Numbers Game: Answer

Cosi patrons, take note.

Opting to have your salad of choice dressed with the house vinaigrette tacks on 357 calories.

This partially explains why people sometimes express confusion when, despite substituting many of their regular foods with salad, weight loss does not occur.

It is even more difficult to gauge how many calories you get from salad dressing at salad bars, where you use enormous ladles to dress your individual concoction (one full ladle can contain up to 600 calories of some dressings!)

If you opt to have full-fat dressings, ask for them on the side, and aim to use no more than half of the amount you are provided.

This is not to say that fat-free dressings can be poured liberally.

Most dressings lacking fat provide flavor by throwing in higher amounts of sugar, thereby still containing a good number of calories.

I suggest using a small amount of full-fat dressing and mixing it with other low-calorie ingredients (think balsamic vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice.)

Numbers Game: Dress of Excess

Cosi patrons, take note.

Opting to have your salad of choice dressed with the house vinagreitte tacks on _______ calories.

a) 196
b) 238
c) 310
d) 357

Leave your guess in the "comments" section and come back on Wednesday for the answer.

Numbers Game: Answer

A 12-ounce Cosi blueberry promeganate smoothie contains 544 calories.

(Note: a 12-ounce can of regular Coca Cola clocks in at 143 calories)

It goes to show -- high caloric values aren't just found in large portions.

(Sidenote: Get the 20-ounce "gigante", and sip away 1,087 calories!)

It's crazy to think that this 12-ounce beverage packs almost twice as many calories as a large fountain beverage from McDonald's.

Cosi advertises it as a "blend of frozen fruit with a green tea base," which helps to explain the astounding caloric value of this smoothie.

Bases are often sugar-loaded flavor agents.

They were smart in choosing a green tea one because it delivers sweet flavor while still sounding "healthy."

A lot of people have this concept that anything with green tea in it is automatically healthy or low-calorie. I'm afraid that ain't so.

Food companies know this, which is why I was not surprised to see Haagen Dazs' new green tea ice cream flavor at the store earlier this week.

The fact is, smoothies are not an optimal source of nutrition.

The overwhelming majority are excessively sugared (we're talking 6 to 8 tablespoons of sugar on average for a 12 ounce!) and don't deliver any of the fiber present in a piece of fruit.

Since liquid calories (particularly those from fruit smoothies, which are lacking fat, fiber, and protein) are not as effective at providing a sense of fullness, it's very likely you will be hungry soon after finishing such a concoction.

If they are one of your favorite beverages, feel free to have them, but keep in mind that save one or two exceptions, you are buying an overly sweetened, high-calorie treat, not liquid nutrition.

Numbers Game: Can of Whoop-Ass

A 12-ounce Cosi blueberry promeganate smoothie contains _______ calories.

(Note: a 12-ounce can of regular Coca Cola clocks in at 143 calories)

a) 268
b) 329
c) 467
d) 544

Leave your guess in the "comments" section and come back on Thursday for the answer!