FitSugar

Moe's Southwest Grill Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:30:00 -0700

When I'm on the road and in need of quick meal, I sometimes stop at Moe's Southwest Grill. It's like a Mexican version of Subway - you pick a type of burrito, taco, fajita, salad, or quesadilla, and then you choose exactly what goes in it (and you can watch them make it too). They use fresh veggies, but they don't use lard. Plus the meat is grilled right there. The food tastes great and seems healthy, but after looking at the caloric content of The Homewrecker and the Triple Lindy, I am happy that I split a burrito with my hubby.

To see the breakdown read more.

Menu item	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Homewrecker (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, grilled chicken, black beans, rice, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo)	890	33	14.8	120	2645	93	46
Triple Lindy (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, ground beef, pinto beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo)	835	31	11.5	83	2735	94	38
Joey Bag of Donuts (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, grilled steak, black beans, rice, cheese, and pico de gallo)	740	23	9.5	90	2300	86	44
Art Vandalay (burrito made with 12 in. flour tortilla, pinto beans, rice, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo)	755	27	13.3	60	2225	93	25
Overachiever (taco made with 6 in. flour tortilla, grilled chicken, pinto beans, cheese, guacamole, lettuce, and sour cream)	353	14	6.9	60	1063	30	21
Unanimous Decision (taco made with crispy corn shell, black beans, cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and lettuce)	240	12	5.6	30	523	21	9
The Funk Meister (taco made with crispy corn shell, ground beef, black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, and lettuce)	263	13	4.8	41	568	20	15
John Coctosan (quesadilla made with 10 in. flour tortilla, grilled chicken, pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, and pico de gallo)	780	37	18.8	150	1925	59	48
Close Talker (salad made crispy taco bowl, grilled chicken, black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, black olives, cucumbers, and chipotle ranch)	1030	68	14.8	98	2130	67	41

Nope, that last one is not a mistake. Talk about an unhealthy salad. Well, as disappointing as this info was, it's a great reality check. Just because something seems to be made with pretty basic ingredients, unless you make it yourself, you have no idea how much salt and fat it actually contains. I'll still frequent Moe's in a pinch, but definitely won't make a habit of it.

Veggie Burger Breakdown

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:50:16 -0700

If you're watching your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, veggie burgers are a great option when grilling. According to my burger poll, many of you actually prefer them. There are so many different brands and flavors out there now, the selection can be a little overwhelming. Some burgers are made with soy and others with grains. Other veggie burgers are just that and made from veggies. Sunshine even makes gluten-free burgers with sunflower seeds. Depending on the main ingredients, your options will differ in calories, sodium, carbs, and protein, so check out this breakdown to see which one you might want to grill up at your next BBQ.

1 Patty	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Amy's Kitchen All American Veggie Burger	120	3	0	390	15	3	10
Amy's Kitchen California Veggie Burger	140	5	0	430	19	4	6
Boca All American Flame Grilled	90	3	5	280	4	4.5	14
Boca Original Vegan	70	.5	0	280	6	4	13

There's plenty more, and to see them, just read more.

1 Patty	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Boca Grilled Vegetable	80	1	0	300	7	4	12
Boca Cheeseburger	100	4.65	10	360	5	4	13
Boca Garden Vegetable Made With Organic Soy	130	3	0	400	9	4	15
Boca Roasted Garlic Made With Organic Soy	130	.5	0	470	9	4	16
Gardenburger Original	100	3.5	5	420	14	5	5
Gardenburger Sun-Dried Tomato Basil	100	3	5	310	15	5	5
Gardenburger Portabella	90	2.5	5	360	15	5	5
Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle	80	2.5	0	250	13	5	5
Gardenburger GardenVegan	100	1	0	230	12	3	10
Gardenburger California Burger	90	3.5	0	380	12	2	3
Morningstar Farms Cheddar Burger (contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil)	150	7	10	480	10	3	13
Morningstar Farms Mushroom Lover's (contains corn syrup solids)	110	6	0	220	8	less than 1	7
Morningstar Farms Veggie Medley made with organic soy	120	4	0	260	11	2	11
Morningstar Farms Classic Burger made with organic soy	150	6	0	280	9	3	14
Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie	120	4	0	350	13	4	11
Sunshine Burger Southwest	240	12	0	240	26	9	6
Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burger, Original	180	13	0	330	8	1	12
Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burger, Southwest	190	13	0	320	9	2	11

I'm curious to know what your favorite veggie burger is, so tell me in the comments section below.

Fast Food Salad Breakdown

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:37:50 -0700

Chances are, you're doing some traveling this Summer and toting along healthy on-the-go snacks. But there's always a chance you'll find yourself hungry on the road with no choice but fast food.

Thankfully, many fast food chains are selling surprisingly healthy salads, but beware: fat and calorie bombs also abound. Of course, you're best off avoiding creamy salad dressing and opting for vinaigrettes: one pack of McDonald's Newman's Own Low-Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette has 40 calories and 3 grams of fat, while the brand's creamy Southwest dressing has 100 calories and 6 grams of fat per packet. If you opt for the creamy kind, try cutting the portion in half. Find out which salads have the most health appeal and which ones to avoid when you read more.

