What in the World Is Maltodextrin?


Updated 04/28/12 6:56 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 19 comments

What Is Maltodextrin?

If you're obsessed with reading labels, then you've probably come across the ingredient maltodextrin. Sounds like some type of sugar, but is it safe to eat? It'll settle your mind to know that this common additive is an easily digestible carbohydrate made from rice, corn, or potato starch (celiacs beware — it can also be derived from barley or wheat). It's made by cooking down the starch, and Read more

Should You Avoid Carrageenan?


Updated 03/05/08 5:30 PM · Posted by FitSugar · 32 comments

Should You Avoid Carrageenan?

If you're a label reader, and let me tell you I sure am, you might have noticed carrageenan listed as one of the ingredients. When I first saw it listed on a Ben and Jerry's pint (yes, ice cream is OK when eaten in moderation), it brought up a couple of questions for me – What exactly is carrageenan and is it something I should avoid? Carrageenan is actually extracted from red seaweed, and the Read more

Link Time: Capture the Season With Ramp Carbonara


Updated 05/10/12 10:40 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

Ramp Carbonara Recipe

May must make: ramp carbonara — Food52 On last night's premiere of Around the World in 80 Plates — Grub Street New York Watch Giada and Jimmy Fallon drink beertinis — Eater Cool drink recipes from this year's hot Summer — Yahoo! Shine Would you eat fast food every day if someone paid you to do it? — HuffPost Food Easy Mother's Day recipes the kids can help make — Delish When to Read more

Go From Doe-Eyed to Sexy With Individual False Lashes


Updated 05/02/12 1:00 PM · Posted by BellaSugar · 0 comments

How to Apply Individual Lashes

Individual false lashes lend a serious wow factor to any beauty style. And because they're so lightweight and you control how many to apply, the results are surprisingly natural looking. They thicken the lash lines making you look like you have lashes for days, but depending on your technique, you can transform yourself with sexy fringe or even a pretty doe-eyed style. Watch now to see how you Read more

3 Ways to Make the Most of Your Leftover Wine


Updated 05/02/12 4:13 PM · Posted by · 4 comments

What to Do With Leftover Wine

We've all been in this predicament: you opened a fresh bottle of wine, poured yourself a glass, then realized weeks later that you wasted tons of vino. This may have been a bummer in the past, but it's time to rethink this age-old problem. Leftover wine does not need to go to waste down the drain; it can be repurposed for sheer culinary delight. Here are three easy ways to make the most of your Read more

How to Wear Makeup While Working Out (If You Must)


Updated 04/19/12 4:45 AM · Posted by · 0 comments

How to Wear Makeup to the Gym

We're happy to present this story from our friends at Allure: Track and field star Jessica Ennis, currently in training for the London 2012 Olympics, recently admitted that she always competes in a full face of makeup. And Ennis's explanation of her race ritual to The Daily Mail certainly makes sense: "I definitely think if I feel I look good, it makes me feel more confident," she told the Read more

Meatless Monday: The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili


Updated 04/16/12 12:20 PM · Posted by · 1 comment

Vegan Chipotle Chili Recipe

You've heard how meatless Mondays are good for the planet. Now, look to Cooking in Pajamas for a fast and easy vegan chili recipe. Meatless Monday is back baby!  It never actually went anywhere, I just kept forgetting to blog about it. In my quest to get healthy and lose a few pounds before my 20th anniversary trip in April, I have been testing out a plant based diet. I keep going back and Read more

A Reader Recipe: Southwestern Quinoa Salad With Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette


Updated 04/16/12 6:32 AM · Posted by · 2 comments

Southwestern Quinoa Salad Recipe

Get your daily fiber fix with this Southwestern quinoa salad recipe from FitSugar reader For the Love of Fiber. She shared it with us in our Healthy Recipe Group in the Fit Community. This salad takes quinoa to the next level, and has been known to turn quinoa haters into ambassadors. Learn how to make this recipe after the break! Read more

The Hunger Games Wedding Stylist Shares Her Braiding Secrets


Updated 04/16/12 5:48 PM · Posted by · 2 comments

Girl on Fire Hunger Games Braids

When this amazing Hunger Games wedding photo shoot went viral, most people thought "what pretty pictures!" The images are obviously stunning, but it's the gorgeous deconstructed braid stylist Danielle Bennett created for "Katniss" that had us wanting to know more. We asked Bennett how she constructed the impressive plait above and found out how to get these elaborately woven braids — even if Read more

Jams, Jellies, Butters: A Definitive Guide to Preserving Fruit


Updated 03/23/12 11:58 AM · Posted by · 1 comment

Different Kinds of Fruit Preserves

Photo: Anna Monette Roberts I'll admit to using several of these words interchangeably on a regular basis. For the longest time, I thought that if mashed-up fruit came in a jar, it was essentially all the same thing. But as it turns out, there is a difference between jam and jelly, and preserves and fruit butters. Upon learning what those differences are, I realized why I am typically drawn to Read more