Shape-Up Rhodes: Adding Flavor Without the Guilt

Are you bored of your flavorless oatmeal?  Is your sweet tooth longing for Skittles and Doritos late at night? 
Add these nutritious and guilt-free condiments to dorm room food stash.  So long empty calories!

1) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Looking for a chocolate fix without all of the calories?   Unsweetened cocoa powder is your answer.  It contains no additives and is made solely from cocoa.  It is traditionally used for baked goods but has other uses that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
 
*Add it to your morning oatmeal
*Add it to your coffee
*Add it to plain Greek yogurt
*Sprinkle it on popcorn, almonds, and other snack foods!
*Mix it into smoothies and protein shakes
 
One tablespoon of Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder has only 10 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and no sugar.  What do you have to lose!
 

2) Ground cinnamon

Dr. Ann Kulze, author of Eat Right for Life, shares the health benefits of cinnamon with Women’s Health Magazine.  “Cinnamon contains polyphenols, antioxidants that create healthier arteries and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, cinnamon benefits include an energizing scent that has also been found to help increase alertness.” 
 
*Sprinkle it on a banana
*Add it to peanut butter
*Add it to cream cheese
*Sprinkle it on a sweet potato
*Add it to seasoning for chicken or pork
*Add it to hot milk
*Add it to morning oatmeal
*Add it to your coffee
*Add it to Greek yogurt
*Sprinkle it on popcorn, almonds, and other snack foods!
*Mix it into smoothies and protein shakes
*Add it to your cereal
 

3) Tabasco Sauce and other low-sodium spices

Heat up your diet by adding Tabasco or a low-sodium hot sauce to your favorite foods.  Aim for hot sauces that have less than 100 mg of sodium per serving.  Many of your favorite hot sauces have 200+ mg of sodium per tsp.  Adding a few drops to your food could result in adding a day’s worth of sodium to your food, so be mindful of this!
 
*Add it to your eggs or an omelet
*Put it on a sweet potato or potato
*Add it to vegetables
*Spice up your chicken, meat, etc.
*Add it to soup
*Add it to pizza
 
1 tsp of Tabasco has 0 calories and 30 mg of sodium!

4) Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar has many health benefits including richness in enzymes and potassium, and support for a healthy immune system.  Many health enthusiasts prefer to drink this stuff by itself in small doses, but it can also be added to your favorite foods and is a zero calorie, zero guilt way to add flavor.  Try Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar- you can find this at your local Kroger in the organic section.
 
*Use it as salad dressing
*Add it to vegetables
*Add it to chicken, meat, etc.
*Add it to soup
 
1 tbsp has 0 calories, and 0 grams of sodium.  It is full of flavor and is a great alternative to high fat salad dressings like ranch and bleu cheese!

5) Regular Yellow Mustard or Spicy Mustard

You probably use this on your hotdogs and hamburgers, but there are many other uses for this condiment besides grilling.  Look for mustards with less than 100mg of sodium per serving.  Also keep in mind that one serving is 1 tsp so don’t overdo it!
 
*Dip carrots in mustard
*Add it to hotdogs and hamburgers
*Add it to cold cuts, sandwiches, and cheese
*Add it to potatoes
*Add it to eggs
*Add it to vegetables
 
1 tsp of French’s Classic Yellow mustard has 0 calories and 55 mg of sodium!

Sources:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/cinnamon-benefits-explained#ixzz1pn8h4EGy
http://bragg.com/products/bragg-organic-apple-cider-vinegar.html
http://www.frenchs.com/products/mustard/yellow-mustard