As you’re waiting in line at Starbucks for your afternoon java jolt, you can’t help but notice all the treats behind the counter – scones, muffins, cookies, coffee cake, etc. They would taste so good with your coffee. But then you notice the calorie content of these treats ranging from 350 – 600 calories.  Does this mean you can never enjoy a sweet with your coffe again? No – luckily Starbucks is now offering some mini treats  that won’t bloat your belly!  Check out these satisfying little indulgences:

Starbucks Mini Treats for under 200 caloriesMini Sparkler Doughnut, chocolate or vanilla. Satisfy your sweet tooth for only a quarter of the damage done with a regular donut. Calories:120 Fat grams:6  Carb grams:17

Petite Vanilla Bean Scone
Flavored with pure vanilla extract and speckled ground coffee beans. Calories: 140,  Fat grams: 5, Carb grams:21

Starbucks Dark Chocolate Bar
Just the thing to fullful your chocolate craving. And not only does it taste good, but it provides taste benefits as well!  Calories: 180, Fat grams: 12, Carb grams: 18

The following products are sold (or will be sold in the near future) at participating Starbucks:

Kind Bars
These bars with wholesome ingredients you can see and pronounce are the perfect grab-and-go snack, and just 170-190 calories.  The bars are free of gluten, dairy and wheat.  Available favors include Mango Macadamia, Almond Cashew, Fruit & Nut Delight, and Cranberry & Almond. 

Annie’s Snacks
 Annie’s White Cheddar Bunnies and Snack Mix Bunnies are available in exclusive portion-controlled sizes for Starbucks and have just 130-150 calories, 5 gm fat and 20 gm carbs per serving.

FoodShouldTasteGood
Available in Multigrain, a distinctively nutty flavored chip made with flax, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds, and Sweet Potato, lightly sweetened with cane sugar to enhance the natural nuttiness of a sweet potato in a chip.  Both varieties are 210 calories per 1.5 oz. serving size,  9 gm fat,  27 gm carbs.  

I was in Duane Reade picking up the usual city girl drug store necessities and spotted an aisle of snacks called “Delish”. Since I’m always on the prowl for new products and had never seen these before, I decided to investigate. I saw a variety of snacks including soy snacks, cholesterol-free all natural baked potato crisps,100 percent juices, trail mixes, etc. Many had claims including all natural, healthy, no trans fat, no saturated fat, Kosher, whole grain, etc. Of course I had to do a taste test.

Taste test
I purchased the DeLish Drizzles (little soy crisps drizzled with chocolate) and Delish Barbecued Baked Potato Crisps – both in individual sized bags. I wisely avoided purchasing the large bag of DeLish cookies! As I opened the bag (s), I was prepared for the usual boring rice cake type taste. But they were surprisingly good … especially the Drizzles.

Healthy Snacks in chain drug store?
Most people don’t associate a drug store with healthy snacks. But Duane Reade hopes to change that by introducing a new line of healthy and high quality snack foods and beverages.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Duane Read, it is a New York based drug store chain with 256 locations in the tristate area.  According to reports,  by the end of 2009, the 256-store chain will have more than 100 DR Delish products available. In addition to the above mentioned products, you will also see four unique blends of 100 percent arabica coffee named after different areas in New York. (Imagine starting your day with “Bronx coffee”)  There will also be organic lemonade and other sparkling beverages. Some stores will also even offer Delish sandwiches and yogurts!

Nutritional content of 2 products
Drizzles (all natural, multigrain, Kosher)
Serving size: based on eating the whole bag which contains 1.3 servings
Calories: 155
Total fat:  6
Saturated fat:  5  (please notes: this is a little high for those people watching their cholesterol!)
Trans fat: 0
Total carb: 18    (8 grams are from whole grains)
Dietary fiber: 2.5
Protein: 5

Spudzz sour cream and onion  (all natural, baked, kosher)
Serving size: based on eating the whole bag which contains 1.3 servings
Calories: 145
Total fat: 2.6
Saturated fat: 0
Trans fat: 0
Total carb: 26
Dietary fiber: <1
Protein: 1

 So the next time you are in Duane Reade picking up your dish soap and shampoo and are in the mood for a healthy snack, check out some of the DeLish foods! Keep in mind that not all of these products are loaded with health benefits (jelly beans, cookies, etc.)

