Baked Classics: A Healthy Snack?

Snacking can often make or break a person's healthy eating resolution. Afterall, most packaged snack choices are full of fat, sugar, and white flour.

I was recently sent some Baked Classics made by Classic Foods in order to put them through our healthy food test. These all natural, gluten free crisps look promising, but we know labels can be deceiving. So, let's see what's on the inside.

Taste wise, these crisps faired pretty well. Both the flavor and texture was nice and I easy finished the bag. In my experience, baked "healthy snacks" can sometimes seem a bit cardboard-like, but this wasn't the case. They just seemed a tad too salty to me. I think if they could reduce the salt a bit, they would still taste good, but this would reduce the sodium content some, which right now is comparable to regular chips.

Nutrition: A 1 ounce (28g) serving contains;
110 Calories3.5g of fat0g trans fat (really zero) and 0mg cholesterol 260mg of sodium19g total carbs 1g of fiber2g of sugar2g of proteinThe ingredients are all natural and nothing stands out as a red flag. The only thing that I would question is the oils used. They list canola, corn, sunflower, and/or safflower as possibilities. canola would have the lowest amount of omega-6 fatty acids which have questionable health effects. I think they would be a tad healthier if they would only use canola.

For those that prefer a sweet snack, these fit the bill. Again, the taste and texture were nice and I easily finished the single serving bag. They tasted sweet, but not too sweet and I was surprised at the low sugar content.

Nutrition: A 1 ounce (28g) serving contains;
120 Calories4g of fat0g trans fat (really zero) and 0mg cholesterol60mg of sodium19g of total carbs2g of fiber4g of sugar2g of protein
The ingredients are all natural with brown rice flour and whole grain corn flour being the primary ingredients, which are both good choices. Again, I would question the use of multi-types of oil and suggest that they go with just canola oil. They use the ingredient maltodextrin in the vanilla frosting flavoring, which is a sweet starch and is probably why the crisps taste sweet, but only contain 4 grams of sugar. Maltodextrin is absorbed as rapidly as glucose, so it could still spike insuline levels, but it's not clear how many grams are actually in the product.

Are Baked Classics as good as snacking on some vegetable sticks or a piece of fresh fruit? Of course not, but they are an excellent alternative to chips and cookies. If you are just dying for some chips or cookies, I think Baked Classics would make a good substitution. They will satisfy your craving and with only a little more than 100 calories, they won't break your diet.

They wouldn't be suitable for someone on a low carb diet and I thought the sodium was a bit high in the BBQ flavor, but other than that, they are made with ingredients you can feel good about eating and are perfect for those on a gluten free diet.

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6 Healthy Appetizer Dips

It's the beginning of football season here in the USA and we really like our chips and salsa as well as other dips while watching football.

What are we to do when most of these appetizers are loaded with calories? Even if you're not a football fan, or a chips and dip eating person, I am sure you can benefit from having more healthy snack options.

So, I have compiled a list of my top healthy dips and a few appetizer recipe ideas.

Spinach Artichoke Dip: This is a classic that we all love. Your average spinach artichoke dip is about 150 calories for 2 tablespoons. This can make the calories add up quickly because a typical serving is multiple tablespoons! Try this instead: Make your own with fat free yogurt, fat free sour cream, reduced fat cream cheese, and reduced fat cheeses instead of the full fat ingredients and mayonnaise. Salsa: This is your best choice in the dips category since it is all vegetables and seasonings. Even though salsa is your lowest calorie choice, go easy on the chips and try to bring some baked chips to your next gathering.

Another variation on traditional salsa is a chunky salsa with corn, peppers, black beans, cilantro, and lime juice. Bean Dips: You can get really creative with bean dips because each variety of beans has a different flavor. One of my favorites is a white bean dip with basil, pine nuts, white beans, garlic, and a touch of olive oil. Or, pick up a hummus at your local grocery store (or try making your own).

Sliced vegetables go well with bean dips, and this makes bean dips one of the healthiest and most nutritious options.Guacamole: Think of all the healthy monounsaturated fats you are consuming when you eat guacamole. However, it is still important to portion control this heart healthy dip as it can quickly become high calorie.Salmon Dip: With any seafood dip it would be best to make your own so you can use lighter ingredients like reduced fat cream cheese. Try adding extra celery and green onions for flavor and use less of the cream-based ingredients. Ranch Dip: This is another great vegetable dip. But, try making your own with a fat free Greek yogurt and plenty of herbs and spices. This will save you at least 100 calories, and 5 grams of fat per serving!

I hope this has given you some ideas for your next football game or get-together. What are some of your favorite healthy dips or appetizers?

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Eat The Foods You Love Diet

Have you ever thought about eating everything that you want to and still being able lose weight?

I am sure many of us have, but we all know what we need to do. For weight loss, we need to focus on fruits and vegetables and limit our overall calorie intake.

