FitSugar

A Week In Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 04:00:00 -0700

In case you missed it, here's what we've been talking about...

I'm giving away a FREE POLAR HEART RATE MONITOR. To win, all you have to do is comment in this post!

Is it possible to overdose on caffeine?

Kapalabhati (Ka-pa-la-ba-ti), a big word for a great yoga breathing exercise. Here's a great video on how to practice Kapalabhati.

Hollywood's into running too -- I've passed out superlatives for the top runners in Hollywood.

Speaking of celebrities, cast your vote in my poll for which starlet spends the most time in the gym.

Make sure you check out these five great stretches for before and after a run. Plus, here are ten reasons you should be stretching in the first place.

I'm loving this great workout gear by be present.

Need to do something about that cellulite? Then take the cellulite quiz to see how much you know.

Don't miss The Biggest Loser Casting Call in a town near you.

My new obsession: Chocolate that relieves PMS.

Speaking of sweets, here are great ways to lighten up summer desserts.

We've heard it's bad, but is white sugar really bad for us?

One more time: Don't miss your chance to win a free polar heart rate monitor!!!

Is White Sugar Really THAT Bad For Me?

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

I think you know the answer to the question if white sugar is bad for you. White sugar comes from sugar cane, which is a plant, so why is it so bad for us? Can you say highly processed? Yeah, the gorgeous white crystals most people pour into their coffee every morning has zero nutritional value because it's all stripped away. White sugar is a refined sweetener, adding nothing but calories and taste to foods.

When you eat foods with refined sugar like sodas, candy bars, or high carb meals, it upsets the body's blood sugar balance. This triggers the release of insulin, which the body uses to maintain blood sugar levels at a constant and safe level. After insulin levels spike up, they quickly crash soon after, leaving you feeling sleepy, and possibly even hungry again. This often leads to more snacking and usually on sweet or refined carb treats. This cycle leads to overeating, since you are not really hungry, and weight gain. This is the reason carbs are often viewed as “bad” nowadays, and why the Atkins Diet is so popular.

Refined carbs such as white bread, white pasta, white rice, baked goods such as cookies have the same effect on your body, so that's why you should look for alternative foods made from whole grains. When you feel like snacking, stick to straight up fruits, nuts and ones that contain whole grains. These are slow burning carbs that contain vitamins and fiber too, so they'll give you a consistent flow of energy without the sugar meltdown.

Source

Lessons From the White House Chef

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:00:07 -0800

Part of Michelle Obama's master plan to reform eating habits in this country includes the directive of a young chef named Sam Kass. Kass has been the Obamas' personal chef for several years now, and when the Obamas packed up and moved to the White House, he did too.

Kass, 29, plays more than cook at his current post: he is the first White House chef to have an actual desk in the East Wing and works alongside the rest of Ms. Obama's policy team with the title of "food initiative coordinator," meaning he's given the daunting task of getting the entire country to eat better.

To hear how Kass is trying to making the country healthier, read more.

How does one man do that in a country where the golden arches rule? In the latest editions of People and the Chicago Sun Times, Kass shares that moving past the obstacles won't be easy but "it's an unbelievable opportunity" that he couldn't turn his back on. In the last year, the chef has gotten closer to his goal by helping plant a garden on the White House lawn and educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. He's also discussing legislation with the Agriculture Department that would reform school lunch on a national level.

When it comes to feeding the first family, Kass and White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford serve up classic fare like burgers and tacos, but make healthy food swaps and use lean beef and low-sugar ketchup instead. As for dessert, it's a special treat served only on the weekends, and that order comes directly from Michelle herself.

Inspired by the Slow Food movement, Kass looks to the White House garden to inspire his menu, pushing forth the idea of eating local and by season. Right now, he's got his eyes on a bevy of sweet potato dishes and fresh salads, which should come in handy for the Obamas' first state dinner later this month.

Your Healthy Food Swaps

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

Since decadent foods like ice cream, baked treats, and fried foods tend to be high in the calorie department, it's good to have a few healthy food swap ideas up your sleeve. Here are some shared by fellow FitSugar readers.

