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Saturday 30 April 2016

4 Surprising Reasons to Eat Ugly Fruit

We talk about eating ugly fruit and vegetables from a food waste perspective, but there may be an even more personal reason to reach for that blemished apple. Ugly produce might just be more nutritious, and it’s definitely better for the planet.
Eliza Greenman is a long-time apple farmer and self-described ”farmer activist.” She also makes hard cider from the apples she grows. Greenman has been growing apples for a long time, and she’s passionate about conservation and reducing food waste. But for her, the food waste issue is about more than keeping food out of our landfills. That’s an important part of why we need to embrace ugly fruits and vegetables, but it’s not the only reason.
In an unofficial experiment, Greenman tested blemished and unblemished Parma apples from her orchard and found that the ugly apples contained more sugar. That means that the ugly fruit was better for making the cider that she produces. She says that blemished produce, like the apples she tested, may also be more nutritious. 
It comes down to stress. Greenman told NPR’s The Salt that ugly fruit gets blemished because it’s fighting pests and disease. That causes stress on the plant, and there’s some good evidence that this stress results in more nutritious fruits and vegetables.

On her own blog, Greenman recently dove into a number of unconventional reasons to eat ugly produce.
  1. Beautiful produce pollutes the water. To make produce beautiful, farmers have to keep pests and fungus at bay. That means spraying gallons and gallons of essentially unnecessary pesticides and fungicides on crops. These chemicals get into waterways, causing pollution.
  2. Beautiful produce is not diverse. To get uniform-looking fruit and veggies, farmers grow fewer varieties. They stick to the prettiest ones. That’s bad news for food biodiversity and food security. Since the 1900s, diversity in our food supply has shockingly dwindled from hundreds of varieties for each crop to dozens at best. Bananas are a good example of how biodiversity loss threatens the future of food.
  3. Ugly produce is healthier. Ugly produce grows under more stress, and the plant responds by feeding more nutrients to the fruit. In another post on her blog, Greenman points to a study supporting this idea. It’s definitely an area that needs more research, but so far, results favor ugly produce.
  4. Beautiful produce costs more. Our obsession with perfect-looking food means that farmers aren’t selling as much of what they grow.
Luckily, eating ugly is catching on. A number of companies now sell products made from blemished fruits and veggies. A company called Fruitcycle is using ugly fruit to create nutritious snacks, and Misfit Juicery is turning it into cold-pressed juices. You can also get sauces and chutneys made from ugly produce from the company Rubies in the Rubble. One California company is taking ugly food advocacy a step further. Rather than processing blemished produce into something else, Imperfect Produce offers it up for delivery at affordable prices.
As a shopper, the best place to find blemished produce is at the farmer’s market. Many grocery stores won’t accept imperfect fruits and vegetables, but at the market, farmers have the freedom to sell what they grow, no matter how it looks. Next time you’re shopping for apples at the farmer’s market, maybe don’t pass up the one with a few blotches and spots on it. 

