FitSugar

Not So Fast! 3 Tips For Reading Food Labels

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:31:43 PDT

Eating a healthy diet often means spending time reading food labels at the grocery store. The next time you hit the market, follow these important tips to ensure you're not missing something.

Look at more than calories: When it comes to losing weight, you've probably grown accustomed to checking the calorie counts, but remember that this number isn't everything. Many healthy foods (like quinoa) tend to be higher in calories; likewise, a food that's low in calories may contain a lot of sodium or saturated fat. Read through every part of the label to get the full picture, and then make the decision if you're going to eat it.
Compare apples to apples: You have two boxes of crackers in your hands and quickly see that one contains 220 calories per serving, while the other is only 140. Before you choose the box with fewer calories, double-check to make sure you're comparing equal serving sizes. Also take a look to see how the nutritional content compares.
Read, and reread: There are certain foods you feel confident placing in your cart because you've previously read through the labels. Play it safe by checking the label again every month, just to make sure the company hasn't changed or added ingredients without you knowing; the whole-grain pretzels I used to buy are now sadly made with enriched flour.

A Daily Look at How Much Fat, Sugar, and Salt You Should Be Eating

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:25:40 PST

You may think your diet is right on track, but do you know how much fat, sugar, and salt you should be eating on an everyday basis? In honor of National Nutrition Month, we're taking a look at the dietary guidelines for some of the sneakiest health spoilers. Learn the recommended daily intake for fat, sugar, and salt based on a 2,000 calories-per-day diet and try to adjust your habits accordingly:

Fat: The American Heart Association suggests that people consume 500 to 700 calories from fat each day, somewhere between 56 to 78 grams (or 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calories). Don't think of fat as the bad guy, though. Instead, try to eat more healthy fats, found in foods like nuts, avocado, and olive oil. You should also limit your saturated fat intake to less than 16 grams and keep unhealthy trans fats to less than two grams per day.
Sugar: It's recommended that women eat 100 calories from added sugars each day, just five percent of their daily diet. Wondering what 100 calories of sugar looks like? About six teaspoons. That may seem like a lot, but sugar tends to turn up in some surprising sources, like bread and yogurt, so educate yourself on the sweet culprits and learn how to cut back on sugar. Since nutrition labels list both naturally occurring and added sugars, check the ingredient list for a more detailed account of which kind of sugars a food item may have; anything containing fruit or dairy will contain natural sugars.
Salt: The recommended daily intake of salt is 1,500 milligrams to 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon), depending on your risk factors. Less than you expected? The overconsumption of sodium is linked to high-blood pressure and a range of other health issues, so monitor your salt intake and follow these tips to limit sodium.

Scrutinizing the amount of fat, sugar, and salt in every food you eat isn't realistic, but it's important to learn the proper health guidelines so you can aim for the recommended totals. Not sure where to start? Try checking the labels on some of your favorite foods to kick-start your awareness and tailor your nutrition as needed.

Source: Flickr User Momentcaptured1

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.