"Avocado instead of mayo . . . sure it may have fat in it but it's healthy fat and tastes delicious. Hummus instead of cream in sauces and soups . . . adds a ton of flavor and protein." - mamasitamalita
"I use balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette) on my salads without any oil. It gives the same powerful flavor kick but for a lot less calories." - laellavita
"Replace ranch dressing on my salad with cottage cheese." - genipher85

For more great ideas, keep reading

Sucanat: Pure Sugar Baby

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 11:00:00 -0700

We all know that white sugar is like the devil. It's got zero nutritional value and rots our teeth. It also makes us feel crappy when we eat it because it makes our blood sugar level spike up and then come crashing down.

Have you heard of Sucanat? It stands for Sugar Cane Natural. It's sugar in its most natural form - pure cane juice with only the water removed. This process preserves all the vitamin-filled molasses. It's organically grown with no added preservatives or additives.

Sucanut can be used in place of white sugar or brown sugar when baking, and adds a wonderful flavor due to the molasses. Unlike refined white sugar, Sucanat contains iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium.

Fit's Tips: Look for Sucanat in the baking aisle at your local health food store. It's a little bit more expensive than refined white sugar, but you're paying for the extra vitamins. Try it next time you bake some cookies or muffins. It can also be used to sweeten sauces and marinades.

Do You Avoid White Sugar in Foods?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Sometimes you can't avoid eating white sugar, because it's a pretty common ingredient in some healthy foods such as yogurt, cereal, and energy bars. I definitely try to look for foods that contain natural sugars though, such as fruit juice, barley malt, honey, or agave. The thing is, since I have quite a sweet tooth, some foods like ice cream and chocolate just taste better when made with real sugar, so I don't avoid the white stuff completely, I just don't overdo it. I definitely prefer white sugar over artificial sweeteners, though, and I guess many companies such as Snapple and PepsiCo feel the same. They're switching ingredients in some of their products from high fructose corn syrup back to sugar because they feel it's more "natural." So how do you feel?

DrSugar Answers: White Fingers and Raynaud's Phenomenon

DrSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:30:00 -0800

DrSugar is in the house and he's answering your questions.

Dear Dr. Sugar,
Have you heard of Raynaud’s phenomenon? I have been dealing with this "phenomenon" turning my toes and fingers white and cold when skiing. Let me just say the sensation is not phenomenal. I am wondering if there is anything I can do to help prevent it from happening and if I am causing any permanent damage to my skin? Thanks,
- Cold Toes, Warm Heart

To hear what DrSugar has to say about this condition, read more.

Although the name sounds somewhat exotic, Raynaud’s phenomenon is a very common disorder that results in blood vessel spasms causing white and painful fingers and toes when exposed to the cold. If your fingers and toes are particularly sensitive, Raynaud’s can be very disabling in cold environments. The cause of Raynaud’s is unknown, but sometimes it is associated with other diseases such as lupus or thyroid disorders. If Raynaud’s is not treated promptly, it can result in damage to skin due to lack of blood supply; however, this is fairly rare. This condition commonly affects women 20 to 50 years of age, and often runs in families. Smoking and stress are known to worsen the symptoms of Raynaud’s. So if you smoke, this is yet one more reason to quit.

The easiest and most effective way to prevent Raynaud’s is to keep your hands and feet extra warm. Unfortunately, this simple measure can be quite challenging during prolonged exposure to cold like skiing. One way to prevent the blood vessel spasms in the fingers while out in the cold for prolonged periods of time is to wear mittens instead of gloves. Mittens tend to be warmer because your fingers get heat from each other. I would keep a few hand warmers around so you can put them in the mittens to warm your fingers even more. Keeping toes warm can be a little trickier, but extra thick socks and foot warmers can help. If the ski lodge has boot warmers, take the time to heat the interior of your boots before heading to the ski lift. If none of these tricks help, there are medications that can help prevent skin damage or help heal existing skin ulcers. These prescription medications include calcium channel blockers which prevent vessel spasms and nitroglycerin creams that relax blood vessels. It's also important to remember that if you have other symptoms such as joint pains, rashes, or fatigue, you may have another serious disease that requires evaluation by a doctor.

