Leaving Out Vital Information

Vending and food service company Next Generation has introduced Vitalities, a sticker-based initiative which "provides customers the ability to make selection based on healthy snack and beverage alternatives, while still having the flexibility to select name brand product options."

In essence, products that meet certain health criteria -- created with the help of a Registered Dietitian -- get a sticker next to their item code.

On the food side, the following categories are offered: lower in fat, lower in sugar, lower in carbs, and "higher energy."

Why are they leaving out the most important concept-- CALORIE information?

Consider the following. To qualify as "low in sugar", a product must meet one of the following criteria:

* Sugar Free
* No Sugar Added
* Contains less than 4 grams of sugar

These divisions are very helpful for snack companies because they don't evaluate their products from a whole nutrition profile.

Per the above mentioned standards, something like Sugar-Free Reese's Peanut Butter Cups would receive a "low in sugar" sticker (and therefore seem like a healthy choice) despite offering 6 grams of saturated fat (30% of a day's worth) in one 180-calorie serving.

Similarly, a bag of Skittles can receive a healthy-sounding "low-fat sticker", all while offering 250 calories and 12 teaspoons of sugar!

I am also perplexed by the "lower in carbs" sticker. Unless someone has diabetes, there is no reason to believe that low carb figures by default indicate a healthier choice.

The beverage stickers are slightly better, as they are divided into these four categories: lower in fat, lower in calories (yay!), lower in caffeine, and higher in nutrients.

My concern here is the "lower in fat" label, which makes no mention of calories in its criteria:

* Less than 2.5 grams of fat per 8 ounce portion
* Skim and 1% milk
* Flavored waters
* Juices
* Energy drinks

Notice that soda can not qualify for this sticker. Fine and dandy, but sweetened flavored waters (often containing just as much sugar and as many calories as soda) can.

This initiative is a start, but I would much prefer vending machines post calorie information on items.

After all, unless people have those figures memorized, they are unable to see them until they have already made their purchase.

Yum-mega Treat

As regular Small Bites readers know, I am a big fan of snack bars.

I can't tell you how many times they have saved me -- and my wallet -- from junk food hell (i.e.: Bronx Zoo, Six Flags, Broadway intermissions.)

I also like to name names, which is why I have given very high praise to Lara bars, Clif Nectar bars, Pure bars, GNU Flavor & Fiber bars, and Kashi's "Tasty Little Crunchies" granola bars.

Although each of those bars is uniquely different from the others, they all provide high-quality nutrition in a delicious way.

Today, my list expands to include Nana's Omega-Fiber Cookie Bars.

These bars are most reminiscent of Flavor & Fiber, and even have a similar ingredient list.

Each bar offers 130 calories, 1 gram of saturated fat, 40 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of fiber.

Certainly a great lunchbox treat -- and an even better snack to have handy at the office when thoughts of the King Size Crunch Bar in the nearby vending machine start to take over.

Here's the ingredient list for the double chocolate flavor (vanilla almond is my favorite, though!):

Fiber Mix (Whole Wheat Flour, Oats, Wheat Bran, Psyllium, Flax Seeds, Millet, Chicory Root), Fruit Juice (Apple, Pear, Grape), Rice Dextrins, Chocolate Chips (whole grain malted barley and corn, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin as an emulsifier, and pure vanilla), Dutched Cocoa, GMO-Free Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Dried Apples, Raisins, Rice Crisp Cereal, Rice Syrup, Vegetable Glycerin, Baking Powder (non aluminum), Natural Flavors

I do have two suggestions for the Nana's team, though:

1) No need to advertise your bar's Omega-9 content. It is not an essential fatty acid, so we don't need to particularly seek it out in food.

2) The 250 milligrams of Omega-3 are great, but it would make them a lot more absorbable if you included ground -- rather than whole -- flax seeds in your fiber mix.

Still, these are certainly worth making room for in your pantry.

Crunch Away!

