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Forget Low Carb - Pasta Popular Again Because It's Cheap

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Some folks swear they've lost weight by sticking to a low-carb diet. Cheese, meat, and fresh veggies aren't cheap, though, so while this diet may help you shrink your waist, it's doing the same for your wallet. With the economy the way it is now, new stats show that pasta is back. Sales of pasta products including frozen, refrigerated, canned, and boxed pasta, soup mixes, and prepared dinners have risen five percent. That adds up to $6.4 billion worth of pasta. With this type of food being pretty inexpensive, people can feed themselves and their families on a smaller budget. Of course, the pasta companies are thrilled since the low-carb fad really hurt pasta sales. Now people are looking for ways to stretch their paychecks, and they've rediscovered pasta. This is a good thing since eating carbs can boost serotonin levels in your brain. In pasta's honor, I may have to whip out my I Love Carbs t-shirt.

Tell me, are you eating more pasta because it's less expensive?

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Have you ever tried a No or Low Carb diet?

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 07:30:00 -0700

By now, you all know that I am curious and nosy. This time I want to know if...

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Another Reason to Eat Carbs: Boost Your Mood

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:00:56 -0800

The majority of Fit readers call themselves carb queens, and Winter can make those carbohydrate cravings even more intense. But have no fear: scientists are finding even more reasons not to avoid this essential food group.

A recent study of more than 100 obese and overweight adults in Australia found that dieting put people in a better mood; a drop in pounds led to increased satisfaction. But for people on low-carb diets, the mood boost didn't last.

The study group was split, with half the subjects on a lowfat diet and the other half low-carbing it. Interestingly, folks in both groups lost the same amount of weight on average, about 30 pounds. But after a year, the low-carb dieters also lost the positive mood effects, while the low-fat dieters did not. Here's more from the study.

Mediterranean Diet and Low-Carb Diet Neck and Neck

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

When it comes to dieting, we all want to know what is most effective. A new study performed in Israel found that a low-carb Atkins like diet and the Mediterranean diet outperformed the low-fat diet. The study lasted two years, considerably longer than previous studies, and the weight loss period was limited to 6 months with a maintenance period of 18 months – I think the maintenance period is truly where a diet's success can be measured.

To see what the different dieters ate, just read more.

Here's a breakdown of what randomly assigned 322 moderately obese participants ate:

Low-Fat: Based on the American Heart Association guidelines, women ate 1,500 calories a day and men ate 1,800. Only 30 percent of daily calories came from fat, and dietary cholesterol was restricted to 300 mg – an egg has about 210 mg. Meals were built around low-fat grains, veggies, beans and fruit.
Low-Carb: Based on the Atkins plan, calories were not restricted but the daily intake of carbs was limited to 20 grams of carbs a day, for the first two months, but increased to 120 grams for the remainder of the study – a half cup of cooked white rice contains about 30 grams of carbs. Participants were to obtain fat and protein mostly from vegetarian sources and avoid trans fat.
Mediterranean: Based on Harvard Medical School's Walter Millet's dietary suggestions, women ate 1,500 calories a day and men ate 1,800 calories. Only 35 percent of the calories were to come from fat, mostly in the form of olive oil and nuts. The meals were high in veggies, but low in red meat. Beef and lamb were replaced with fish and chicken.

The results were pretty interesting. On average, those following the low-carb diet lost 10.3 pounds and the average weight loss for the Mediterranean diet was 10 pounds even. The low-fat diet average weight loss was 6.5 pounds. Interestingly enough, the women following the Mediterranean diet lost 13 pounds compared to the women on the low-fat diet who only lost one pound. All the diets show other health benefits as well, with an increase in healthy cholesterol in the low-carb diet and a decrease in blood sugar levels in the Mediterranean diet.

The bottom line is that all the diets offer benefits and there is not a one size fits all approach to dieting. If counting calories doesn't work for you a low-carb option might be best for you, but if limiting carbs is beyond measure for you then go Mediterranean. The trick is to pick a diet, or should I say lifestyle, that you can follow for the long term.

Have you followed any of these diets? Tell us how it worked for you in the comment section below.

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Considering Low Carb? Then Consider This

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:00:00 -0700

With the influx of low-carb diets, it's hard to ignore the amazing claims of weight loss by skipping out on breads, pastas and others. Problem is, what you don't hear about is the potential issues with going low-carb.

Here are some things to consider before you start a low-carb diet:

A low-carb diet may not be the best idea for anyone with diabetes, kidney stones, high cholesterol, or women who are pregnant.
Some people on a low-carb diet may need to take a multivitamin as well as a fiber supplement to get needed nutrients missing from your diet.
Since most low-carb diets are high in protein, be sure to drink a lot of water to combat potential dehydration and liver damage.
It's always a good idea to consult your doctor before starting any new diet; low-carb is no exception to the rule.
Finally, have you ever tried eating a hamburger with no bun? Try it first, then decide if you still want to go low-carb.

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Cocktail Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:30:00 -0800

Holidays are a time to let loose and relax with friends. And with New Year's Eve coming up, most people are bound to be celebrating with a drink in their hand.

You may not know it, but many drinks can be a fattening fright. Calories from cocktails don't fill you up like calories from food. And after 1 or 2 drinks, you may be more likely to say yes to that chocolate fudge brownie sundae.