7 FOODS YOU SHOULD NEVER NUKE

You may have heard the infamous nutrition myth about microwaves—that they zap vegetables of their vital disease-fighting nutrients. Well, while this may not be true—microwaves actually preserve more of their vitamins and minerals than other cooking methods, according to the FDA—there are certain foods that you should absolutely keep out of yours. The following items either explode, smoke, or do some other crazy-terrifying thing when nuked.
WHOLE EGGS
Hard boiling a few eggs in advance can provide you with enough nutrient-packed snacks to last you the whole week. Throw them on a toast, eat them plain like an apple, or sprinkle them with salt—but whatever you do, do notmicrowave them whole because apparently hard boiled eggs have been known to explode when microwaved. Yes, explode. And there's a twist. The explosion usually happens after the egg is microwaved, which means it can happen when it's on your plate or even in your mouth when you take the first bite. This happens both with eggs in their shell or peeled because pressure from steam built up inside of the egg turns a seemingly innocent snack into a ticking timebomb.  
PROCESSED MEATS 
We've warned you about processed meats before because of the multitude of chemicals and preservatives they contain. Well, it turns out they get even worse when you microwave them. How you cook, store, and reheat processed meat can contribute to the production of cholesterol oxidation products, which can be more harmful to arterial cells than pure cholesterol and are more directly connected to heart disease. One study found that microwaving meat resulted in higher production of COPs in sausages, bacon, and lunch meat, compared with other cooking methods.
HOT PEPPERS 
Talk about hot peppers packing a fiery punch! Microwaving one of these spicy veggies will not only result in a smoking veggie, but also possibly set them aflame. And the capsaicin—the chemical that makes hot peppers hot—is released in the nuking process. So when you open up your microwave, capsaicin will be released into the air, causing your eyes to sting and your throat to burn. Who knew a little microwaving action could turn into a booby trap? 
RED PASTA SAUCE 
We've all been there. You wanna heat up last night's delicious leftover pasta for a quick and easy lunch, so you place a bowl of tomato sauce in the microwave to get it ready for a big bowl of pasta and nuke it for a couple of minutes. And then you hear a pop-pop-pop and your microwave is covered in splatters of red sauce. This happens because the thick consistency of the tomato sauce makes it difficult for particles to move around easily, so steam pressure builds up underneath the surface until it finally erupts to release the steam, sending the sauce flying. We suggest heating sauce up on the stove, where you can constantly stir the sauce as it heats up to release the steam and pressure.
GRAPES 
Although grapes are made up of mostly water, they can actually ignite when they're microwaved. Videos of grapes spewing white-hot, fiery plasma (yes, plasma) have made their way across the internet. And although the people behind the camera are often trying to make this happen, we still suggest staying away from nuking them to be safe.
While grapes explode into flames when microwaved, their more wrinkly cousins—raisins—reportedly tend to smoke when they're nuked. Although we weren't able to totally verify this claim, we suspect it has to do with the high amounts of sugar that grapes contain. After sugar melts, it quickly begins to create smoke.  
FROZEN MEAT 
Using the microwave to thaw out frozen meat may be quick and easy, but uneven distribution of heat can cause some areas to overcook while others remain frozen. Studies have shown that this can allow bacteria to grow in the areas left cold, making them potential sources of food-borne diseases. We suggest sticking to the good ol' method of defrosting your frozen meats in the fridge overnight—totally worth the extra time.
7BREAST MILK
Some new moms freeze their breast milk and thaw it when needed. This common and convenient tactic can save time and usually totally safe—except if they use the microwave to thaw the milk. While it's quicker than waiting around for the milk to thaw naturally, a microwave tends to heat baby's milk unevenly, resulting in (often undetected) "hot spots" that can scald a baby's mouth and throat. The FDA suggests heating up breast milk or formula in hot tap water or on the stove in a pan, always shaking the bottle, and testing the formula on the back of your hand. 

Valuable Advice From Old People On How To Live A Long And Happy Life (2 pics)



Inside Biggest Salt Mines Of Sicily (38 pics)

Photographer Antonino Savojardo, who has recently visited the island, captured these amazing and impressive pictures of salt mines located there.






































Friday 29 April 2016

One Easy Exercise With 31 Proven Health and Fitness Benefits

What if I told you there’s an exercise that has more than 31 major benefits including everything from lowering your body fat percentage to toning your abs, decreasing lower back pain and reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke?
With so many Americans concerned about the cost of health care, this exercise can positively impact eight out of the 10 most costly health conditions in the U.S. (Heart disease, cancer, COPD, asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis and back problems.)
This exercise will also improve your mood, boost endorphins, reduce fatigue and lower your stress hormones as well.
What's more, this exercise is absolutely free and and you don't need a lot of time: Only 15-40 minutes a day five days a week will tone and trim your body, vastly improve your health and could even save your life.
Group of women walking
Some of you have probably guessed that I'm talking about walking!
How Americans Compare to Other Nations
In a study published in October 2010 in the journal "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise," researchers used pedometers to track the steps of 1,136 American adults.  They found that people living in the U.S. take fewer steps than adults in Australia, Switzerland and Japan.
* Australians averaged 9,695 steps a day.
* Swiss averaged 9,650, steps a day.
* Japanese averaged 7,168 steps a day.
Americans averaged just 5,117 steps a day.
According to the CDC, 36 percent of Americans are obese, while a 2010 Reuters article states that “During the past decade Australia, Japan and Switzerland have reported obesity rates of 16 percent, 3 percent and 8 percent, respectively.”

