FitSugar

Greece's Hidden Secret: FAGE Yogurt

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 14:05:57 -0800

I love yogurt but for me there are very few yogurts that stand out among the pack.

That is why I was totally blown away when I tried, FAGE Total Yogurt (pronounced: Fa'-yeh!). FAGE Total is "Greek yogurt" that is truly Greek -- You can tell by the signature rich and thick velvety texture. It gets the great texture with the unique straining and separating process of the whey from the yogurt. The process also makes the product a suitable cooking ingredient as it does not curdle at high temperatures. What's more? All the FAGE yogurts contain Live & Active Cultures.

The taste is unbeatable and the texture is downright amazing. For me, nothing is worse than eating super runny yogurt. The FAGE Total 0% has 80 calories and zero grams of fat and unlike most fat free yogurts, it actually tastes really, really good.

I used it to make my most recent batch of Tzatziki and it was the best yet! Look for it in boutique and health food grocery stores. For more info, visit the FAGE Website.

Greek Yogurt Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I'm a big fan of yogurt. It's a tasty way to get protein and calcium, especially before or after a workout. Greek yogurt is one of my faves because it's packed with so much more protein than regular yogurt, and the thicker consistency makes it feel more decadent.

Since Greek yogurt is becoming more popular, there are many companies making it now. If you want to know how they compare, read more.

Yogurt	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (g)	Sodium (mg)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Cabot Plain (6 oz)	210	17	55	80	6	7
Cabot 2% Strawberry (6 oz.)	160	3	20	80	24	13
Chobani Original Plain (6 oz.)	240	17	65	60	6	14
Chobani Lowfat Plain (6 oz.)	130	3.5	10	70	7	17
Chobani Nonfat Plain (6 oz.)	100	0	0	70	7	18
Chobani Vanilla Nonfat (6 oz.)	120	0	0	65	13	16
Chobani Honey Nonfat (6 oz.)	150	0	0	65	20	16
Chobani Peach Nonfat (6 oz.)	140	0	0	80	19	14
Chobani Strawberry Nonfat (6 oz.)	140	0	0	80	19	14
Chobani Blueberry Nonfat (6 oz.)	140	0	0	65	20	14
Fage Total Classic (7 oz.)	263	20.1	35	57	6.1	13.1
Fage Total 2% (7 oz.)	131	3.9	13	66	7.9	16.6
Fage Total 0% (5.3 oz.)	79	0	0	56	5.9	13.2
Fage Total With Honey (5.3 oz.)	250	12	20	35	28	8
Fage Total 2% With Honey (5.3 oz.)	180	2.5	5	40	29	10
Fage Total With Strawberry (5.3 oz.)	210	12	20	35	18	8
Fage Total 2% With Strawberry (5.3 oz.)	140	2.5	5	40	19	10
Fage Total With Peach (5.3 oz.)	210	12	20	35	18	8
Fage Total 2% With Peach (5.3 oz.)	140	2.5	5	40	19	10
Fage Total With Cherry (5.3 oz.)	210	12	20	35	18	8
Fage Total 2% With Cherry (5.3 oz.)	140	2.5	5	40	19	10
Oikos Plain (5.3 oz.)	90	0	0	60	6	15
Oikos Vanilla (5.3 oz.)	110	0	0	60	11	15
Oikos Honey (5.3 oz.)	120	0	0	50	17	13
Oikos Blueberry (5.3 oz.)	120	0	0	70	15	13

I'm curious, which brand of Greek yogurt do you usually buy?

Are You Eating Too Much Cholesterol?

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:30 -0700

I was vegan for a short time in college, and was shocked when I had my cholesterol tested and found it was high. I wasn't even eating cholesterol! The thing is, your liver makes cholesterol and it's actually essential for your body to function normally. Cholesterol is also found in food and appropriately called dietary cholesterol. Since your body produces enough, you don't need to worry about getting any from diet. What you do need to worry about is getting too much.

A healthy person with healthy cholesterol levels can safely consume 300 milligrams a day. If your levels are high, aim for less than 200 mg a day. Are you eating too much? Find out how much cholesterol is in your favorite foods when you read more.

