Once upon a time, your choice for a sugar substitute was pretty much limited to one product — saccharin, commonly sold as Sweet ’N Low. Twenty-four years after “the pink one” made its debut in 1957, aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet) was introduced, and 18 years after that, sucralose (Splenda) gained FDA approval. Various other no-cal or low-cal sugar substitutes have also been on the market, but none has ever come close to the popularity of the big three. Recently, however, a number of natural sweeteners have been giving those pink, blue and yellow packets a run for their money. With New Age-y names like PureVia, Truvia, ZSweet, Zerose and Xagave, it’s easy to be skeptical, but I think a few of these products may be here to stay.
Is stevia, an extract 300 times more potent than sugar, the no-fat, no-calorie "natural" sweetener that soda and juice lovers have been thirsting for?
In her latest mission, TODAY’s nutritionist Joy Bauer tackles the eating habits of the show’s unsung heroes — the backstage crew. Some of the crew arrive as early as midnight to set up for the show and over time, those hours, coupled with hectic family lives, have left them packing on the pounds. To help get them back on track (and stop overdosing on fatty foods), Joy reworked their favorite lunch meals:
Smart shoppers often get tripped up by seemingly healthy foods that are lacking in vitamins and nutrients, or are relatively high in calories and fat. To help keep your waistline in check while giving your meals a nutritional boost, Health magazine suggests 10 trade-offs to make on your next trip to the grocery store.
If you recently said so long to singledom, you might want to be on guard against a few extra pounds of pudge. A 2008 study from UNC Chapel Hill put some scientific might behind anecdotal stories that newlyweds pack on the pounds. Over the course of about five years, men who got married gained 6 more pounds, on average, than those who stayed single. Women made out even worse — those who said “I do” put on 9 more pounds than their counterparts who hadn’t settled down.
What if you could take a big chunk out of those weight-loss goals and put a dent in your health status by making only a few tiny adjustments to your daily diet? Well, it’s absolutely possible. In fact, you don’t need to turn your life upside down to be healthy and fit, according to Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of “10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet,” who adds that cutting even 100 calories from your daily fare is all it would take to stop weight gain. Here she offers seven simple steps to get you started:
If you’re looking to shed some weight in 2009, it’s important to keep your guard up when dining out. Here are three tips that will help you cut out some of the most glaring diet offenders at your next restaurant outing without ruining all the fun.
The No. 1 New Year's resolution in this country is to lose weight. If that's your goal, you're in luck, because the two people I'm about to introduce you to have done just that and more. By following my , they've lost weight and feel sensational! You may have read about Nick in my article in earlier this week.
If you're the parent of a fussy eater, you've probably done just about everything to get your child to eat nutritious foods. But your encouraging tactics for healthy eating could be backfiring. Nutritionist and TODAY contributor Joy Bauer offers solutions to pacify the picky eater.
The economy's tanking; hand me that bag of chips. Some nutrition experts are worried that tough times will make Americans heavier than ever as we turn to low-cost, high-calorie, high-comfort, high-fat foods.
We often think of sautéing as a lowfat cooking method, but some vegetables, such as eggplant, mushrooms, and greens, tend to soak up the majority of the fat that’s added to the pan. Dean Rucker, executive chef at the Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California, suggests steaming your veggies instead, then tossing them with a few teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and sea salt.
Curious about how many calories are packed into that burrito or fried chicken you crave? Fast-food company Yum Brands Inc. says it's taking the guesswork out of counting calories.
Customers at big fast-food chains in New York City are finally facing the facts about their meal choices. And for some, the truth may be hard to swallow — like 1,130 calories for a Big Mac, medium fries and a medium soda.
New York City is set to start fining chain restaurants that don't post calorie counts on their menus by next month.
Limit consumption of energy-dense foods. That’s the advice from the latest international report on diet and cancer published by the American Institute for Cancer Research. The recommendation — aimed at promoting weight control — was included in the cancer-focused report because of the convincing link between overweight and several types of cancer.
