry, Espresso, Tiger Chai, and Vanilla Fudge. Am I tempting you yet?

If you're really in the mood for something a little bit more rich and heavenly, read more

You'll have to try Purely Decadent pints. These are more like Ben & Jerry's with flavors such as Cherry Nirvana, Cookie Avalanche, Chocolate Brownie Almond, Cookie Dough (gluten-free), Mocha Almond Fudge, Pomegranate Chip, Peanut Butter Zig Zag, Turtle Trails, and Vanilla Swiss Almond.

The quarts are around $5-6 and the pints are around $4-5. Look for them at most health food stores, and mainstream grocery stores are starting to carry them as well. They don't taste exactly like ice cream, but I have to say they are pretty darn close. They have the same creamy texture, and the sweetness you crave, but without the fat or cholesterol. This is a treat you can feel good about indulging in, knowing both your heart and taste buds will be happy.

Here's a nutritional breakdown of all 3 kinds compared to Ben & Jerry's.

Calories	Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Carbs (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
130	3	0	24	13	1
110	1.5	0	24	9	2
170	8	o	29	18	1
220	14	65	18	16	3

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Food Review: Home Free Cookies

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

When I first cracked open a box of Home Free's peanut-free, tree-nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free cookies, I thought: what poor person has all of those food allergies combined? I couldn't quite figure out the target market. But now I think I have it figured out. These organic cookies are meant for moms who want to serve treats guaranteed safe for any kid, whatever her allergy.

I'm skeptical about how big that audience really is, but for healthy sweets, these were pretty impressive. I tried two varieties: the soft oatmeal cookies and the mini chocolate chip cookies. Both had minor faults, but they were also much tastier than I expected. For my thoughts, read more.

The oatmeal cookie was pretty sizable and had a nice, chewy-oat texture with just enough sweetness. One cookie has 120 calories and four grams of fat with almost all organic and whole-grain ingredients, so I felt good about eating them. Each box contains three pairs of individually packaged cookies (why? so wasteful!), and unfortunately, each pair of cookies stuck together and didn't look pretty when I pulled them apart.

The mini chocolate chip cookies had a totally different vibe: crunchy and sweeter, much like a Famous Amos. While the oatmeal cookies tasted more like health food (which I liked), the chocolate chip ones could easily be served to kids who probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Each serving of six mini cookies has 140 calories and six grams of fat, but you could also just eat one for a little sweet treat.

Home Free sells all of its cookies online here, including a chocolate-chocolate chip flavor (full size and mini) and a full-size version of the chocolate chip. If you have food allergies (or just lots of paranoia about them), these are definitely worth taking a bite of.

Jenny McCarthy Is Gluten- and Dairy-Free and in Shape

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:50:00 -0700

In Shape magazine, that is - on the cover of the May issue. Actress, author, autism activist, and mother Jenny McCarthy said she ballooned to 211 pounds after the birth of her son, who's now 6 years old. Weight Watchers helped her slim down since it taught her about portion control and to be conscious of what she eats.

Then three years ago she switched to a diet that's gluten- and dairy-free, to match her son Evan's diet. Not only did it help her shed even more weight, but it's greatly improved her son's autism symptoms. A typical day consists of an egg white omelet for breakfast, then for lunch and dinner she enjoys fresh fruit and veggies (she purées them to make her own soups) with fish. For snacks she loves “those little packets of nuts from Starbucks.” Jenny also stays strong and flexible by practicing yoga, and is even trying to teach it to her honey, Jim Carrey. Check out the May issue of Shape for her 15-minute yoga sculpting workout.

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Rice Dream Ice Cream: Dairy and Cholesterol Free

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 02:30:00 -0700

There are many delicious dairy-free ice cream alternatives out there. A few of my faves are Tofutti Cuties, Purely Decadent and So Delicious. The only thing is that all of these contain soy. We know that eating products made with soy are good for us, but we are encouraged to eat them in moderation. That's where Rice Dream Ice Cream comes in.

They make regular pints of dairy free ice cream, which are good, but for a real treat, they also make these Rice Dream sandwiches made with oatmeal cookies and coated in chocolate.

This is just the empty wrapper. Want to see what it really looks like? Then read more

Okay, Okay. I never said this was healthy - just a wonderfully sweet and creamy dairy-free and cholesterol-free treat. If you are watching your cholesterol, or can't eat dairy products because you are vegan or lactose intolerant, then I'd give these Rice Dream Sandwiches a try. Besides Mint, they also come in Chocolate, Mocha (this was yummy), and Vanilla.