And it’s not just lower obesity rates; it’s longer life expectancy as well. As A 2013 CNN article reported, 2011 data shows that 27 countries (including those daily walkers in Australia, Switzerland and Japan!) have higher life expectancies at birth than the United States.
WALKING-infographic_556
Here Are 31 of the Proven Health Benefits of Walking:
* It increases mood-enhancing neurotransmitters and reduces the stress hormone cortisol, helping you feel less anxious or sad.
* Can lead to a longer life. Research by the University of Michigan Medical School and the Veterans Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System says those who exercise regularly in their fifties and sixties are 35 percent less likely to die over the next eight years than their non-walking counterparts.
* Decreases knee pain and stiffness by keeping joints lubricated.
* Lowers the risk of fractures. A Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, study of post-menopausal women found that 30 minutes of walking each day reduced their risk of hip fractures by 40 percent.
* Reduces women's risk of stroke by 20 percent when they walk 30 minutes a day - by 40 percent when they step up the pace — according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
* Boosts endorphins, lowering stress, fatigue and anger in 10 minutes and lowers blood pressure by five points.
* Reduces glaucoma risk by reducing the pressure inside the eye, which lowers your chance of developing glaucoma, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
* May cut Alzheimer's disease risk by 50 percent over five years, and for women, reduce colon cancer risk by 31 percent.
* Decreases the odds of catching a cold by 30-50 percent.
* Tones ab muscles, builds bone mass and reduces risk of osteoporosis and reduces low back pain by 40 percent.
* 54 percent lower risk of heart attack with two to four hours of fast walking per week.
* 30-40 percent less risk of coronary heart disease with three hours of brisk walking per week.
* 54 percent lower death rates for type 2 diabetics who walk three to four hours per week.
* Helps prevent and manage arthritis.
In its report on “The benefits of regular walking for health, well-being and the environment," (I highly recommend you read the full report!) the British charity C3 Collaborating for Health mentions that walking:
* Decreases body weight, BMI, body fat percentage and waist circumference and increases muscle endurance.
* Increases HDL ("good") cholesterol.
* Significantly reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
* Increases heart and respiratory fitness in adults with type 2 diabetes.
* Reduces physical symptoms of anxiety associated with minor stress.
* Improves sleep quality and is associated with better cognitive performance.
* Increases the size of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, potentially beneficial for memory. (Check out the study on this one.)
Wear a pedometer to track your steps.
How to Get StartedAt work, go outside during your lunch break and walk for 15-40 minutes for four or five days a week. Ask your co-workers to take walking meetings.
At home, make walking your catch-up time with your family. My husband and I try to always walk our dogs together for 15-20 minutes every night.
Every 10 minutes more you walk at a decent pace is about 1,000 more steps or more.

What Do I Need?It's a great idea to invest in a pair of supportive shoes designed primarily for walking. Cross-training and running shoes are not designed for walking. As The Walking Site points out, “A walker’s foot hits heel first and then rolls gradually from heel-to-toe. So, you will need a flexible sole and more bend in the toe than a runner. You should be able to twist and bend the toe area.”
Two brands of walking shoes that I have tried and found to be very comfortable include Prospecs (which come in cool colors too) and Asics (if you prefer more neutral colors).

The 7 Best Breakfast Sandwiches and 8 to Avoid

Starting your morning sitting down to a hot cup of joe and a fresh, homemade breakfast sandwich sounds pretty darn good, doesn’t it? But, come on, we’re all realists here, and we know the odds of this happening (especially on a weekday) are, well…. Let’s just say it doesn’t look so good.
So sink your teeth into this tasty little morsel of knowledge: Some of the most popular prepared breakfast sandwiches can be surprisingly wholesome! Others are nutritionally questionable and processed to such a degree that they’ve practically reached “fake food” status. So how do you know when to say “yes, please” or “no way, JosĆ©”? No need to fret: We did the homework for you!
So if you plan to steer your car to the nearest quick-service restaurant or push a cart to the frozen aisle at your local market, we’re giving you a cheat sheet of the best and the worst breakfast sandwiches (and wraps and burritos too). For our criteria, we scrutinized every ingredient list and pored over key nutritional information, including overall calories, “bad” fats, protein and sodium. The result? Our 15 best and works picks!

What’s In (or Not In) the Best Breakfast Sandwiches?

