Thursday, January 8, 2009

Fat Bombs!

I saw this article in USA Today. Something we don't always think about. As you start the new year resolved to lose weight, keep in mind that grocery store aisles are filled with nutritional landmines that could sabotage your best efforts.

Some packaged foods are loaded with more fat, calories and sodium than most health-conscious shoppers would ever expect. So say David Zinczenko, editor in chief of Men's Health, and Matt Goulding in their new book Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide.

Among the packaged "calorie bombs" that they identify:

Worst packaged food in America: Marie Callenders Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pie, 1,060 calories, 64 grams of fat, 24 grams of saturated fat, 1,440 milligrams of sodium.

Worst frozen entre: Hungry-Man Classic Fried Chicken, 1,020 calories, 57 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 1,570 milligrams of sodium.

Worst frozen pizza: DiGiorno for One Garlic Bread Crust Supreme Pizza, 850 calories, 44 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 1,450 milligrams of sodium.

Worst packaged lunch: Oscar Mayer Maxed Out Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Combo Lunchables, 680 calories, 22 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 1,440 milligrams of sodium.

Worst individual snack: Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie, 520 calories, 24 grams of fat; 14 grams of saturated fat, 45 grams of sugars.

Worst frozen treat: Toll House Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich, 520 calories, 23 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 44 grams of sugars.

Worst cereal: Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins, 1 cup, 420 calories, 12 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 6 grams of fiber, 30 grams of sugars.

Of course, smart grocery shopping is just one of the keys to losing weight. Always read the nutrition label to make sure you aren't eating some of those hidden "bombs". What hidden calories have you found that caught off guard?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What really surprised me are that some of the pot pies, like Marie Callender's and Boston Market, are two servings. So if you eat the entire pot pie, take the nutrition label and double it! That means some of them have over 1200 calories. Wow.