Is diet soda making you fat?

We talk a lot about "look what we have, but if you never have thought that you ate, but instead looked only what you drink, you probably could cut 450 calories a day in your life that almost one pound of fat is trimmed each week! This is a study at the University of North Carolina found. Americans now drink about 192 gallons of fluid per year, or about 2 liters a day. To put it in perspective, it is almost twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When faced with a growing wave of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response: "Why not just drink diet soda?" Well, for several reasons. Eat this, not! did some research and discovered some hard truths for the low caloric value (and food free) drinks. History is not as clear as you suspect, and this may make you think twice the next time you're looking for a thirst-drinking.

Hard Truth # 1

Just because diet soda low in calories does not mean that it can not lead to an increase in weight.

It may be only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research shows that consumers sugary-tasting drinks, even if they are artificially sweetened, can lead to a high preference for sweetness in general. This means that the sweeter (and more calories), corn, bread, dessert-all. Given is 15 calories per teaspoon of sugar is not good news if you're watching your weight.

Hard Truth # 2

Guzzling these drinks throughout the day replaces healthy beverages like.

Diet soda is 100 percent of nutrient-free, and it is important to remember that all this is useless to occupy space fluid, which could be more healthy alternatives. On the positive side, it means you do not take in the equally non-nutritious, calorie and sugar packed options. But just as important to take an active drink good thing as it is to avoid this bad thing. Thus, one diet soda a day is fine, but if you Downing five or six cans, it means that you restrict your inbox healthy beverages, particularly water and tea, which is high in antioxidants.

In addition, a recent study from Johns Hopkins have found that limiting calorie liquid is a more effective way to lose weight than the restriction of calories from food. There is no place better than anything on the Elimination of our list of the 20 unhealthiest drink in America.

Hard Truth # 3

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give a diet Sodas their flavor.

Aspartame 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal studies linked the consumption of high amounts of sugar with brain tumors and lymphomas in rodents. FDA argues that the sugar is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headache, diarrhea, memory loss and changes in mood. Check out our guide to 11 of the most controversial food additive in order to stack up as aspartame.

The bottom line is this: Do you diet soda is good, and it may simply be doing you harm. The best way to hydrate is drinking low-calorie, high-nutrient liquid and the selection of healthy alternatives, like the ones you can find in our list of 16 best drinks swaps.

Now that you have to hold your liquid assets, to modernize the entire grocery list to avoid the worst 13 "health" products in supermarkets.

Top 19 worst drive-thru foods in America :chapter 2

Arby’s Large Mozzarella Sticks
849 calories
56 g fat (26 g saturated fat)
2,730 mg sodium
Anything with as much saturated fat as a Triple Whopper should not be called a side. If it’s cheese you crave, order the French Dip ‘N Swiss or Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich instead to save more than 500 calories.

Eat This Instead!
Martha’s Vineyard Salad
With Light Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
389 calories
14 g fat (5 g saturated)
923 mg sodium


McDonald's Large Triple Thick Chocolate Milkshake
1,160 calories
27 g fat (16 g saturated fat)
168 g sugar
510 mg sodium
You’d be better off eating two Quarter Pounders than sucking down one of these belt-breaking shakes. Steer clear of milkshakes at the Golden Arches. If you must have a frozen dessert, order a vanilla ice cream cone to save more than 1,000 calories. Make swaps like that every week and watch the pounds melt off!

Eat This Instead!
Vanilla Reduced-Fat Ice Cream Cone
150 calories
3.5 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
18 g sugars
60 mg sodium


Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
720 calories
48 g fat (15 g saturated fat, 12 g trans fats)
1,360 mg sodium
48 g carbohydrates
You probably don’t need us to tell you that bacon, cheese, and fried potatoes are not a healthful trio. What's worse, though, is that Jack in the Box cooks in trans-fatty vegetable shortening, which has been linked to heart disease. It's no secret that French fries can ruin an otherwise sensible meal, but these things take destruction to another level entirely.

Eat This Instead!
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (3)
240 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fats)
420 mg sodium


Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
800 calories
60 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1,745 mg sodium
With 17 more grams of fat than Taco Bell’s Fiesta Taco Salad, this is the worst salad from any drive-thru. The dressing alone sets you back 42.5 grams of fat. Take a look at our list of the worst salads in America and see how this one compares.