A few days ago, a friend was picking my brain for portable, nutritious, and tasty snack ideas.

He specifically mentioned that while he enjoys the taste of my standby bar recommendations (Lara, Clif Nectar, Gnu Flavor & Fiber, Pure), they are all missing "crunch" -- his favorite texture.

Crackers don't really do it, he explained, because he likes a tinge of sweetness to his snacks.

I suggested Kashi TLC (Tasty Little Crunchies) granola bars -- and was just told it's exactly the type of snack my friend was looking for!

One individually wrapped container offers two bars and provides:

180 calories
4 grams of fiber (3 of which are soluble)
8 grams (2 teaspoons) of added sugar
6 grams of protein
100% whole grains

I specifically point out the presence of soluble fiber as that is the type of fiber that has been linked with reductions in LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Sensible Nonsense

The folks at Nabisco advertise some of their products under the "sensible snacking" monicker, meaning "they not only taste good, but you can feel good about eating them, too!"

One of these products is Ritz Toasted Snack Chips, which, Nabisco points out, "are not fried [and] have 40% less fat than potato chips."

Very well, but an ounce of these chips only offers 20 less calories than an ounce of potato chips -- and an additional 100 milligrams of sodium!

The main ingredients are white flour, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup.

The flavored varieties' ingredient lists, meanwhile, boast no less than 25 ingredients.

The dictionary defines "sensible" as "acting with or exhibiting good sense."

Perhaps Nabisco would be better off using another adjective? Like "run of the mill"?

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

Kraft's latest snack product is Mac 'n Cheese baked crackers available in three varieties: cheddar, mild cheedar, and white cheddar.

"Made with real cheddar cheese!" the boxes proudly display.

Let's get down to the facts.

150: the calories in a 1-ounce serving. This is the exact same caloric content of an ounce of Lay's potato chips or Cheetos.

300: the milligrams of sodium in a 1-ounce serving of the cheddar flavor. This is almost twice as much as the same amount of Lay's potato chips and 10 more milligrams than 1 ounce of Cheetos.

380: the milligrams of sodium contained in a 1-ounce serving of the white cheddar flavor.

35: the number of ingredients that make up the cheddar and white cheddar flavors.

Swap: 1 ounce of whole grain crackers and one stick of string cheese pretty much delivers the same calories with more substantial nutrition.

You Ask, I Answer: Nighttime Snacking/Digestion

My mom believes that eating right before bed is unhealthy and causes weight gain.

I don't believe that it causes weight gain because as you stress, what matters is how many calories are consumed [in one day], not when [you eat them].

But, is [eating right before bed] unhealthy? My mom thinks [so, because she says] our digestive system needs to "sleep".

I always "need" to snack before bed (I think it's more of a psychological thing), but keep my portions in check.

She seems to think that fruit is "lighter" as opposed to bread which is "heavier" and harder on our bodies. Is it okay for me to have "heavy" foods like bread/cereal before I sleep as long as its within my caloric needs?

-- (Name Withheld)
Kaoshiung, Taiwan

One issue that can occur if you go to bed soon after eating is acid reflux, or heartburn (a condition in which stomach acid creeps up into the esophagus).

Other than that, there isn't anything inherently unhealthy about having a slice of bread or a bowl of cereal an hour or so before going to bed as long as it isn’t a caloric overload.

Heavy foods should be avoided before going to bed so as to not cause indigestion, so either fruit or cereal are smart options. I do not consider cereal or bread to be heavy, especially not if you’re just having a cup of a whole grain cereal low in added sugar.

Keep in mind that even though we go to sleep, our organs do not.

Full digestion of a meal, for instance, takes anywhere from 18 to 48 hours. So, our digestive tract works all day, every day.

You Ask, I Answer (On YouTube!): Healthy Eating Outside The Home

How do I start onto the path of eating and living more heathfully? Hopefully, there are others who, like myself, know what they "should" be doing, but don't know where to begin or what to pay attention to the "most."

