SHAPE UP
Newfound 'bargains' have less fat and calories

By Charles Stuart Platkin

I'm constantly on the lookout for foods that taste great, fill me up and prevent me from packing on the pounds. I call these "Calorie Bargains."

Here are a few of my latest discoveries:

Smucker's Light Sugar-Free Red Raspberry Preserves, 1 tablespoon, 10 calories, 0g fat, 5g carbs: I was impressed with this product's fresh, sweet taste. There are only 10 calories per serving (40 calories less than regular jam) and five grams of carbs. They keep the calories down by using a carbohydrate called polydextrose, which has only one to two calories per gram. You can try any of the varieties: apricot, boysenberry, concord grape, orange, seedless blackberry or strawberry, all with equal calories.

Kraft Singles Fat-Free American cheese, 1 slice, 30 calories, 0g fat, 2g carbs: Everyone raves about Kraft's fat-free cheese. At about half the calories of regular cheese, it's the perfect solution for those grilled-cheese cravings, and if you're on the South Beach or Atkins diet — well, this is a great way to get in your protein and calcium minus all that saturated fat. The taste is so close to the real thing that if you melt a slice on grilled chicken or mac ''n' cheese, you won't notice the difference.

Progresso Healthy Classics Vegetable Soup, 1 cup, 80 calories, 0.5g fat, 16g carbs, 940mg sodium: Recent studies show that filling your hungry stomach with soup before a meal can help you lose weight. With a meager 160 calories, having an entire can of Progresso vegetable soup will leave you more than satisfied. Compare that to other canned soups, such as Progresso's split pea, which has 340 calories per can. As with most prepared foods, watch out for the sodium content, which is a bit steep.

Jolly Time Yellow Pop Corn, 5 cups (popped): 100 calories, 1g fat, 24g carbs, 6g fiber, 0mg sodium, 4g protein: Jolly Time Yellow Pop Corn (there's more fiber in yellow corn) is simply a bag of unpopped kernels you can make in a hot air-popper. Or if, like me, you don't love air-popped corn and don't mind the hassle (or occasionally burnt popcorn), pop yours on the stovetop. Put the kernels in a deep pot; coat them with cooking spray, cover, and pop. "Make sure to occasionally release the steam by slightly opening the cover. Shake the pot during cooking, and be careful not to burn yourself," advises Tom Elsen, vice president of marketing for Jolly Time.

Popsicle Jell-O Pudding Pops, 1.75 fluid ounces: 90 calories, 3g fat, 16g carbs: Some readers have suggested freezing Jell-O Pudding Cups. Maybe the people at Jell-O heard about that because they've just reintroduced Jell-O Pudding Pops. These great-tasting, portion-controlled pops are a wonderful low-fat, low-calorie alternative to ice cream. With only 90 calories per pop, you'll be sure to keep a stash in the freezer.

Connie's Organic Tomato Chips, 1 ounce (20 to 25 chips): 100 calories, 1.5g fat, 18g carbs, 5g fiber, 680mg sodium, 4g protein: I had heard about these chips, but I didn't know what they were. Turns out they're gourmet air-dried tomatoes with organic spices and sea salt. Since I'm not a tomato lover, I thought this would be a tasty way for me to get the benefits of tomatoes (fiber, vitamins, etc.).

These delicious chips add flavor to salads, omelets, or sandwiches, and they also make for great munchies (FYI: they are not hard like potato chips). The only downside is that they can be high in sodium if you eat an entire ounce. Order Connie's Chips at www.rattlesnakecreekvineyard.com.

(Editor's addition to the list: Heavenly Desserts meringue cookies, 0 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g protein: You can find these at Paradise Foods, similar to the Meringue Sugar-Free Vanilla Meringue Cookies that Platkin says are a calorie bargain.

Made from egg whites, they didn't seem very appetizing, Platkin wrote. He finally broke down when he saw a variety made with Splenda, which meant that, in addition to zero fat, they also had no sugar. I was surprised.)

Send information about your favorite "calorie bargains" to info@thedietdetective.com. If your idea is published, you'll receive a $20 check and a free copy of my book, "Breaking the Pattern."

Charles Stuart Platkin is a syndicated health, nutrition and fitness columnist. Write to info@thedietdetective.com.

Correction: The editor's note on Heavenly Desserts meringue cookies was mistakenly not distinguished from Platkin's comments in a previous version of this column.