FitSugar

Morning Time: Calories in Breakfast Proteins

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:02:29 PST

It's important to start your day off right by eating a well-balanced breakfast that includes protein. However, are you aware of the calories and nutritional breakdown of your favorite breakfast proteins?

Check out the nutritional breakdown of popular breakfast proteins.

Are You an Egghead? Egg Whites vs. Whole Eggs

FitSugar — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:02:36 PDT

If you're looking to cut calories, fat, and cholesterol from your diet, you may choose an omelet made of egg whites instead of whole eggs for breakfast. But is choosing egg whites over whole eggs really the best choice nutritionally?

The only way to find out is to do a little comparing, so continue reading to check out my chart comparing eggs to egg whites.

10 Gluten-Free Snacks Under 150 Calories

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:53:00 PDT

If you're gluten-free, noshing on the usual snacks of crackers and cheese or PB on whole wheat toast are out, but here are 10 delicious and nutritious snacks - all free of wheat, rye, oats, and barley - and all under 150 calories.

One small Asian pear (51 calories) with one organic mozzarella cheese stick (80 calories): 131 calories
One Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Cake (70 calories) topped with two tablespoons apple butter (40 calories): 110 calories
Seven raw almonds (49 calories) and six dried apricots (84 calories): 149 calories

Keep reading for seven more gluten-free snack ideas.

Weird Ingredients in Foods: Eat Them or Avoid Them?

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:13:25 PDT

I'm all about eating foods made with natural ingredients, but sometimes even "all-natural" foods contain unfamiliar ingredients on their nutrition labels. You could just assume they're OK to eat, or continue reading to find out which ingredients you might want to avoid.

Fruits With the Highest and Lowest Sugar Content

Heather Dale — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:42:31 PDT

A healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth is to enjoy a piece of fresh fruit - either by itself, with yogurt, or added to a smoothie or shake. While some fruit can be high in sugar, if you are active and healthy, having too much fructose (the sugar from fruit) doesn't need to be a concern of yours. However, if you have (or are at risk of getting) diabetes, your fruit intake should be monitored since too much fruit may lead to high blood sugar.

Looking to reduce your overall sugar consumption or are just curious how much sugar is in your favorite fruits? Read on to see how your favorite fruit ranks.

Do You Read Nutrition Labels?

Leta Shy — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:24:13 PDT

If you only give nutritional labels on food a glance before you dig in, you're not alone - a new study has found that almost all people ignore nutrition labels on food, even calorie counts.

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association study tracked the eye movements of 203 people as they looked at 64 grocery items. Although 26 percent claimed that they "almost always" look at serving size and about a third said the same for both calorie counts as well as fat and sugar content, an eye-tracking device found that wasn't true. According to the tracker, only about nine percent actually looked at calorie counts for almost all products and just one percent of the participants looked at other nutritional components on the labels.

The study's researchers think that more prominent nutrition facts labels (front and center instead of hidden on the side of a box) would make consumers more aware of what they are eating. Do you think they're right? Let us know if you are a label reader when it comes to food - and if you're not, read these tips on how to read a nutrition label correctly.

Source: Flickr User michaelnugent

A Day in the Life: How a Vegetarian Gets Her Daily Protein

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:56:08 PDT

While it's true that meat is an excellent source of protein, it's by no means the only source and also not always the healthiest. If you're avoiding beef, chicken, and fish for ethical reasons, or simply trying to avoid a diet that's high in saturated fat or cholesterol, feel assured that a vegetarian diet can offer you enough protein. You just need to pay attention to make sure you're getting your fill. Follow the meal plan of an active vegetarian throughout her day to find out how she eats well over the 75 grams of protein she needs.

*Note that the amount of protein is based on an active woman who's about 130 pounds. To find out how much protein you require each day, check out this chart.

Breakfast:

6 ounces plain Greek yogurt: 18 grams
1 cup GoLean cereal: 13 grams
1 tablespoon flaxmeal: 1.5 grams
1 medium banana: 1.3 grams

Breakfast total: 33.8 grams of protein

Continue reading to find out how to get the rest of your day's protein.

Nutritious Store-Bought Cookies: Worth the Hype?

Michele Foley — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:26:00 PDT

Is there such a thing as a healthy cookie? That's what many manufacturers want us to believe. Containing all-natural ingredients or added nutrients like vitamins and calcium, these "healthier-for-you" cookies are often marketed as a way to indulge without totally blowing a healthy diet. But are the claims the real deal or just a bunch of hype? You be the judge.

Good-For-You Reasons to Love Red Onions

Heather Dale — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:44:07 PDT

Onions may stink up our kitchens, give us bad breath, and make us cry when cutting them, but despite these minor annoyances, they are actually full of healthy goodness.

Onions contain a high amount of polyphenols, a type of phytonutrient, which includes disease-protecting flavonoids and tannins. In fact, onions are one of the most polyphenol-packed foods you can eat.

Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits associated with red onions.

Ch-ch-ch Chia Seeds: You Just Can't Go Wrong

Heather Dale — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:28:08 PDT

A close relative to our sprouting terracotta friend, the Chia Pet figurine, chia seeds are a dynamic ancient superfood. Once a staple food for the Mayans, Aztec warriors, and Incas, the term "chia" actually translates to "strength" in the language of the Mayans. Legend has it that one tablespoon of tiny chia seeds was able to sustain them throughout their long, tiresome days.

What have they done for me lately? Chia seeds are high in protein, fiber, calcium, antioxidants, and omega-3s. In fact, for women, the RDI of omega-3s is 1.1 grams (1,100 mg) a day, so if you're looking for a new source that's vegan, gluten free, and easy to consume, you'll want to pick up some chia seeds. One ounce of chia seeds (about two tablespoons) contains just 137 calories, one gram of saturated fat, 11 grams of fiber, four grams of protein, 177 milligrams of calcium, and 4.9 grams of omega-3 fatty acids.

Here's what else you need to know about chia seeds.