Veggie Straws

Have you ever heard of them? 
...Veggie Straws, I mean?

Maybe you should.   They are made with Potato Flour, Tomato Puree, and Spinach.  You are allowed to consume 38 straws (which are the approximate size of french fries) for 130 calories/60 fat calories.  They taste just like Original Lays Stax chips. 

BONUS: you can double the amount you get to eat AND still save at least 20 calories/10 fat calories compared to eating real potato chips. 
DOUBLE BONUS: You feel a little less guilty about eating them because you can say the phrase VEGGIE straws instead of potato chips.
DRAWBACK: There are still 7g of fat per serving, 290 mg of Sodium per serving, and there only 7 servings per bag for $2.88. 

So...I guess the real questions are, should something like this be in the house?  Is the calorie intake really worth it?  Can these truly be used in a dieting scenario to justify health and wellness?

My answer?  If they keep me out of the Pringles can--hecks yeah!  The veggie straws can stay.  I am certainly better off consuming a product that is cholesterol free AND lower in calories, than eating my way through an entire cylinder of pringles.

However, some products are merely a beard.  They are advertised and showcased as a "healthy" product but when you look at the labels and actually consider the factors, they are indeed bad for you. Examples:  Chef Salads, Grilled Chicken Sandwiches, etc.  Here is a list of  foods you may think are healthy but in reality are not:
GRANOLA BARS Granola bars got their wholesome, outdoorsy reputation as the mountain climber’s snack of choice. They’re filled with whole oats, nuts, seeds and bits of dried fruit — how could that be a bad thing?
The downside: Many granola bars are dipped in sugary syrups or loaded with chocolate chips, highly processed or artificial ingredients and aren’t much better than high-calorie candy bars. Even the less sugared-up varieties have only a little protein, a smidgen of fiber and a small amount of vitamins and minerals. 
If you can’t resist: Make your own trail mix with whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereals, such as shredded wheat, with whole nuts, seeds and chunks of unsweetened, dried fruit. Otherwise, stick to bars with a short ingredient list, essentially whole grains, nuts, seeds and real fruit. Pick ones with 4 or more grams of fiber, less than 150 calories per serving and no more than 6 grams of added sugars.
PRETZELS They’re the go-to snack food for school kids. One serving of pretzels contains 1 gram of fat, compared to potato chips’ 10 grams.  The downside: Pretzels are mostly nutritionally empty. Sure, they’re lower in calories and fat compared to chips, but they really are not a healthful snack. One serving provides nearly a quarter of the sodium a person needs each day. Because pretzels are basically bland, seasoned varieties pump up the flavor, but also the calories, sodium and fat content.
If you can’t resist: Pick a whole wheat brand. Or, how about a handful of nuts, instead? They offer a variety of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, plus they pack some protein and fiber. Seeds, such as sunflower or pumpkin, are an option. Or try subbing-in any type of veggie sticks and a dollop of zesty dip.
RICE CAKES Low-fat, low-cholesterol, virtually tasteless – they must be good for you, right? After all, one lightly salted, large-sized cake contains a mere 40 to 50 calories, no fat and no cholesterol.
The downside: Light and airy describes their taste — and their nutritional content. You won’t find much on the nutrition facts label beyond calories and sodium. Even those that boast whole grains typically remove the germ, one of the more nutritious parts of a whole grain kernel. Flavored cakes only add fat, which can be the bad “trans” kind.
If you can’t resist: Choose a plain version, but add hummus spread and sliced veggies on top. A little peanut butter adds healthy protein.
FROZEN YOGURTS Yogurt is nutrient-rich. Live and active cultures are beneficial for the intestines and immune system.
The downside: Not all frozen yogurts are created equal. Some contain live, active cultures, others do not. Unless labeled fat-free, many frozen yogurts contain nearly the same amount of fat as a reduced-fat ice cream, as well as the same number of calories.

If you can’t resist: Find lower-fat frozen yogurts that have live, active cultures. Some brands carry the “Live & Active” seal from the National Yogurt Association which ensures the product contained a certain amount of beneficial bacteria when it was produced. 
(**Information provided by www.msnbc.msn.com)


With that said, I will continue to evaluate my dieting choices.  I won't be perfect, but with additional knowledge comes power to make informed decisions.