Food	Serving Size	Calories	Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Sugar (g)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
Arby's Market Fresh Santa Fe Salad With Popcorn Chicken, No Dressing or Tortilla Strip	12.1 oz	415	17	5	806	6	37	25
*Arby's Market Fresh Martha's Vineyard Salad, No Dressing or Almonds	11.6 oz	273	9	4	609	17	25	22
*Burger King TenderGrill Chicken Garden Salad, No Dressing or Croutons	10.3 oz	240	9	3.5	720	3	8	33
McDonald's Bacon Ranch With Grilled Chicken, No Dressing	11.3 oz.	260	9	4	1,010	5	12	33
*McDonald's Caesar Salad With Grilled Chicken, No Dressing	11 oz.	220	6	3	890	5	12	30
Quiznos Flatbread Chopped Salad With Roasted Chicken Honey Mustard and Dressing	1 salad	1,070	71	13.5	1,770	15	69	37
Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad, No Shell	1 lb 0.8 oz	460	23	9	1,520	9	41	23
*Wendy's Garden Sensations Mandarin Chicken, No Almonds, Noodles, or Dressing	11 oz.	180	2	0.5	630	12	16	24
Wendy's Garden Sensations Homestyle Chicken BLT With Croutons and Dressing	14.7 oz.	780	53	14	1,740	14	42	37

* FitSugar pick

Food Court Survival: Healthy Fast Food Options

FitSugar — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

If you're braving the mall this Black Friday, chances are you're going to need to refuel at the food court as well. Although there are choices galore on the food front, many of them are high in calories and fat, so here are some healthier options to munch on. They may not be the healthiest choices on the planet, but they're better than succumbing to a Big Mac attack.

From Subway:
6" Veggie Delite: 230 calories, 1 g saturated fat
6" Turkey Breast: 280 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat
6" Oven Roasted Chicken Breast: 310 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat

Not into those choices? Then read more.

From McDonald's:
Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken: 320 calories, 3 g saturated fat
Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 1 g saturated fat
Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken: 220 calories, 3 g saturated fat
Snack Size Fruit & Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 1.5 g of saturated fat

Opt for no dressing or choose from these two:

Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette: 40 calories, 0 g saturated fat
Newman's Own Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing: 60 calories, 0 g saturated fat

From Wendy's:
Chicken Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet: 490 calories, 7 g saturated fat
Broccoli and Cheese Potato: 320 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat
Grilled Chicken Go Wrap: 260 calories, 3.5 g saturated fat
Ultimate Chicken Grill: 320 calories, 1.5 g saturated fat
Premium Fish Fillet Sandwich: 450 calories, 3.5 g saturated fat
Side of Mandarin Oranges: 80 calories, 0 g saturated fat

From Taco Bell:
Fresco Bean Burrito: 330 calories, 2.5 g saturated fat
Regular Style Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco: 270 calories, 4 g saturated fat
Regular Style Spicy Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 2 g saturated fat
Fresco Style Spicy Chicken Burrito: 340 calories, 3 g saturated fat
Fresco Style Fiesta Burrito - Beef: 350 calories, 4 g saturated fat
Fresco Style Chalupa Supreme - Chicken: 300 calories, 2 g saturated fat

From Dunkin' Donuts:
Multigrain bagel w/ reduced fat vegetable cream cheese: 520 calories, 8 g saturated fat
Turkey and Cheese Sandwich: 510 calories, 6 g saturated fat
Garden Salad: 240 calories, 5 g saturated fat
Chicken Noodle Soup: 140 calories, 1 g saturated fat
Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin: 400 calories, 2 g saturated fat

From Sbarro:

Slice of thin-crust cheese pizza: 460 calories, 3.5 g saturated fat

Fit's Tip: Another great option is to pack your own healthy snacks or sandwiches. You'll know it's low in calories and fat, will save you money, and you won't have to wait in those long lines.

Subway Breakdown

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Subway has done a good job marketing themselves as a fresh, low-fat alternative to other fast food chains. Turns out, Subway isn't half bad for you! I'm actually impressed.

	If you can stand to be in a sandwich place and not get a sandwich, then definitely go for the: Grilled Chicken and Baby Spinach Salad with olive oil and vinegar because it only has 185 calories, 8 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 450 mg of sodium and 11 grams of carbs.
	You should probably get the: Turkey Breast 6-inch Sandwich on wheat bread (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles and olives) with 280 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1020 mg of sodium and 46 grams of carbs.
	You could also get the: Roast Beef 6-inch Sandwich on wheat bread (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles and olives) with 290 calories, 5 grams of fat, o grams of trans fat, 920 mg of sodium and 45 grams of carbs.
	I know it may sound tempting, but do not get the: Meatball Marinara 6-inch Sandwich on wheat bread (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, olives and cheese) with 560 calories, 24 grams of fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 1610 mg of sodium and 63 grams of carbs.

For other ways to watch your calories at Subway, read more

Breads:	Subway offers some other lower calories options to the sandwich such as the wraps and deli style sandwiches. For comparisons sake, one 6" wheat bread has 200 calories, one deli style roll has 170 calories and the wrap has only 120 calories (8 grams of fiber). If you must stick with the 6" breads then don't get the Honey Oat or Italian Herbs & Cheese because both pack on 250 calories.
Condiments:	Stay away from Mayonnaise (110 calories) and Chipotle Southwest Sauce (96 calories). Use mustard instead (yellow or brown) and you're only adding 5 calories.
Veggies:	The more the merrier. Load your sandwich up with veggies as all of the veggies on Subway's menu are 5 calories or less.
Cheeses:	Pass or add 40-60 calories.
Double Meat (DM):	That's a double NO - NO.
Cookies:	Sorry, that's a pass too. At upwards of 200 calories, you could have another 6" sandwich.