Carnival Fare Nutritional Info

With summer upon and the plethora of carnivals, festivals, fairs, etc. I thought it was the appropriate time to post this article that provides the nutritional info for some carnival favorites.

FRY, OH WHY?! COUNTY FAIR SHOCKER!!!!

Where is the human being who decided it was a good idea to take a
Twinkie,
dunk it in batter and shove it in a deep fryer? Well, whoever is
responsible
for making these 420-calorie-34g-of-fat creme-filled monstrosities so
popular
at carnivals and fairs needs to be dealt with accordingly (not that a
life lived
exclusively in stretch pants isn't punishment enough).  FYI, the king
size
deep fried Snickers are WAY worse for you, packing in a whopping 700+
calories each! 



CANDY IS DANDY?!

While fair fave cotton candy isn't exactly good for you (oh come on -
you
CAN'T really be surprised that spun sugar isn't nutritious, can you?!),
a 1 oz.
cone of the stuff only contains around 100 calories or so, no fat and
less
sugar than a can of soda. So while we're not saying you should eat it
every
day, cotton candy might be a more sensible choice than a lot other
carnival
treats. WOOHOO...PAR-TAY!



SNO-CONE SURPRISE

It may seem like sno-cones would be relatively light on calories--after
all,
they're made mostly of ice, which is, of course, non-caloric (it's just
frozen
water, don't get all excited). The problem is all that sugar-laden
syrup the
crushed ice is drowned in. If you want to keep your sno-cone calorie
counts low, you need to do one of two things. You can either a. use
sugar
free syrup (which means your treat will likely be calorie-free), or b.
carefully
monitor the amount of syrup that is poured over your ice. Remember, a
12
oz. sno-cone with 6 oz. syrup contains a shocking 540 calories! Yikes.
Stick
with half the amount of syrup and your "cone" will contain half the
calories.
HG Tip: Sno-cone syrups usually contain 80-100 calories per ounce. 



BURGERS VS. DOGS

Ahh--the age old question -- burgers vs. dogs? To be perfectly honest,
neither one is a great option for you. And there are burgers that are
healthier and lower-cal than dogs and vice versa. Unfortunately, the
worker
at the food stand isn't going to know how many calories these things
have
and if you ask, you'll likely get laughed at. So save yourself from
public
humiliation and be smart. If you do cave and order a burger or a dog,
get
yours without cheese or mayo, and eat only half the bread. Order extra
pickles to fill you up if you're hungry.  And If you're lucky enough to
find a
grilled chicken option, grab it, as it will likely be lower in calories
and fat than
any other available meats.  



COOL IT!

Need something cold to cool you down? Choose carefully. Ice cream sold
at
carnivals is often premium (aka full fat) stuff served in sugary waffle
cones.
That adds up to a ton of calories--close to 1,000 of them for a large
sized,
jam-packed cone. Many vendors do carry individually wrapped frozen
novelties, though. So if you absolutely MUST have ice cream, consider
getting one of those. At least you'll have built in portion control.
Treat
yourself to one if you're dying for it, otherwise, if you can, try to
stick with
some ice cold water or a diet beverage and hold off on the frozen
treats until
you get home. 



FAIR IS FARE...

Wondering about the nutritional info on some other popular carnival
foods?
Take a peak...

Soft Pretzel: 340 calories, 2g fat

Funnel Cake (whole): 760 calories, 44g fat

Fair Popcorn (7 cups, no extra butter): 400 calories, 27g fat

Caramel Apples: 300 calories, 1g fat

Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana: 240 calories, 4g fat
--

What Are You Willing To Give Up For Food?

Keep telling yourself...it is ONLY food. 
We cannot let  food have POWER over us. 
We have brains, the food does not.
We can  earn a paycheck and buy food,
Food cannot earn a paycheck and buy  US.

Food cannot buy us. 
But you know what ?
Food DOES have  POWER,
because
FOOD STEALS FROM US!

Every bite we take past our  actual need,
every bite we overeat,
food STEALS from  us:

*   our money

(think how much we would save if we ate only the food we  need)
*   more money
(think of all  the money we have wasted over the years
on one miracle diet product after  another.)
*   our good health
(this one is a BIGGIE and the list could go on and  on...)
*   more money
(to take care of  the health problems that too much food causes)
*   our time
(think how much  time we spend thinking about food,
worrying over diets,
going to the  doctor because of obesity-related health problems,
looking and looking for  clothes that fit,
and on and on)
*   more  time
(after all, part of each workday is spent working
to  make money to buy more food than we need)
*   our  quality of life
(think how many suffer poor self  esteem,
depression, bad relationships, etc.
because of too much  food)
*   more money
(on clothes that  cost way too much)
*   more time
(how  many years of our lives will we lose because of food?
Many die early deaths  from obesity-related diseases,
or obesity complicated  situations...)

