100-Calorie Snacks Pack Little Weight Loss Punch

For the dieter who's looking to lose a few, 100-calorie packs seem like a big help.

The roughly 175 products, such as Nabisco's Oreos and Teddy Grahams, Hershey's Dark Chocolate and, yes, even Hostess' Twinkies, in the form of Twinkie Bites, offer mixed results for those cutting back on calories with the packs, experts say.

"For some, it's the perfect solution to portion control, allowing an occasional treat," says Annette M. Hudson, of myfitnesstrainer.com and a personal trainer. "For others, the danger of temptation is too great, and they need to keep all junk food out of the house."

She suggests dieters focus on their eating habits, and if they can't fight the temptation to eat more than one pack, place the box in the freezer and set out one pack to defrost each night. If that doesn't work, throw away the box or give it away.

Some people can't stop at 100 calories, so "the whole idea backfires," says Susan B. Roberts, a professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University and co-author of "The Instinct Diet: Use Your Five Food Instincts to Lose Weight and Keep It Off" ($24.95, Workman Publishing).

She suggests adding healthy alternatives to every 100-calorie pack, such as eating the small amount of Oreos and an apple.

Others are less hopeful and warn against any diet that looks only at calories and not important elements such as exercise and nutrition.

"There's a big difference between eating 100 calories of salmon or chicken versus eating 100 calories of sugar, the main ingredient in the 100-calorie packs, says Ariane Hundt, a New York nutritionist and personal trainer. While lean protein promotes fat-burning and satiety, sugar increases blood sugar, promotes fat storage and creates cravings.

"So, most likely, one little bag is just not enough to give the satisfaction the dieter craves in the first place," Hundt says.

The Hartford Courant