The healthiest prepared breakfast-sandwich bets have ingredient lists that read like recipes, not pseudoscience experiments! The best of the best won’t be ultraprocessed and will never, ever, ever contain artificial colors or flavors or scary amounts of preservatives! They’ll provide nutrient-rich ingredients like eggs and veggies and, ideally, at least some whole grains to kick-start your day in a “real” way.
Per serving, calories can range widely from 150 to 400 calories. When on the lower end of the calorie spectrum, the sandwich can be served as an entrĆ©e with a side, like yogurt or berries (or both). If it’s on the higher end, it can count as a meal.
The healthiest choices will provide a minimum of eight grams of protein (preferably more!) — since your body needs protein 24-7. Plus, they’ll provide less than eight grams of saturated fat, less than 800 milligrams of sodium, and absolutely zero grams of trans fats, so your heart will still respect you the next morning.
(P.S.: If you’re a culinary wiz and prefer preparing your own morning ’wich, simply use this same criteria.) 

BEST: Evol LEAN & FIT: Egg White, Kale, Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese on Flatbread

If you’re cutting calories like crazy, this 150-calorie breakfast flatbread sandwich will surely fit into most weight-loss plans — and lacto-ovo vegetarian diets in general. But this slim sandwich has lots more to brag about.
It’s carb-friendly (with just 19 grams of total carbs) and features an egg white patty made with cage-free, certified humane eggs. The natural additions of kale, tomato and goat cheese kick up the tastiness and trendiness. But do enjoy a side dish with it, even if you’re painstakingly counting every calorie. A 150-calorie food, even when it’s got swagger, only counts as a snack or small entrĆ©e for a “normal” human being!
Per Serving: 150 calories, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 grams of protein, 400 milligrams of sodium
Fall in LOVE with EVOL's healthy bfast sandwich.
BEST: Sweet Earth Vegan Get Cultured! Burrito
Want a punch of gut-friendly probiotics in the morning? Sure, have a plain ol’ yogurt. Or you can grab this hipster-friendly, GMO-free vegan burrito — with a potential 1 billion probiotic cultures. That’ll get you goin’!
Its eight grams of fiber will sure help too. And if all that’s not reason enough, enjoy it because it’s delish. The vitamin A-rich, veggie-packed filling is Korean-inspired, featuring cabbage, fermented red pepper, edamame, ginger, spinach and seasoned organic tofu. A total win-win!
Per Serving: 260 calories, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 12 grams of protein, 550 milligrams of sodium
How cultured is your breakfast burrito?
BEST: Good Food Made Simple Chicken Chorizo CafƩ Wrap
Chorizo is not a health food! Or is it? If it’s handmade from antibiotic-free chicken thigh, seasonings and no chemical preservatives, it can absolutely be part of a nourishing breakfast. You’re in luck, because that’s exactly what you’ll find in this morning omelet wrap.
It contains cage-free egg whites, antibiotic-free “real” cheese, potatoes, black beans and whole veggies, including scallions, red and green peppers and salsa. Its Cajun spices will wake up your taste buds too.
Per Serving: 360 calories, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 17 grams of protein, 580 milligrams of sodium
Chicken and Chorizo? Need we say more?
BEST: Panera Bread Avocado, Egg White & Spinach Breakfast Power Sandwich
Panera Bread has a “clean” food policy which means you’ll get high-quality ingredients without artificial trans fat and artificial additives. Your biggest worry will probably be how much food to order. One item you’ll definitely want to try at breakfast time is this all-natural vegetarian sandwich.
You’ll get egg whites, fresh avocado, baby spinach, tomato and a luscious slice of Vermont white cheddar, all served on a freshly baked sprouted-grain bagel flat. Sounds pretty good, huh? Oh, and by the way, it’s got more than half of the iron you’ll need in an entire day. Now that’s real power!
Per Serving: 400 calories, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 12 grams of protein, 480 milligrams of sodium
Avocado on a breakfast sandwich? Done!
BEST: Starbucks Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
When you want a bite along with your morning cup of java or tall tea, here’s a pretty nourishing pick (unless you’re a vegetarian). It’s one way to actually have your bacon and eat it too. That’s because this sandwich includes turkey bacon that doesn’t contain the harmful preservative sodium nitrite!
This breakfast bite also contains cage-free egg whites and reduced-fat white cheddar cheese on an organic wheat English muffin that contains mainly whole-grain wheat. It’s just 230 calories, yet it provides half of the calcium you need in the day.
