The Shamrock Shake: Festive Snack or Meal in a Glass?

St. Patrick's Day is upon us, and restaurants everywhere have officially "gone green" (and I don't mean in the environmental sense). Late last month, dining establishments across the nation began transforming foods and drinks into festive shades of emerald in honor of the March 17th Irish holiday. Every year, McDonald's jumps on this bandwagon (or perhaps leads the bandwagon), with their infamous Shamrock Shake, a minty green treat that's only available through March. The drink looks innocent enough in a small size, but how many calories are packed into that 12-ounce cup: 220, 530, 640, or 810?  Read More ›

The Surprising Benefits of Nut Butter

Nut butters have become popular in the health world in recent years—and for good reason! Nut butter is a great source of healthy fats, which are important for regulating your energy, mood, and even your weight. However, some nut butters also deliver a more unexpected benefit: They're great for your bones! Let's take a look at two of the most popular nut butters--almond butter and peanut butter. Between the two, which one should you choose for better bone health?  Read More ›

Meet the Best Meatless Protein Sources

If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you've probably been asked countless questions about how you get your protein. The truth is, it's not as hard as you might think to meet your protein needs when you're going meatless. However, some plant sources are higher in this important nutrient than others. Which veg-friendly food packs more protein: 4 ounces of tofu, 1 cup of cooked lentils, or 1 cup of cooked quinoa?  Read More ›

How Much Sugar is in Your Favorite Fruit?

Fresh fruit boasts a high amount of fiber, water, and a slew of other vitamins and minerals--but it can also come with a good amount of sugar. Even though fruit contains only natural sugars and is a healthy choice in moderation, it's a good idea to watch how much sugar you're taking in regardless of where it comes from. Have you ever wondered just how much of the sweet stuff is found in nature's candy? If you were to choose the fruit with the least amount of naturally-occurring sugar, which would be your best bet: Bananas, apples, or oranges? Read More ›

Don't Fumble Your Diet by Choosing This Snack!

It's the best time of the year for football fanatics: Super Bowl Sunday! But it's not just about the football (and hilarious commercials)--the festivities also typically include a smorgasbord of salty and fatty snacks galore. You've probably indulged in the common 7-layer Mexican dip and wings with ranch dressing, but have you ever thought about how these snacks compare, nutrition-wise? The 7-layer dip doesn't sound so bad—it's made with a lot of healthy ingredients like beans, olives and guacamole. And how many calories could really be crammed into just 6 tiny wings with ranch dressing?

Between a cup of 7-layer dip (made with beans, cheese, guacamole, black olives, sour cream, and onions and served with baked tortilla chips) and 6 wings with 1 ounce of ranch dressing, which is the lower-calorie game day snack? Read More ›

Condiments: The Good, the Bad and the Salty

There's no doubt about it: Americans are crazy about condiments. Whether it's ketchup, hot sauce or salsa, we just love to top our foods with zesty sauces. Unfortunately, though, those little toppings can add up to a lot of extra salt. If you had to choose between two of America's favorite condiments, ketchup and salsa, which would be the low-sodium winner? Read More ›

A Better Way to Get Vitamin C (Besides Orange Juice!)

With cold and flu season in full swing, most of us are trying to do all we can to avoid catching one of the nasty viruses floating around. Some swear by vitamin C-rich orange juice for warding off disease. Although the evidence about vitamin C's illness-fighting powers is conflicting, there's no doubt that it's still a good nutrient to consume. Since the body does not produce vitamin C, you must obtain it from outside sources to create and repair skin cells and fight off the effects of damaging free radicals. If you eat your veggies, though, it's not hard to reach your daily quota, since all fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C to some degree. That's right; orange juice isn't your only option for getting this important nutrient! Which type of produce will deliver the highest amount of vitamin C per serving: Red bell peppers, broccoli, kiwi, or oranges? Read More ›

Need More Protein and Fiber? Try This Lucky Legume!