A federal appeals court let the city proceed Tuesday with ordering some chain restaurants to post calorie counts on menu boards, but only after the city agreed to postpone issuing fines until mid-July.
In the quest to select a baby’s sex, success could depend on breakfast cereal and better nutrition, according to a new study that may offer some women another reason to eat their Wheaties.
Health officials have pushed back a deadline for national chain restaurants to put calorie counts on their menus in New York City outlets.
Rub on a lip gloss and lose weight. Sip a berry drink and look younger. Down some iced tea and burn calories. If only it were that simple.
..."Yes, at low levels of exercise, a greater percentage of the calories burned come from fat, whereas at higher levels of exercise intensity a greater percentage of the calories burned come from carbohydrate combustion.
Having sex when we are older is entirely dependent upon physical and emotional attraction, the 'chemistry' that many people seek and talk about. Yet that is the age when that attraction is often replaced by something else - a desire for companionship.
John's Hopkins Hospital did a study of how much fluid you drink on a diet affects how much weight you lose. Cutting out carbonated sodas entirely will net you a lose of one pound more per month. And while cutting in half all your beverages will net half that.
These six food groups hold the "power" to help you lose weight and turn back the clock. Don't miss our easy seven-day meal plan and delicious anti-aging snacks! See more irresistible headlines
Snapple, the original new-age beverage, is undergoing the most significant makeover in its 37-year history. The Best Stuff on Earth just got even better with a new formula, reduced calories and packaging that promotes the blend of healthy green and tasty black tea leaves.
Dieters everywhere -- yo-yo dieters, crash dieters, fad dieters, dejected and jaded dieters -- may take heart.
Eating at home can save you some cash, but beware the calorie cost.
Let's have a cake and count..
Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain.
Q High Fructose Corn Syrup: Too Sweet to Eat? I'm confused about high fructose corn syrup. I thought it was bad for you, but now I read that it's natural and may not be to blame for the obesity epidemic after all. True? A Answer (Published 9/1/2008)
Hot apple cider and spiked hot chocolate might hit the spot this time of year, but watch out for skyrocketing calorie counts. But they're so good....
And there's nothing like a free steak dinner, a free stack of pancakes or a free pizza. Several restaurants around the country offer such freebies. The catch: you need to wolf down gargantuan meals in a short amount of time. If you don't, you're stuck with a hefty check.
dieting can be a problem. Figuring out what you might be doing that is sabetaging your wanted out come.
When you're young and tap dance for a living, you don't have to think much about the caloric impact of your next meal.
A new study just published in the British Medical Journal concludes eating too quickly -- and doing other things while you eat like watching the tube -- causes weight gain!
Calories-in versus calories-out. It really is that simple.
Calories eaten affects the brain dopamine reward system independent of taste, especially after restricting food intake. Ultimately, sugar is registered as pleasurable by the brain.
Health officials in New York City call it fast-food sticker shock. Since last May, chain restaurants in the city have been required to list the number of calories for every item on their menus.
Describes another reason beneficial bacteria may aid health, through a symbiotic relationship effecting the absorption of calories.
Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, will be phasing in calorie counts on their menus at their company-owned stores.
SACRAMENTO — California is poised to become the first state to require large chain restaurants to notify customers of the nutritional content of menu items, under legislation approved Tuesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The parent company Yum! Brands that owns about 5-7 popular fast food chains is putting the calories in the food they serve on the menu. This is a promise for company owned stories and a push for franchisees to do the same.
It's time for a new slim-down mantra: Eat more to weigh less. No joke! The right foods help you drop pounds by revving your calorie burn and curbing cravings. We consulted top experts for the best picks and asked leading chefs for easy, tasty ways to prepare them.
Web site CalorieLab provides nutritional information for popular foods and restaurants to help you keep your diet on track. With over 70,000 foods and 500 restaurants in their database, there's a good chance that if you've eaten it, it's in there.
Now don't get all excited. We don't have any magic wand solutions that will take the place of exercise and eating right. But we do have a few foods that could help you on your journey to rid yourself of excess flab. Hungry Girl's here with the scoop...