Eat This Instead!
Chick-fil-A Southwest Chargrilled Salad with Fat-Free Honey Mustard Dressing
360 calories
8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
1,170 mg sodium


Dairy Queen Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard
990 calories
39 g fat (24 g saturated fat)
114 g sugars
This creation combines ice cream, strawberry syrup, and hunks of cheesecake for a high-fat dairy dessert. If you’re set on a Blizzard, go bananas. A small Banana Split Blizzard has 7 fewer fat grams than the small Oreo, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, or Strawberry CheeseQuake flavors. Or stray from the Blizzard and satisfy your sweet tooth with a small chocolate sundae to save major calories and fat.

Eat This Instead!
Small Chocolate Sundae
280 calories
7 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
42 g sugars


Burger King BIG FISH Sandwich with Tartar Sauce
640 calories
32 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
1,540 mg sodium

Fish is only healthy when it's not breaded and fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Here, the fry treatment translates into 7 grams of trans fats and 108 grams of carbohydrates.


Eat This Instead!
Whopper Jr. without mayo
and Garden Salad
365 calories
12 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
1,230 mg sodium

Hardee's Monster Thickburger
1,420 calories
108 g fat (43 g saturated fat)
2,770 mg sodium
230 mg cholesterol
This burger is called “Monster” for a reason. It’s got the caloric equivalent of almost 6 McDonald’s hamburgers, the saturated fat equivalent of 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon, and the sodium equivalent of 84 saltine crackers. You’ll satisfy nearly an entire day’s worth of calories in one sitting, so opt for the significantly less monstrous Low-Carb Thickburger, instead, and save 1,000 calories that you can allocate to more deserving and nutritious fare.

Eat This Instead!
Low Carb Thickburger
420 calories
32 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1,010 mg sodium


Arby's Roast Turkey and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
708 calories
29 g fat (8 g saturated fat)
1,676 mg sodium
Avoid any sandwich made on honey wheat bread: Two slices contain a staggering 361 calories and 68 grams of carbs. Cut those in half by sticking to a sesame bun.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Cordon Blue Sandwich (grilled)
488 calories
18 g fat (4 g saturated fat)
1,560 mg sodium


Jack in the Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta
690 calories
28 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
1,850 mg sodium
Unlike many other fast food restaurants that have made the shift away from trans fats, Jack in the Box's menu has a number of items with more than 5 grams of the stuff—and some with up to 13 grams of it! There’s no “safe” level of trans fats, but the recommendation is that you don’t eat more than 2 grams of the heart-harming junk per day. Add fries to this sandwich, and you’ll take in three and a half times your daily limit.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Fajita Pita
300 calories
9 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
1,090 mg sodium


Carl’s Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
with Medium Natural Cut Fries and 32 oz Coke
2,618 calories
144 g fat (51.5 g saturated fat)
2,892 mg sodium
Of all the gut-growing, heart-stopping, life-threatening burgers in the fast food world, there is none whose damage to your general well-being is as catastrophic as this. Consider these heart-stopping comparisons: This meal has the caloric equivalent of 13 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donuts; the saturated fat equivalent of 52 strips of bacon; and the salt equivalent of seven and a half large orders of McDonald’s French fries!

Eat This Instead!
Famous Star
with Side Salad with Low Fat Balsamic Dressing and 32 oz Iced Tea
685 calories
38 g fat (10.5 g saturated fat)
1,520 mg sodium

Top 19 worst drive-thru foods in America :chapter 1

Time and money are two things Americans can’t afford to waste. So it’s not surprising (though slightly disappointing) that the drive-thru is considered one of the great inventions of all time. There’s even a study to prove it. In 2005 and 2006, researchers asked 600 adults and teens why they eat so much fast food. Three of the top four responses were it’s quick, easy, and affordable. Taste came in third, with only 69 percent of respondents listing flavor as a factor in their fast-food love.



Drive-thru foods may be convenient and easy on the wallet, but they’re loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, carbohydrates, and sodium. Translation: They’re no bargain when it comes to your health. But jam-packed schedules and a dismal economy make the occasional drive-thru meal a part of life. That’s why Eat This, Not That! studied the open-air menu boards and compiled a list of the worst items out there, plus better alternatives. Avoid these dietary land mines and save more than a few minutes and a couple bucks—how does up to 20 pounds in a year sound?


