FitSugar

Understanding Ice Cream: Light, Low Fat, Reduced Fat

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:00:00 PDT

You might be asking yourself what is confusing about ice cream? It is delish, cold, creamy and loaded with fat. Well not always since ice cream manufacturers have become hip to the fact that consumers are watching their waistlines and fat intake. So you might see ice cream labeled "light" or "low fat," but buyer beware those terms do, in fact, mean different things.

Here is a little primer for understanding the different ice cream options out there:

Ice cream contains at least 10% milk fat. Many premium ice creams (like Ben & Jerry's) contain around 13 - 17% milk fat.
"Reduced Fat" ice cream must contain 25% less fat than regular ice cream made by the same company.
"Light" ice cream has at least 50% less total fat than regular ice cream made by that company.
"Low-fat" ice cream can have a maximum of 3 grams of fat per 1/2 cup.

So buy wisely and remember just because it is "low-fat" doesn't mean you should eat more. You can also try just having a few bites of ice cream in a bowl and savor the full flavor (and fat) of the real thing. You know I am going to say it - never eat directly from the container cause you will have no idea how much you have really eaten and quite possibly over eat.

Candy Coded: What You Need to Know About Your Favorite Sweets

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:09:35 PDT

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

It seems like these days there's always a reason for a sweet treat - holidays, baby showers, birthdays, and the list goes on. We could tell you not to eat it, but unless you have the willpower of a saint everyone craves sugar once in a while. To help, we got the dish on the best drugstore treats to nibble on and the ones to completely nix.

1. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
"If you're craving chocolate, then the darker, the better," says Katie Cavuto Boyle, RD, owner of Healthy Bites. "Dark chocolate has less sugar, is dairy-free, and is rich in antioxidants that have been shown to reduce blood pressure and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease."

Nibble: Hershey's Miniatures: Special Dark
Serving Size: 5 pieces
200 calories; 13g fat; 7g saturated fat; 25mg sodium; 24g carbs; 18g sugar; 3g protein
Nix: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
Serving Size: 5 pieces
220 calories; 13g fat; 5g saturated fat; 130mg sodium; 26g carbs; 23g sugar; 4g protein

2. Go Nuts!
"Chocolate that contains nuts may be even better for you, because the nuts contain a variety of nutrients and healthy fats that may displace some of the total chocolate, sugar, etc.," says Marie Spano, RD, owner of Marie Spano Nutrition Consulting in Atlanta.

Nibble: Dove Silky Smooth Almond Milk Chocolate Bar
Serving Size: 1 bar
190 calories; 12g fat; 6g saturated fat; 20mg sodium; 18g carbs; 16g sugar; 3g protein
Nix: Twix Caramel Cookie Bars
Serving Size: 2 cookies (1 pack)
250 calories; 12g fat; 9g saturated fat; 100mg sodium; 33g carbs; 24g sugar; 2g protein/li>

More suggestions for making the better candy choice after the break.

3 Must-Follow Rules For Weight Loss

Shape — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:12:19 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to nutritional consultant Mike Roussell for help about weight loss.

Q: What are your top three must-follow rules for weight-loss success?

A: You might be surprised that my top three must-follow rules for long-lasting weight loss don’t have anything to do with spinach or Greek yogurt. Instead, they're all about behaviors. Why? Your love affair with black bean and yam chili or high-protein chocolate mousse with coconut milk will come and go as your taste buds seek new flavors, but consistently eating healthy foods and incorporating fitness into your life transcend specific food choices and modes of exercise, allowing you to stay lean and fit for life. Here are my top three tips for weight-loss success:

Make it Autopilot: Create a schedule for your diet and exercise. Plan ahead so when the week starts, all you need to do is execute. I’m guessing your life is busy - family, work, hobbies, etc. The food that you're eating needs to be there, ready to go, when it's time to eat. If it is, then sticking to your diet is easy. Thinking about what to eat, finding/preparing it, and then eating it takes too much time and mental effort during an already busy day. You’ll find yourself "starting your diet again tomorrow" and reaching for the nearest refined-sugar, nutrient-poor food you can find (those kinds of food always seem to be just within arm’s reach). Make a menu for the week, cook, and prepare meals in advance so that you can function on dietary autopilot all week.

See the rest of the tips after the break!

3 So-Called Healthy Foods That Aren't

Shape — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:58:20 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, here on FitSugar.

This morning I visited The Early Show to talk to host Erica Hill about healthy imposters - selections that seem nutritionally superior, but really, not so much! Here are a few examples:

Veggie Sticks or Puffed Veggie Snacks

They may look like dried veggies but the first ingredient in many of these snacks is potato flour with veggies far lower in the ingredient list (which means they make up a smaller percentage of each bite). They also tend to have more sodium - up to twice as much - and you only save about 30 calories and 3 g of fat per serving compared to their traditional counterparts. Stick with good old fashioned potato chips, as long as the only ingredients are potatoes, pure vegetable oil, and salt. They're much more natural and potatoes are a good source of potassium and antioxidants. 

Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

 Reduced fat PB can pack the exact same number of calories per serving and usually more sugar than regular PB. That's because they aren't able to take the fat out, so they have to add sugar or carbs to displace the fat content. Plus, the fat in peanut butter is "good" heart healthy monounsaturated fat (or MUFAs), which has been shown to reduce belly fat. Stay true to all natural regular PB or other natural nut butters, like almond, cashew, pecan, etc.

Keep on reading to learn one more food to avoid.