Deciphering a Nutrition Facts Label

On your next trip to the grocery store, take a few minutes to stop and consider your options. With just about any food item, there are several varieties and brands to choose from. So what's a good way to decide which to buy? Check and compare the nutrition facts labels! Check out the image below for some helpful tips on reading a nutrition facts label. You can also play with an interactive version created by the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293

We also think it's important to look at the ingredients on packaged food. Try to avoid things that are over-processed and contain excessive preservatives/ flavoring. Whole foods often contain more potent nutrients and fewer harmful chemicals. A good rule of thumb: try to buy foods with 5 or less ingredients. Think you can do it?

Calories: It's what counts..

Counting calories is a common strategy for dieting. There is a caloric value associated with literally everything you do. But what is it exactly?  Check out this cool info graphic on calories from www.weightloss.org.

 
Via: WeightLoss.org

Liquid Diet: Think Before you Drink

Food for Thought: When making food selections, and trying to eat healthy, people are likely to consider the nutrition facts of the food items they are selecting among. But how often do you stop and consider the nutrition facts when perusing a drink menu? Alcoholic beverages can be extremely high in calories, fats and sugars, especially when multiple drinks are consumed.

Consider a night out at Cornerstone watching the Terps basketball team kicking Duke's butt. They are having a special on Corona, $2.00 a bottle and you have 3. That comes out to 444 calories. Considering a 2000 calorie diet, that's almost a quarter of the daily recommended calories.

Consider a Thursday night happy hour at Applebees. You order 2 margaritas. At 243 calories each, that comes out to 486 calories, again almost a quarter of the daily recommended calories considering a 2000 calorie diet.

The list below provides calorie information for common beers, liquors and mix drinks. For additional information check out: http://www.livestrong.com/food-calorie-information/ (one of many great nutrition information sources on the web).

Beer (12oz bottle)

• Bud Light - 110 calories
• Blue Moon - 171 calories
• Budweiser - 145 calories
• Busch Ice - 169 calories
• Coors - 149 calories
• Coors Light - 104 calories
• Corona - 148 calories
• Corona Light - 105 calories
• Guiness - 126 calories
• Heineken - 150 calories
• Miller Lite - 96 calories
• Natural Light - 95 calories
• Natural Ice - 157 calories
• Sam Adams Boston Lager - 160 calories
• Sam Adams Boston Ale - 160 calories
• Yuengling Lager - 135 calories

Something to keep in mind, darker and/or heavier beers such as pale ales and stouts tend to have more calories.

Liquor (1.5 oz shot)

• Bacardi 151 -183 calories
• Bombay Sapphire - 114 calories
• Captain Morgan - 85 calories
• Jack Daniels - 97 calories
• Jameson - 97 calories
• Jim Beam - 97 calories
• Johnny Walker - 97 calories (Johnny Walker Green - 104 calories)
• Tanqueray - 100 calories
• Mailbu - 90 calories
• Jagermeister - 150 calories
• Bailey's Irish Creme - 86 calories
• Kahlua - 131 calories
• Patron - 104 calories
• Jose Cuervo - 69 calories

100 proof liquor (50% alcohol) contains 123 calories
90 proof liquor (45% alcohol) contains 109.5 calories
80 proof liquor (40% alcohol) contains 96 calories

Cocktails

• Vodka (1.5oz) & Cranberry (4oz): 160-170 calories
• Vodka (1oz) & Orange Juice (8oz): 174 calories
• Margarita (6.6oz): 306 calories (can vary depending on the type of margarita)
• "Perfect Margarita" at Applebees: 243 calories

Veggies: Lots of Food, not a lot of Calories

On a diet? Counting calories? Or just trying to eat healthier? Then don't forget to eat your veggies! Most people know that vegetables are nutritious and good for them, but did you know they are also a great low calorie option? Adding a portion of vegetables to any meal will not only help you reach your nutritional goals for the day but will help you stay fuller longer. Vegetables are also a great snack to help you stay full between meals. 

For example, rather than snacking on a ...

1oz (approximately 1/8 of a cup) bag of Lay's potato chips that will leave you hungry and contain:

• 150 calories
• 10 grams of fat
• 3 grams of saturated fat
• 180 mg of sodium

You could eat any of the following which will give you a larger portion and a lot more nutrients without the added calories:

• 1 cup of celery (19 calories, .2 grams of fat, .1 gram of saturated fat, 96mg of sodium)
• 1 cup of carrots (52 calories, .3 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 88mg of sodium)
• 1 cup of sugar snap peas (41 calories, .2 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 4mg of sodium)
• 1 cup broccoli (30 calories, .3 grams of fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 29mg of sodium)

So next time you are planning a meal - or grabbing a snack - don't forget your veggies!