Worst drink
Sonic Minute Maid Cranberry Juice Slush (“Route 44”–extra large)
616 calories
165 g sugars

In its pure form, antioxidant-packed cranberry juice is a healthy choice. But this Cranberry Juice Slush comes with an asterisk next to the word “cranberry” on the Web site’s nutrition list. That’s probably because only 78 of the whopping 616 calories come from “cranberry flavor”—the rest of the bulk comes from the “slush.” Consider that a code word for sugar overload: the extra-large has the sugar equivalent of six packs of M&Ms. Check out our list of the 20 worst drinks in America to see other equally atrocious beverages.



Drink This Instead!
Cranberry Flavored Tea (medium)
42 calories
10 g sugar


Burger King Spicy Chick’n Crisp Sandwich
450 calories
30 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
810 mg sodium

Lean economic times make the value menu more appealing than ever. And that’s fine—most dollar menus have a few sensible items. But if you eat this sandwich often, saving a few bucks will quickly result in a surplus around your waistline.


Eat This Instead!
Whopper Jr. without mayo
290 calories
12 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
500 mg sodium


Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito
680 calories
30 g fat (10 g saturated fat)
2,120 mg sodium

Ditch this and order two grilled steak soft tacos (or any menu item) "fresco" style and the Bell boys will replace cheese and sauces with a chunky tomato salsa, helping to cut calories in half and fat by at least 25 percent.


Eat This Instead!
Two Grilled Steak Soft Tacos, Fresco Style
320 calories
9 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
1,100 mg sodium


Sonic Chicken Club TOASTER Sandwich
742 calories
46 g fat (11 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,742 mg sodium
How can a chicken sandwich pack so much fat? Start with a fried chicken breast, add bacon, cheese, and mayo, and you're there. Add to that the sodium equivalent of 53 saltine crackers, and you’re looking at a serious dietary disaster. Ditch the chicken for beef and save 10 grams of fat.

Eat This Instead!
Sonic Burger with Mustard
540 calories
25 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
730 mg sodium


Hardee’s Big Chicken Filet Sandwich
800 calories
37 g fat (6 g saturated fat)
1,890 mg sodium
A general rule: Avoid sandwiches with words like “big” and “monster” in the name. Hardee’s Monster Thickburger is another example—it comes in at 1,420 calories, 108 grams of fat, and more saturated fat than you want in two days.

Eat This Instead!
Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
415 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
1,175 mg sodium


Arby’s Roast Beef and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
810 calories
42 g fat (13 g saturated fat)
1,780 mg sodium
The unwholesome trinity of mayo, Italian sub sauce, and processed Swiss cheese make this sandwich the clear loser in the battle of the beef. The Super Roast Beef replaces mayo with a low-cal spicy pepper sauce and totals 370 fewer calories.

Eat This Instead!
Super Roast Beef
440 calories
19 g fat (7 g saturated fat)
1,061 mg sodium


Burger King Kids Double Cheeseburger and Kids Fries with Small Coke
950 calories
42 g fat (17 g saturated fat, 4.5 g trans fats)
1,410 mg sodium
BK's dubious double burger earns the distinction of being the fattiest meal for an on-the-go kid, with nearly a day's worth of saturated fat for the average 8-year-old.

Eat This Instead!
4-piece Chicken Tenders with Strawberry-Flavored Applesauce and unlimited water
280 calories
11 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
440 mg sodium


Dairy Queen 6-Piece Chicken Strip Basket
1,270 calories
67 g fat (11 g saturated fat)
2,910 mg sodium
The strips deliver more grams of fat than four DQ Homestyle Burgers, and nearly 300 more calories than a Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Salad
with Fat-Free Italian Dressing
280 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,550 mg sodium


Jack in the Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
740 calories
55 g fat (17 g saturated fat)
1,430 mg sodium
Skip biscuits at all costs. This one contains nearly a full day’s worth of saturated fat (check out the 8 worst restaurant breakfasts here). Instead try the Bacon Breakfast Jack—16 grams of protein makes it a surprisingly good way to start your day.

