Calories in Fit & Active Fit & active strawberry vitality cereal bar

WeightWatchers Points are estimated by carbohydrates, fats, protein and fiber in product. They are not an affirmation of better quality or nutritional value of the product or its manufacturer. Only way to count for dieters. Less points are better.
Read more at Weight watchers diet review

This includes both naturally occurring and added sugars. According to the USDA, every man woman and child in the US consumes approximately 80 pounds of caloric sweeteners per year! That works out to 25 tsp of sugars per day, or 400 extra calories!

Consumption of food containing trans-fat has unequivocally been shown to increase the risk of heart disease by raising levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), and lowering levels of HDL (good cholesterol). Why do the nutrition labels on some products say that there are no trans fats, while Fooducate insists there are? Unfortunately there is an FDA loop hole here. If the amount of trans-fat in a product is less than half a gram per serving, manufacturers can round it down to 0. But even 0.49 grams of trans-fat is bad for you. And don't even get us started on the actual consumption versus the tiny serving size. So how do you know if a product does have trans fat in it? Look for "partially hydrogenated" oils and fats in the ingredient list. Sources: ----------- Mensink RPM, Katan MB. Effect of dietary trans fatty acids on high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in healthy subjects. N Engl J Med 1990;323:439-45. Zock PL, Katan MB. Hydrogenation alternatives: effects of trans fatty acids and stearic acid versus linoleic acid on serum lipids and lipoproteins in humans. J Lipid Res l992;33:399-4l0. Judd JT, Clevidence BA, Muesing RA, Wittes J, Sunkin ME, Podczasy JJ. Dietary trans fatty acids: effects of plasma lipids and lipoproteins of healthy men and women. Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59:861-8. Lichtenstein AH, Ausman LM, Jalbert SM, Schaefer EJ. Effects of different forms of dietary hydrogenated fats on serum lipoprotein cholesterol levels. N Engl J Med 1999;340:1933–1940 Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Rimm E, Colditz GA, Rosner BA, et al. Dietary fat intake and the risk of coronary heart disease in women. N Engl J Med. 1997;337:1491–9. Mozaffarian D, Katan MB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1601–1613.

Don't let marketing tricks on the package fool you into thinking this is a fruity product.

* FoodPoints are calculated by Fooducate based on fats, carbs, fiber, and protein. They are not an endorsement or approval of the product or its manufacturer. The fewer points - the better.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an additive used to retard rancidity in oils and foods containing oils and fats. Some studies have shown it to be carcinogenic. Best to avoid

The calories in this product are low because the serving size is much smaller than the FDA standard of 30 grams for snacks.

Many times, manufacturers add several different types of sugar in order to make the sugar appear lower in the ingredient list.

This product is highly processed. If you'll take a look at its ingredient list, you'll discover new words to add to your vocabulary. Many of theses ingredients are required to increase the shelf life of the product and improve the flavor that disappears when food is not fresh.

Homemade caramel is made by melting sugar in a saucepan. Brown coloring in sodas and some other products is not the same thing. Industrial caramel coloring is made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulfites under high pressure and temperatures. The chemical reactions create 4-methylimidazole, which in government-conducted studies caused lung, liver, or thyroid cancer or leukemia in laboratory mice or rats. This is why California recently required foods containing caramel color to be labeled as potential cancer-causing agents. But you won't see this warning label any time soon - manufacturers simply reduced the use of caramel color enough that the labeling requirements no longer applied. Caramel color varies slightly between products - when in beer, sauces or baked goods it has just ammonia and when used in soft drinks, it has both sulfites and ammonia. Neither one is a "good" option. Bottom line: Choose something else, less controversial.

Sugar alcohols are used as a lower calorie sweetener compared to table sugar. They are not metabolized by oral bacteria, which means no cavitites. That's why they are popular in gums and mints. Sugar alcohols have also found their way into cereals, bars, and other snacks. The downside of sugar alcohols is that they may cause bloating. Here is of sugar alcohols you may find in the ingredient list: Arabitol Erythritol Glycol Glycerol Isomalt Lactitol Maltitol Mannitol Rybitol Sorbitol Threitol Xylitol

The health halo of some bars is not always justified. Check the ingredients and sugar content of many and you'll see that they may not be much more than candy in disguise. The higher quality bars are composed of simple, understandable ingredients. But even they are highly sweetened (whether sugar or fruit sources) Bars should be viewed as a snack for once in a while, not a daily meal replacement solution. And that's why they don't get A's.

Corn syrup is often used as a sweetener in processed food. It is NOT THE SAME as high fructose corn syrup. Don't be fooled when looking up the amount of sugar a product contains if corn syrup is listed as an ingredient. This is because corn syrup contains 50% sugar, and 50% of another form of carbohydrate known as ""oligosaccharides"", which is pretty close to sugar. If a product has less sugar than you think it should, but contains corn syrup in the ingredient list, you'll know that the missing carbs are those oligosaccharides, not much better.

Glycerin (glycerol, glycerine) is used in products as a sweetener, thickener or preservative. It has the same number of calories as sugar and is about as sweet, but has a lower glycemic index (GI). It should be considered a carbohydrate, but many companies do not properly list it. Glycerin is also used to keep food moist - this same property also can cause water retention. It's generally accepted as healthy and safe. For people with heart, liver or kidney problems, it's best to avoid this ingredient.

Cereal Bar Recipe (Vegan) (makes 12 or 24) 1/2 cup nut butter 2 bananas, mashed 1/2 cup whole nuts (choose your favorite) 1 ½ cup total of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, apricots, raisins, coconut, etc.) 1 cup rolled oats 1 tsp vanilla (optional) Pinch cinnamon (optional) 1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional) Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, coarsely chop nuts and dried fruits. Mix nut butter and bananas until a paste forms. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes. Can be stored in refrigerator for 5 days. For one granola bite (12 in recipe) = 190 calories, 8.4 g fat, 26.7 g carbohydrates, 5.4 g protein, 3.1 g fiber, 52 mg sodium, 5 FoodPoints.

Companies add flavorings to make products taste better. They are created in a lab and the formulations are guarded as trade secrets. Flavorings can compensate for flavor loss during processing, substitute for ingredients, lower production costs and increase shelf stability. Natural flavorings are more expensive to source than artificial flavors, but tend to be better received by consumers. People sensitive to MSG, vegans, vegetarians and those with allergies should pay special attention to the phrase "natural flavorings" since glutamates, animal products or allergens may be the source of natural flavors. You can always contact the manufacturer for more information.

Inulin is a naturally occurring fiber found in high concentrations in chicory roots. What makes it popular with food manufacturers is its ability to successfully mix with other ingredients without ruining their flavor. It’s slightly sweet, about a quarter sweet as sugar. However, it is being added very liberally to some foods. This may result in flatulence for some people...

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide that is used as a food additive. A polysaccharide is a type of carbohydrate. It is produced from starches of corn, wheat, potatoes or rice. Its flavor can be slightly sweet or almost flavorless. Maltodextrin is used as a bulking base for artificial sweeteners, for example in Jell-o it is used in conjunction with Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium. It is also the bulking agent in Splenda.

Lecithins are oily substances that occur naturally in plants (soybeans) and animals (egg yolks). Soy lecithin possesses emulsification properties. This means it can keep a candy bar “together” by making sure that the cocoa and the cocoa butter don’t separate. It is also used in bakery items to keep the dough from sticking and to improve its ability to rise.