Food	Cholesterol (mg)
1 Hard-Boiled Egg	212
1 cup Skim Milk	5
1 cup Lowfat Milk (1%)	15
1 cup Lowfat Milk (2%)	20
1 cup Whole Milk	34
1 oz. Cheddar Cheese (1 slice)	29
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese	20
2 tbsp. Cream Cheese	26
2 tbsp. Butter	61
5.3 oz. Fage Total Classic Greek Yogurt	35
5.3 oz. Fage Total With Honey	20
6 oz. Chobani No-Fat Vanilla Greek Yogurt	0
6 oz. Stonyfield farms Organic Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt	7
1/3 Pound Hamburger Patty	90
5 inch Hot Dog	24
4 oz. Filet Mignon	75
4 oz. Organic Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast	70
4 oz. Tilapia	55
3 oz. Salmon	85
2 tbsp. Mayonnaise	8
3 oz. Sour Cream	11
1/2 cup Chocolate Ice Cream	120
1/2 cup Chocolate Ice Cream	115
9 Hershey's Dark Chocolate Kisses	5

High cholesterol levels in the blood can put you at risk for heart disease. So answer these two questions for me: have you had your cholesterol levels tested, and are you getting too much?

Food Review: Chobani Greek Yogurt

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

I'm a big fan of yogurt for breakfast or for a pre-workout snack, but I'm an even bigger fan of Greek yogurt. Oikos and Fage are equally delicious, but they're not cheap (about $2 per small container). So when I was food shopping the other day, I was thrilled to see another kind of Greek yogurt called Chobani on sale for $1.29. Wahoo! It doesn't take much to get me excited.

Chobani comes in all sorts of flavors, like strawberry, peach, blueberry, and honey, but I picked up the vanilla. To see what I thought and find out how this yogurt compares to Oikos and Fage read more.

I really loved this Chobani Greek yogurt. It's smooth, thick, creamy, and has a slightly warm vanilla flavor, so you can enjoy it alone or with added fruit and granola. The texture and mild sour flavor reminded me of both Oikos and Fage Greek yogurt, and nutritionally, if you check out the chart below, you'll see all three are pretty similar. Chobani is slightly higher in calories and sugars, but it also contains more protein per container. For me though, I think I'll buy whichever one is the cheapest, being as things are pretty tight these days. If buying organic is important to you though, you may want to spring for Oikos.

	Chobani Vanilla	Oikos Vanilla	Fage Total 0%
Serving Size	6 ounces	5.3 ounces	6 ounces
Calories	120	110	90
Total Fat	0g	0g	0g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	0mg
Sodium	65mg	60mg	65mg
Carbs	13g	12g	7g
Sugars	13g	11g	7g
Protein	16g	15g	15g
Ingredients	Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Sugar, Natural Vanilla Flavor. Contains Five Live And Active Cultures Including S. Thermaphilus, Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, and L. Casei.	Cultured Pasteurized Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Sugar, Organic Natural Vanilla Flavor. Contains Five Live And Active Cultures Including L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, and L. Casei.	Grade A Pasteurized Skimmed Milk, Live Active Yogurt Cultures (L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus).

I Heart Greek Yogurt

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:45:00 -0700

There are so many reasons to love Greek yogurt, like Fage brand. According to the experts at the Berkeley Wellness Letter, Greek-style yogurt has about 50 percent more protein than regular yogurt, about 20 grams per eight-ounce cup to regular yogurt's 13 grams.

It is thicker because it is strained and the liquid (aka whey) is removed. Because it has less whey it will stay fresher longer and is less likely to curdle when heated. Greek yogurt also contains less carbs than regular yogurt and therefore less lactose, the sugar in dairy products that can upset some peoples stomachs.

Greek-style yogurt does have some drawbacks, to learn them read more.

It seems that with all good news there comes some bad. Greek yogurt is considerably higher in fat than most other styles of regular yogurt. Make sure that you opt for low-fat or nonfat Greek-style yogurt. It is also lower in calcium than other types of yogurt, but is sill a good source - providing around 150 to 200 milligrams per eight-ounce serving. The recommended daily intake for the mineral is 1,000 milligrams and calcium from food sources is more readily absorbed by the body.

If you don't feel like buying yogurt that has traveled all the way from Greece, Okinos Greek Style Yogurt produced by Stonyfield Farm is organic and tastes great. You could always make your own - you just have to strain it!

Source

Yogurt Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0700

Yogurt is so healthy for us. It's a great source of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and live cultures that help with digestion. It's also good for your mouth, has been shown to lower BMI, and can help with bad breath. Not only that, but yogurt contains tyrosine, an amino acid that converts into the feel-good chemicals dopamine and adrenalin, which clear your mind when you're stressed, and can give you an energy boost. Who knew yogurt could be this beneficial?

