FitSugar

Tips for Picking a Healthy Cereal

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:30:00 PDT

The cereal aisle at any grocery store is usually pretty intimidating. There are literally hundreds of choices and many of them have health claims right on the front of the box, but do you know how to pick a healthy cereal? Fitness magazine consulted Jackie Newgent, R.D., a culinary nutritionist in New York, to find out what to look for when picking out the right cereal. Here are highlights:

Three or more grams of total fiber per serving.
One or more grams of soluble fiber, which may help lower cholesterol and keeps blood sugar stable. (Whole-oat cereals are especially good sources.)
Fewer than two grams of saturated fat and no trans fats, both of which contribute to heart disease risk.
Fewer than 10 grams of sugar, unless it has dried fruit, which contain natural sugars.

Does your favorite cereal meet these requirements?

Source

Add Nutritional Goodness the Easy Way: 8 Recipes Made With Flax

Michele Foley — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:07:42 PST

There are many reasons to eat flaxseed: they're full of omega-3s and fiber and help promote healthy digestion, to name a few. Besides sprinkling flaxseed over a salad or cereal, it's also really easy to incorporate them into recipes. The best part is, flaxseeds don't really change how a recipe tastes, so no one will guess they just got a megadose of nutrition.

A Healthier Bowl: Cereals High in Fiber and Protein

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:25:40 PST

When you're in a rush in the morning, cereal is the perfect meal - just pour it, spoon it, and you're good to go. There's probably over a hundred different boxes to choose from, and while I'm sure you know Apple Jacks isn't the healthiest (a serving has as much sugar as three Chips Ahoy! cookies) even seemingly healthy cereals aren't the best choice. It's important to fill your bowl with a cereal that's both high in fiber and protein, since both help keep you feeling full. Here's a list to choose from - all contain at least five grams each of fiber and protein.

Cereal	Serving Size	Calories	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Barbara's Bakery Shredded Oats	1 1/4 cup	220	5	6
Barbara's Bakery High Fiber Original	1/4 cup	180	14	5
Barbara's Bakery High Fiber Flax & Granola	1/4 cup	200	10	5
Barbara's Bakery High Fiber Cranberry	1/4 cup	190	10	5
General Mills Wheat Chex	3/4 cup	160	5	5
Kashi Go Lean Original	1 cup	140	10	13
Kashi Go Lean Crunch!	1 cup	190	8	9
Kashi Go Lean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax	1 cup	200	8	9

Keep reading for more cereals that are high in both fiber and protein.

Easy Ways to Cut Back on Sugar

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:56:42 PST

Carbs and fats tend to take the blame for weight gain, but excessive sugar intake can be part of the problem, too. If you're looking to improve your diet or shrink your waistline, try tracking your sugar consumption. Is it something you crave regularly? Part of every meal? Assess where sugar stands in your diet and make the following swaps to minimize your intake.

Go Greek: Standard yogurts - especially the fruit-flavored variety - tend to be high in sugar. Pick plain Greek yogurt instead to amp up your protein consumption and avoid excess sugars. Compare the nutritional content of different Greek yogurt brands and add fresh fruit if you prefer a sweeter taste.
Nix the cans: Thanks to thick, sweet syrups, canned fruits contain a higher level of sugar than fresh or frozen versions. Avoid canned fruits whenever possible, but if that's your only choice, be sure to drain the can and rinse the fruit to remove as much sugar as possible.
Be picky about grains: Whole-grain cereals and granola can be high in added sugars. Make sure to read the nutritional information and also look into sugar-free cereal options, or try to make your own fruit and nut bars when you need a carb fix. Just looking for something to add crunch to your meal? Try raw, unsalted nuts or homemade trail mix.

Keep reading for more ways to reduce your sugar intake.

How Your Fridge Can Help You Lose Weight

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:32:54 PST

The LG fridge might have features to help you lose weight, but since it's not yet available (and its price tag is a bit steep), give the fridge you already own a little makeover. It can help you reach your 2012 weight loss goals with these tips.