But, what if you could still shed some pounds while eating foods you enjoy?

A diet-blog reader commented on a post saying he eats what he loves and he has never had a weight problem. This struck me as a key idea that we all need to remember. Long term success of maintaining a healthy weight is often due to having a healthy relationship with food, enjoying what you eat, but not overdoing it either.

This is a hard concept to grasp for many people because food is tied to emotion, mood, stress, a person's schedule, and habits. But, I believe that everyone can get to a point where you enjoy food and do not have to worry about weight gain.

80% of the time it is important to eat clean and healthy. The other 20% of the time, it is OK to feel as if you are indulging.Research has shown that some of the best long term weight loss comes from cutting only 200 calories from your diet per day. This is low enough to trick the brain into still feeling satisfied while it is just enough to cause gradual weight loss.Portion size is crucial for long term success. Re-evaluate your mealtime and snack-time portions. Even if you have chosen a richer food, focus on keeping your portion of that food smaller in comparison to other foods on your plate. The first few bites of any food are going to be the best tasting bites. Only put a few spoonfuls of the higher calorie foods on your plate to help keep yourself satisfied without loading up on calories.Learn to love your fruits and vegetables. Sometimes we get stuck in a boring routine of cooking the same vegetables and fruits. Shop in season and be open to trying new produce. This will help keep those nutritious and waistline friendly foods delicious and exciting. Do you have any tips you have found helpful in achieving long term success maintaining a healthy weight while still eating your favorite foods?

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Re-proportion Your Plate to Lose Weight

We all know we need to eat more whole foods and fruits and vegetables to stay healthy. But, knowing the exact portion sizes for every single food out there can be daunting.

This past summer, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) introduced a helpful visual to make life easy. They call it MyPlate; I call it the half plate vegetable rule.

Make half your plate vegetables at mealtime, or combine fruits and vegetables on half your plate. This will help add filling fiber to your plate, keep the calories down, and add some quality nutrition to your meal.One quarter of your plate should be a protein choice. This could be anything that has significant protein like lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes, beans, or tofu. Adding this protein will help make sure you get the amino acids you need in the day, and help to keep you fuller longer.The other quarter of your plate should be a high quality carbohydrate source. An example of this is brown rice, whole wheat pasta, more beans, peas, legumes, or whole grain breads. Adding this carbohydrate will help round out your meal, keep it balanced, and help you feel satisfied.Use added fats sparingly on the plate and make sure they are healthy fats like oils, nuts, seeds, or avocado.Fat free or low fat dairy can be included in moderation. An example is a cup of skim milk or 6 ounces of a fat free yogurt.The plate rule can be very helpful to those who don't have time to create different meals for the family, or for those who don't want to worry about all the details involved in calorie counting. It's simple, and easy to remember when dining out as well. You can apply the principle anywhere--all you have to do is be determined to stick to it!

Do you have any plate portion techniques that you use to keep your meals healthy?

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Who Has the Healthiest Grilled Chicken Sandwich?

If you're out, about, and starving, there are 100's of restaurants to choose from. I think I could eat out here, three meals a day, in San Diego and never repeat a restaurant for at least a whole year!

Making healthy choices are key when eating out, so we wanted to let you know which major fast food chain has the healthiest grilled chicken sandwich.

I'm only looking at four major players as there are just too many fast food chains to list a chicken sandwich from each. So, would Mcdonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Chick-fil-A please enter the arena.

Serving size: 200 gramsCalories: 350Fat: 9g ( 2g sat. and 65mg cholesterol)Sodium: 820mgCarbs: 42g (8g sugar)Fiber: 3gProtein: 28gMcDonald's serves their sandwich by default with Mayo which is included in the total calories. It lists zero grams of trans fat, but this isn't exactly true as hydrogenated oils are listed in the liquid margarine used to prepare it. It is low in sodium and cholesterol.

Serving size: Not listedCalories: 470Fat: 18g ( 7g sat. and 85mg cholesterol)Sodium: 1100mgCarbs: 40g (7g sugar)Fiber: 3gProtein: 55gBurger King's sandwich is a little bigger than the other ones, but also pretty high in fat, saturated fat, and sodium. It lists zero grams of trans fat, but is unclear which oils are used for cooking the chicken and I had no luck finding this out by calling their consumer line.

Serving size: 230 gramsCalories: 360Fat: 7g ( 1.5g sat. and 80mg cholesterol)Sodium: 1110mgCarbs: 42g (9g sugar)Fiber: 2gProtein: 33gWendy's chicken sandwich fairs pretty well, but is high in sodium, delivering around half of the daily maximum intake. It is unclear how the chicken is prepared or the oils used to cook it, but it lists zero grams of trans fat.

