Nutrition
Snacks at work: no fridge, with a fridge, with a microwave
Choose a work snack by where it will be kept.
Sweets and snacks
What «protein» on a bar is worth, and how much is really in a snack.
Shopping
Dried fruit and candied fruit: finding added sugar
To choose dried fruit without added sugar, read the ingredients: “dried” on the front is not enough.
Shopping
Glazed curd bars: comparing ingredients and portions
Compare glazed curd bars in two passes: read the curd base, coating and filling ingredients, then convert protein and calories to one bar.
Shopping
Plombir, creamy and milk ice cream: what sets them apart and how many calories they have
In Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union the type of ice cream is set by its milk fat: milk ice cream has up to 7.
Nutrition
Dubai chocolate: calories, ingredients and the weight of a piece
The VkusVill milk chocolate with pistachios and kataifi examined here contains 557 calories per 100 g.
Nutrition
Snacks under 100 calories: 25 options and what’s filling versus what’s empty
100 kcal fits 667 g of cucumber or 17 g of peanut butter: calorie-wise they’re equal, but not in satiety.
Weight loss
What to swap your usual foods with to cut calories: 15 substitutions with numbers
Swapping sauces, sides, and drinks cuts the most calories: mayonnaise for Greek yogurt saves about 180 kcal per 30 g, pasta for zucchini about 280 kcal per serving.
Ingredients and additives
How to identify an ultra-processed product by its ingredients: five signs and the debate around NOVA
A product falls into NOVA group four if its ingredients include at least one component not found in a home kitchen: protein hydrolysate or isolate, maltodextrin, glucose-fructose syrup, flavoring, or emulsifier.
Calorie counting
How many calories are in varenye: classic, five-minute and lower-sugar
The FoodGPT reference card lists varenye, the Russian whole-fruit preserve, at 271 kcal and 65 g of sugar per 100 g.
Calorie counting
How much desiccated coconut is in a spoon or cup?
King Arthur Baking lists 85 g for one cup of fine, unsweetened desiccated coconut.
Calorie counting
How many grams of cocoa powder are in a spoon?
USDA lists 5.
Ingredients and additives
Marshmallows, pastila, and fruit jelly: light in appearance only
There is almost no fat in them, which gave them the reputation of being a "light" sweet.
Nutrition
Nuts: why they have fewer calories than stated
The calorie content of nuts in reference books is calculated, not measured, and for nuts, the calculation is systematically overstated.
Shopping
Protein cookies, cottage cheese, and bars: how much protein is actually inside
The word "protein" on packaging is not regulated, but "source of protein" and "high protein" are, and they have specific requirements.
Ingredients and additives
Titanium dioxide E171: an additive allowed for decades and then banned
Titanium dioxide has been used as a food coloring for decades and was considered one of the most inert additives: it does not dissolve, is not absorbed to any significant degree, and is chemically extremely stable.
Shopping
Chocolate and confectionery bars: what changes when cocoa butter is replaced
Cocoa butter is the most expensive part of chocolate, and an entire category of products that look indistinguishable from it has been built around its replacement.
Allergies
Peanuts and tree nuts: why they are separated and where they hide
In the list of mandatory allergens, peanuts and tree nuts are listed as two separate items, and this is not just a formality: peanuts are legumes, not nuts, and an allergy to them does not mean an allergy to hazelnuts or almonds.
Recipes
Snack instead of a bar: what to bring so you don't have to buy
People buy a bar not because it's delicious, but because it's at the checkout and there's nothing in their bag.
From reading to doing. All of it starts in one place — knowing what is on the plate. Photograph it and the calories and macros appear on their own.
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This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.