Yes, it seems that food "steals" from us,
but the  truth of the matter is,
it doesn't really steal from us.

Let's face  it;
we are not unwilling participants in this "robbery".
We are, in  truth, giving all those things away,
every time we take a bite we don't  really need.

Next time you think you're giving yourself a treat
and  allow yourself to overeat,
remember that you aren't really
giving  yourself anything at all.
You are WILLINGLY GIVING AWAY your time,
your  hard-earned money,
your health, your self-esteem,
your quality of life 
and maybe even years of your life. 

ALL FOR FOOD.

Diet Damage Control

Diet damage control
(iVillage Article)

Why is it that we can have willpower of steel for days and then,
in one moment, lose all self-control and eat everything in sight?
iVillagers
discuss their diet sabotage experiences and offer advice on how to
deal with these inevitable blowouts.


So you’ve been extremely diligent this week, exercised regularly and
eaten all the right foods. Then Friday night rolls around and
you find yourself faced with some mouth-watering chips or an
irresistible plate of takeaway. Most of us give in and then
immediately regret it. To find some answers on how to prevent
diet sabotage, we culled some iVillagers’ suggestions from the
diet message boards.

Here are their simple strategies:

In the face of a tempting Indian meal one iVillager suggests, ‘Eat
really slowly. Chew each mouthful twice as long as you normally would
and put your fork down occasionally between bites. That way you really
get to taste your food (the difference is amazing), your brain has more
time to register when your tummy is full, and you don’t feel pressured
to eat just because everyone else is, or just because the food is there.’

Another iVillager says, if you know you are going out for a meal
with friends, ‘try and eat light meals during the day, but
don’t starve
yourself or you’ll end up eating the whole lot once you’re at
dinner.’ She also adds sensibly that, ‘Unless you’ve got a will of
iron, you aren’t going to be able to resist, so eat small portions
and try to drink a diet drink or water.’

Another iVillager’s approach is as follows: ‘I don’t have a drink
during the week because I would snack at night. During the week,
I concentrate on work so I don’t think about food. Weekends I
relax and get easily sidetracked, so I make myself buy healthy food,
except the kids lunch box treats and crisps.’

iVillager Stinny suggests one way to get back on track with your diet:
‘Before you eat anything, ask yourself how hungry you are, on a scale
of one to ten (ten being starving), and only eat if you are a six or
over. It’s a really good trick and it makes you think before you eat.’

As far as the emotional ups and downs are concerned, most of us are
much too hard on ourselves and need to allow some room for mistakes.

iVillager Blinxmum says: ‘Right, so you’ve had a blowout, which does
not a diet break. We’ve all been there.’ She adds: ‘Just put it
behind you. There’s no point feeling guilty– it’s extremely
counterproductive because you just start to think in negative
terms – how you can’t cope or can’t do it. Just forget it happened
and carry on as normal.’

For some of us, however, giving in to our temptations stems from
frustration due to our lack of progress. iVillager Karen explains:

‘Guess who didn’t lose weight this week??!! I really cannot believe it.
I’ve tried soooo hard. I gained 2lbs last week, and I thought I would
have got at least that 2 off, but no. I wish I’d not bothered now.
I’m so close to giving up completely and just staying fat. At least
I wouldn’t be so upset every week if I didn’t lose any weight, and
I wouldn’t be as obsessed by every morsel that entered my mouth.’

This type of inability to lose weight can be due to reaching a plateau,
where the body’s metabolism adjusts to the foods being eaten and the
exercise being done, and therefore slows down and burns fewer
calories, making it more difficult to lose weight. The best thing to
do is to vary your exercise routine.

 It may also be worthwhile reviewing your food
intake and reassessing some of the foods that may be contributing to
those stubborn extra pounds.

Another question to ask yourself if you’re not losing weight is, ‘Are
you eating enough?’ One iVillager notes, ‘If you starve yourself,
then your body will go into famine mode and hold onto all its
precious fat reserves. What you might need is to eat regularly and
kick-start your metabolism.’

iVillagers mention other reasons for diet sabotage:

Having tempting foods in your fridge or cupboards.
‘Being at home is impossible. The cupboards are stocked
with junk food for the benefit
of my younger brother,’ says one iVillager.

Eating fattening food when you’re a guest or with friends.
‘I don’t want
to upset mother by declining home-cooked lard,’ one woman complains.
Peer pressure from friends who don’t understand how important your diet
is to you. ‘I’m going to be surrounded by women who are ‘always on a
diet’, but never keep it up because they always pig out, so I won’t
get any sympathy from them. They’ll say ‘once won’t hurt’ and stuff
like that.’

Feeling like you’ve strayed so far from your diet and exercise plan
that it feels pointless to go back. ‘Terrible eating has got me out
of feeling that I’m on any sort of healthy regime, so I haven’t
exercised.’