Eat This Instead!
Bacon Breakfast Jack
300 calories
14 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
730 mg sodium

Why men & women diet differently

1. Guys can just say "No" to solve the problem of food
Earlier this year, the Brookhaven National Laboratory conducted a study where they presented men and women of their preferred food, and then monitored their brain activity using positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Ladies, men fighting: they have managed to eradicate hunger and their desire to eat, while brain activity among women has shown that many have continued to claim their favorite foods, even after having learned to think of other thing. In other words, we call it "emotional eating," something that the coach and the American Dietetic Association says spokesman Jim White is a "battle" for his female clientele, but not humans. The guy must be too busy thinking about something else or nothing at all?

2. But they are silent when it comes to nutrition
When a woman decides to go on a diet, the first stop, it will probably make health went his groceries. But not for men, "said White. "With women, they are eager to learn," he says. "They seek nutrients, read food labels and focus on healthy cooking and healthy meals." The guys can take a page of this book to learn something or to do what White calls a "grocery store tour" to familiarize yourself with what is healthy and what is undesirable. Just because the chicken does not mean that it is healthy. If this confusion you head to the grocery store or ask a woman nearby.

3. They compete to lose
When you think of Curves, Weight Watchers or other programs for the women, they are all focused on promoting cooperation, holding hands and reaching targets within a group. For men, weight loss is a sport. "If I want to encourage a man to lose weight, I do competitively," said Dr. Robert Vogel, the author of a health plan "The Pritikin Edge." "It will build a friend, may lose more weight, while women will both agree to buy new clothes when they reach their goal. "His intuition is supported in research, where men have achieved better results in studies of incentive for women when they earned money for every pound lost. Sign up for this.

4. Guys do not care no more (but you knew that already)
Studies show that many men tend to food for reasons of health or health scares, rather than appearance. Women are more susceptible to food because of social pressures. Vogel advises the National Football League, and as such, sees many big-bellied, 300-pound offensive lineman to go through his office that are all happy with their size and that their employment is . A woman, on the reverse tends to be compared to its peers. "You never really see a woman of 300 pounds that is prideful about its weight," he said, adding that women "bear the burden of social ostracism." Ultimately, it is less stigmatizing to be overweight, if you're a guy. This means that men are less likely to be dissatisfied with their bodies and women are more likely to obsess about the number of the scale.

5. Muscles question
If both husband and wife began at the same gym regime, it is likely to lose more weight at first because he has more muscle mass. It is also more likely to attack a target of weight loss by exercise. White said that for men, gymnastics is a "business plan", as they begin to come from four to five times a week, "really pumping iron." So here's an area where women can take their index Hunks without throwing that "I want to be lean, not muscular" excuse. "The truth is, you can not lose weight and keep it out of an exercise without a plan, "says Vogel. And this, together with the counting calories thing is a rule system that applies to both sexes.

best foods for your waist (2)

continue from last post...

Reorganization: couscous
Reach for: wheat or quinoa

It turns out that couscous has the same nutritional value as a white paste, like Penne or Rigatoni. The same amount of wheat, less calories, and three times to fill you up fiber. Quinoa is high in fiber, is a big plus, this source of protein (for a couple of pieces of chicken). Play around a variety of crops, or a wild black rice, Farro, or amaranth. You will see that you love It is much healthier than white rice or pasta.


Reorganization: meat of turkey
Reach for: Extra-lean ground sirloin

Surprising, is not it? If the label states that "the land of turkey, or turkey breast, you actually get a combination of white meat, dark meat, and even some skin in which all add up to 325 calories and 20 grams of fat for a 5 - ounce serving. Compare that to 95 percent lean ground beef, which has 240 calories and 10 grams of fat. Lean beef provides as a good helping of iron - almost five times more than Turkey.

Reorganization: Canned Chickpeas
Reach for: low sodium-red, black or white beans

Chickpeas are hidden: they, like beans, but with more fat and calories. Adding more to your salad well. But the main ingredient, try black, red or white beans, which have no fat, large amounts of protein, fewer calories and a lot of nutrients like zinc and folic acid. Canned beans have a lot of salt, so choose low-sodium variety.

Reorganization: Tricolor pasta
Reach for: whole wheat pasta

Many people remember about filling their dinner plates with colorful food, so they can choose Tricolor pasta instead of white. But there are almost no spinach, beets and other vegetables in each serving. In addition, fiber and iron content is identical to that in a simple white pasta - that is, less of these nutrients than whole wheat pasta. The best choice of colors for brown paste. Although they have similar charges calories, total wheat versions more fiber than white, so you recharge faster and eat less.

