Calorie Tips, Healthy Eating, Food Facts

How To Save 500 Calories At Lunch

May 13, 2014 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

Here’s your Tuesday tip:

Are you planning on having a sandwich for lunch?

You can substitute mustard for mayo and save 100 calories.
If you leave off the slice of Swiss cheese you save another 133 calories.
Ditch two slices of bacon from your club sandwich or subtract two slices from your BLT to save another 84 calories.
Put your turkey, ham, or roast beef along with lettuce, tomato and onions on a whole grain pita (74 calories) instead of between two slices of rye (180 calories).
When you tally up the calories you’ve saved a total of 423 calories.
If you walk to and from the deli or around the block several times and you’ve easily saved yourself 500 calories.

How To Order Lean Beef In A Steak House

May 8, 2014 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

Do you love beef? It can be a fine choice as long as it’s a good cut, a reasonably sized portion, and not an everyday occurrence. Here are some tips for choosing the least fatty cuts of beef. Beware the gargantuan portions that many steakhouses dish up.

What are Lean and Extra-lean Cuts of Beef?

According to the USDA:

a 3.5 oz serving (about 100 grams) of a lean cut of beef has less than:
- 10 grams total fat
- 4.5 grams saturated fat
- 95 milligrams cholesterol

a 3.5 ounce serving (about 100 grams) of extra-lean cut of beef has less than:
- 5 grams total fat
- 2 grams saturated fat
- 95 milligrams cholesterol

Twenty-nine cuts of beef qualify as lean or extra lean. The cuts that are considered extra lean are:
- Eye of round roast or steak
- Sirloin tip side steak
- Top round roast and steak
- Bottom round roast and steak
- Top sirloin steak

Some Calorie Saving Beef Tips

“Round” or “loin” are what to look for when you want the leanest cut of meat (for instance: top round, sirloin, top loin, tenderloin, eye round).
“Cut” refers to the part of the animal the “cut” of meat has been taken from. Leaner cuts usually come from the hip or hindquarter.
If you don’t stick to extra-lean cuts like top round and top sirloin, go for lean cuts like strip, tenderloin, T-bone, and shoulder.
Ribeye and skirt steaks are usually marbled – which means there’s fat throughout the meat.
Your safest bet is to ask for smaller portions of leaner cuts of beef.

What Does The “Organic” Label On Your Food Package Mean?

May 5, 2014 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN 1 Comment

Even though “organic” refers to a method of production rather than the nutritional content of a particular food, the “organic” label can make you think that the food is healthier and tastier. A Cornell University study tested what’s called the “halo effect,” or the idea that people are influenced by how something is described.

The study looked at the “health halo effect” of whether people thought food products labeled “organic” were more nutritious and better tasting than conventionally produced products.

The study participants ranked the taste, estimated the caloric content, and indicated how much they would pay for what they thought were both conventionally and organically produced chocolate sandwich cookies, plain yogurt, and potato chips. Everything was organic, but the products were labeled as either “regular” or “organic.”

Organic Foods Fall Under A “Health Halo”

The study participants:

preferred most of the taste of foods labeled “organic” even though the “regular” food was exactly the same
thought the food labeled “organic” was lower in fat, higher in fiber, significantly lower in calories, and worth more money
thought the chips and cookies labeled “organic” were more nutritious than the ones they thought were not organic.

What Is Organic Food?

According to the USDA, “organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.”

Categories Of Organic Products (USDA)

“100% Organic” products are made with 100% organic ingredients
“Organic” products are made with at least 95% organic ingredients
Products labeled “Made With Organic Ingredients” have a minimum of 70% organic ingredients (with strict restrictions on the other 30%)
Products with less than 70% organic ingredients can list organic ingredients on their side panel but not on the front

What Does The USDA Organic Seal Mean?

The USDA Organic seal assures consumers of the quality and integrity of organic products. Businesses that are organic-certified must have an organic system plan and records that verify their compliance. They are inspected annually, with random checks to ensure that standards are being met.

In Case You’re Tempted To Polish Off The Easter Candy…

April 21, 2014 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

Is the candy in your kid’s Easter basket calling your name? What about all of the candy in the snack room that your co-workers brought into work because they don’t want it hanging around their houses?

Here’s another way to look at it:

If You Want To Walk Off Your Easter Candy

Walking is great for many reasons. Just know that it takes a herculean effort to walk off lots of calories. For instance:

If this is the candy in your Easter basket — and you eat it all:

25 small jellybeans
5 Peeps
8 malted milk robins eggs
1 ounce chocolate bunny
1 Cadbury Creme Egg
4 Lindt Chocolate Carrots

that adds up to 990 calories. You will need to walk 9.9 miles, 15.96 kilometers, or 19,800 steps, assuming you cover one mile in 2,000 steps.

