There are so many choices...are we making the right ones?
Sugar in everything...part 2
Last week we spoke about sugar being in nearly everything. Today I want to take a look at some nutrition labels so we can discuss what we may think is a good choice, why it is not and what we should choose instead. Let’s start with yogurt. My skin crawls when people say they have a yogurt for lunch and think it’s a good choice. It could be, but chances are it’s a bad choice. Let’s take a look.
Yogurt is healthy....right?
Yoplait Yogurt Fruit on the Bottom
This is not a great choice, the “fruit on the bottom” is filled with sugar and the fruit is soggy. Seeing only 150 calories makes it look like a good choice, but look closer. You’ll see 19 grams of sugar in the 6 oz container with 13 grams of that being added sugar.
Stonyfield Plain Greek Yogurt
This plain Greek Yogurt is a better choice, with 5 grams of sugar and none of them added. The 5 grams of sugar is the sugar that is found naturally in milk. Add your own FRESH FRUIT if you want to give it some flavor. I like mine with a some walnuts and blueberries. YUM!
Making your decision on calories alone is not how you should determine if something is a healthy choice. Be sure to continue to read your labels to get the full picture!
Let's talk about two different snack foods
Chocolate Brownie Clif Bar
I know the label is small so here’s a quick recap. 250 calories for a 68-gram snack bar. There are 21 grams of sugar, 20 of which are from added sugar. Clif bars are organic but let’s not equate organic with healthy. The first ingredient is organic sugar.
Dark Chocolate Kind Bar
A quick recap on the Kind Bar, 180 calories for a 40-gram snack bar. This bar is not organic but the first ingredient is almonds. There are 5 grams of sugar, 4 of them are added sugars, much less than the Clif Bar. |
The right time and place
A Clif bar has a purpose, do you know what it is? Clif Bars were created for hikers/rock climbers who need a high-energy snack that is easy to throw in a bag and head out the door. They take up very little space, are light to carry, and do not require refrigeration. It is meant to give you a burst of energy when you are exerting yourself.
It is NOT meant to be a quick snack that you have while sitting watching a soccer game or something to eat when you are at your desk and have a craving in the afternoon. It is meant to be grabbed when you are heading out the door to do some physical activity. A Kind bar would be the better choice if you want a quick snack.
Read and think before you choose
Marketing, advertising, and packaging do not tell you the whole story, the manufacturers want to appeal to you but not really tell you everything you need to know to make the best decision. You have to read the nutrition label and then make your choice based on the facts. Choosing the right foods is an important part of being healthy BEFORE you NEED to be healthy.