Per Serving: 230 calories, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 13 grams of protein, 560 milligrams of sodium
Don't worry, Starbucks has your back.
BEST: Amy’s Indian Samosa Wrap
OK, we totally cheated! This vegan wrap is not marketed as a breakfast item. But it’s seriously our favorite Amy’s product to eat in the morning. So we slyly snuck it onto this BEST breakfast sandwich list. It’s one the easiest ways ever to get veggies in the morning.
We’re talking about organic potatoes, peas, tomatoes, onions and tofu! It’s got plenty of spice and no GMOs, trans fats or preservatives. You’ll even get turmeric, providing a natural golden hue along with a potent little burst of antioxidants. And we have another confession: We love popping this baby open and topping it with a fried organic egg — sometimes two — to pump it up with high-quality protein.
Per Serving: 250 calories, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 8 grams of protein, 680 milligrams sodium
Top this baby off with an egg... or two.
BEST: Wendy’s Artisan Egg Sandwich (Without Bacon!)
While taking a spin to the drive-through window is never the only option, sometimes it seems like the most logical option for some. Fortunately, you can find a handful of relatively nutritious fast-food choices these days. The key is that you need to actually order these picks. Wendy’s has got you covered. Don’t even look at the rest of the breakfast sandwiches; just order this one.
It’s made with freshly cracked eggs, natural Asiago cheese and a comforting Hollandaise sauce on a toasted honey-wheat muffin. But the trick is you need to skip the bacon that this comes with! (Or, if you prefer, give the bacon to your frenemy!) Trust us, you wouldn’t want it anyway; it has food additives, including sodium nitrite, a potentially cancer-causing preservative!
Per Serving: 290 calories, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 grams of protein, 530 milligrams of sodium
Just don't pair this with a Frosty for your morning meal.
WORST: Jack in the Box Grande Sausage Breakfast Burrito With Salsa
This grease-factory of a burrito contains a beyond-bad-boy nutritional profile, containing more than 1,000 calories, artery-clogging trans fats and an entire day’s worth of saturated fat and sodium! That’s because this burrito is stuffed with not just scrambled eggs and cheese, but also sausage and bacon! Oh, and hash browns.
But the craziest part of this concoction is that you’ll also get these bonus ingredients: BHA, propyl gallate, sodium nitrite, sodium erythorbate, calcium propionate, sodium metabisulfite and more! BHA, for instance, is a preservative that may have a negative impact on enzyme systems in the body. To be perfectly blunt, this burrito has no business being marketed as food!
Per Serving: 1,040 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 36 grams of protein, 2,130 milligrams of sodium
Don't. Just don't.
WORST: Subway Footlong Bacon, Egg & Cheese Omelet Sandwich
If you’re looking for a carb “bomb,” you’ve sure found it — 12 long inches of it! Chowing down on every inch of this big ol’ breakfast sub will give you 86 grams of carbohydrates. That’s the equivalent of about six slices of bread! If you’re an athlete and plan to “carb load,” that might be a good thing.
If you have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes, that’s a very bad thing because of the spike in blood sugar this could potentially cause. And, unfortunately, these carbs are packaged with more than a day’s worth of sodium. While this pick does give you plenty of calcium, that’s one of the only true bright spots, nutritionally speaking.
Per Serving: 890 calories, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 49 grams of protein, 2,620 milligrams of sodium
There are no words for this near 900 calorie breakfast.
WORST: Burger King Supreme Breakfast Sandwich
“Highest in degree or quality” — that’s one of Merriam-Webster’s definitions of supreme. Apparently BK doesn’t use the dictionary to name their menu items, because this little delight is the antonym: inferior. But I guess no one would buy something called the “Inferior Breakfast Sandwich!” So what’s in it? It basically has double of everything, including two sausage patties and two slices of pasteurized process American cheese, on an oversize white hoagie roll.
In addition to a calorie, saturated-fat and sodium overload, it’s got harmful trans fats — and those raise “bad” cholesterol in the blood, leading to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. What’s more, you’ll get sorbic acid (to preserve the cheese), artificial color (to make the cheese a neon-like orange color), sodium nitrite (to preserve the bacon) and other chemicals. Now that’s some supremely scary-sounding stuff!
Per Serving: 880 calories, 21 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 41 grams of protein, 2,170 milligrams of sodium
Don't do a drive-thru for this one.
