FitSugar

Your Tips For Cutting Down on Sugar

FitSugar — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:30:09 PDT

In order to cut down on my sugar intake, I made the switch from fruity flavored Greek yogurt to plain. Here are some of your suggestions on how you cut down on your daily sugar intake. There were so many great ideas, so be sure to check out the comments section of the original post to see even more ways to scale back on the added sweetness.

"Cut out hidden sugars by shopping at health food stores instead of buying the well-known brand names. For example, a lot of the popular brands of 'healthy' whole wheat bread actually have added sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup in them. Brands like Peter Pan and JIF have added sugar, so switching to natural peanut butter is an easy way to reduce your sugar consumption." - chloe bella
"Plain oatmeal can be sweetened with fruit instead of brown sugar. Use canned pumpkin, unsweetened applesauce, and plain yogurt to make baked goods. You need about half the sugar of the original recipe!" - acfreema
"The thing I really had trouble getting? Chocolate. So instead of milk chocolate, I started gradually working my way up the dark chocolate ladder so that I could acquire a taste instead of just pushing it all on myself. Once I got used to the taste of 50% dark chocolate, I started buying 60%, and then 70%, and now I'm up to 85% and sometimes even 90% dark chocolate, where the first two ingredients are no longer sugar, but cocoa solids and cocoa butter." - laellavita
"When baking, I use about 1/4 cup less sugar than what the recipe calls for." - tamaradulva
Spectra says, "I use Truvia to sweeten my coffee instead of sugar and it really tastes good. Since I like my coffee really sweet, it saves me a lot of added sugar. Also, I put cinnamon on my oatmeal instead of lots of sugar. For whatever reason, it adds a lot of sweetness."
"I prefer to add my own stuff to plain yogurt, because I like the nutritional profile of plain better than flavored, plus the taste is better. Real fruit is better than 'fruit jelly' or 'natural and artificial flavorings' any day." - julea

Speak Up: Tricks For Cutting Down on Sugar

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:00:06 PDT

Vanilla yogurt was always part of my go-to breakfast, and I never thought of switching to the plain variety - too sour. When I discovered that eating the plain yogurt saves me seven grams of added sugar per day, I decided a change was needed. I know that doesn't seem like much, but after five days, that's 35 grams of sugar. The little bits of sugar you can do without really start to add up.

I started thinking that there must be other ways to cut down on my added sugar intake. Since you FitSugar readers always have such great suggestions, please share some of your sugar-cutting tricks below.

A Week In Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 04:00:00 PDT

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 PDT

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

A Double Chocolate Soufflé Challenge

Camilla Salem — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:10:02 PST

I mentioned that I was going to attack one of my culinary fears head-on in the near future. Well, attack it I did and what's more, I came out alive, and covered in chocolate.

I found a recipe from Emeril that seemed straightforward and simple, bought the ingredients, and said a little prayer. Surprisingly, this recipe came together very quickly, and with almost no problems at all. The only hitch was that I wasn't sure how much the soufflé batter this would make, so the ramekins I used were far too large and the soufflé didn't puff up over the edges like I'd hoped it would. It would have been better to use four smaller ramekins or two large ones.

This recipe calls for Grand Marnier, which adds a nice bright orange flavor to the rich chocolate dessert. And when I say rich, I mean it. One spoon too many of this fluffy soufflé and you may find yourself with a chocolate headache - we've all been there.

Egg whites that have been whipped into air account for the soft texture of a soufflé, and must be folded in carefully to the chocolate batter so as not to deflate them.

Keep reading for much more, plus the recipe.

Look of the Day: Slick Embellishments

FabSugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:00:02 PST

Fab reader Dadouchic rocked a black-and-white outfit that instantly reminded us of a perfectly chic interpretation of Karl Lagerfeld's monochromatic style. Her fitted faux leather pants provided a slick edge while her sweet white blouse, complete with Peter Pan collar, softened up the overall feel. She took care to spice up her silhouette with gilded embellishments (read: a super sparkly gold clutch and gold-accented white ankle-strap heels) and emerald statement earrings. It goes without saying that this sleek look would fit right into the Fashion Week mix - you may just find us sporting something similar at a show very soon.

Congrats Dadouchic!

Everyone else, submit your looks, and we might just feature you on FabSugar!

The Five Best Races For Women

espnW — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:09:19 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

Sage Steele, SportsCenter anchor, is preparing to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World on Feb. 26 and hoping to fall in love with running in the process. Follow Sage’s journey on espnW.com

Women's races offer a decidedly different vibe than their coed cousins': more camaraderie, a sole sister atmosphere that welcomes all runners and walkers, and lots more running skirts. Here are five of the top women's races and series in the country. Sign up then train like Sage.

Disney Tinker Bell and Princess half marathons
Sage picked a winner. Let your inner child run free through the Magic Kingdom at these festival race weekends. Tinker Bell is in Disneyland, while Princess is in Disney World, but both allow thousands of runners to mix and mingle with Disney characters on courses that wind through each park. Racers put almost as much effort into costumes - Snow White, Belle, or Minnie, anyone? - as training. Bonus: your kids will be especially psyched to cheer you on.

Sage Steele gets some training advice from Disney runMom Lori Lovell

Nike Women's Marathon
Yeah, it's tough to snag an entry, but if you can, this race is so worth it. (Psst: Go through Team in Training.) This 26.2-mile race, and its half-marathon companion, traverses San Francisco with sweeping vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and Pacific Ocean to take your mind off the killer hills in the first 10 miles of the race. Tuxedo-clad firefighters bestow each finisher with a Tiffany & Co. pendant.

Run fast by fueling up smart

Three more great races after the break.

Snacking Good: Natchitoches Meat Pies

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:07:39 PST

We've always wanted to take a stab at rolling out a few Natchitoches meat pies. Thanks to an easy recipe from Food Orleans, this might be a dream realized sooner rather than later.

[Baked or fried? You decide.]

Natchitoches meat pies are one of those special little treats with a name as fun to say as they are to scarf down. Nackadish - that's how you say it - is a small town we drive through on our way north to visit Alexandria or Oklahoma, and it's where Steel Magnolias was filmed, and it's famous for these little pies. It's a beautiful little place, with a picturesque riverfront lined with shops and restaurants that have their own sort of French Quarter-ish wrought iron balconies (remember the Easter scene where Jackson slapped Ouiser? That's the riverfront!). But you don't have to go into the actual town to get yourself some meat pies; just stop at any gas station right off I-10. They all fry them up and they're all pretty wonderful.

For her recipe, continue reading.

A Basic Primer on Chocolate Types

Katie Sweeney — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:15:19 PST

Although chocolate may seem like a basic ingredient, in reality, it's somewhat complex. From milk content to sweetness to cacao percentage, there's a lot that can vary.

The first thing to understand is the ratio of cacao to sugar. A chocolate that's 60 percent cacao contains 40 percent sugar. The more cacao a chocolate contains, the less sugar it has and the darker it is.

To get a breakdown of the different types of chocolate and how much sugar, cacao, and milk they have, keep reading.

Look of the Day: Cool Contrasts

FabSugar — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:00:24 PST

Fab reader Chanelcraves looked ultrachic in a black-and-white ensemble. She executed the long-short silhouette with flawless precision by contrasting her two-tone sheer blouse with her uneven-hemmed maxi skirt. To polish off her Fashion Week-ready outfit, she added a large camel-colored tote, gold collar necklace, and chunky Mary Jane platforms. We can picture her sitting front row at Jason Wu or Calvin Klein being snapped by the street-style shutterbugs.

Congrats Chanelcraves!

Everyone else, submit your looks, and we might just feature you on FabSugar!