Get Organized
Organizing your fridge will help you make healthier decisions when it comes to food, and being able to see all different ingredients might even inspire you to cook. A decluttered fridge also helps you keep track of staples so you never run out of healthy snacks like Greek yogurt or breakfast basics like eggs. Versatile plastic storage bins, like these from Crate and Barrel ($10 to $12), are clear and stackable, making it easy to see the array of healthy foods available at your fingertips.

Snack Center in the Fridge
Create a "snack center" in your fridge (one of those Crate and Barrel bins would be perfect for this), so you have a go-to spot to find healthy munchables when hunger strikes. Place the bin in front at eye level, and stock it with premade 150-calorie baggies of popcorn, cheese and crackers, trail mix, cereal, pretzels, fruit and nut bars, fruit leather, and other healthy faves.

Continue reading for more ways your fridge can help you lose weight.

Painless Ways to Add Fiber to Your Diet

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:26:16 PST

Whether you're a serious meat eater who considers a side salad enough greens for the day, or someone who just hates veggies, if one of your New Year's resolutions is to eat more fiber, here are some easy ways to increase your roughage without a disapproving peep from your taste buds.

Have a sweet tooth? Add spinach to homemade brownies, mash baked sweet potato into pancake mix, or add shredded carrots to banana bread.
Don't just grab any ol' box of cereal. Choose a cereal that has at least eight grams of fiber per serving.
Become a fan of flax. Sprinkle whole flaxseeds onto your bowl of cereal, or if the texture is a turnoff, use ground flaxmeal instead. You can also add flaxseed or flaxmeal to pizza dough, pancake batter, and cookie and muffin recipes.
Make a smoothie for breakfast (or even dessert) with tons of fresh or frozen fruit. Throw in a few spinach or kale leaves for added fiber. The sweetness of the fruit hides the taste of the greens and since it's blended so well, the texture is completely smooth - no chewing your veggies required.

Keep reading for more fiber-boosting tips.

4 Surprising Things You Don't Know about Calories

Prevention — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:12:55 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion.
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

8 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Disease

1. Portions Sizes Are Out of Control
You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more-up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.

Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Comfort Food That’s Actually Good for You

2. Serving Sizes Are Deceiving
"There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain two to three servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories . . . for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Keep reading to learn even more about calories!

8 Tips For a Healthier Brunch

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:42:25 PST

Weekend brunch is one of my favorite meals, but with all the deliciously decadent foods to choose from, like a Belgian waffle smothered in maple syrup and whipped cream, it's easy to overindulge. To avoid having to spend the entire afternoon in a coma on the couch, here are some tips for making your weekend breakfast as healthy as it is satisfying.

Load pancake batter with fruit: Mix in at least three different kinds of fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, cut-up cherries, apples, or bananas. With all that fresh, warm fruit, you might even skip the maple syrup.
Don't stop at oatmeal: Any cooked grain makes a hearty and satisfying breakfast. Cook up some brown rice, farro, quinoa, polenta, or millet and add yogurt, nuts, and fresh fruit.

I'm just getting started, so keep reading to check out my other tips for a healthier brunch.

What Does a Serving Size Look Like?

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:47:26 PST

When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight, there is so much talk about portion size. Since we're living in the age of Super Size Me, bottomless this, and all-you-can-eat that, we've really lost sight of what an actual serving size is.

Keep on reading to see a chart showing what a serving size of most foods looks like.

3 Easy Ways to Get More Key Nutrients

Shape — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:10:31 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

According to the most recent nutrition surveys, the majority of Americans fall short when it comes to hitting the recommended marks for the three most important food groups: fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Picture this: if you add up all the fruit and veggie servings the average American should have had over a lifetime that they did not eat, they would fill an entire football field. That’s a lot of missing nutrients!

If you tend to fall short of the targets, which are two daily servings of fruit, and three each for veggies and whole grains, start by focusing on adding one extra serving in each category per day. If you’re consistent, just these three changes can snowball into huge health benefits over time.

See how to get more nutrients in your diet after the break!