Serving size: Not listedCalories: 290Fat: 4g ( 1g sat. and 80mg cholesterol)Sodium: 1030mgCarbs: 36g (9g sugar)Fiber: 3gProtein: 29gThe "inventor" of the chicken sandwich also fairs pretty well. Chick-fil-A uses no hydrogenated oils in their store, so it would totally be free of trans fat. They also serve the product dressing free which cuts down on some calories and fat, but only if you don't put any on yourself. However, this sandwich is high in sodium, delivering nearly half of the maximum recommended daily intake.

Comparing the four sandwiches in regards to how the stack up nutritionally, how they are prepared, and lastly, on how they taste, I would choose the Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Sandwich as the healthiest choice. It's only downfall is it's sodium content, but otherwise fairs better nutritionally. Chick-fil-A marinates their chicken in the store, so it's not a pre-frozen item and taste wise, I think it's a step above the others.

If you have to eat fast food, look for a Chick-fil-A, but make sure you pass on the Waffle Potato Fries.

Diet-blog was not compensated in anyway by Chick-fil-A to recommend their product. We're paying customers like everyone else.

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Grape Seed Oil: Healthy or Just Hype?

Over the last few years, grape seed oil has become popular as a dietary supplement and for its use in cooking.

Grape seed oil is perhaps even more popular for use in cosmetics! But, for dietary purposes it is considered a healthy unsaturated fat.

Is grape seed oil really worth all the hype?

1 Tbsp. of Grape Seed Oil:

120 Calories
13.6 g Fat
1.3 g Saturated Fat
9.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat
2.2 g Monounsaturated Fat
3.9 mg Vitamin E (19% of your Daily Value)
24.3 mg Phytosterols

Grape seed oil is rich in polyunsaturated fats--mainly, the omega-6 fatty acids called linoleic acid. Grape seed oil contains plenty of antioxidants. However, the antioxidants are not stable, and are fewer upon consumption. Grape seed oil is unique in that it contains phytosterols which can significantly help to reduce cholesterol. Overall, grape seed oil is considered a healthy fat because it is plant-based and contains plenty of unsaturated fats.

Grapeseed oil is an excellent frying or sautéing oil since it can be heated to high heat without smoking. The oil is very mild and lightly flavored so it works well in most dishes.

However, many people like to get their nutritional benefits in a pill form rather than adding to foods. Grape seed extract is very concentrated so the pill form is high in vitamin E, omega-6 oils, and antioxidants. This is one case where the supplement may provide more benefits than the actual oil.

Who knew the tiny seed of the grape had all this nutrition! However, I will personally stick to my omega-3 fish oil supplements and olive oil for my fat choices in my diet. I prefer to get more of the omega-3 than omega-6. We still need more research to prove that grape seed oil can outshine or at least match the benefits of those omega-3's.

How about you, have you tried grape seed oil?

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5 Pillars of Effective Goal Setting

People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. It's as simple as that."

- Earl Nightingale

Have goals? Here is a blueprint of sorts on how to properly set them to propel you towards success.

"I want to lose weight" is vague and arbitrary. Specific goals give you a platform from which to launch and some clarity to help you better act and create accountability. Instead of "I want to lose weight", try "I want to lose 25 lbs in 4 months" or "I want to run a 10k in under 45 min in 6 months".

Can you empirically keep track of your goal? Some goals are more tangible than others. For example a weight or inches goal is tangible. "More energy" is hard to quantify but a great goal all the same. You may measure this on an "energy scale" from 1-10 measured at certain intervals in the day.

This is where many fall off the wagon. Through celebrities, sketchy advertising and an "instant" mentality, we've been unwittingly lulled into believing that 10 lbs a week weight loss is reasonable to expect. Look at the changes you are willing to make, how much time you can dedicate to your goals and then set them. If you have quite a bit of fat to lose, aim for 2-3 lbs initially and then settle into a 1-2 lbs/week goal.

Life happens. We can be pulled off track for so many reasons. If you haven't met your goal or have backslidden a bit, re-calibrate, re-focus, and re-commit - immediately! Our culture appears to be one of all-or-nothing. It's not the end of the world if you don't reach your projected goal. Just get back on the horse right away.

We have a preoccupation with scale weight. For most this seems the only number that matters. It should go without saying that using girth measurements (waist/hip), body fat and simply how your clothes fit should be used concurrently with scale weight when it comes to body composition. I'm going to take this a step further, however, and propose looking at goals outside the fat loss "box".

Setting what I call "foundational" goals entails mindset and eating/exercise goals. Whether it's eating an extra serving of veggies or eating out 2 less times per week or adding more activity, setting these foundational goals will give you the give you the means to accomplish your larger goals.

Write out your goals, paste them to your fridge/ipad/bathroom mirror/inside of your wallet, and never take your eye off it.

You. Can. Do it.

Image Credit: Socialmediatools.ca

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