Nutrition For Life

Ready for a little experiment? Grab that jar of sugar, a measuring spoon, a plate and a can of regular soda. Then, dump one teaspoon of sugar onto the plate. Repeat this nine more times. Do you know what you have, besides a mess? The amount of sugar in one 12-ounce can of soda! Just look at that mound!

Now locate the sugar listing on the soda’s nutrition label—40 grams. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. Do the math. That innocent can of pop contains 10 teaspoons of sugar and 160 empty calories.

Even if you don’t drink regular soda, the typical American now eats the equivalent of about 31 teaspoons (124 grams) of added sugar every day. That sugar alone adds up almost 500 extra calories—about 25% of the average person’s caloric intake. WOW!

Less is More
So how much should you limit your sugar intake? Several health organizations suggest that added sugar should be limited to no more than 10 percent of your total calories. This does not include naturally occurring sugars found in fruits (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). The chart below lists the maximum recommended daily sugar intake based on various calorie levels. Read more…

Calories can be cruel. Sweat through a 30-minute workout and you can torch 200. Take three gulps of a foamy frappuccino and you’re right back where you started. But slashing those suckers can be as effortless as piling them on. Just look below to find out 78 ways you can cut 100 or more calories at a pop. From picking the right slice at Pizza Hut to skipping the whip on your latté, they’ll add up so fast, you won’t miss a thing—until poof! Your love handles are gone.

Cut 100 calories … at breakfast

* Ditch the Pop-Tart for a slice of high-fiber toast with strawberry jam.
* Gotta have carbs? Split a bagel with a co-worker.
* Drink your two cups of joe black. Or order a single espresso instead of your usual latté.
* Swap OJ for the real deal—one fresh orange.
* Trade a side of regular sausage for turkey.
* Top your waffles with Reddi-wip instead of syrup (or use sugar-free).
* Skip the whip on any Caribou Coffee 16-ounce drink.
* Eat your granola from a 4-ounce mug, not an 8-ounce bowl.
* Lose the Yoplait Thick & Creamy and have a Yoplait Fiber 1.
* Order pancakes, but hold the butter.
* Scramble together four egg whites instead of two whole eggs.
* Substitute nonfat cream cheese for regular on your bagel.

Cut 100 calories … during dessert Read more…

The Worst Foods of 2009

Avoid these caloric catastrophes this year.

Can an appetizer with the caloric equivalent of 13 Krispy Kreme doughnuts be justified?

No.

The 2,710-calorie Awesome Blossom has been purged from Chili’s menu-maybe the fat-drenched appetizer couldn’t withstand the scrutiny of being named to the Eat This, Not That! list of the Worst Foods in America last year.

The deep-fried onion wasn’t the only thing to withdraw from last year’s race-more than 10 other items from 2008’s lineup have been removed from menus (or mysteriously had their calorie counts lowered). That’s a step in the right direction, and it’s good news for your waistline if you don’t have time to make your own fat-fighting meals at home.

The bad news? There are plenty of frightening foods still at large across the country. After another year of menu investigation, we’ve come up with this year’s list of the most calorie-laden, fat-riddled, sodium-swaddled, sugar-spiked dishes in America. Eat at your own risk.

Worst “healthy” sandwich

Blimpie Veggie Supreme (12″)

1,106 calories

56 g fat (33 g saturated fat)

2,831 mg sodium

96 g carbohydrates

Sure, a Veggie Supreme sandwich sounds healthy, but this foot-long comes with three different kinds of cheese, and it’s drenched in oil. After Blimpie gets done with this vegetarian nightmare, you’d be better off consuming two Big Macs than sitting down with this sandwich.

Don’t be fooled by “healthy” foods-replace these 14 imposters with delicious alternatives that satisfy without expanding your waistline.

Worst kids’ meal

Chili’s Pepper Pals Country-Fried Chicken Crispers with Ranch Dressing and Homestyle Fries

1,110 calories

82 g fat (15 g saturated)

1,980 mg sodium

56 g carbohydrates

Most kids, if given the choice, would live on chicken fingers for the duration of their adolescent lives. If those chicken fingers happened to come from Chili’s, it might be a shorter one. A moderately active 8-year-old boy should eat around 1,600 calories a day. This single meal plows through 75 percent of that allotment. So unless your kid plans to eat carrots and celery sticks for the rest of the day (and we know that’s not the case), find a healthier chicken alternative.

See our rankings of kids’ restaurants so you can help your children pick the best options every time.

Worst dessert

Read more…