Reorganization: Banana chips
Reach for: Dried apricots

Talk about that food just sounds good health! Most deep-fried banana chips with 220 calories and 15 grams of fat in half a cup - yikes! The same amount of dried apricots, on the other hand, about 150 calories and less than 1 gram of fat (plus a load of vitamin A). Buy organic and you'll also avoid sulphites, which can cause migraines and even disrupt sleep.

Reorganization: goat cheese
Reach for: feta cheese

Both cheeses have a strong flavor, so the good news is, as a rule, you do not go overboard with the serving size. Greek salad is a staple good bet, but: It has about 4 grams of saturated fat in the serving, compared with 7 grams of goat cheese, and about 15 fewer calories per ounce.

best foods for your waist

Smart shoppers often get tripped up by seemingly healthy products which do not have enough vitamins and nutrients, and relatively high in calories and fat. To help keep your waistline in check with your food nutrition boost, Health magazine offers 10 compromises that at your next visit to the grocery store.

Reorganization: Grapes
Reach for: Raspberries

Although grapes heart healthy, they are very low in fiber and vitamins. Raspberries are a source of soluble fiber, which help reduce bad cholesterol and makes you feel full faster - good news for your waistline. Save money when buying frozen raspberries, which are out of season.

Reorganization: Beets
Reach for: Asparagus

Beets just look good, is not it? And they taste sweet (even sweeter if you roast them.) But there are reasons for this. Beets total sugar, sending your blood sugar glycemic slides. If blood sugar goes up and down, you are hungry faster, so you eat more frequently. It also leads you to store extra calories as fat. Smart alternative? Asparagus. Like beets, this is delicious grilled, but it has the advantage that much less sugar. Plus, the grass high in folic acid and vitamin C.

Reorganization: Vanilla soy milk
Reach for: skim milk

Vanilla soy milk dessert rather than substitute for milk or a good source of soy. If you're not lactose-intolerant to choose skim milk, which has a lot of calcium but not fat or sugar. (Even the plain soy milk a little more calories and fat than skim milk.) If you can not get out of vanilla-soy-milk habit, use a little coffee, but not in a big bowl of cereal or a smoothie.

Reorganization: Vitamin enriched water
Reach for: subject seltzer

One bottle of fortified vitamin water may have more sugar and calories than you can of cola! And vitamins are negligible compared to the amount of sugar you get. Replace it with a flavored seltzer (zero calories), or not-Cal taste of water (eg, tips), which contains no artificial sweeteners or added sugar.

to be continued..

Toum Raider: Garlic Delight

There is a wonderful Lebanese fast-food outpost in Hollywood, California, which, like a sweet siren song, invited me back to the west coast. Zankou Chicken, also known as the undisputed delicacy of his famous grilled chicken, and their surprising lack of atmosphere, is a sort of late night spot to go for those needing a review of poultry. However, in Zankou Chicken (as good as it is) would just be chicken, if not for the support of the Lebanese spicy garlic sauce simply called Touma. Unfortunately, life in New York, I am thousands of miles away from my next Zankou experience, but fortunately not too far from Touma.


Frieda's Garlic Delight is basically Touma, a shake of garlic spread with lemon juice, salt, canola oil, and yes ... lots of garlic. While it may seem a bit overwhelming for those who are intolerant to garlic, it is much less severe than what you expected and exceptionally versatile. Available in four flavors, including Sun dried tomatoes, chipotle, olive green and Original (only pure garlic) Garlic pleasure because it is a paste, could be used as a marinade or sufficiently dilute with a little olive oil to be used as a dressing or a light pasta sauce.


Made without preservatives, no dairy, no eggs, no gluten and, Garlic Delight is a simple, refreshing and minimal, and the vibrant flavor. Those of you who, like the kick of fresh garlic, without doubt, polish off a tub with nothing but a few crackers, crudités, or fingers (if nobody is watching). I thought we worked exceptionally well launched with steamed vegetables and a light paste marinade for grilled salmon. If allowed, Garlic Delight could easily become a refrigerator staple for use in many recipes, snack or just embarrassing.


Frieda's Garlic Delight is available in four flavors (Original, sun-dried tomato, olive green and chipotle) and are sold in 7-ounce tubes in the refrigerated section of select Foodtown, Shoprite, Stater Bros., Whole Foods Markets and online.