If you have a question for DrSugar, send me a private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Label Able: Vegetable Glycerin

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:30:50 -0700

I was going on a trip and picked up some Kashi TLC Trail Mix bars. I trust their products completely so don't feel it's necessary to read labels before buying them. While in the car, I happened to check out the list of ingredients and saw vegetable glycerin.

If you're curious to know what it is or why it's used keep reading

America's Sugar Lovers Need to Cut Back

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:00:00 -0700

I have a huge sweet tooth, and it looks like I'm not alone because a new report shows that Americans are consuming tons of the white stuff - an average of 22 teaspoons a day! That's about 355 calories from sugar, which is equivalent to two cans of soda and a chocolate bar. No wonder America has an issue with obesity.

The American Heart Association (AHA) is urging people to cut way back and recommends that women get no more than six teaspoons (100 calories) of sugar a day. No, they're not talking about the natural sugars found in fruit, veggies, or dairy products. The AHA wants you to cut back on added sugars found in soda, artificially flavored fruit drinks, cookies, candy, sugary cereals, and the like.

Sometimes it's tough to tell how much of a product is natural sugars and how much is added sugars, since nutrition labels list sugars in one lump amount. So look at the ingredients and try to limit foods containing sugar, corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, molasses, or evaporated cane juice. Sugary foods don't offer you a sustained amount of energy and they also don't satisfy your hunger, so soon after eating a sweet treat, you'll find you're hungry again. That's why eating sugary foods contributes to weight gain, so if you're trying to lose weight, take a look at how much added sugar you're consuming.

Food Review: Kashi Heart to Heart Crackers

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:00:34 -0700

If you're a fan of Triscuits, you're going to love Kashi's new Heart to Heart crackers. Both flavors - Original and Roasted Garlic - contain plant sterols to help lower cholesterol, and six natural antioxidants including green tea and grape seed.

To find out how they compare with the crackers you grew up with, read more.

As you can see from the chart below, these Kashi Heart to Heart crackers contain half as much sodium as Triscuits, which is great if you're trying to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level. They're also lower in saturated fat and contain more fiber. What's more, the Kashi crackers also contain .4 grams of plant sterols per serving, which are natural compounds found in fruits, nuts, and veggies that have been found to help lower cholesterol. Other nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin E, and vitamin C have also been added to these little crackers, which help fight free radicals and keep your arteries healthy.

The Kashi crackers and Triscuits are actually very similar in taste and texture. Even though the Kashi crackers are lower in sodium, they don't taste like they're lacking in salt or flavor. I'd definitely recommend giving these a try if you're a cracker fan. They're delicious topped with hummus and veggies, cheese and apples, or homemade salsa.

	Triscuits (6 crackers)	Kashi Original (7 crackers)	Kashi Roasted Garlic (7 crackers)
Calories	120	120	120
Total Fat	4.5 g	3.5 g	3.5 g
Saturated Fat	1 g	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	180 mg	85 mg	75 mg
Carbs	19 g	22 g	22 g
Fiber	3 g	4 g	4 g
Sugars	0 g	0 g	0 g
Protein	3 g	3 g	3 g
Ingredients	Whole wheat, soybean oil, salt, monoglycerides.	Whole grain wheat, expeller pressed canola oil, plant sterols, cornstarch, sea salt, dehydrated vegetables (onion, garlic, and roasted garlic), spices, decaffeinated green tea extract, decaffeinated white tea extract, alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), grape seed extract, parsley, autolyzed yeast, malic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid, spice extract, natural flavor, mixed tocopherols for freshness, beta carotene (source of vitamin A), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12, folic acid.	Whole grain wheat, expeller pressed canola oil, plant sterols, sea salt, decaffeinated green tea extract, decaffeinated white tea extract, alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), grape seed extract, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), natural mixed tocopherols for freshness, beta carotene (source of vitamin A), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12, folic acid.