For example (speaking only for myself here), here is a glimpse of all the food-related thoughts running through my mind daily:

"Watch your calories, fat, salt, refined sugar, and flour intake.... no fast food/chips/soda/Starbucks mocha whip lattes (sob!).... pay attention to the glycemic index/volumetrics/South Beach/Weight Watcher/Zone Plan... eat your largest meal early and your lightest meal later... get your daily serving of fruits and vegetables (ha!), fiber, and protein... don't forget to take your vitamin/calcium suppleent... and put down that ice cream/cookies/cake!!"

I currently work full-time and go to grad school part-time, so 3 days out of the week I leave my apartment at 8:30 am and don't get home until after 11:00 pm.

I work either Saturday or Sunday each week to make up my school hours.

My eating schedule is seriously out of whack -- many times I've eaten cold pizza at midnight.

I struggle with the "healthful vs. convenienc" battle every day.

And as for cooking? I use my oven as storage space for pots and pans that never get used -- I just don't have the time.

Any advice?

-- Amie Lemire
(Location Unknown)

Great question, Amie.

People tend to overcomplicate nutrition. If you focus on the basics, though, the rest of your concerns will fall into place.

Rather than write out a lengthy response, I thought I would use this as an opportunity to debut Small Bites on YouTube!

You can view my answer below. Be sure to bookmark the Small Bites channel on YouTube, too!

Readers: I would like to post a YouTube clip every 7 to 10 days.

Let me know what you would like to see on the channel. Product reviews? Questions and answers? Fad diet critiques? Let your voices be heard!

Perfect Pickings: Nut Mixes/Trail Mix

Let me begin by saying that all nut products will contain (heart-healthy) fats -- there is no use in looking for low-fat trail mix!

Expect 10 - 12 grams per quarter cup serving.

Contrary to popular belief, raw and roasted nuts are virtually identical.

An ounce of raw almonds contains 164 calories, a mere five less than an ounce of a roasted variety.

What differs between the two is sodium content.

Whereas an ounce of raw almonds contributes 0 milligrams of sodium, that same amount of roasted almonds contains 100 milligrams.

You won't find too many nutritional differences among commercial trail mixes.

The overwhelming majority packs in 130 - 150 calories, 75 - 100 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of fiber, and 5 - 8 grams of protein per serving.

However, this is one product where a peek at the ingredients list comes in handy.

All trail mixes containing dried fruit, for example, will initially appear high in sugar, partly because food labels do not differentiate between naturally-occurring and added sugars.

This is where you need to read the label. Look for plain and simple dried fruit.

Hence, seeing "raisins, dried mangoes" (literally dried fruit) is much better than "dried cranberries [sucrose]" (fruit with added sugar).

Since berries are generally tart when dried, expect them to have sugar added on to enhance flavor.

While M&M's and caramel corn are tasty additions, they taint the nutrition profile of mixes consisting exclusively of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.

If it's nutrition you are seeking -- stick to the tried and true classics.

Speaking of dried fruit, though, there is one component in trail mix that is especially worth looking out for.

Just one ounce provides 40 percent of a day's worth of saturated fat and 145 calories.

The sneaky culprit I am referring to? None other than dried bananas!

Their nutrient profile is inferior to that of a common banana (potassium, vitamin C, and fiber are significantly lower), and since they are deep fried in quite a bit of coconut oil prior to being dried, saturated fat content is off the charts!

Keep in mind that all trail mix is calorically dense (a quarter cup clocks in at roughly 150 calories); it was originally a snack consumed by people hiking for hours, in need of a quick and healthy energy boost.

That being said, if you're seeking a nutritious trail mix, Bear Naked's Pacific Crest Mix is one I have enjoyed a few times -- it's low in sodium and contains no added sugar.

Sometimes, I like to make my own trail mixes.

