Too Much Information

You may have heard that New York City is requiring more than 2,000 chain restaurants to post the caloric content of foods. The regulation was supposed to take effect yesterday, but a judge has delayed the enforcement after the New York Restaurant Association protested. The only restaurants required to post calorie counts are chain restaurants with at least 15 outlets nationwide.

While the regulation has not been enforced, some chains have started posting anyway. New Yorkers were in for a surprise when stepping up to the counter at Starbucks and seeing a 480 calorie "calorie tag" next to their blueberry scone.

What do you think of restaurant chains being forced to post the calories for their foods? Do you want to see the calories or would you rather enjoy your meal without thinking about the caloric price tag?

In my line of work, I am happy to see more awareness around calories. While some people are shocked and choose not to order a food item based on calories, others simply ignore the numbers and order it anyway. For those people trying to either lose weight or prevent future weight gain, having calories posted makes it infinitely easier to keep track of what they are eating. You don't have to pay attention to the calorie tags if you don't want to. It is still all about choice.

Photo of blueberry scone courtesy of megan @ flickr

Labels: calories, restaurants, Tara Gidus

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Skinny Mocha

If you are a Caffe Mocha drinker at Starbucks....listen up! Starbucks has just announced that it has Sugar Free Mocha syrup for it's Caffe Mochas! This is huge news....the mocha is one of the most popular drinks at Starbucks, and as you know, Starbucks is everywhere! Even if you don't get your coffee from Starbucks, keep reading because you may get some tips on how to lighten up the calories of your coffee drink.

A Tall (12 oz) Mocha contains almost as many calories as some of us should be having for a meal! If you are ordering a larger size, remember that you are ordering a lot more calories, too.
Tall Mocha (made with mocha syrup, whole milk, whipped cream)
290 calories
15 grams of fat
9 grams saturated fat
25 grams of sugar

Here's how to Skinny it down: Order it with nonfat milk, sugar free syrup, and no whip
Skinny Mocha
90 calories
0 grams fat
0 grams saturated fat
12 grams sugar (it is naturally in milk)

Tips to make your drink skinnier:

1. Use sugar free syrups. Starbucks has sugar free caramel, hazelnut, or cinnamon dolce syrups. Most coffee shops have at least one sugar free syrup to choose from. They contain zero calories and zero fat.
2. Skip the whip. You can ask for extra foam instead. Depending on the drink, skipping the whip can save you 60-110 calories and 6-11 grams of fat.
3. Switch to lower fat milk. Most coffee places will have 2%, nonfat, or soy milk. You can save up to 120 calories and 15 grams of fat!
4. Add sugar free sweeteners (Splenda, Equal, etc) to your drink to satisfy your sweet tooth.
5. In the summertime, an iced coffee or frozen Frappucino can hit the spot. Get the light variety and you can save yourself up to 250 calories!

Nutritional Bonus:
A 12 oz latte has a full serving of milk and contributes 30% of your calcium for the day!

To find out how many calories are in your morning Starbucks drink, click here.
20 Starbucks beverages for less than 200 calories.

Logo and coffee photo courtesy of starbucks.com

Labels: calories, coffee, Starbucks, Tara Gidus

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