My Review - SlimRight FULL bar

There are so many bars to choose from in the health food isle. Generally I think it is best to stay clear of them all. They are mostly expensive and you can get better nutrition from eating whole foods instead. The less processed foods you are eating the better. So why would you buy them? Maybe you need something in a packet to have with you on the go, it can make an emergency snack too.  

I bought a few bars of recent to try and review.  The first one I tried is the SlimRight FULL Bar. It was about $2.80. The packaging instructs you to eat this one to fill you up prior to a meal so that you eat less at meal time.

I ate the bar 30 minutes before lunch and had it with a glass of water as suggested too.  First thoughts, it is pretty tasteless. Puffed rice flavoured with a sticky subtle chocolate taste.  No chocolate bits as I expected due to the nice chocolate image on the packet. Strangely and to my surprise, I did feel full. I do have a big appetite and can eat a lot so found that very surprising. I ate lunch 30 minutes later and I was more satisfied with my normal lunch amount.  

The Nutritional Information

The bar is 35 g in weight, but it does appear to feel like more as it is large physically and as mentioned I felt full.

Calories 120: for a snack this seems reasonable. If you’re eating it prior to the meal as suggested, it then is an additional 120 calories on top of your meal. I ate my normal lunch but didn’t eat as much fruit afterwards. Therefore over all I neither saved nor ate more calories. But I was missing out on nutrients consumed, the fruit would have provided me with more fibre and vitamins.

Fat 1.2 g, less than 1 saturated: this isn’t much.

Carbs, 24.6 g (11.6g sugar): This is high when you consider two slices of bread has about the same amount.

Ingredients

Brown rice syrup is the major ingredient. This is a sweetener extracted from brown rice. Therefore I would assume no nutritional benefit from this other than carbohydrates, all the vitamins and minerals have been extracted.  Other ingredients include the puffed wheat, compound chocolate and honey.

My Overall Opinion

I wouldn’t be buying it again. I’d rather be eating something more of nutritional value as a snack or with my lunch. It really didn’t taste like anything but if you’re someone who likes to have bars on hand and you just need fullness this bar could be for you.

Your Fitness Trainer Liz

Beware of Salt

Are you aware of how much salt is in your foods?

Salt is made from sodium and chloride. Sodium is in many of the foods you eat day to day including cereals, yogurts, dried fruits, canned tunas and your ‘healthy’ frozen meals. The food doesn’t have to taste salty to have high levels. Check the labels, some foods labelled as healthy have alarmingly high levels of sodium. One meal and you can have consumed a day’s worth of sodium.

We do need salt, but most of us consume too much. Sodium controls fluid balance in the body. Too much salt is linked to high blood pressure, which puts you at risk to cardio vascular and kidney disease. It also causes fluid retention. Too little sodium may cause low blood pressure.

We need 460 mg a day for good health. The National Health and Medical Research Centre’s (NHMRC) advises that adults should aim to consume no more 1,600mg of sodium in order to prevent chronic disease. It is estimated that most of us consume double this.

Try for a day recording the sodium you consume. Just one processed meal per day can have you eating through your limit.

-       McDonalds Crispy Chicken Tandoori Wrap: 955 mg

-       McDonalds Might Angus Burger: 1360 mg

-       MDonalds Large Chocolate Milkshake: 411mg

-       McDonalds Large Fries: 435 mg

-       John West Tuna & Bean 185g, roasted capsicum: 700mg

-       Coles Tuna Sweet Chilli 95g: 555mg

-       Lite n Easy, Braised Chicken & Almonds frozen meal: 1370mg

-       Burgen Rye Bread, 2 slices: 325 mg

Reading labels:

Check the % of daily intake column on the label. This percentage will be based on the NHMRC target. Alternatively check the quantity per 100g to compare different foods.

1.       Low salt/sodium: up to 120mg/100g

2.       High salt/sodium: more than 600mg/100g

Tips to reduce sodium:

1.    Avoid processed meats, fast food and canned foods. Choose fresh.

2.    Prepare meals yourself so that you are in control.

3.    Use herbs, spices, lemon or vinegars for flavour rather the pre made sauces or marinades.

4.    Do not put salt on the table at meals.

5.    Try gradually reducing your salt intake with meals, taste buds do adjust.

 Your Fitness Trainer Sydney

Eating Out? Check the Menu Online First!

When dining out it can pay to check the menu beforehand online and do a bit of researching so that you make the right decision on the day.

I recently went to Outback Steakhouse with a group of friends and therefore for their benefit and mine I’ll use this restaurant for an example.

If you were to order the wings and cheese fries for entrees, and split between 5, how many calories, fat and sodium would each person be consuming (figures from calorieking)?

Wings per dish (not including the cheese sauce):

Calories 2145

Total fat 185 g

Sodium 3711 mg

Cheese Fries:

Calories 2136

Total fat 151 g

Sodium 2344 mg

Per person consumed (assuming 5 people each ate the same amount):

Calories 856.2

Total fat 67.2 g

Sodium 937.6 mg

How much sodium, fat and calories should you be consuming?

As a very rough guide as it is dependent on numerous factors (figures from Calorie Fat and Carb Counter 2010):

Female:

Calories 1200

Total fat: 30

Sodium: 1600 mg

Therefore by just consuming appetiser a female you would have consumed 71% of her calories, 224% of her day’s fat, and 59% of the sodium intake for the day.

Male:

Calories: 1500

Total fat: 40

Sodium: 1600 mg

Therefore by just consuming appetiser a male he would have consumed 57% of his calories, 168% of his day’s fat, and 59% of the sodium intake for the day.

This is just an appetizer! Chances are each person would then go on to consume a drink, main and then maybe a dessert....

It’s not too hard to work out why we have an over weight population!

Your Fitness Trainer Sydney