I usually throw in a whole grain (usually oat-based) cereal low in added sugar, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, raisins, and half a handful of cacao nibs (you could also break up a square of dark chocolate -- comprised of at least 75% cocoa, if you're loking to get some health benefits -- into small bits and mix it in!)

Although a good source of protein and vitamin E, you would need to eat a significant amount of trail mix (and calories!) to make it a high-fiber snack.

If you enjoy the combination of fruits and nuts and want it in an even more nutritious package, I suggest trying Lara, Clif Nectar, or Pure bars.

If they are hard to find in your area, click on each bar's name to be directed to their respective order pages.

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing: Fruit Cereals & Snacks

Relying on conventional cereals and snacks to provide fruit to your diet? I'm afraid you might dealing with a case of mistaken identity.

Consider Kellogg's Berry Krispies -- a fruity spin on traditional Rice Krispies.

The packaging shows the three Rice Krispies cartoon characters juggling a variety of berries.

A large strawberry, blueberry, and blackberry are also prominently featured on the front of the box.

A glance at the ingredient list unveils a mystery, though -- where is the fruit?

"Rice, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, natural and artificial berry flavor, malt flavoring, red #40, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), iron, niacinamide, blue #1, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin, thiamin hydrochloride, vitamin A palmitate, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D."

So, in reality, you have artifically colored rice puffs with berry flavor sprinkled on them.

No berries -- or parts of any -- are included in this product.

Not surprisingly, a cup of Berry Krispies provides 0 grams of fiber.

General Mills' Berry Berry Kix doesn't fare much better.

The letter "i" in Kix is dotted with three different berries, and the package boasts: "No Artificial Preservatives! No Artificial Flavors!"

Be still, my heart.

Let's take a look at the ingredient list:

"Whole grain corn, sugar, corn meal, whole grain oats, corn starch, modified corn starch, canola oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup" along with food coloring, natural flavors, and a handful of vitamins and minerals.

In total? A measly gram of fiber per serving.

Combined with the feeble gram of protein and gram and a half of fat, this is one breakfast that will barely satiate you (and start your day off with quite a large load of Omega-6 fatty acids!)

Welch's fruit snacks advertise their "100% of the Vitamin C Daily Value per Serving" status on the product's packaging in all capital, colorful letters.

A wavy green banner reads: "Excellent Source of Vitamins A & E" If that wasn't enough, they are also "made with REAL FRUIT."

Who needs a banana or apple when you have these fruit snacks, right? Not quite.

Per the ingredient list:

"Juice from concentrates (grape, peach, pear, and pineapple), corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, fruit puree (grape, apple, strawberry, and raspberry), gelatin, citric acid, lactic acid, natural and artificial flavors, coconut oil, carnauba wax, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), [beta carotene (vitamin A), palmitate (vitamin A)], alpha tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), red 40, blue 1, yellow 5 and sodium citrate."

So, essentially, sugar with added vitamins. The high levels of Vitamins A, C, and E are not the result of healthy ingredients, but fortification.

For all intents and purposes, you might as well be chasing your multivitamin with a tablespoon of sugar.

Fruit flavorings, colorings, and extracts are not substitutes for the real thing.

For the constant media hype I hear about the "difficulties of eating healthy,:" incorporating fruit into your day is actually quite easy.

Apples and bananas, for instance, are easily accessible, inexpensive, highly portable, and could not be further from the "acquired taste" category.

You do not need to consume expensive, exotic fruits from a Mongolian monk's Himalayan hut to be healthy. Just try to eat one piece of fruit, whichever one you want, every day.

Numbers Game: Answer

Which of these functional food categories saw a 243 percent increase in new products last year?

Answer: Cardiovascular Health

Mintel, a consumer, media, and market research group, released some interesting sales figures earlier this week.

2007 saw the release of 558 new functional food products, of which 148 where related to cardiovascular health.

In turn, cardiovascular health saw the largest increase (in 2006, 43 new food items were released).