If this is in your basket:

25 small jellybeans
5 Peeps
5 marshmallow chicks
8 malted milk robins eggs
1 large 7 ounce chocolate bunny
1 chocolate-covered marshmallow bunny
1 Cadbury Creme Egg
1 Cadbury Caramel Egg

that comes to 2076 calories. You will need to walk 20.76 miles, 33.48 kilometers, or 41,520 steps, assuming you cover one mile in 2,000 steps.

If you’re going “light” and only eat:

25 small jelly beans
5 Peeps
1 medium (1 3/4 ounce) hollow chocolate bunny
1 Cadbury Creme Egg

you would rack up 730 calories and you will need to walk 7.3 miles, 11.77 kilometers, or 14,600 steps — assuming you cover one mile in 2,000 steps — to walk off that number of calories. Sounds like a lot, but it’s very doable over a few days.

Guess How Many Calories Are In Your Favorite Chocolate Bunnies and Eggs!

April 12, 2014 By Penny Klatell, PhD, RN Leave a Comment

Easter bunnies made of chocolate aren’t really that old a tradition, having been born in Germany in the 1800’s. Although other types of Easter candy like Peeps, jellybeans, and Cadbury eggs are extremely popular, the National Confectioners Association says that on Easter children head for chocolate Easter bunnies first. Adults probably do, too.

Chocolate Easter eggs are even younger than the chocolate bunnies. John Cadbury made the first French eating chocolate in 1842, but the first Cadbury Easter eggs didn’t arrive until 1875 and were a far cry from today’s Cadbury Crème egg. Now there are tons of different types of chocolate eggs: solid, hollow, and with all kinds of fillings.

Here are the average calories in popular types of chocolate Easter eggs:

Hershey’s

Cadbury Chocolate Crème Easter Egg, 1 egg (39g): 180 calories, 8g fat, 25g carbs
Cadbury Crème Egg, original milk chocolate with soft fondant crème center, 1 egg (39g): 170 calories, 6g fat), 28g carbs
Cadbury Mini Eggs, 1 package (1.4 ounces): 190 calories, 9g fat, 27g carbs
Cadbury Mini Caramel Eggs, 4 pieces (1.3 ounces): 180 calories, 9g fat, 23g carbs
Cadbury Mini Egg, 12 eggs (40g): 200 calories, 9g fat, 28g carbs
Milk Chocolate (foil) Eggs, 7 pieces (1.4 ounces): 200 calories, 12g fat, 24g carbs
Candy Coated Eggs, 8 pieces (1.3 ounces): 180 calories, 8g fat, 27g carbs

Dove

Silky Smooth Milk Chocolate Eggs, 6 eggs: 240 calories, 14g fat, 26g carbs
Foil Dark/Milk Chocolate Eggs, 6 eggs (1.5 ounces): 230 calories, 14g fat, 26g carbs

Reese’s

Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Eggs, 5 pieces (38g): 190 calories, 12g fat, 21g carbs
Reese’s Pastel Eggs, 12 pieces (1.4 ounces): 190 calories, 8g fat, 25g carbs
Reese’s Giant Peanut Butter Egg (whole egg, 6 ounces): 880 calories, 52g fat, 100g carbs

M&M’s

Milk Chocolate Speck-Tacular Eggs: 1/4 Cup (12 pieces): 210 calories, 10g fat, 29g carbs
M&M’s Peanut Butter Eggs, ¼ cup: 220 calories, 13g fat, 23g carbs
M&M’s Pretzel Eggs, ¼ cup: 180 calories, 6g fat, 28g carbs

Snickers

Original Peanut Butter Egg (1.1 ounce): 160 calories, 10g fat, 18g carbs
Snickers Mini Filled Egg (0.9 ounce): 130 calories, 6g fat, 17g carbs

Russell Stover

Caramel Egg (1 ounce): 130 calories, 6g fat, 19g carbs
Truffle Egg (1 ounce): 140 calories, 8g fat, 15g carbs

Whoppers

Robin Eggs, 8 pieces (1.4 ounces): 180 calories, 5g fat, 3g carbs
Mini Robin Eggs, 24 pieces (1.4 ounces): 190 calories, 5g fat, 35g carbs

Nestle

Butterfinger Eggs, 5 pieces (1.5 ounces): 210 calories, 11g fat, 29g carbs
Crunch Eggs, 5 pieces (1.3 ounces): 190 calories, 10g fat, 25g carbs

Here are the average calories in popular types of chocolate Easter bunnies:

Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny (2.5 ounces): 370 calories (average)
Dove Solid Chocolate Easter Bunny, whole bunny (4.5 ounces): 675 calories
Cadbury Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny: 890 calories
Lindt Dark/Milk Chocolate Bunny (1.4 ounces): 225 calories
Sees Whole Bunny (4.5 ounces): 650 calories
Reese’s Peanut Butter/Reester, whole bunny (5 ounces): 720 calories
Russell Stover, whole bunny (4 ounces): 630 calories