Jerry the Blogger

Although I love to eat fresh fruit as much as possible, the reality is that fresh fruit isn't always "convenient" for the modern American's lifestyle. I can't easily store fresh fruit in my desk drawer at the office unless I'm willing to accept the risk of over-ripe fruit or mold if I forget to eat the fruit in a timely manner. My solution to this problem has been freeze dried and plain dried fruits. Dried fruits are much easier to keep within reach at all times and are perfect for travel.

However, I've often wondered whether I'm making nutritional sacrifices by eating dried fruit rather than fresh fruit. Well, Christina Stark, a nutritionist at Cornell University recently told the New York Times that both dried fruit and fresh fruit have excellent nutritional value ... but that there are things you need to keep in mind. First of all, removing water from fruit to create dried fruit creates a concentration of both nutrients and calories. A single cup of fresh apricots has 74 calories, 3.1 grams of fiber and 0.6 milligrams of iron. A half cup of dried apricots has 212 calories, 6.5 grams of fiber, and 2.35 milligrams of iron.

The one exception to the "dried fruit have more concentrated nutrients" rule is vitamin C. Vitamin C is a heat-sensitive nutrient and is decreased during the heating process used for drying fruit. Fresh apricots have 15.5 milligrams of vitamin C while dried apricots have only a modest 0.8 milligrams of vitamin C.

The key elements to keep in mind here are that dried fruits offer a great supply of fiber and nutrients (with the exception of vitamin C). However, dried fruits also contain significantly more calories than fresh fruit. Active individuals will likely see great benefit in eating dried fruits, but sedentary people need to be cautious about eating large amounts of dried fruit due to the larger-than-normal calorie levels.

At the end of the day, it's still a good idea to eat your daily recommended amount of fruit ... regardless of whether it's fresh or dried. Just keep in mind that all fruits are not created equal.

I'm not a huge fan of microwave dinners or similar "box meals" but from time to time I just want a quick fix in terms of a lunch that doesn't take more than a few minutes to make while I'm at work. One of my new favorite quick fixes is the Healthy Choice Panini. There are currently at least six varieties of this toasted sandwich available but I'm partial to the Smokehouse Apple and Chicken Panini and the Chicken Artichoke Panini.

Both tip the scales at 300 or 310 calories each and only 4 grams of fat (or 6 Weight Watcher Points) and make for a filling meal, particularly with a glass of fiber water or fiber-supplemented lemonade. I also like the Healthy Choice Panini because it's made with whole grain bread and helps me to meet my daily recommended intake of whole grain foods. (www.wholegrainscouncil.org)

I've also discovered a few other pre-packaged Panini options in the frozen food section of my local grocery store ... some of which actually taste a little better. However, the other alternatives I've found either have more calories, more fat, or both. All things being said and done, I prefer to keep my "quick fix" lunches to a minimum in terms of calories and fat. I'd rather indulge in a large dinner or a modest dessert in the evening rather than overeat during my lunch hour.

Another way I manage to get through the day is with home-made trail mix that my wife makes at home and that I keep stored in my desk at work. Our recipe for trail mix consists of macadamia nuts, dry roasted unsalted almonds, dry roasted unsalted cashews, dry roasted unsalted sunflower seeds, dry roasted unsalted peanuts, dried cherries (pitted), dried wild blueberries, and semisweet chocolate chips. Of course, the trick with any homemade snack is to limit your portion sizes so that you don't sit down with a giant bag of trail mix and eat the entire thing in one day. Two dozen single serving Ziploc snack bags usually provide enough trail mix to satisfy my snack cravings for an entire month (sometimes more).

Feel free to comment about your personal "quick fix" meal or snack ideas. I'm always curious to know what works for others.

New York City has been making headlines in the world of nutrition news thanks to recent legislation requiring all fast food restaurants to begin openly displaying calorie information to customers. What hasn't been getting much attention is that this effort seems to actually be helping people eat less fatty foods ... if the information is out in the open.

As part of a new study, researchers surveyed 7,318 customers from 275 randomly selected restaurants of 11 fast food chains within New York City and found the average customer purchased an average of 827 calories. Only 4 percent of patrons reported even seeing calorie information provided at the restaurant, with the exception of Subway. Unlike other fast food restaurants, Subway placed calorie information on deli cases near the register and more than one-third of Subway customers reported that the obvious placement of calorie information influenced their purchase. Those Subway customers who reported seeing calorie information purchased an average of 52 fewer calories than those who did not see the calorie content.

This might seem like a minor bit of information, but it's extremely important. The fast food industry generates roughly 74 percent of all restaurant traffic in the United States. While that offers Americans wonderful convenience, fast food typically contains more calories per serving than food prepared at home. Research shows that many fast food patrons eat several hundred more calories per meal than they actually believe they are eating.

Clear placement of calorie information at the point of purchase is an effective way to educate customers and help prevent unintentional over eating. Lower calorie purchases among consumers who report seeing information suggests that if we know how unhealthy something is we will make healthier choices.

Keep and eye open for calorie information the next time you visit your favorite fast food chain. It might just help you stay focused on nutrition.