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Low calories DOESN'T mean low sugar

12/28/2010

I have been curious about why all the food manufacturers have jumped on the 100 calorie band wagon and why we, as consumers, are believing that this is "diet food" and ultimately good for us. Essentially, all that these snack packs offer us, are controlled amounts...or as the diet industry loves to call it....PORTION CONTROL. Aside from the 100 calories, do we actually know what we are eating or how much sugar we are consuming?

The truth is, we are paying a lot more for these "healthy snacks" than we would if we just bought them in the regular packaging and the only thing getting thinner is our wallets! The manufacturers LOVE this new trend because they can sell us LESS product for MORE money. We are buying in because we believe that we are making healthy choices for ourselves and our children. This is simply false. We need to stop fooling ourselves.

I came across a wonderful website that VISUALLY shows us the amount of sugar we are consuming. When you visit http://www.sugarstacks.com/lowfat.htm you will see the amount of sugar in these snack packs. It is a real eye opener!

Keep your snacking simple...if it was made by nature and not processed by machines...it is a better choice for your body and your health.

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Keep it Lean and Green this Holiday Season!

12/22/2010

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Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing

Pure maple syrup, as opposed to artificially flavored and colored "pancake" syrup, is an extraordinary cooking ingredient. Here it adds body as well as rich flavor to the dressing, providing a perfect counterpoint to the smoked cheese.

Total Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition Profile
Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low carbohydrate | Low cholesterol | Low sodium | Healthy weight | High potassium | Gluten free |

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chopped pecans
1 10-ounce package fresh spinach, torn, or 12 cups baby spinach
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup shredded smoked cheese, such as Gouda or Cheddar

Preparation:

1.Toast pecans in a small dry skillet over low heat, stirring often, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.

2.Toss spinach and cucumber in a salad bowl.

3.Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add vinegar and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

4.Immediately pour the dressing over the spinach and cucumber. Toss well and sprinkle with cheese and toasted pecans.

NutritionPer serving: 164 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 7 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 183 mg sodium; 531 mg potassium.

Enjoy this salad with your Christmas meal...or make it the next day and enjoy it with the left over turkey for a nice light meal!!! Remember to balance those heavier meals with a few lighter meals for a healthier holiday season...and eat at least 2-3 fruits each day instead of sugary, high fat treats!!

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Don't Be Afraid to Eat! Just Eat Consciously!

12/18/2010

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It has officially started...the HOLIDAY SEASON and of course the food that goes with it...treats, snacks, cookies, chocolate, egg nog (with just a splash of rum), fruit cake...and my own personal nemesis SHORTBREAD! How many calories are within just inches of our reach at almost any given time on any given day, through the Christmas weeks? Every event, every function, every get together with friends is centred around food and indulging. It can be an overwhelming and emotional time for anyone, but especially for people working on changing their weight and living a healthy life style.
Consider the calories in some of the common holiday foods eaten during this season.

Roasted Turkey - 6 oz mixed meat, untrimmed:
350 calories

1 cup stuffing:
340 calories

3/4 cup turkey gravy
375 calories

1 cup mashed potatoes:
240 calories

3/4 cup candied sweet potatoes:
365 calories

1 cup green bean casserole:
180 calories

1/2 cup cranberry sauce:
210 calories

1 roll with butter:
120 calories

2 glasses wine, punch or cider:
200-250 calories

1 slice pumpkin pie with whipped cream:
500 calories

1 slice pecan pie:
500 calories

1 cup Egg Nog:
400 calories

1 serving (3.5 oz) peanut brittle:
485 calories

Lindt chocolate truffle ball:
80-90 calories

2 shots (3 fl oz) liqueur:
300 calories

2 small shortbread cookies (1.2 oz):
120 calories

2 small pieces fudge (1.2 oz):
140 calories

A meal including turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, a roll with butter, pumpkin pie and wine can easily add up to nearly 3,000 calories! That's not including any of the appetizers or after dinner sweets that are commonly served at this time of year.

Trimming the Calories of Holiday Foods...

Reduce the portion of all the holiday foods that you eat – try to have a small taste of everything rather than filling up on all foods. This will reduce the amount of calories you eat and it will prevent you from feeling uncomfortable around the waistline at the end of the meal, too!

Limit yourself to one helping. Planning what you will eat before you sit down to a meal can help you resist the temptation to have a second helping.

Trim the skin and excess fat from your serving of turkey.

Try to avoid the foods that you don't really care for – this way you can avoid consuming these calories and reduce your total intake. For example, if you don't really like to have cranberry sauce with your turkey, don't even put it on your plate.

Avoid going to a holiday party hungry - this will help prevent you from making poor choices at the hors d'oeuvres or dinner table.

Know your triggers. If you know that you cannot have just one piece of Lindt chocolate, avoid eating them as much as you can. If you decide to have one, make a deal with yourself that you will have one at a particular time of day (end of the day may be best for you if it is at the office, because then you are out of the office shortly afterward). Once you decide that you will have a candy, make it a deliberate event where your complete attention is on eating. This will allow you to savor the chocolate and prevent you from eating food while being distracted (while you work or watch TV), which often leads to eating more than you want or need.
(In other words...eat with PURPOSE! Take the time to savour and enjoy. You will feel more satisfied and ultimately, you will need and want less!)
(Sourced from www.healthcastle.com)

Above all else, always visualize yourself at your ultimate goal, plan ahead, and do not lose sight of what is most important; your well-being. This is a wonderful time to celebrate family and gratitude! Be grateful for your HEALTH and WELLNESS!

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