A new ad campaign from the dairy industry is stirring up quite a debate. The ads say that without the sugary flavoring in chocolate milk, some kids won’t drink regular milk and won’t get its nutrients. Critics say kids will drink white milk if it’s the only milk offered, and that they already get too much sugar, which is adding to the country’s obesity problem.

Should schools serve chocolate milk? What do you think?

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[Disclosure: I received a complimentary sample of this product. My policy is to only post giveaways about products I honestly like, or those I think FatFighterTV members would enjoy.]

We’ve been having some Indian Summer weather here in Ohio, which made getting the packages of Sweet Freedom ice cream from Blue Bunny® last week even sweeter! I’ve been enjoying these Almond Ice Cream Bars, and I’m looking forward to sampling the Ice Cream Sundae Cones, too. And because I am such a sweet aunt, I’m going to save some to share with my nieces and nephew over Thanksgiving.

Like I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. To coincide with this time, Blue Bunny wants you to know about its Sweet Freedom line – it has no added sugar and is reduced fat, which could help if you have diabetes, or if you are watching your sugar intake.

Up for grabs this week – 5 winners will each get a voucher good for one free carton or novelty pack of Blue Bunny ice cream.

To enter for a chance to win, just tell me what your favorite ice cream flavor is and how you like to eat it – in a cone, in a dish, etc. Lately, I’ve been loving pumpkin ice cream in a waffle cone. Mmmm… (just as an occasional treat, of course!)

See you in the comments!

Contest runs through midnight EST this Friday, November 20, you have to have a U.S. mailing address to enter, and we will use random.org to pick the winners.

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It may be a no-brainer that most kids’ cereals have more sugar than adults’, but wow – 85 percent more?! That’s what a new study from Yale University finds. It also shows kids’ cereals have 65 percent less fiber and 60 percent more sodium than those made for adults. Last year, Consumer Reports found some popular children’s cereals have as much sugar as a glazed donut.

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You may not be seeing these labels on food products much longer. The Smart Choices labeling program has been voluntarily halted after the FDA said it could be misleading.

The labels are supposed to make it easier for us to spot healthier foods, but the green check mark has been showing up on the front of boxes of sugar-laden cereals like Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops. Last week, the FDA sent out a letter to food makers, saying it will crack down on those that go against federal labeling rules.

Smart Choices is among several nutrition labeling programs now being used, all with different nutritional criteria.

No wonder there’s so much confusion out there!

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Okay, remember my shock when I saw that the new Smart Choices nutrition labels on sugary cereals? Well, now the FDA is on it. The agency sent out this letter to food manufacturers, saying there are too many Front-of-Package (FOP) labeling programs which all have different nutritional criteria and can be misleading.The FDA does not name any specific products, but says it is reviewing FOP claims to see if any go against federal labeling rules.

The agency says with FOP labeling, people are less likely to check the Nutrition Facts label, which has the detailed information about what’s in the food. FOP labeling is voluntary, but more and more companies are using it to try to get our attention.

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About a year ago, I told you about these new Smart Choices nutrition labels designed to make it easier for us to spot healthier foods. Now, I’m starting to think they’re a bad idea. The green check mark has been showing up on hundreds of packages of foods including sugar-laden cereals like Cocoa Krispies and Froot Loops!

In my opinion, this really takes away from the credibility of the new system and sends out an unhealthy message. The program defends the products it endorses, including sweet cereals, saying Froot Loops are “better than other things parents could choose for their children.” Seriously?

Check out the ingredient list. The first thing listed is SUGAR. How can that possibly be a smart choice? Especially with the recent recommendations from the American Heart Association saying Americans need to cut WAY back on sugar.

Before it can be considered for the Smart Choices program, every product must meet criteria for nutrients to limit, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For added sugars, that’s a maximum of 25 percent of total calories. So, does this really make Froot Loops and other sugary cereals a “smart choice”… or just another marketing gimmick?

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Have you seen the video report we did here at FatFighterTV about all the hidden sugar in so many foods out there? You might be shocked at some of the places we found it! Now, the American Heart Association says most Americans are getting 22.2 teaspoons a day of added sugar and it’s time to cut way back.

The AHA’s report finds most of that extra sweet stuff comes from soft drinks and candy and adds up to 355 calories every day. Instead, the group recommends most women get no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar and most men limit their intake to 150 calories.

I’m pretty sure I could stand to cut back on sugar… although, I’ve been really watching it lately. Really.

How many calories from sugar do you get each day?

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It seems as though the junkifying of our food may start way early. A new survey from a British food watchdog group finds some baby foods contain as much sugar and saturated fats as cookies or cheeseburgers. The group says many baby foods are advertised as healthy, but in terms of sugar and saturated fat content, some of them are actually worse than junk food.

Want more News Nuggets? Follow me on Twitter!

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Could a higher tax on sugary drinks help fight the obesity epidemic? Some researchers say yes. And they propose a penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages like soda, sports drinks and sugar-sweetened fruit juice and iced tea. They say the tax could help fight obesity because people would be more likely to choose healthier drinks, which are now usually more expensive, plus raising billions of dollars would help state and local governments pay for programs.

What do you think? Is taxing sugary drinks a good solution?

Want more News Nuggets? Follow me on Twitter!

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Don’t those look yummy? Want to eat them ALL? Can’t help yourself? Uh-oh. Scientists in New Zealand may want to talk to you. Their new research finds carbs are as addictive as cigarettes. As addictive as cigarettes – it sounds a bit harsh, doesn’t it?

“Heavily processed carbohydrates such as cornflakes, sweets and croissants quickly raise the amount of sugar in your blood,” lead researcher Dr. Simon Thornley says in the Daily Mail. “This rush of sugar stimulates the same areas of the brain that are involved with addiction to nicotine and other drugs.”

And Thornley suggests refined foods should get the same serious treatment as cigarettes – banning TV ads, taxing them and putting health warnings on packages.

What do you think? Are carbs really as addictive as cigarettes? Should they be treated the same way? I can see the addiction – but I’m still processing the “as cigarettes” part.

[Photo Credit: stock.xchng]

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