Archive for November, 2009
Healthy Eating Tips for Thanksgiving
Did you know that over half of Americans supplement their Thanksgiving feasts with take out? Restaurant food is notoriously heavy in calories and fat, and with Thanksgiving meals av eraging over 2,000 calories these days, eating sensibly on turkey day seems almost impossible. Here are some healthy holiday eating tips for Thanksgiving at home or dining out: Fill up on turkey: turkey is a low-calorie, high-quality protein helps trigger satiety, so you’re less likely to overeat. One serving of skinless turkey breast has only 120 calories and 1 gram of fat. But skip the skin — it’s loaded with fat and calories. Choose pumpkin over pecan: besides being fat free, pumpkin is high in fiber and antioxidants. A slice of pumpkin pie is about 200 calories, significantly less than the fat and sugar heavy pecan pie, which is often about 400 calories a slice. Go green: fill up on the veggie side dishes. As long as they’re not swimming in butter or cheese, they’ll be a great low calorie source of fiber and antioxidants. Indulge in mashed potatoes (but not too much): potatoes are loaded with nutrients, such as vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. But try to cut down fat by using skim milk and olive oil instead of whole milk and butter. 
How Your Phone Can Help You Make Healthy Choices On the Go
With new websites like Good Food Near You, making healthy choices during a hectic workday or when you’re on the road just got easier. These new fast food nutrition websites make healthy choices just a click away. Just use your Blackberry or iPhone to check out the websites on the go, or even download the applications. Here are a few of our favorite sites at Amanda’s:
This site locates the most nutritious fast food eats around. Just type in your zip code and it’ll give you the skinny on what low calorie menu items are in restaurants nearby. Click on the menu item and it’ll give you the full nutrition information, a map of the location, and the complete menu of the restaurant.
Don’t really know how to compare apples to oranges? This website will compare them for you! TwoFoods allows you to instantly compare nutrition information between two food items to see which better suits your health needs. Better yet, this website can compare items on restaurant menus too, so you can make nutritious choices at home and on the go!
This classic food database holds the nutritional information for over 50,000 American generic and brand name foods, including over 260 fast-food chains. I used to carry the pocket sized book, but often forgot to use it. Now that it’s available online, I just need to remember to bring my phone!
FDA to Tighten Nutrition Labeling
Shopping for healthy food in grocery stores today seems like a daunting task. With junk foods like Fruit Loops and Cocoa Krispies deemed “Smart Choices,” customers find nutrition labeling confusing and often misleading. The Federal Drug Administration hopes to put to stop to that.
By next year, the FDA will put in place a program that will scrutinize health
claims and consider setting government criteria for how and when companies can advertise a product’s nutritious value. Margaret Hamburg, the FDA commissioner, hopes to install a nutritional labeling program similar to the one in Great Britain. Products receive red, yellow, or green circles indicating whether they have high, moderate or low amounts of salt, saturated fat, sugar and total calories.
Ideally, foods would have the standard nutrition label and would be accompanied by this simplified nutrition number colored dot just to help people shop more wisely.
America’s Healthiest Fast Food Places
It’s hard to eat healthily today when going out. Large portion sizes, trans fat, and high sodium content of foods served in restaurant chains only make it harder for time-strapped customers to make healthy choices. Luckily, there has been a trend among restaurants, such as Amanda’s, to serve fresh, healthy foods. Even large chains like McDonald’s have been offering healthier alternatives to the usual calorie-laden fare.
Health Magazine has compiled a list of the 10 Healthiest Fast Food Chains in America. They surveyed a list of the 100 largest fast food chains in the country, scored the chains on such factors as the use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability of nutritional information, and the use of organic produce to arrive at their top 10.
Panera: This bakery-cafe boasts a comprehensive menu of healthy choices for every meal. With the great variety offered in Panera, customers will find it easier to eat healthily.Jason’s Deli: This eatery is big on organics. Their creative salads and fresh produce make them a good choice for a quick meal on the go.Au Bon Pain: This restaurant serves up sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrées made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free chicken. They even have a 14-item small plates menu!Noodles and Company: It’s Asian, Mediterranean, and American noodles sans grease! The restaurant packs their noodle bowls full of fresh vegetables, so customers aren’t just noshing on carbs.Corner Bakery: This bakery-cafe has a breakfast menu that’s a cut above the rest. They also offer a menu full of healthy salads, soups, and sandwiches served in great portions!Chipotle: This restaurant chain gives its customer the freedom to create their own burrito, taco, or salad and offers fresh, local veggies and hormone free meat as their options.Atlanta Bread: This Atlanta based bakery serves up great whole-grain bread, fresh sandwiches and paninis, and hearty, healthy soups and salads.McDonald’s: A surprise on the list, but this mega-chain offers healthy options, like apple dippers in place of fries and low fat milk instead of soda in happy meals. Customers should still be mindful of their portions, however.Einstein Bros. Bagels: This bagel joint boasts a menu packed with healthier alternatives like reduced-fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter. They also offer menu items in half sizes!Taco Del Mar: This Baja style Mexican restaurant uses fresh ingredients and lean fish and chicken in their menu items. They also bake their fish and taco shells instead of frying and have banned lard in their beans.