Trading Up Downtown

The other day, I received an email from a reader asking why her reduced-fat peanut butter scored lower than the regular version. She said she thought she was doing something healthy because she chose the reduced-fat option, so she didn’t understand why it received a lower NuVal score. Thanks to NuVal, you can read through those “reduced fat,” “low-fat,” and “no fat” labels to see what’s the most nutritious option for you.

Ok, let’s talk peanut butter.

The average reduced-fat version of peanut butter has 12 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons (versus 16 for the regular stuff), but it also contains more sugar and sodium– and only 10 fewer calories. Surprised? According to the NuVal scale, most full fat peanut butters score higher than the reduced-fat kind. Check out these scores:

Regular peanut butter:

• KREMA PEANUT BUTTER NATURAL SMOOTH & CREAMY: 51
• BRAD’S ORGANIC SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER: 37
• TEDDIE ORGANIC ALL NATUREAL PEANUT BUTTER: 36
• POLANER REGULAR CRUNCHY: 34

Reduced-fat peanut butter:

• SMUCKER’S REDUCED FAT NATURAL STYLE PEANUT BUTTER: 26
• KROGER CREAMY REDUCED FAT PEANUT BUTTER 25% LESS: 25
• SKIPPY REDUCED-FAT PEANUT BUTTER: 18
• JIF REDUCED-FAT PEANUT BUTTER: 7

As you can see, reduced-fat peanut butter generally scores lower on the NuVal scale. Why? The fat in peanut butter is the healthy monounsaturated kind, so swapping it out for sugar and salt just doesn’t make sense from a health standpoint. When it comes to peanut butter, it’s more nutritious to choose the full fat variety.  

As you can see, “reduced fat” isn’t necessarily synonymous with more nutritious. Foods can be low in fat, but high in sodium or sugar. Foods can be low in fat, but have very few positive nutrients (think fiber, calcium, vitamin D) that still benefit our health. Also, not all fat is bad.

Have you ever traded-up from a “reduced fat” or “low-fat” product for the regular variety?

Over the weekend, I spent the night at my in law’s house. In the morning, everyone did their own thing for breakfast (since we all had different plans for the day), so I whipped up a big bowl of oatmeal with a few key ingredients to amp-up its nutritional profile, including fat free milk, an egg, and cereal. I added some cinnamon and vanilla extract for some added flavor.

In the mix:

• Quaker Old Fashioned Oats (NuVal score: 57)
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch (NuVal score: 36)
• Hood Fat Free Milk (NuVal score: 100)
• Eggs (NuVal score: 33)
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract

I added everything to a pot (yep, even the egg!) and cooked it on the stovetop until the oatmeal started to thicken.

Breakfast is served! I ate my delicious, nutritious, and satisfying oatmeal with a cup of coffee with steamed milk. (I swear, you couldn’t taste the egg mixed in!)

What trade-ups have you made with your breakfasts lately?

Trading Up Downtown Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered this week’s giveaway! Here’s your winner: 46!

46. Lela

I love grinding up oats and using them in place of part of the flour. Gives a great texture!

Congrats, Lena! Please email me at thaupert@nuval.com with your full name and mailing address to claim your prize!

Remember my mom’s recipe for Apple Crisp? It’s seriously delicious and one of my favorite desserts ever, but, sadly, it’s not at all healthy. I mean, there’s a cup of sugar and a full stick of butter in it. So, when my husband suggested it for dessert last week, I happily made him a batch and made myself a lighter version, which turned out amazingly and it’s a lot more nutritious!

Mom’s Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium apples (NuVal score: 96)
• 1 cup King Arthur All Purpose Flour (NuVal score: 67)
• 1 cup sugar (NuVal score: 1)
• 1 stick Land O Lakes Sweet Cream Salted Butter (NuVal score: 2), softened
• Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350* F. Haphazardly slice apples into small pieces. (I used Macoun, Macs, and Fuji.) You don’t need to worry about how the apple pieces look. The different size pieces “fit together” nicely once all of the ingredients bake together. This recipe is great for less-than-perfect apples– you can just cut off the rotten part and use the rest of the apple. You can also peel the apples, if you’d like, but I prefer to leave the skins on for this recipe.

2. Next, sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg all over the apples. Feel free to add as much or as little as you’d like. I try to cover the entire top layer of apple slices with both spices.

3. Combine flour and sugar (and a little more cinnamon and nutmeg, if you want) in a small bowl. Next, using a fork, combine butter with flour and sugar. (Make sure the butter is really soft.) The mixture will begin to look lumpy. Make sure that the majority of the dry ingredients have combined with the butter.

4. Cover apple slices with flour-sugar-butter mixture. Spread evenly over top layer and fill in all around the apple slices.

5. Bake for 30-40 minutes until top becomes slightly “crisp” and apples are soft. Your house will smell AMAZING at this point!

6. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve alone or with French vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Apple Crisp Light

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 3 medium apples (NuVal score: 96), coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp sugar (NuVal score: 1)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

• 3/4 cup Quaker rolled oats (NuVal score: 57)
• 1 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour (NuVal score: 91)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp Land O Lakes Sweet Cream Salted Butter (NuVal score: 2), softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Combine filling ingredients in a large bowl; coat apples in cinnamon and sugar, and then transfer to a baking dish. (I used a 1-1/2-Quart Covered Round Dish.)
3. In the same large bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients and mix well, and then pour on top of the apples in the baking dish and spread evenly.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until apples are soft and topping is lightly browned.
5. Allow to cool before serving and enjoy!

Serves 4