Do you go ”nuts over nuts” and find it impossible to control your portions? How about peanut butter? Do you find yourself eating it by the spoonful? If you answered yes to these questions, you are not alone!  

It has always amazed me that some people are quite disciplined when it comes to portion control of nuts. They can take out a small handful or count out 15 nuts or so and put the bag away. The same goes for peanut butter or almond butter. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people (and neither are many of my clients). There is something about nuts and nut butters that can be quite addicting. Luckily, there are a few new products on the market that can help those of us with “portion control issues!”

Nuts and nut butters can be a satisfying snack or part of a meal. They contain heart healthy fats, protein, fiber – all three of which will keep you fuller longer . In addition, almonds have calcium, which strengthens bones, magnesium, which helps the body absorb important minerals, and potassium to help regulate blood pressure. They also have vitamin E and antioxidants, which boost the body’s immune system and promote good blood circulation. Studies have linked a regular intake of nuts to decreased risk of diabetes and heart disease. So hopefully these new portion controlled packs of nuts and nut butters can help more of us incorporate nuts into our diets.

Justins 100 Calorie Squeeze Pack of Maple Almond Butter or Honey Peanut Butter ( a while back I did a post on Justins 200 calorie pack of nut butters … now they have made even smaller packets!)
Portion size: one pack
Calories: 100
Fat: 8 gm
Saturated fat: 1 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbohydrates: 4 gm
Sugar: 2 gm
Protein: 3 gm

Emerald  100 Calorie Packs of Nuts: (3 varieties including dry roasted almonds, natural almonds and a mix of walnuts and almonds )
Portion size: one pack  (the following nutritional info is an average for all 3 varieties)
Calories: 100
Fat: 9 gm
Saturated fat: 1 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Carbohydrates: 5 gm
Sugar: 1 gm
Protein: 3 gm

Ok , so I fibbed …. there is another variety called Cocoa Roast Almonds Dark Chocolate Flavor 100 Calorie Packs. They’re dusted with dark chocolate powder and are quite satisfying – and healthy – for a sweet tooth.

BTW – check out this VERY funny commercial for Emerald nuts starring Robert Goulet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPtpo1OuYcs  It talks about getting low blood sugar in the afternoon while at work. It’s something we can all relate to!

Want to lose weight? Live longer? Have beautiful younger looking skin? Increase your stamina and decrease risk of numerous diseases?  If so, just start taking acai berry supplements or drink 1-2 oz of the acai berry juice a day. These are some of the claims made by the manufacturers of acai berry products. Hmmm… these claims sound a little too good to be true. The questions are – how healthy are these little berries and do they live up to their health claims?
 
I have been hearing about acai berry supplements and juice for the past few months. Just do a search on the acai berry and you’ll come across thousands of websites and blogs touting the above claims. I had 2 clients ask me last week if these acai berry supplements and drinks were worth purchasing. So I decided to do a little research.

What is the acai berry?
The acai berry is an inch-long reddish, purple fruit. It comes from the acai palm tree (Euterpe oleracea), which is native to Central and South America. It is a relative of the blueberry, cranberry, and other dark purple fruits. Some say the Acai berry tastes like a blueberry with a chocolate flavoring. Dr. Perricone, author of  “The Perricone Promise” has said it is among the top 10 super foods on earth. The Acai berry is 90% seed, with only 10% of the berry edible. Only the skin and pulp of the berry is eaten; the seed is discarded. Because the Acai fruit is perishable, it was not until modern freezing techniques made long-distance transport possible in the 1990s that scientific research into this berry could begin in the USA and other countries. The only way to export them to the US is to ship them in juice or pill form.

Nutritional content of the acai berry 
The acai berry is healthful because it contains amino acids, heart healthy fatty acids (actually 50% of the calories in the acai berry come from fat – the majority of it being heart healthy fat), fiber, vitamins and minerals and most importantly – antioxidants. The acai berry contains more antioxidants than most foods in the world!  If you want to see how the acai berry stacks up to hundreds of other foods with regards to antioxidant content, check out this site that lists the Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity(ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and it is the measurement of antioxidants in food). 

