Photo: Rachel Been, AOL

Domino's Breadbowl Pastas have already been derided here at That's Fit and across the Internet for their ridiculous calorie count. Now, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, calls it out for what it is: Food porn.

No matter which of the five options you choose, each dinner plate-sized breadbowl is filled with pasta and sauce and clocks in at 1,300 to 1,500 calories. "White-flour pasta with cream-cheese sauce can be a nutritional nightmare on its own," CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley said in a press release. "The last thing it needs is an 800-calorie white-bread pizza-crust bowl."

And many people are probably not stopping at the single serving of only eating half of this dish. CSPI also takes Domino's to task for topping three of the dishes with Alfredo sauce, which the public interest group dubbed "heart attack on a plate" nearly a decade ago.

Photo: L. Marie, Flickr

Eating certain meals at Denny's is like floating your insides in the Dead Sea. Order Denny's Meat Lover's Scramble and you'll kick off the morning with 5,690 milligrams of sodium. That single meal packs more than twice the suggested daily allowance of salt for healthy Americans (2300 mg), and a potentially dangerous level for high-risk patrons on a restricted salt diet. Now Denny's is being sued.

Consumer watchdog group, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, has sicked its successful litigation team on salty Denny's, recently filing a lawsuit on behalf of longtime Denny's patron Nick DeBenedetto, a 48-year-old New Jersey resident on high blood pressure meds and a reduced-salt diet. DeBenedetto says if he'd known some of his favorites, such as The Super Turkey Bird sandwich, contained significantly more than 1,500 mg of sodium, he'd never have ordered them. And that's before the side of fries.

The American Heart Association works hard to remind the public that high dietary sodium levels can aggravate or even lead to high blood pressure, which means a greater likelihood of developing heart disease or stroke. Then think about how often busy Americans head to restaurants each month.

Liz Neporent is a diet and fitness expert and author of 12 fitness bestsellers. She regularly appears on national TV programs and is the president of Wellness 360, a New-York based wellness provider.

Last week, I referenced a popular energy bar that touted net zero carbs, even though the whole concept of net carbs is a fiction invented by marketing departments to sell more product. While we're on the topic, the real question you need to ask is: "Does that tasty 'engineered food' actually contain the 220 calories it claims on the label?" This isn't a question you might necessarily think to ask. Most of us assume that Nutrition Facts labels -- required by law on all processed, packaged food products and relied on by millions to make healthy food choices -- reflect reality.

Turns out, many of them may not. In a test conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services laboratory, 75 percent of diet products tested -- most of them regional brands -- were shown to have erroneous information on their labels. More than 10 percent of all bakery products and candies tested were mislabeled, as were 25 percent of dressings and condiments. Some of the labels were off-the-charts misleading, like a vanilla éclair said to have 2 grams of fat but actually containing 17 grams. An entire line of "sugar-free" baked goods -- more than 20 products -- from a regional company were found to contain sugar, as many as 16 grams per serving. (The baker admitted he added sugar to give the chocolate products more flavor and to enable the cookie dough to brown better. Well, duh.)

I love a good baked potato. But it's not the best around -- sweet potatoes are tops.

Sweet potatoes help stabilize blood sugar and lower insulin resistance, says John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, which makes them an ideal diet item for diabetics -- unsteady blood sugar is a big risk for these folks.

So, out with the white -- white potatoes can send blood sugar levels soaring and crashing -- and in with the sweet, with their lower glycemic index and carotenoids, which may help you body use insulin better.

More good sweet potato news: The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranks the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables due to its fiber, naturally occurring sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium. Sweet!

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According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), if you live in Austin TX or Boston MA you might want to think twice before going out to eat.

CSPI has ranked 20 US cities from best to worst using criteria from the city's food inspectors. The ranking considers "how often city inspectors found five major health hazards and five less critical concerns in 30 high-end, medium-range, and fast-food eateries in each city." Hand washing, maintaining food at a proper temperature, and improper cooking are some of the major health hazards. Minor infractions include poor employee cleanliness and hygiene, rodent and/or insect infestation, presence of sick restaurant workers, and contact of bare hands with food.

The CSPI encourages cities to adopt a restaurant grading program similar to a program in LA County where restaurants have to post what health inspection grade they received -- A, B, or C. (Lower grades would result in temporary or permanent closure).

Keep reading to see the CSPI's "Dirty Dining" list from worst to best.

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This morning I went to a local farmer's market. There was a new vendor selling all "whole grain" foods. I asked which of their breads were whole wheat and she told me that everything they had was made from whole wheat. I thought that was great, so I picked out a loaf of bread and, as a treat for me and my son, bought a small pack of peanut blossom cookies. I asked the women if even the cookies were whole grain and she again replied that everything on the table was. So imagine my surprise when I get home and read the ingredient list on the cookies -- the first ingredient was "enriched white flour" and that was the only type of flour in there. On one hand, I feel like I was duped. I had been so swayed by their "Whole Grain Bakery" sign and the salesperson's words, that I neglected to read the label for myself. On the other hand, they're cookies -- even with whole-wheat flour they certainly wouldn't have been "healthy." So, live and learn.

