#nutrrition

Sugar has been in the spotlight recently for its negative health effects. Once lauded as a weight loss aid, we now know that sugar is major contributor the most prevalent public health issues in America, namely, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than 9 g of added sugar every day, and no more than 6 teaspoons for women. However, without added sugar listed on food labels, it is difficult for consumers to know how much sugar they are eating. The next step in food labels will likely be to add “added sugar” to the label, but until then, consumers can still make smart choices. Breakfast, snacks and dessert can be the hardest times to make low-sugar choices. Here are some ideas for those tempting times:

  Low Sugar Breakfast Ideas: Omelet with Veggies and Ham (MJ) Oatmeal with Nuts (Books and Bytes, MJ) Breakfast Sandwich with Egg and Cheese (Southside) Plain Greek Yogurt (Chobani) with Chopped Ripe Mango (don’t forget to add in the mango juice!) Fusion Coffee or Tea with Milk or Cream

Snacks: Popcorn (Boom Chick-A-Pop at Max’s Market) Larabars (Max’s Market and Maxine’s) Banana with Peanut Butter (Southside and Books and Bytes) Unsalted Almonds (Fusion and Max’s Market) Food Should Taste Good Chips and Green Mountain Gringo Salsa (Max’s Market) ½ Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich (Grab and Go) Water Infused with Fruit https://www.pinterest.com/casgeneseo/infused-water/

Keeping portions in check can be difficult, especially when many restaurants serve portions that could feed a family of four. Some packaged foods have tricky portion sizes, for example, tiny bags with 2.5 portions. Any food in excess, even “healthy foods”, can lead to weight gain if your body does not need the extra calories. For foods you eat often, it’s a good idea to know what a normal portion size looks like. Here are some common portion mishaps to watch out for:

Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Sorbet: ½ cup or tennis ball

Cereal: Totally depends. Measure it once so you know what it looks like in your bowl.

Dips/Hummus/Peanut Butter: 2 tbsp. or 1 thumb

Salad Dressing: 2 tbsp or 1 golfball