Keep in mind that functional foods -- processed foods with added nutrients for health benefits, such as Corazonas tortilla chips made with oat bran -- are not necessarily the most nutritious choice.

For instance, I recently saw potato chips cooked in avocado oil at a local grocery store.

They were, of course, advertised as "heart healthy."

True, avocado oil is better than butter or lard, but these are still potato chips.

The fact that they are fried in avocado oil does not make them as nutritious as eating an actual avocado.

Food companies love functional foods, though.

Sprinkle some vitamins on a gummy bear and suddenly parents start seeing it as a decent snack, rather than sugary candy -- even if you jack up the price!

Pocket Full of Junk

This weekend I saw an advertisement for Hot Pockets Calzone, the company's "heartiest sandwich yet."

"This is more of what you're hungry for," it exclaimed.

So I went ahead and investigated just what Hot Pockets offers and, if anything, my hunger immediately disappeared.

Per the box for the four meat and four cheese calzone, one filled pastry pocket is enclosed.

It is illustrated as two halves on the box, so we can truly appreciated the myriad of melted processed cheeses oozing out.

Oh, but there's another crafty reason for that illustration.

Although you are buying one calzone, the nutrition information on the back defines one serving as HALF a calzone.

Do they truly expect someone to heat one of these up and eat the other half another day?

This is the kind of food that becomes a horribly textured mess after sitting out for too long. Imagine it undergoing reheating?

In any case, all the nutrition values on the back need to be multiplied by two.

Alas, here is what you get when you eat "two halves" of this "hearty" new sandwich (which, mind you, is advertised mainly as a snack, rather than a meal):

600 calories
26 grams of fat
10 grams of saturated fat (half a day's worth)
1500 milligrams of sodium (two third of a day's worth)
A pathetic four grams of fiber (pathetic for a 600-calorie food)
26 grams of sugar (assuming ten or so are naturally occurring in the cheese, that's still a tablespoon of added sugar!)

In The News: Deworming Treats

This is certainly a new level of functional foods -- a deworming snack!

Kraft Foods -- owned by Altria -- has been in secret talks with food chemistry company TyraTech to incorporate deworming components into a snack food to be launched in rural regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where millions of young children suffer from intestinal parasitic infections (the stomach-turning picture at the right serves as a visual aide).

" The pesticides, explained R. Douglas Armstrong, chief executive of TyraTech, are derived from plant oils," reads the New York Times article.

For now, the technology is still at a pretty early stage. For instance, there's the issue of how to incorporate it into food without tainting flavors.

Additionally, some more tweaking apparently needs to be done to make this chemical strong enough to eradicate worms without debilitating the host (humans).

If it works out, it's a great feat for Kraft.

It also brings about an interesting situation. When parasitic infections are a major concern, does it matter if the solution is embedded in a mostly calorically empty snack food?

The 100 Calorie Conundrum

Now that paying close attention to portion sizes -- and, specifically, downsizing -- has become a mainstream weight-loss trend, food companies are consistenly launching a variety of sweet and salty snack fare in "on the go" 100-calorie bags.

Sounds like the perfect solution, right? Now you can enjoy Chips Ahoy, Doritos, Oreos, and even Hostess cupcakes in 100-calorie servings.

While enjoying a treat and knowing exactly how many calories it contributed to your day is a much better way of practicing calorie control than digging into a large bag and "guesstimating" how much you're eating, these calories should still be considered "bonus" ones.

After all, these products do not deliver much of a nutritional punch.

Does everything we eat have to be a five-star health food? Absolutely not. Treats have a place in every diet.

Remember, one of my main philosophies is that food should be enjoyed. Once it becomes a rigid, boring, tasteless punishment, you're down the wrong path.

However, I was recently talking to a friend who told me how much she loves 100-calorie packs.

So much so, she revealed, that she has three a day -- one as a morning snack, one as an afternoon snack, and one before going to bed.

Yes, she knows I am writing about her. I have her full permission to do so.

