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Beer Breakdown

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:17:12 PST

With Super Bowl Sunday this weekend, I'm sure you're planning on washing down your bowl of chili with a cold one. I sometimes call beer "liquid bread" because of all the carbs, so it's good to know that not all beers are created equally, especially when it comes to calories.

If you're watching your waistline and enjoying an ice cold brew, you'll probably want see how they compare. The numbers may surprise you. Keep reading to find out which beer contains the fewest calories.

Warm Up With This Hot Beverage Breakdown

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:19:10 PST

With old man Winter blowing in, get in from the cold and warm up with a steamy cup of something delicious. Check out the nutritional breakdown for some of your favorites hot drinks.

Drink	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Carbs(g)	Sugar (g)	Protein (g)
8 oz. hot chocolate, skim milk, no whipped cream	128	1.2	25.2	21.2	7.2
8 oz. hot chocolate, 2 percent milk, no whipped cream	156	4.4	24.8	20.8	6.8
8 oz. hot chocolate, whole milk, whipped cream	230	12	28	24	7
8 oz. hot chocolate, soy milk, no whipped cream	150	3.5	28	23	6

Don't see your favorite? Keep reading to see the calories in other hot beverages.

Trim Calories Off 3 Wintry, Hot Beverages

Heather Dale — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:16:39 PST

I've somehow managed to trick my brain into thinking that as long as I'm eating healthy, there's still room in my diet for hot, delicious beverages - especially at this time of year when a warm drink in your hands feels heavenly. But who am I kidding, most hot bevvies are full of sugar and calories. You don't need to give up on warm sippables, just try these calorie-cutting tricks on your favorite wintry drinks.

What Is Your Energizing Morning Beverage of Choice?

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:06:47 PST

We're approaching Winter Solstice, and it seems like every morning it's harder to wake up, because it's still so dark outside. To revive yourself and prepare for a productive day ahead, what beverage do you first reach for in the morning? Tell us in the comments below what's your go-to energizing beverage.

Sip on This: Green Juice Loaded With Antioxidants

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:52:51 PST

Fresh green juice might be the "next frozen yogurt" in terms of a trendy, healthy snack. What could possibly be better for you than a glass of homemade, fresh-pressed vegetables and fruits? This is a super easy, delicious, and addictive green juice recipe that you can happily indulge in to rake up your daily values. Apples are high in vitamin C and naturally sweeten the beverage. Antioxidant-rich spinach and parsley are also high in vitamin A and C and iron. Cucumber and lemon add flavor and immune-boosting phytonutrients. Warming and spicy ginger aids digestion.

See juice recipe.

Starbucks Holiday Drinks: Not So Cheery After All

FitSugar — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:30:22 PST

If you're heading into the closest Starbucks for a caffeinated pick-me-up, you'll notice some tasty holiday specials. These fun beverages not only bring you extra holiday cheer, but they also bring you extra calories (and lots of them). Check out the stats on these 16 ounce Grandes.

Gingerbread Latte with whipped cream: 320 calories, 13 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 grams of carbs, and 37 grams of sugar.
Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream: 420 calories, 14 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 68 grams of carbs, and 64 grams of sugar.
Eggnog Latte: 460 calories, 21 grams of fat, 140 milligrams of cholesterol, 53 grams of carbs, and 48 grams of sugar.

Keep reading to find out which Starbucks drinks are better for your waistline.

A Healthy Smoothie Recipe For Every Meal of the Day

Michele Foley — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:07:20 PDT

Whether it's for breakfast, dessert, or a post-workout snack, there's never a bad time to enjoy a smoothie. While a smoothie may seem overly complicated to make, it's not. Grab your ingredients, throw them in a blender, and go. What's so great is that the ingredient possibilities for shakes and smoothies are endless. Keep reading to see which healthy smoothies we're blending up!

The Brazier: Vegan Chocolate Shake From Thrive Juice Bar

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:32:09 PDT

When I spoke to professional triathlete Brendan Brazier, he said that one of his readers was so inspired by the Thrive Diet (a vegan, mostly raw nutrition plan) that the reader opened a juice and smoothie bar dedicated to Brendan's book Thrive. Brendan added, "He's actually made my original smoothie recipes even better." In his latest book, Thrive Foods: 200 Plant-Based Recipes for Peak Health ($13), Brendan has included a few revamped smoothie recipes courtesy of his fan back at Thrive Juice Bar.

I decided to make "The Brazier," which is essentially a healthy chocolate shake. For the vanilla vegan gelato, I used So Delicious Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk ice cream with no sugar added. The recipe is not overly sweet, and I think the shake would be a great post-workout drink or a dessert substitute for adults and kids alike. I found the recipe is a little thin for my taste, so after I initially tried The Brazier, I reblended it with half of an avocado to give it a thicker, heavier texture reminiscent of a chocolate milkshake.

Tell me what you think after you make your own Brazier smoothie.

Join the Kombucha Craze and See How It's Made

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:08:34 PDT

Have you noticed that your health food markets have stocked fridges full of kombucha? In only a few years, kombucha has become king of the healthy beverage craze. Loved for its fizziness and signature sweet and sour flavor, fans of kombucha also love its probiotics, B vitamins, and beneficial acids - kombucha is practically liquid gold with the cost of a 16-ounce bottle averaging $4. It should be noted, however, that this traditional Eastern-originating brew has not undergone Western scientific research to support all of its health claims.

We met up with brewmaster Otto Thorsen of Three Stone Hearth, a community cooperative kitchen in Berkeley, CA, to learn the basics of brewing a delicious kombucha tea. Stay tuned for a detailed recipe for black tea kombucha and my experience making a home brew.

Nutritional Comparison: 5 Sugar-Free, All-Natural Sodas

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:21:06 PDT

It's tempting to go for a diet soda when you're craving something sweet and don't want to consume extra calories, but with research linking diet soda to weight gain, it might be time to reach for an alternative. We looked at five popular beverages that claim their sodas are pure, "sugar-free," and natural. Here's what we found, so you can make a better choice the next time you are cracking one open.