There are so many different brands and kinds of yogurt out there. Want to see how they all compare? Then read more

Here's the nutritional info for one 6 ounce cup of strawberry yogurt unless otherwise specified. It's interesting to see that some yogurts are healthier than others.

Yogurt	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)	Not-So Healthy Ingredients You Should Know About
Breyer's Light (8 oz)	110	1.5	5	10	8	Gelatin, aspartame, red 40, blue 1
Breyer's Creme Savers (8 oz)	240	3.5	15	36	7	Dried corn syrup, artificial cream flavor, gelatin, artificial color, red 40, blue 1
Breyer's Smart!	170	1.5	10	28	6	-
Brown Cow No Fat	130	0	0	24	7	-
Brown Cow Low Fat	150	2	5	25	6	-
Brown Cow Cream Top	180	6	20	27	5	-
Cabot Nonfat	130	0	5	19	8	-
Colombo Light (8 oz)	120	0	less than 5	15	7	Aspartame, high fructose corn syrup
Colombo Classic (8 oz)	230	2	15	42	7	high fructose corn syrup
Dannon All Natural (Vanilla)	150	2.5	10	25	7	-
Dannon Fruit on the Bottom	150	1.5	5	26	6	Fructose syrup, high fructose corn syrup
Dannon la Crème (4 oz)	140	5	15	18	5	Fructose syrup
Dannon Activia (4 oz)	110	2	5	17	4	Fructose syrup
Fage Total Classic (7 oz)	260	20	35	6	12	-
Horizon Organic Fat Free	180	0	5	33	9	-
Horizon Organic Lowfat	150	1.5	10	27	7	-
Liberte	160	4		12	12	-
Silk Soy	160	2		22	4	-
Stonyfield Farms Fat Free	140	0	0	26	7	-
Stonyfield Farms Low fat	130	1.5	5	22	6	-
Stonyfield Farms Whole Milk	190	6	25	24	6	-
Stonyfield Farms Oikos (Vanilla, 5.3 oz)	110	0	0	11	15	-
Stonyfield Farms O 'Soy	150	2	0	21	7	-
Wallaby Organic Nonfat	140	0	10	20	7	-
Wallaby Organic Lowfat	150	2.5	15	21	7	-
Whole Soy & Co.	160	3	0	21	6	-
Woodstock Water Buffalo Milk	174	9	22	19	5	-
Yoplait Light	100	0	less than 5	14	5	Aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, red #40
Yoplait Original	170	1.5	10	27	5	high fructose corn syrup
Yoplait Whips (4 oz)	140	2.5	10	21	5	high fructose corn syrup
Yoplait Thick & Creamy Custard Style (vanilla)	190	3.5	less than 5	28	7	high fructose corn syrup

Oikos Greek Style Yogurt from Stonyfield Farm

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:30:00 -0700

I love yogurt and I really love Greek style yogurt, since it is already strained so it is extra thick and creamy. I was stoked to hear that Stonyfield Farm is now making a Greek style yogurt. I was even more stoked when I tasted it. It is great!!!

Stonyfield Farm has partnered with a master yogurt maker from Greece, Mustafa Dogan to make their new Oikos Greek style yogurt. Let me tell you Mustafa knows his stuff. And, because the yogurt is made by Stonyfield Farm it is organic. Good for you and the planet.

Oikos yogurt is packed with protein - 16 grams per 6 oz. serving - and is naturally lower in carbs and sugars than regular yogurts. The yogurt contains 5 live and active cultures so it is chock full of good bacteria. If plain yogurt is not for you Oikos also makes a vanilla flavored yogurt, which contains a bit more sugar and calories as well. Personally I love eating the plain with fresh fruit and it great for making Tzatziki and dips.

Interested in seeing the nutritional breakdown, then read more

6 oz. container)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	Sugar (g)	Protein (g)
Plain	100	0	7	7	16
Vanilla	120	0	14	14	15

Nutritionally it is quite similar to Fage Total Greek style yogurt, the big difference is that it is made in the U.S. and is organic. Look for it in your local natural food store or in the natural food sections of select grocery stores nationwide. A 6 oz. single serving cup is priced just under $2.00.