The problem I had this morning is a problem we all face every time we shop for food. Sometimes the front of the packaging can be deceiving. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a list of "food frauds." While I don't know if I'd go so far as to call them frauds (that just seems a bit alarmist and conspiracy-theory-ish to me), the foods they list certainly are misleading. Take Kellogg's Special K Fruit and Yogurt for example: it claims the crunch of whole wheat, the smooth creaminess of yogurt, and the sweet taste of berries. Those statements are all true... but they're misleading. The cereal has more refined rice than whole wheat. The taste of yogurt comes from a sweetened yogurt powder that has been heat treated (killing all beneficial bacteria in the process), and the "berries" are actually dyed and artificially-flavored pieces of apple.

Take a peek at CSPI's list, and then be on the lookout for other foods of this type when you're grocery shopping. Unless you're buying fresh foods in their natural state, you're usually getting a little more than you bargained for. And many foods try to market themselves as healthy when they really aren't.

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Life is too short not to be fully "turned on." The Daily Turn On! energizes all aspects of "you." Every Monday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will provide you with ideas and tips to awaken your mind, your body and your life as you journey through each day of the week! Check in each Monday to get your tip for Turning On every day of your life.

Recently someone asked why, on a 12 ounce can of soda would the label give an ingredient listing for only eight ounces? First of all I congratulate that individual for noticing the discrepancy between the 12 ounces contained in the soda can versus the eight ounces in the nutrient analysis. Honestly, it really angers me to see this type of what I deem as labeling deception. I mean, come on. Would you ever drink just eight ounces out of a twelve ounce can of soda? I don't think so. I even enjoy an occasional Coke every now and then. But when I drink it, I know exactly what I am doing because I always look at the "serving size" of which the amounts listed on the label are referring to. If I drink a 12 ounce can of Coke I am swilling down 144 calories, caffeine and a few other things I choose to ignore during those rare occurences. Honestly, this happens probably every two to three months. However on the days I just want a Coca Cola I am going to drink the entire 12 ounces. Could I leave four ounces in the bottom of the can to save myself 50 calories? No way. Would you?

This week, I want you to "turn on" your observation skills and begin reading labels of foods you consume on a regular basis. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Marketing vs. Reality. I picked up a bottle of cranberry juice that said "pure juice." Now it's important to me as I often recommend to others that pure cranberry juice, diluted with spring water and a slice of lemon is a good thing to drink in the morning upon rising. I certainly enjoy it. I cannot tell you how many times I have had people buy the wrong juice just because they read the label on the front of the food or beverage and not the actual ingredient listing. What was really in the "pure juice" referenced above? Well, in addition to cranberry juice it contained grape juice, apple juice and other items. Pure cranberry juice is not sweet at all and does not have a big glycemic impact. The pure juice above, if drunk on an empty stomach, could elevate the blood sugar quickly. So do you see what I mean?

Serving Size. On that bag of "healthy chips," what is the serving size? It might suprise you! I am not surprised. If you really knew the entire bag of healthy chips you just bought contained 400 calories instead of the 150 calories listed on the ingredient listing for "one serving" would you buy it anyway? I think not. Unless you have tremendous will power.

Ingredients: What are they? Read all ingredients listed on the label carefully. If an ingredient is "wheat flour" does that mean it is "whole wheat?" No! White flour is made from wheat, it has simply been stripped of it's bran, germ and important natural nutrients. The "wheat flour" may be white flour. Look for the "whole wheat" or other "whole" grains instead. And what about all the rest of those ingredients including food additives? How about Corn Syrup? MSG? Aspartame? The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a great list of food additives. It's a must read if you are even remotely concerned about your health.

This week, Turn On Your "Label Reading" skills and get a reality check. Oh, and please do share what you find!

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Get ready to add a new word to your health vocabulary. Bacteriophages are the new buzzword, and they've just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as the first mix of bacteria-killing viruses to be termed a food additive. Sounds a little homeopathic, no?

According to virus manufacturer Intralytix Inc., the bacteriophages (Greek for "bacteria eater") are designed to be sprayed on ready-to-eat meat and poultry products including sliced luncheon meat -- a high-risk product because it is rarely heated or cooked after purchase. The "phages' " -- as they're nicknamed -- number-one job is to kill off strains of Listeria monocytogenes bacterium which cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily attacks pregnant women, newborns and adults with weakened immune systems. Of the 25,000 people stricken with listeriosis each year, 500 die of it.

I'm torn on this one, I really am. On the one hand, if modern science allows us to harness something like a virus for the greater good, I'm for it. In the article, both the FDA and consumer advocacy group the Center for Science in the Public Interest assure us that the most stringent guidelines have been followed and the phages wouldn't be used if otherwise.

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