What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are the buzz word lately in the health industry. It’s why green tea, blueberries, cocoa, red wine, and many so-called superfoods are in great demand.. Antioxidants are natural chemicals that prevent damage from free radicals. Free radicals enter our bodies through environmental pollution, poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. They travel through our bodies, and over time can store up and lead to diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants help stop the damage from free radicals. They seek out and remove free radicals before they can cause harm to our bodies. Research on the acai berry has focused on its possible antioxidant activity. Theoretically, that activity may help prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress such as heart disease, cancer and so many other age related degenerative diseases including ophthalmology.

Acai berries contain large amounts of anthocyanins – more than any other fruit. This type of antioxidant is responsible for the berry’s purplish color. As for your health, anthocyanins are very good at slowing down the aging process. Secondly, anthocyanins has several cardiovascular benefits to contribute. One benefit is that they help to prevent clot formation, which consequently improves blood circulation in your body. Acai berries also contain Vitamin E, which is another substance known for its antioxidant properties.

Claims made by manufacturers of acai berry products:
Now, let’s move on to the claims made by the people who manufacturer acai berry supplements, cleanses and drinks. Here are some of them:

- Promotes weight loss
- Flushes out harmful toxins
 -Flattens your belly
- Prevents heart disease
- Increases sex drive
- Improves sleep
- Increase your metabolism
- Increase energy and reduces fatigue
- Relieves joint and arthritis Pain
- Boosts your immune system
- Fights free radicals and diseases
- Helps prevent cancer
- Improves mental clarity

Sound a little good too be true?

Beware of scams and hefty price tags …
Since the acai berry has exploded in popularity, it is also become a huge money making area for unscrupulous businessmen.  People who sell these products state false claims and testimonials in hopes of getting your business. They may try to convince you that only their product contains the “real” ingredients or that other products are not as potent. Other scams will offer you a free trial, take your credit card number for shipping and then start billing you $80-90 monthly. I would just say “buyer beware!” In addition, when you purchase these products online, the fee tends to be quite steep. A 25 oz bottle of acai juice can cost as much as $40 (a serving is 1-2 oz/day). One of my clients told me that his “dealer” was making $40,000 an year selling these products and the person above him was making double that!  (pic – this woman claimed she lost 45 lbs in 12 weeks taking the acai berry juice and colon cleanse)

For more info on these scams, check out:
CNN  
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)  

Does the little berry live up to its claims?
There is no doubt that acai berries are very healthy and are one of the highest antioxidant containing fruits (or foods) available. There is a growing body of research on the potential health benefits of antioxidants. In addition, there are other healthy substances in the acai berry including: fiber, omega 9 fatty acids (like the kind of fat found in olive oil), amino acids, vitamins and minerals – all which make the acai berry a very healthy choice. But keep in mind that these same substances are found in numerous other fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Until further research is done, there is no proof to back up the above claims.

Your best bet is to consume a diet that is plentiful in fruits, vegetables, whole grains … and throw a little red wine and cocoa if you like as well! The key here is to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables as they all contain different nutrients. Check out the above ORAC site to see which are richest in antioxidants.  If you’d like to try acai berry products, check local health food or gourmet stores for acai berry juice or other acai berry products. Be careful if you decide to purchase them over the internet.  And remember, there is no one “miracle” food to boost health!

Sometimes you are in the mood for a substantial snack… you know, one that feels like you are really eating something. Fruit, pretzels or Pinkberry just doesn’t cut it. You want real food! But since you are watching your weight, you know grabbing a sandwich isn’t the smartest thing to do. So what could you possibly find that is satisfying but won’t pack in the calories?  Read on…

My first sighting of Au Bon Pain Portions
I was at the Woodberry Commons Shopping Outlet (I know – this is a shocker for a citygirl!) and got hungry. I was prepared for the usual array of non-healthy fast food options and was pleasantly suprised when I saw Au Bon Pain. I am familar with this chain as they have one midtown where I work. That’s when I spotted the mini containers of food that even had the nutritional labels on them.

