Monday, May 6, 2013

Which is Healthier, Fresh Salsa or Jarred Salsa? (Plus other comparisons!)

Cinco De Mayo may have just passed, but people eat things like salsa, tortillas, and tortilla chips every day.  Here is a quick crash course in some Cinco de Mayo nutrition and which is healthier for you.  Some of the answers may surprise you.

Fresh Salsa vs Jarred Salsa



Fresher isn't always better: Tomatoes are one of the best sources of the antioxidant lycopene, but your body absorbs more of it when the tomatoes have been heated.  Jarred salsa is typically cooked before it's packaged, so it offers more of the nutrient than the fresh version.

Winner: Jarred Salsa

Corn Tortillas vs Flour Tortillas


Flour tortillas have 3X the calories and 5X the fat of corn tortillas.  Switching to whole-wheat flour tortillas boosts your fiber intake, but the calories and fat are still there.

Winner: Corn Tortillas

Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips vs Blue Corn Tortilla Chips


Blue corn chips are often labeled as all natural, so people assume they're the better choice.  But the FDA doesn't regulate the use of that term.  In fact, the two varieties have the same number of calories and grams of fat.  And because most of the sodium is added, the health factor depends more on the brand than on the color.

Winner: It's a Draw

Red Sangria vs White Sangria


Red wine is loaded with resveratrol, a compound in the skin of grapes that is thought to be good for t heart.  White wine has none of this, plus many white sangria recipes call for fruit juice and sweet liquors, so they typically end up with higher sugar counts.

Winner: Red sangria


Source: Food Network Magazine May 2013 

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