Can low-calorie ice cream satisfy your sweet tooth? (Photo by Jon Paterson/Studio D)

With the help of GH’s in-house dietitian Jaclyn London, you can find the answers to your healthy-eating questions. Keep reading to discover how you can fuel up smarter and keep your weight where you want it. 

1. Is it true you can eat a pint of the new lower-calorie ice cream and not gain weight?
2. You can, but that doesn’t mean you want to. Frozen treats like Halo Top and Enlightened get props – they’re lower in sugar and fat, and higher in protein than regular ice cream. Also, they have as few as 240 calories a pint (versus roughly 1,000 in Ben & Jerry’s), partly because they have sugar alcohols and nonnutritive sweeteners like stevia. But—and isn’t there always a “but”? — the sugar alcohols and emulsifiers can give you tummy trouble in large doses. Plus, you may find a serving of the real deal to be more satisfying for the same calories. Bottom line: Ice cream is delicious, but a whole pint? I’d take it easy. 

Q: Do I need a sports drink when I work out? 

1. Nope. Most sports drinks, including ultra-hip“waters”like coconut and watermelon, don’t expedite hydration; they’re just liquid sources of sugar with sexy marketing, and they can set you back over 100 calories a pop! Hydrate with eight to 10 glasses of unsweetened beverages a day — more if you’re sweating a lot — and eat tons of fruits and veggies to get enough calcium, potassium and magnesium, the minerals you need to maintain fluid-electrolyte balance. 

ON ANOTHER MATTER … 

GH Seal Star: Country Crock Super Sticks 

Simplify baking with this new GH Seal star, Country Crock Salted and Unsalted Buttery sticks (from $2.48, grocery stores). 

Baker’s dream: You can use the sticks just like butter in most recipes. And there’s no waiting for them to soften — you can get cooking when they’re right out of the fridge. 

Plant-Based Ingredients: They contain a blend of vegetable oils and have 45 percent less saturated fat than regular butter. 

No Trans Fat: These buttery spreads don’t contain any partially hydrogenated oils, which have been linked to raising blood cholesterol. 

Versatile Choices: Pick salted or unsalted — salted is best for toast and corn on the cob; unsalted is best for bakers and people cutting back on sodium. 

TABLE 

Label Lowdown 

Here’s what those claims on labels actually mean. 

1. “Natural”:This term has no set definition. To you, “natural” may mean “non-GMO”; to someone else, it could mean “unprocessed.” It could be that neither is true. 

Lab lowdown: Ignore it. Choose products with a whole food (veggie, legume, 100 percent whole-grain, etc.) as their first ingredient — the less processed, the better. 

2. “No Added Sugar”: The item may still contain fruit juice or fruit puree— simple sugars in a concentrated form your body absorbs quickly. 

Lab lowdown: Drink water, seltzer or unsweetened coffee or tea, and opt for whole fruits (fresh, frozen or canned, with no syrup), not juices. 

3. “Healthy”: Fat, cholesterol and sodium are limited; the product will contain certain nutrients, but could have loads of sugar.

Lab lowdown: You always need to read the ingredient lists on packaged foods carefully and double-check for sugar and artificial stuff. Common sense goes a long way in the supermarket. 

Recalls Alert 

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do. 

PRODUCT/VEHICLE 

PROBLEM 

Manhattan Toy “Winkel” Colorburst activity toys, sold at toy stores nationwide and online at www.manhattantoy.com and other websites from May 2015 through September 2016 for about $15. 

The colored plastic tubes on the product can become brittle and break into small pieces, posing a choking hazard to infants. Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from infants and return it to the store where  purchased or contact Manhattan Toy for a full refund. Consumers can contact the company at (800) 541-1345 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST Monday  through Thursday, 8 a.m. to  12 p.m. CST Fridays or online at www.manhattantoy.com. Click on “Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information.  

Volkswagen 2017 Audi Q5 

Despite selecting “Park,” if the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash. This is due to a manufacturing defect within the gearbox. Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the geabox in the affected vehicles, for free. Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 37K6. 

© Hearst Communications Inc. 

Distributed by King Features Syndicat

–GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS Your body: Ask Jackie —