WORST: Taco Bell Breakfast Sausage Crunchwrap
It might take you longer to read the ingredient list for this pick than to actually eat it. And it’ll probably take you longer to understand it than to digest it. It did for us! Though your taste buds might be wowed by this Crunchwrap, your body will be saying “no bueno!”
If you treat your body like a temple, it won’t want the hydrogenated fat, dough conditioners and preservatives from the tortilla. And it definitely won’t want the preservatives from the creamy jalapeƱo sauce or the corn syrup solids from the sausage patty. Corn syrup solids are added sugars, of which the American diet is already more than full.
Per Serving: 710 calories, 14 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 grams of protein, 1,180 milligrams of sodium
You can live mas without this one. Trust.
WORST: McDonald’s Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddle
Compared to many other fast-food joints, McDonald’s does have some reasonable offerings in terms of calories. No more outrageous “portion distortion” issues! But it still has quite a way to go with other nutritional qualities of their menu — unless you’re a big fan of additives. This McGriddle is one additive-laden breakfast item that should be kicked off the menu board.
In addition to providing about two-thirds of your daily saturated fat and more than half of the maximum sodium allowance, you’ll get to savor some preservatives, artificial flavors and pasteurized process cheese in this sandwich. Plus, the griddle cakes contain caramel color. Caramel coloring was found to be potentially carcinogenic in a mouse study. The bottom line: This sweet idea of a breakfast sandwich between two griddle cakes is very sour news to us!
Per Serving: 570 calories, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 19 grams of protein, 1,270 milligrams of sodium
Put down the McGriddle.
WORST: Wendy’s Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit
While we have a Wendy’s item that made our BEST list, we were saddened that they also had a breakfast sandwich that made this WORST list. This morning menu selection is a little tricky because the calories are semi-reasonable and it contains chicken. But we weren’t bamboozled by poultry’s health “halo”: Here the chicken filet is battered, breaded and fried and includes corn syrup solids, preservatives and even an antifoaming agent!
It’s served in a processed “white” flour biscuit. And its paltry two grams of fiber will make your want to hunt down some prunes. Frankly, the honey-butter spread seems to be the most natural part of this breakfast bite. Eating this is no way to start the day!
Per Serving: 510 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 21 grams of protein, 1,400 milligrams of sodium
Butter and biscuit? No can do.
WORST: Jimmy Dean Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissant Sandwich
Jimmy Dean was a country music singer and actor — and founder of this eponymous sausage brand. But if he were still around, he probably wouldn’t be singing the nutritional praises of this frozen croissant sandwich. It has just 410 calories and 580 milligrams sodium — so good, that it’s practically dreamy!
But after that, it’s more like a spooky nightmare in which Dean’s spirit haunts you while rattling off the frightening ingredients in this find: partially hydrogenated oil, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial color, calcium propionate, potassium sorbate and sorbic acid. Wake up, people!
Per Serving: 410 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 12 grams of protein, 580 milligrams of sodium
This is not what the French had in mind with the croissant.
WORST: Kellogg’s Special K® Bacon, Egg and Cheese Flatbread Breakfast Sandwich
Just because a brand is somewhat associated with healthy weight doesn’t give it a “free pass” onto our BEST list. In fact, this frozen breakfast sandwich is so disappointing that it meandered its way all the down to the WORST list. Sure, it only hits you with 200 calories, four grams saturated fat, and no trans fat, but this is a clear-cut case where what seems beautiful on the outside is not so pretty on the inside.
What’s in it? The biggest letdowns here are pasteurized process cheese, including the preservative sorbic acid, as well as bacon, including sodium phosphate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite and artificial smoke flavor. In fact, smoke flavoring may have a potential DNA-damaging effect. Just say no.
Per Serving: 200 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 12 grams of protein, 630 milligrams of sodium.
This one falls flat.
What Do YOU Think?
Would your favorite breakfast sandwich “make the cut” for our BEST list based on our nutrition criteria? How often do you enjoy breakfast sandwiches? Do you prefer a homemade breakfast sandwich, a wrap or a burrito? Please let us know in the comments below!