The problem isn't her caloric intake. After all, it was through these 100-calorie packs that she was able to immediately eliminate 350 calories from her diet.

However, these 300 calories are basically empty -- they aren't contributing much to her nutrient intake.

I recommended she integrate one 100-calorie pack treat to her day (I specifically suggested she have it after dinner as en end-of-day goodie).

The other 200 calories should instead come from more nutritious snacks like a piece of fruit (an easy way to get a serving!), a cup of edamame, a food bar, or a cup of yogurt (not laden with sugar, of course).

This way, at least two snacks are providing fiber, phytochemicals, healthy fats, and high-quality protein.

By the way, if you're going to partake in pre-packaged 100-calorie snacks as a treat, I recommend the Chips Ahoy thin crisps -- they're quite tasty and have excellent texture.

Numbers Game: Answer

A standard large popcorn and large soda combo at the nation's largest multiplex theaters provides 1,900 calories, 275 percent of the daily saturated fat limit, and 13 tablespoons of added sugar.

Yikes! That's a day's worth of calories for the average adult.

The popcorn alone is calorically equivalent to THREE Big Mac's.

What's truly a shame is that movie popcorn tends to give the whole grain an unfairly bad reputation.

When air popped and sprinkled with a little salt, popcorn is a healthy, low-calorie snack.

Why, then, is the stuff in the oversized buckets such a nutrition disaster? It's all about the oil it is popped in.

The large majority of movie theaters use coconut oil, which is chock-full of unhealthy saturated fat.

This is the fat that raises total and LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol.

The practice of then drenching this popcorn in liquid butter also does not help.

Theater managers be damned, I like to bring my own healthy snacks to movies (yes, I throw out all my wrappers on my way out).

Some good ones? A small bag of trail mix, a food bar (i.e.: Lara, Clif Nectar, gnu, Pure), an apple, whole grain crackers, and your best weapon against mindless snacking -- gum!

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing: Snap Pea Crisps

Recent public interest in nutrition and demand for convenient snacks has led to an array of products looking to successfully combine both in a tasty package.

Some, like Crispy Delites, have pulled this off quite well by dehydrating vegetables and adding just a pinch of oil and salt.

The result is a low-calorie snack that skimps on the fat but offers a fair amount of potassium and other naturally-occurring nutrients.

Snapea Crisps, however, leave quite a bit to be desired.

Sidenote: the spelling freak in me thinks they should be called "Snap Pea Crisps" rather than "Snapea" crisps, since everytime I see it I prounounce it "Snay-pea." Anyway...

You wouldn't be inclined to think badly of these crisps based on the advertising.

"SnapeaCrisps deliver the pea's natural nutrients in their entirety," reads the product's website.

The company is named SnackSalad, purposefully associating in-between-meals munching with a food commonly perceived as healthy and nutritious.

Additionally, the word "baked" is prominently featured on the package.

The website even relies on food history to build up their product.

"Peas have been an important part of the human diet for approximately 8,000 years," they say.

What they forget to mention is that peas have not been available in a bag and consumed in chip form for the past 7,985 years.

A one-ounce serving of this snack contains 150 calories and 8 grams of fat.

An ounce of Lay's regular potato chips? 150 calories and 10 grams of fat.

Am I missing something?

If you're looking for a salty snack truly packed with nutrition, boil some frozen edamame in a pot, sprinkle salt on top, and munch away.

It's one of my favorite quick, easy, no mess, low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber, high-protein treats.

A half cup delivers 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber, and 8 grams of protein.

If it's a matter of chips or death, I suggest reaching for a tasty and guilt-free 100-calorie bag of Kettle Bakes or a 1.3 individual-sized bag of Soy Crisps.

You Ask, I Answer: Late Night Snacking

The only real issue I have with dieting is stopping late-night snacking.

I tend to snack on toast and butter, or olive oil and garlic, or cottage cheese... anything creamy, crunchy, and warm. I will usually have 2 or 3 snacks after dinner.