Healthy and Quick: Van's Waffles for Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, no lie. And it is the most important meal of the day too. It jump starts your metabolism and eating breakfast regularly is one habit of healthy people (there are 6 others, but this one is easy). Now on those rushed mornings when the toaster is your only option, don't stick any old toaster pastry in there. Go with Van's waffles.

Van's waffles are a hit at my house even my little girls love them. We buy only the ones with the whole grain stamp on the box, since not all Van's varieties are created equal when it comes to fiber and it is the fiber that keeps you full. I go for the Flax variety since it contains 6 grams of fiber as well as 1600 mg of omega-3s. Eating 2 of these waffles in the morning is a great non-fishy way to get more of that good fat in your diet. The MultiGrain waffle is also popular at my house. While it only has 5 grams of fiber per serving, it has 4 grams sugar (1 less than the flax) and only 190 calories, that is 70 calories less than the flax variety. When shopping for the Van's waffles read the labels since some of them are not as healthy as my faves.

I top them with Fage non-fat yogurt and fresh fruit. There is no need to add syrup since the waffles are sweet on their own.

If you'd like to try some, just enter your zip code on Van's home page and they will find the store closest to you that sells them. Look for them at Trader Joe's, since they have the best price.

Yogurt Breakdown

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800

Recently I did a post on Stonyfield Farms 2-a-Day yogurt. And scratch5 made a comment that sparked a question in my mind - How do all the yogurt brands compare?

Keep in mind that some yogurts contain modified food starch, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and other not so healthy ingredients, so check the label.

Here are some popular brands of yogurt, with their calories, total fat, sugars, and protein. I compared them all in Strawberry flavor, but realized that not all yogurt comes in 6 oz containers (I specified if they didn't):

Breyer's Light (8 oz): 110 cals, 1.5g fat, 10g sugar, 8g protein
Breyer's Creme Savers (8 oz): 240 cals, 3.5g fat, 36g sugar, 7g protein
Breyer's Fruit on the Bottom (8 oz): 240 cals, 2g fat, 39g sugar, 8g protein
Brown Cow No Fat: 130 cals, 0g fat, 24g sugar, 7g protein
Brown Cow Lowfat: 150 cals, 2g fat, 25g sugar, 6g protein
Brown Cow Cream Top: 180 cals, 6g fat, 27g sugar, 5g protein
Cabot Nonfat: 130 cals, 0g fat, 19g sugar, 8g protein
Colombo Light (8 oz): 120 cals, 0g fat, 15g sugar, 7g protein
Colombo Classic (8 oz): 230 cals, 2g fat, 42g sugar, 7g protein
Dannon All Natural (3.3 oz): 110 cals, 1g fat, 19g sugar, 5g protein
Dannon Fruit Blends: 170 cals, 1.5g fat, 30g sugar, 6g protein
Dannon La Creme (4 oz): 140 cals, 5g fat, 18g sugar, 5g protein
Fage Total Classic (7 oz): 260 cals, 20g fat, 6g sugar, 12g protein

Want to see the rest? Then read more

Horizon Organic Fat Free: 140 cals, 0g fat, 27g sugar, 7g protein
Horizon Organic Lowfat: 170 cals, 2g fat, 30g sugar, 7g protein
Liberte: 160 cals, 4g fat, 12g sugar, 12g protein
Silk Soy: 160 cals, 2g fat, 22g sugar, 4g protein
Stonyfield Farms Fat Free: 140 cals, 0g fat, 26g sugar, 7g protein
Stonyfield Farms Low fat: 130 cals, 1.5g fat, 22g sugar, 6g protein
Stonyfield Farms Whole Milk: 190 cals, 6g fat, 24g sugar, 6g protein
Wallaby Organic Nonfat: 140 cals, 0g fat, 20g sugar, 7g protein
Wallaby Organic Lowfat: 150 cals, 2.5g fat, 21g sugar, 7g protein
Whole Soy & Co.: 160 cals, 3g fat, 21g sugar, 6g protein
Woodstock Water Buffalo Milk: 174 cals, 9g fat, 19g sugar, 5g protein
Yoplait Light: 100 cals, 0g fat, 14g sugar, 5g protein
Yoplait Original: 170 cals, 1.5g fat, 27g sugar, 5g protein
Yoplait Whips (4 oz): 140 cals, 2.5g fat, 21g sugar, 5g protein
Yoplait Thick & Creamy Custard Style: 190 cals, 3.5g fat, 28g sugar, 7g protein