Gluten-Free Chips, Weight-Management Self Sabotage, NYC Sodium Warnings

Sep 21 2015

Spotted on Shelves...

Quaker Popped Sweet Oat Crisps - Somewhere between chips and cookies lie these sweet oaty snacks. In two fruity flavors -- Wild Blueberry and Blackberry Pomegranate -- you can eat 13 pieces for 100 - 110 calories, 1.5g fat, 135mg sodium, 23g carbs, 3 - 5g fiber, 6g sugars, and 2g protein (PointsPlus® value 3*). Pretty impressive! Click to find, or order online.

Nabisco Gluten Free Rice Thins - These things are like Wheat Thins, but with a notable omission -- no wheat, hence no gluten! Choose from Original, Sweet Barbecue, Sea Salt & Pepper, and White Cheddar; a serving of 13 - 18 pieces has 120 - 130 calories, 1.5 - 2g fat, 85 - 180mg sodium, 24 - 26g carbs, 0 - 2g fiber, 0 - 2g sugars, and 2g protein (PointsPlus® value 3*). Either order online, or find 'em at Walmart and grocery stores nationwide.

Evolution Fresh Greek Yogurt - If you've been loving the Evolution Fresh line sold at Starbucks, it's time to stock your home fridge! Developed with Dannon, these fruit-on-the-bottom, fat-free yogurts are pretty great. In Black Cherry, Pineapple Passion Fruit (the HG fave!), Raspberry Blackberry, and Blueberry, each 5.3-oz. container has 120 calories, 0g fat, 40 - 45mg sodium, 18 - 19g carbs, 0 - 1g fiber, 15 - 16g sugars, and 11 - 12g protein (PointsPlus® value 3*). Available at Kroger, Publix, Target, Safeway, and Stop & Shop. 

Are You Sabotaging Your Weight-Management Goals... Without Realizing It?

A few new studies reveal startling info about how you might be getting in your own way when it comes to managing your weight. Here's the 411, plus what to do about it...

Drinking coffee and diet soda has been linked to increased calorie intake. This study found that drinking coffee resulted in more overall daily calories, and consuming diet drinks was associated with eating calorie-dense, low-nutrient foods. If you're actively cutting calories in your drinks, don't mess things up and just add 'em back, especially not in the form of bad-for-you food. Prioritize healthy snacking (click for some of our favorites) and keep an eye on your overall calorie intake.

On-the-go eating could trigger overeating... even more than sitting around watching TV. According to this small but intriguing study, subjects who ate a cereal bar while walking went on to consume more calories that day than those who ate the bar while talking to someone or watching TV. Bottom line? Snacking on the move can impact more than your food choices at the time... it can affect your decisions all day. So grab a seat, focus on what you're eating, and then go about your day!

Believing you're naturally thin or fat can compromise your overall health. Be it genetics or something else, many people are stuck in the mindset that their weight is more or less out of their control. This new study shows that this thinking often leads to unhealthy food choices, lack of exercise, and poor physical health. Always been thin, but living on Doritos and Coca-Cola? Not good for you in the long run. Overweight all your life, so figure you shouldn't even exercise? Even if you don't lose weight, it's still smart behavior that will benefit your health.



The Buzz...

Well, this is big: Effective December 1st, NYC chain restaurants will be required to post sodium warnings on their menus. Any dish that exceeds the recommended daily limit will need to display a salt shaker icon. Do you think this symbol will cause people to order lower-salt dishes? We're not so sure... ***You probably know that fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, but what if you're a vegetarian or just don't like fish? Click to read up on the best plant sources of those healthy fats, from our pals 'n partners at About.com Health. ***It seems like every time we turn around, there's another food recall. That may be about to change. The US Food and Drug Administration has announced new food safety rules, intended to reduce the number of food poisoning outbreaks. Fingers crossed it works. And that's all we've got. 'Til next time... Chew the right thing!

Chew on this:

Back in 2007, we declared September 21st (today) to be Coffee Treat Day. One Vanilla Java Swappuccino coming right up!

It's that time again! Click "Send to a Friend" to share all this useful info.

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*The WW Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the Points® trademark.

Questions on the WW Points® values listed? Click here.

Hungry Girl provides general information about food and lifestyle. This information and any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Click here for more information.