There are just a few days left until the new year! Although you're probably putting a plan in place to reach your healthy goals in 2013, a little extra luck couldn't hurt, right? In some countries, it is customary to eat legumes on January 1st for good luck in the new year. Many southerners in the US traditionally make Hoppin' John--a dish made of rice, onions, pork and black-eyed peas. Due to their coin-like shape, lentils are also eaten in many cultures to symbolize a prosperous new year. If you were to pick the more nutrient-rich legume to kick off a lucky 2013, would black-eyed peas or lentils be the better choice? Read More ›

Fuel Up without Filling Out at the Gas Station

Are you traveling for the holidays? Chances are high that you are—AAA reports that 93.3 million Americans will be traveling between Christmas and New Year’s Day, which is a 1.6 percent increase from last year. And when you're traveling, you'll surely need road snacks to keep your hunger at bay. When you’re pressed for time on the road, you might stop by a gas station to grab a quick bite to eat. But beware—gas stations are home to many foods that are packed with sodium, trans fats and preservatives. However, if you look closely, you can find some decent options to meet your needs in a pinch. If you were to choose between a package of trail mix and a stick of beef jerky at a gas station, which is the better choice to refuel you on your trip? Read More ›

Which Holiday Breakfast Will Save You from Overeating?

For many of us, Christmas morning is a time to indulge in a big, leisurely breakfast that we normally wouldn't partake in on most other days of the year. But if you're not careful, a festive a.m. meal could cause you to blow through a day's worth of calories and fat before Christmas dinner! If you were to choose a special and indulgent holiday breakfast to keep you satisfied without stuffing you silly, which would you pick: One medium-size iced cinnamon roll, or a plate of two fried eggs and two strips of bacon? Read More ›

How to Fuel Your Holiday Shopping Trip

Chances are that you might find yourself at a mall in the coming weeks to complete your holiday shopping. The food court can be convenient when you're ravenous during a day-long mall marathon, but it can also be a minefield of extra calories, fat and sodium. Most malls have a Chinese food option, like Panda Express, which can be a decent choice if you choose correctly. If you had to pick between Broccoli Beef and Orange Chicken from Panda Express, which would you eat to fuel your shopping excursion on fewer calories and fat? Read More ›

Which Super Seed Packs the Most Nutrition?

If you've ever been to a health food store, you've probably seen the dozens of bulk bins filled with tiny seeds. Though they may look like bird food, don't turn your nose up at these little kernels of nutrition! Two of the most talked-about seeds are chia seeds and flax seeds. Both have been prominently featured in the media in recent years for their health benefits. If you had to choose, which seed will give you the most nutrition per ounce? Read More ›

Choose This Seasonal Drink to Save Over 100 Calories

Now that the Pumpkin Spice Latte craze has passed, Starbucks has rolled out a new set of hot drinks for the winter season. With enticing names like Gingerbread, Eggnog, Caramel Brulee, and Peppermint Mocha, these sweet sips sound like a fun way to kick off the holidays. But not so fast! If you're going to indulge, which one of these drinks should you choose to avoid extra pounds? Read More ›

Sweet Potato Fries: Are They Really Any Better for You?

Do you have sweet potato on the brain like we do? I've been eating them in every way possible this fall: Cut into wedges and roasted with spices; baked in foil and smothered with cinnamon and pecans; even blended up into smoothies! One my favorite treats is a piping hot batch of sweet potato fries. You've heard time and time again that sweet potatoes are full of good-for-you nutrients, but does that hold true when they're sliced up and fried? What do you think: Is there really that big of a difference between regular French fries and sweet potato fries? We're putting Ore Ida's Sweet Potato Fries and Golden Fries (regular French fries) head to head to find out the answer! Read More ›

How Well Do You Know Your Thanksgiving Portions?

Thanksgiving is coming, and let's be real: You're probably going to eat more than you normally would, and you may or may not track it. Different people take different approaches to the Thanksgiving meal. Some take a little of everything, while others just pick a few favorites to indulge in. But which is the best strategy when you're watching your weight? Here's a scenario comparing two different Thanksgiving plates.

Uncle Bob loves Thanksgiving food and wants to taste it all at least once, so he takes some of everything: Turkey, gravy, stuffing, two types of potatoes, and, of course, green bean casserole. He even saves room for a little bit of Grandma Mildred's famous pumpkin pie for dessert. Here's what Bob's plate looks like:


Grandpa George, on the other hand, is a no-frills kind of guy and likes to stick with the basics. Since he's watching his weight, he skips the butter and gravy. He even passes up on dessert! Here's what George's plate looks like:

 
Between Bob and George, who consumed the least amount of calories during the Thanksgiving feast? (No cheating by checking your Food Tracker—Make your best guess!) Read More ›