What are Au Bon Pain Portions?
They come in a little container and probably hold about 1/2  – 2/3 cup of food. These “portions” are the perfect size for an afternoon snack, especially on those days when you know you will be having a late dinner and want something more substantial. If this is the case, I would recommend that you select one of the higher protein items (see list below) as protein rich foods tend to keep you feeling full longer. Two or three of these could also make a satisfying lunch. 

 Nutritional Content of Au Bon Pain Portions
This is just a partial listing of these mini products. Check the website for the full listing. Unfortunately not all the stores carry all of the products.

Are you in the mood for a crunchy snack that isn’t loaded with calories and doesn’t taste like cardboard? And one that comes in an portion controlled bag so you don’t scarf done the entire 6 servings in the package? I am always on the lookout for new snacks – preferably something that has some redeeming nutritional value. Here are my 2 finds this week:

 Orville Redenbachers 100 Calorie Mini Bags:
Most of us are aware that popcorn comes in 100 calorie mini bags. This is helpful for people who have problems with portion control. I recently discovered the Kettle Korn mini bags. These are great because the satisfy both the craving for sweet and salty.

Nutritional content:
Serving size: whole bag
Calories: 100
Fat grams: 1.5
Trans fat: 0
Carb grams: 21
Fiber grams: 3
Protein grams: 3

Smartfood Popcorn Clusters  Being a nutritionist, I often get food products mailed to me to sample. A few weeks ago at work, I was craving a sweet snack. Suddenly the mailman handed me a case of Smartfood Popcorn Clusters. Right on cue! I found them to be absolutely delicious (and had a difficult time eating only one of the mini bags….).

Here are the flavors: Chocolate Cookie Caramel Pecan, Crunchy Cranberry Almond Flavored, Honey Multigrain. You have to check out their website … very cute! Videos and lot’s of downloadable cartoons.

Nutritonal content
Serving size: whole bag
Calories: 120
Fat grams: 1 – 2 (depends on the flavor)
Trans fat: 0
Carb grams: 24-25
Fiber grams: 5
Protein grams: 1 gm or less
* Also contains 200 mg of calcium – great

Enjoy! And please send in any new tasty (and healthy!) snacks that you have found.

You may have noticed that I discussed nut products during my last Supermarket Tour post (mini packs of peanut butter and almond butter). Todays post is also on nuts.  No, I don’t have an obsession with nuts! I just think these products are worth trying … and they are portion controlled. In addition, nuts and nut butters are loaded with health benefits.

Who can eat ONE ounce of nuts? (FYI – this would be 24 almonds). Not me! Most people I know have problems with portion control when it comes to nuts.

Blue Diamond 100 Calorie Packs of Almonds
In Manhattan, they can be found at KMart, Walgreens and Pathmark. Check out the product locator on their website to find out where they can be found in your neighborhood.

Calories: 100
Fat gm: 9
Sat fat gm: .5
Sodium: 0
Carbs: 3 gm
Fiber: 2 gm

 
Almond Breeze Beverage, Unsweetened Vanilla Flavor 
One of my clients (S.G.) turned me on to this product.  Almond Breeze® is a non-dairy beverage made from real almonds, all natural, smooth and creamy with a hint of almonds. I think it tastes great. You can add it to your cereal or make throw in some fruit and make a smoothie. It also comes in unflavored and chocolate.

Calories: 40
Fat gm: 3
Sat fat gm: 0
Carb gm: 2
Sodium: 180 mg
Fiber: 1 gm

If anyone has spotted a new product that tastes good (and is healthy!)-  please send it in to CGB!

In my quest to find new products for CBG readers, I have found 2 great products:

Creative Chef Tofettes (www.mysoya.com) The 8 oz package contains 3 servings (3 oz/serving)  Ready to eat – just heat for 30 seconds. I found them at my local Gristede’s supermarket.
Calories per serving: 100
Fat grams: 4.5
Saturated fat: .5 gm
Sodium: 310 mg
Protein: 10 gm
Carbs: 5 gm
Fiber: 1 gm   They come in different flavors: terriaki, lemon herb (my favorite) and hot n’spicy.

