In the May 16 edition of The New Yorker, John Seabrook delves into the ways that PepsiCo is working to reposition itself in light of the global obesity crisis. “Snacks for a Fat Planet” is bookended with the author’s interactions with Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo’s C.E.O. Nooyi argues that it’s not enough for the company to make snacks that taste good, but also be “the good company.”

Nooyi is clearly a leader who understands the huge potential for corporate good, both for the bottom line and for society. She also sees that the health crisis created by obesity does not bode well for the future of PepsiCo’s profits, no doubt a factor in the company’s efforts to make healthier products. Earlier this year, the company began making a number of Frito-Lay products with natural ingredients. They also have plans to reduce the amount of sodium and sugar in their products by 25 percent by the year 2015, under guidelines created by Derek Yach, the former World Health Organization cabinet director.

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Potato chips get a bad rep, often from other snacks that aim to prove themselves as healthier alternatives. Fritio-Lay appears to be making some efforts to change this image, by cutting out artificial ingredients.

“If the ingredient isn’t in a consumer’s cupboard, can we get it off the label?” says Tim Fink, director of Frito-Lay’s seasonings team. The company is also reducing the sodium content of many of its popular chip brands by 25 percent, but they’re not advertising the change for fear that people will associate the new version with tasteless health food.

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Social expectations can be huge pitfalls to healthy eating. It feels wrong to skip the cake at a friend’s birthday or a cocktail when celebrating your co-worker’s promotion. How do we get out of these situations without being a wet blanket? We’ve got solutions for some common food temptations.

Temptation: Office Birthday

Solution: Bring your own mug of coffee or tea, which will keep your co-workers from offering you soda, plus hot liquids can help you feel full. It is probably obligatory to eat a few bits of that store-bought cake, but don’t feel bad asking for a thin slice or ditching your portion at an appropriate moment.

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I wait all year long to watch the Super Bowl. Part of the allure is the game itself – I’m a huge football fan. The other big draw for me would be the commercials. I love to see how imaginative and creative the companies become, all in an effort to get your attention and your future purchases. Have you noticed, though, that the vast majority of the foods featured in the Super Bowl commercials aren’t healthy? Let’s take a look at some of them.

Doritos – One serving of Doritos is one ounce, between 12 and 14 chips. With 150 calories, 7 grams of fat and 18 grams of carbohydrates, these salty chips make it difficult to stop at one serving.

Coke/Pepsi – Soda is a dieter’s worst nightmare. It’s full of high fructose corn syrup and caffeine and the carbonation can cause stomach troubles. One 12 ounce can of Coke contains 143 calories, one can of Pepsi contains 150 calories and each has more than 40 grams of carbohydrates.

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Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight knows the struggle that one faces when it comes to late night snacking. It’s easy to stay busy during the day, but it seems like once the sky darkens and much of the family goes to bed, snacks come to the forefront of your mind. Even if you go to bed, you might very well find yourself laying awake, daydreaming about the chocolate cake left over from the birthday party. What you do with these cravings can be the “make or break” point of your diet success. Here are some tried and true diet tips to help you get past this hurdle:

• Don’t leave the cake on the counter. It sounds simple, but we often overlook the simple things. Throw the cake in the garbage. If you think you’ll still find yourself tempted, bury that cake down deep. Pour some salt on it while you are at it. Destroy it so that you aren’t tempted to munch on a snack that could undo all of your hard work in two minutes.

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