The best strategies for sticking to your diet are:

Take it one day at a time

Remember the progress you have made regardless of your setbacks

Allow yourself some mistakes

Stay busy and focused on something like work or spending time with
friends, so you have less time to sit around thinking about foods

Keep any tempting foods out of your cupboards

Anticipate the times when you might be tempted, such as during the
weekend or eating out with friends, and try to prepare yourself for
these situations with some of the tips mentioned above.

When all else fails, allow yourself a treat in moderation and, most importantly, enjoy it.

25 Non-Dairy Foods with Highest Calcium

Source: USDA

CALCIUM (MG) - ITEM
1) 483 - Cornmeal, self-rising, degermed, enriched, yellow 1 cup

2) 423 - Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, self-rising, enriched 1 cup

3) 357 - Collards, frozen, chopped, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1
cup

4) 348 - Rhubarb, frozen, cooked, with sugar 1 cup

5) 325 - Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone 3
oz

6) 291 - Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, without
salt 1 cup

7) 272 - Spinach, canned, drained solids 1 cup

8) 266 - Collards, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

9) 261 - Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

10) 249 - Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup


11) 245 - Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

12) 218 - Breadcrumbs, dry, grated, seasoned 1 cup

13) 211 - Cowpeas (Blackeyes), immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained,
without salt 1 cup

14) 197 - Turnip greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

15) 191 - Beans, white, mature seeds, canned 1 cup

16) 181 - Fish, salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone and liquid 3 oz

17) 179 - Kale, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

18) 177 - Okra, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

19) 175 - Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

20) 172 - Molasses, blackstrap 1 tbsp

21) 164 - Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

22) 163 - Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride
1/4 block

23) 159 - Snacks, trail mix, regular, with chocolate chips, salted nuts and
seeds 1 cup

24) 158 - Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
1 cup

25) 154 - Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce 1 cup

25 Non-Dairy Foods with Highest Calcium

Source: USDA

CALCIUM (MG) - ITEM
1) 483 - Cornmeal, self-rising, degermed, enriched, yellow 1 cup

2) 423 - Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, self-rising, enriched 1 cup

3) 357 - Collards, frozen, chopped, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1
cup

4) 348 - Rhubarb, frozen, cooked, with sugar 1 cup

5) 325 - Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone 3
oz

6) 291 - Spinach, frozen, chopped or leaf, cooked, boiled, drained, without
salt 1 cup

7) 272 - Spinach, canned, drained solids 1 cup

8) 266 - Collards, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

9) 261 - Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

10) 249 - Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup


11) 245 - Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

12) 218 - Breadcrumbs, dry, grated, seasoned 1 cup

13) 211 - Cowpeas (Blackeyes), immature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained,
without salt 1 cup

14) 197 - Turnip greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

15) 191 - Beans, white, mature seeds, canned 1 cup

16) 181 - Fish, salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone and liquid 3 oz

17) 179 - Kale, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

18) 177 - Okra, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

19) 175 - Soybeans, mature cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

20) 172 - Molasses, blackstrap 1 tbsp

21) 164 - Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 1 cup

22) 163 - Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride
1/4 block

23) 159 - Snacks, trail mix, regular, with chocolate chips, salted nuts and
seeds 1 cup

24) 158 - Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
1 cup

25) 154 - Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce 1 cup

Top 25 Foods with Highest Fiber Content

Foods with Highest Fiber – Top 25
Source: USDA

FIBER (GRAMS) - ITEM
1) 31.2 - Barley, pearled, raw 1 cup

2) 25.6 - Bulgur, dry 1 cup

3) 19.1 - Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

4) 17.9 - Beans, baked, canned, with franks 1 cup

5) 16.4 - Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, canned 1 cup

6) 16.3 - Peas, split, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

7) 15.6 - Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

8) 15.4 - Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

9) 15.0 - Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

10) 14.6 - Wheat flour, whole-grain 1 cup

11) 14.5 - Oat bran, raw 1 cup

12) 14.2 - Dates, deglet noor 1 cup

13) 13.4 - Refried beans, canned (includes USDA commodity) 1 cup

14) 13.2 - Lima beans, large, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

15) 13.2 - Beans, baked, canned, with pork and sweet sauce 1 cup

16) 13.1 - Beans, kidney, red, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

17) 12.6 - Beans, white, mature seeds, canned 1 cup

18) 12.5 - Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

19) 12.4 - Beans, great northern, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

20) 12.0 - Buckwheat flour, whole-groat 1 cup

21) 11.8 - Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added 1 cup

22) 11.6 - Lima beans, large, mature seeds, canned 1 cup

23) 11.2 - Cowpeas, common (blackeyes, crowder, southern), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt 1 cup

24) 11.2 - Soup, bean with ham, canned, chunky, ready-to-serve, commercial 1 cup

25) 11.0 - Raspberries, frozen, red, sweetened 1 cup