They are cravings I am having a hard time dealing with. I am sure I could lose weight if I simply eliminated these cravings.

I am trying to see what triggers this and the only thing I can figure out so far is that my bedroom seems to be set up for everything, not exclusively sleep. I will eat at 6:30 or 7 pm and tell myself, "this is my last meal," but it never works.

I have small snacks starting at 9 pm, which continue until around 11 pm. Each small snack delivers a powerful oily punch to my calorie count!

What do you think?

-- Marta (last name withheld)
Miami, FL

Snacking is a very sharp double-edged sword.

On the one hand, many people find it helpful to gnosh on something small in between meals to prevent hunger attacks that result in high-calorie binges.

Snacking also adds calories to your day, though.

Hence, one of the many weight management debates is, "Is snacking an effective tool?"

I personally vote a resounding "yes." While research and studies are a great way to support theories, I don't need to read a journal to come to this conclusion; I simply base it on personal experience.

An 8 AM breakfast followed by a 10:30 AM snack leaves me perfectly satisfied until a 1 PM lunch. Leave out that mid-morning snack, though, and I am famished by lunch. Result? I not only eat more, but also crave greasier, unhealthier foods.

I don't think your issue, Marta, is late-night snacking itself, but the types of after-dinner snacks you are enjoying.

Toast and butter (or olive oil) can be very high in calories and do not help you feel as satiated as other options.

A cup of non-fat Greek yogurt is a great snack. Despite being fat-free, it has a surprisingly creamy texture that will trick you into thinking you are eating a much more decadent snack.

Sprinkle some ground flaxseed on top and I guarantee it will very likely be the only snack you have before going to bed.

Creaminess in a low-calorie package can also be achieved by topping fruits with two tablespoons (only 30 calories' worth!) of Cool Whip Lite.

If it is crunch you are seeking, I recommend investing in a hot air popcorn popper. Each cup of popped kernels registers at a mere 31 calories!

So, two cups of popcorn accompanied by a cup of strawberries adds up to only 100 calories and delivers 5 grams of satisfying fiber.

Baby carrots are great for dipping -- especially in savory hummus. One ounce of corn chips (about 12 of them) add up to 140 calories. Meanwhile, a cup of baby carrots only contributes 52 calories!

Also, if you are up until 11 PM, I would recommend having dinner a little later than 6:30. It is not at all surprising that you would feel hungry four hours after finishing dinner!

Numbers Game: Answer

It's snack time! Which of the following offers the most fiber?

a) One 1.5 ounce individual box of raisins (120 calories)
b) One ounce (6 individual)Triscuit-like whole-grain crackers (120 calories)
c) Four cups air-popped popcorn (124 calories)
d) 17 raw almonds (118 calories)
e) One 1 oz. bag of soy crisps (110 calories)

Air-popped popcorn leads the pack with 4.6 grams of fiber.

Here is how the other nevertheless healthy snacks rank:

6 Triscuits: 3 grams
17 raw almonds: 2.4 grams
1 oz. soy crisps: 2 grams
1.5 oz box of raisins: 1.5 grams

Many people looking to add fiber to their diets often forget one of the most popular whole grains -- popcorn!

Yes, 20 cups doused in butter (what you get at a movie theater) are equal to two Big Macs, but, when air popped, it is a great low-calorie, high-fiber crunchy treat.

In The News: New Nutrition Labels

Get ready for the Overall Nutritional Quality Index, coming to some supermarkets near you in 2008!

This new labeling system, developed by a panel of leading nutritionists (including Yale's Dr. David Katz, who I interviewed for this blog) scores foods from 1 to 100 (1 being absolute junk, 100 being perfection) based on several different factors.

I applaud the motives behind this initiative (helping consumers quickly identify healthy foods), but a few questions come to mind.

First -- does this address the issue at hand?

Most people know the basics -- that fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are healthy.

