"eat this not that" news and stories

Walking into your average supermarket is a lot like being a contestant on "Jeopardy!" If you think hard, choose wisely, and give all the right answers, you can go home with a carload of cash and prizes. But make a few mistakes and you'll leave with an empty wallet-not to mention a lot of empty calories.

In fact, even the lowest-priced supermarket in your neighborhood is brimming with complete rip-offs-health foods that aren't healthy, gourmet foods that aren't gourmet, specialty items that just aren't that special. Here are just some of the foods you're overpaying for, compliments of Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide and Cook This, Not That!.

Our new monthly installment features a portion of the popular guide, Eat This, Not That! in hopes that it will help you make better choices at casual and fast-food establishments.

I recently found myself in line at a local coffee shop behind a very nutrition-minded customer. She was asking the barista about the various food choices -- and she knew what she was talking about: Which fats were good or bad, how much sugar is reasonable, etc. That's why I couldn't believe her drink order: some kind of whipped mocha frappe concoction. All her caloric diligence went right out the window. I didn't want to be rude, so I held my tongue. But the woman made a classic mistake: She was watching what she ate, but not what she drank. The damage: more than 400 additional calories, guzzled from a plastic cup.

The fact is, a shocking number of the calories we consume at coffee joints doesn't come from the food. It comes from the coffee, and that's a shame. A cup of coffee in its raw, natural state contains only 5 calories, and coffee consumption has been linked to diminished risk of Alzheimer's [disease], better brain function, and even better memory. Coffee, in its purest, blackest form, is good for you. But too much of our coffee has been razzle-dazzled into sugary, fatty, pastrylike beverages: Instead of seizing the day with caffeinated focus, we're losing our grip on our diets.

That said, you can get your morning java boost without the accompanying belt expansion, if you know what to look for -- and what to avoid.

After the jump, an overview of the best -- and worst -- coffee drinks in America.

The popular guide to making better choices at casual and fast-food establishments, Eat This, Not That! is out with a new 2011 edition. Exposed inside are the dirty secrets of the food industry; the best and worst foods to boost brain power; the newest picks from more than 50 fast-food and sit-down restaurants; and, our favorite section, the 20 worst foods in America.

Slashfood was lucky enough to get a peek at 10 of the 20 worst foods, including the worst fast-food burger, the worst salad and the worst meal overall. For photos and statistics, click through the gallery after the jump.

For the remaining 10 (including the worst supermarket meal, worst drink and worst appetizer), as well as tips on stocking your pantry with America's best packaged foods and a guide to getting your kids to eat more fruits and veggies, visit Eat This, Not That or pick up a copy of the book.

Visit Men's Health regularly for more Eat This, Not That!

I'm not a big fan of the book Eat This, Not That. It purports to tell you which foods you should be eating in restaurants instead of other foods. Sometimes the comparison is good, but other times it just seems to save a person 100 calories here or a few grams of fat there and doesn't seem worth the bother (and sometimes the "eat this" choice has more carbs or salt). But I guess it's good to have the info.

Now Men's Health editor Dave Zinczenko exposes some restaurant secrets. Why don't some chains want us to know the nutritional numbers of their foods? What foods are often cooked with other foods in the kitchen? Do some fast food chains actually have healthier options than sit down restaurants?