Here's the break down of some popular drinks:

Margarita: 740 cals, 56g carbs
Piña Colada: 644 cals, 90g carbs
Long Island Iced Tea: 780 cals, 44g carbs
White Russian: 425 cals, 26g carbs
Mai Tai: 350 cals, 30g carbs
Champagne Cocktail: 250 cals, 13g carbs
Fog Cutter: 225 cals, 13g carbs
Gin/Vodka and Tonic: 200 cals, 14g carbs
Mojito: 160 cals, 12g carbs
Cosmopolitan: 150 cals, 10g carbs

Fit's Tip: After every alcoholic drink, you should down 2 glasses of water to fill you up and keep you hydrated.

Want some ideas for smarter sips? Then read more

Champagne: At 100 calories, ringing in the New Year with this traditional fizzy drink won't wreak havoc on your waistline.

Wine Spritzer: With 3 ounces of wine and 3 ounces of club soda, these contain 60 calories and no fat.

Wine: Choose red wine for a healthier alternative - it's just 100 calories a glass.

Beer: Light or regular, a bottle of beer is a much better option than a cocktail. Regular beer has about 150 calories, while light beer has 100.

Vodka (or Gin) and Soda: 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits and diet or club soda will have less than 100 calories and no fat.

Another Fit's Tip: Whenever possible, make your cocktails yourself using healthier juices, lower calorie alcohol, and low-fat mixes.

Snack Attack: Nutty Craisin Cottage Cheese

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

If you're looking for a snack that'll fill you up, give you energy, and also satisfy your need for something creamy, crunchy, or sweet, then have I got the snack for you. It's made with only three ingredients, so it's super simple to whip up, and has become my new favorite afternoon snack.

To learn how this snack is made and find out how many calories and grams of protein it contains keep reading

You Asked: Energy Bar For a Meal?

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:00:48 -0800

Dear Fit,
I just got off the phone with a friend and I need some advice. She says for breakfast, she eats one Balance Bar. I know some bars are fortified with vitamins, but this doesn't seem like enough to me - calorie- or nutrition-wise. What do you think? Is it OK to eat an energy bar for a meal?
-Concerned Friend

This is an excellent question because I think many people grab a bar for a quick meal because it's quick, easy, and fairly inexpensive. Is it enough, though? To find out what I think read more.

Replacing a meal with an energy bar is not a good idea. For one, most bars contain only about 200 calories. That calorie amount is suitable for a snack, not a meal. Another reason is that those bars were designed to give someone energy before or after a workout, so they tend to be high in carbs and low in fiber. That translates to quick energy at first, but your friend probably feels tired and hungry soon after. The low fiber issue may also affect regularity. The bottom line is that energy bars are not designed to replace a well-balanced meal, since they won't offer the same kind of nutrition. Even the ones that are fortified with vitamins and minerals only offer about 25 percent of your RDI, which isn't very much.

I think it's best to ask your friend why she's only eating an energy bar for breakfast. Is she short on time? Is she trying to lose weight? Does she think it's healthy? Once you find out her reasoning, you can suggest healthy breakfast ideas that suit her needs. There are plenty of tasty options that are high in protein and fiber to offer sustained energy, are easy to make, and won't break the calorie bank.

Food Review: Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:02 -0800

Women need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day, and sometimes meals alone won't bring you to your daily quota. I'm always looking for quick snacks that are high in fiber, and when I came across these new Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars ($4) at the store, they looked like a tasty way to help me reach my goal.

To find out how these Almond Butter Crunchy Granola Bars taste and see how many calories are in one serving continue reading

Food Review: Code Blue Recovery Drink

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:30:47 -0800

I must admit I'm not big on special fitness drinks, especially recovery drinks. They're often full of extra calories, and I usually opt for water since most exercise physiologists believe you don't need to worry about replacing electrolytes, carbs, and protein unless you have been working out and sweating for more than an hour. I often think a lot of these drinks have added coloring and chemicals, so when I saw Code Blue marketed as an all natural post-workout drink I was curious to try it. I must admit, I liked its tropical flavor, and although it only has 40 calories per eight-ounce serving (the can contains 12 ounces, equal to one and a half servings) Code Blue does not have that artificial sweetener taste of many low-cal beverages.

To see how this drink is sweetened and if it is an unnatural color, just read more.

Looking at the ingredient list on the back of the Code Blue can, I can't say I felt like I was drinking something "natural." After water, the next three ingredients are: crystalline fructose, agave nectar, and malic acid, which adds tartness more than sweetness. Further down the list I found stevia leaf extract listed as well, which is a bit more natural. Code Blue contains the electrolytes potassium and sodium, but also contains the supplement milk thistle to help detox the liver (trainer Bob Harper believes in the treatment), and prickly pear extract to reduce inflammation.

The first time I tried Code Blue, I drank it straight from the can. You can imagine my surprise when I poured it into a glass and found the liquid to be a vibrant unnatural blue. Which prompts the question, what natural ingredient was used to color this drink and why even bother coloring it?

Ingredients: Filtered Purified Water, Crystalline Fructose, Agave Nectar, Malic Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, D-Ribose, Fruit Juice (for color), Sustamine™ (L-Alanine L-Glutamine), Pectin, Inositol, Ascorbic Acid, Prickly Pear Extract (Opunitia ficus-indica), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Extract, N-Acetyl Cysteine, Stevia (Stevia Rebaudiana) Leaf Extractives, Soy Protein and Rice Flour, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), DL-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Selenium Complexed with Amino Acids and Polypeptides, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)

I'm not really sold on the drink, but I'm not completely opposed to it either. I would certainly drink this over other recovery drinks, but more likely I will sip some water instead. Have you tried it?

This just in: The color comes from blueberries.