Similarly, I don't think anyone considers Doritos, Coke, Haagen Dazs, and Oreos to be staples of a nutritious diet. Whether they choose to ignore that and snack on Ruffles and Pepsi every day because "they taste good" is a separate topic.

I don't think too many people will be surprised to learn that raisins score higher than M&M's, or that Trix and Grapenuts are several numbers apart.

Are consumers not buying healthy foods due to a lack of knowledge on their behalf, or the vastly different marketing budgets of food companies? After all, Nabisco certainly has more money to throw around for a cookie advertising campaign than the Avocado Board.

Additionally, many healthy snack options are developed by smaller companies who are more concerned with getting their products on store shelves than on an American Idol commercial break.

Many people who would love the taste of a nutritious product like Lara bars have no idea they exist. No wonder -- when was the last time you saw a magazine or television ad for one?

My main hope is that this system stays far away from the glycemic index. After all, if you swear by that ranking, ice cream is a better choice than a potato!

I'm also curious to know how the issue of vitamins and minerals will be dealt with. Will a processed food like a Luna Bar injected with synthetic vitamins and minerals score just as high as an orange or apple (which, despite lacking added sugar or sodium, offer a lower variety of nutrients?)

I'm looking forward to seeing how ONQI resonates with the public. If anything, I love the discourse it will bring up, and I sincerely appreciate the desire to make shopping for healthy foods that much easier.

Eat Your Tea

Convenience is a huge factor behind our food choices.

Whether you're pressed for time or away from a kitchen for a few days, snacking on-the-go is part of many people's daily routine.

It certainly doesn't help that most convenience foods comes in the shape of chips, cookies, candy, sugary sodas, and protein bars that are often loaded with sugar and saturated fat.

Alas, I am happy to add Tzu (The Tea Bar) to my Hall of Fame - which currently includes Lara Bars, Clif Nectar Bars, and Pure Bars.

I knew Tzu was worth looking into when I stumbled across it at my local deli and read the ingredient list: sprouted whole grain brown rice, whole grains (oats, buckwheat), whole grain rye, sesame seeds, green tea leaf, green tea powder, konnyaku fructose, flax seeds, sapporo brewer's yeast, and bamboo salt.

Do you see all the pluses? No artificial ingredients, no syrups, no sugary soy and rice crisps, no hydrogenated oils, and fructose is not one of the first five ingredients.

I do wish the flax seeds were included in their ground state (since, in their entirety, they are completely undigested by our bodies), but I consider that to be a very promising ingredient list.

The nutrition profile is very nifty, too. Each bar contains a mere 110 calories, 1 gram of fat, 35 milligrams of sodium, and 2 grams of sugar.

It also offers 4 grams of fiber, 60% of our vitamin C needs, 15% a day's worth of calcium, 20% of the daily magnesium recommendation, and 20% of the recommended daily intake of selenium.

The best thing about it is -- this is all done with real food (not by injecting synthetic vitamins and minerals into the bar, as so many other products do)!

As you all know, I do not recommend a product on my blog until I taste it. Tzu passed that exam with flying colors. If you like the taste of green tea, you will absolutely love this bar.

So what about the inclusion of green tea?

At 3 grams per bar, that's equal to 2 cups' worth. Most studies showing health benefits (mainly on cardiovascular health) from green tea involved participants drinking 4 to 6 cups a day.

While Tzu bars contain a fair amount (which, if anything, helps rather than hurts), their virtues go well beyond that, as they are low-fat, low-calorie, tasty, and a good source fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Numbers Game: Filling Snack

It's snack time! You know the options shown here at left aren't smart choices, but do you know which of the following offers the most fiber?

a) One 1.5 ounce individual box of raisins (120 calories)
b) One ounce Triscuit-like whole-grain crackers/6 individual crackers (120 calories)
c) Four cups air-popped popcorn (124 calories)
d) 17 raw almonds (118 calories)
e) One 1 oz. bag of soy crisps (110 calories)

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