 
Justins Natural Almond Butter individual squeeze pack (1.15 oz) I found these at Whole Foods.
Calories per pack: 200
Total fat: 18 gm
Saturated fat: 2 gm
Cholesterol: o mg
Sodium: 0 mg
Protein: 7 gm
Carbs: 6 gm
Sugars: 1 gm

Justins Organic Peanut Butter blend  1.15 oz
Calories: 180
Total fat: 15 gm
Saturated fat: 2 gm
Cholesterol: o mg
Sodium: 65 mg
Protein: 7 gm
Carbs: 8 gm
Sugars: 2 gm

Are you tired of the same old food products? Looking for a new snack or ideas for quick healthy meals? If so, you aren’t alone! Most city girls and guys I know have hectic schedules. We grab foods on the run and have minimal time (or desire) to cook. On the rare occasions we do cook dinner, it NEEDS to be something quick. Of course, we are also trying to watch our weight and eat healthy.

So in my quest to help my clients and readers of CGB find new and easy to prepare (and hopefully tasty!) food products, I’ve decided to become more alert when I grocery shop. I tend to go to the store on autopilot and buy the same things week after week - including about 10 containers of Fage 2% yogurt, my obsession! Now I will be more adventurous and sample new products. (yes, that pic is of me grocery shopping … in San Franciso)

My finds at Food Emporium in NYC
1. Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice. Ok – so brown rice is not a “new product”. However, this was the first time  I’ve seen these little individual sized portions. Who has the time to make a pot of brown rice? Or even if you had the time, perhaps you have problems with portion control.  Can you really scoop out one cup and put the rest away? And if you try to make only one portion, it tends to get stuck to the pan. I know this from experience.  Check out this individual size container of brown rice. I just made it tonight and it tastes like regular slow cooked brown rice. With this product, you don’t even have to wash the pan – just stick it in the microwave for one minute and it’s ready to eat.

Nutritional content:
Serving size: one container (~ 1 cup cooked rice)
Calories: 170
Total fat: 4.5 gm,  Saturated fat: .5 gm
Sodium: 175 mg
Total carb: 28 gm, Fiber: 2 gm
Protein: 3 gm
 
2. Birds Eye Steamfresh Fresh Frozen Vegetables. Who eats 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day? I bet not many of you.  Most of our diets are lacking in vegetables. For those of you who buy fresh veggies, how many times have you found them rotting in your refrigerator? While buying fresh veggies is my first recommendation, I would suggest that you have a back-up of frozen veggies. Check out Birds Eye Steamfresh Veggies. Now there is no excuse not to eat your veggies! These Steamfresh veggies work great for those us who are especially lazy. You don’t even have to get out a pan to steam them. Just stick the whole bag in the microwave for 4 1/2  to  5 1/2 minutes. There are 3 1/2 – 4 servings in the bag. So if you eat the whole bag (as I do), you’ll meet your intake of vegetables for the day. There are quite a  few different combinations as well. My personal favorite is the Asian Medley. Per cup, it contains 50 calories and 2 gm of fat. Only downside is the sodium – 310 mg per serving. So if you eat the whole bag , you’ll get 1085 mg sodium. However, they also have unseasoned veggies too (see below). Now all you have to do is add some protein and you have a quick meal.

Nutritional content:
Varies depending on which mix you select. An example:
Broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas & water chestnuts
Serving size: 3/4 cup
Calories: 35
Total fat: 0 gm
Total carb: 6 gm,   fiber: 2 gm
Protein: 1 gm

FYI – did you know that ketchup, iceburg lettuce and french fries are the most commonly eaten veggies?

Meal tip: Combine the cup of brown rice, add a cup or two of Steamfresh veggies and throw in a few ounces of protein. You have a complete meal in less than 15 minutes!

Keep in mind that I am not the microwave queen… I am just trying to give realistic advice for my busy clients. These are better choices than ordering out a 1200 calorie meal of take-out Chinese food.