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    How Fattening Is Your Diet?

    By | Healthy Living – Fri, Mar 4, 2011 8:40 PM EST

    By Paul John Scott, Details magazine

    Recent research proves that it's carbohydrates-not fat-that make food fattening. How do your dietary staples rate?

    Drinks
    While food manufacturers like to obscure the amount of carbs (read: sugar) by listing it per serving (Vitaminwater for instance, has 2.5 servings), most people consume these drinks by the container. Here's a look at the actual amount of carbs some of these products contain per bottle:

    • Budweiser (11 g)
    • Vitaminwater (32.5 g)
    • Gatorade (34 g)
    • Coca-Cola (39 g)
    • Odwalla Superfood (57 g)
    • Starbucks venti White Chocolate Mocha (79 g)

    Snacks
    The closer you look, the clearer it becomes that most common snack foods are simply fattening carb clusters. Here's how a few of these mainstays stack up (per 100 grams):

    • Burger King French fries (42 g)
    • Pringles Original (54 g)
    • Saltines (73 g)
    • pretzels (79 g)
    • rice cakes (80 g)

    Desserts
    Some guys sneak their ice cream a spoonful at a time while others consume it by the pint. This is how some popular sweets compare (per 100-gram serving):

    • Häagen-Dazs fat-free strawberry sorbet (27 g)
    • Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey (27 g)
    • McDonalds Triple Thick 16-ounce shake (29 g)
    • Snickers (60 g)
    • Chips Ahoy Chewy (67 g)

    Condiments
    Sugar is not a savory ingredient, yet it's rampant in condiments. Take a look at how everyday sauces and spreads shake out (per two-tablespoon serving):

    • mustard (0 g)
    • mayonnaise (0 g)
    • oil and vinegar (1 g)
    • Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (2 g)
    • Heinz ketchup (8 g)
    • Ken's Fat Free Raspberry Pecan dressing (12 g)
    • KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce (15 g)

    Produce
    Carbs are derived from plants, so naturally fruits and vegetables contain them (per 100-gram serving):

    • avocado (9 g)
    • orange (12 g)
    • apple (14 g)
    • mango (17 g)
    • russet potato (21 g)
    • banana (23 g)

    Refined Grains
    These starches are what come to mind when we picture the word carbs. The staples of the American diet (per 100-gram serving):

    • cooked white rice (29 g)
    • cooked spaghetti (31 g)
    • wheat bread (48 g)
    • flour tortilla (50 g)
    • bagel (53 g)
    • plain Cheerios (75 g)
    • Frosted Flakes (90 g)

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    Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio