Nabisco caters for calorie-counters

Depending on variety, each package of Oreo Thin Crisps, Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps, Wheat Thins Minis, Kraft Cheese Nips Thin Crisps and Nabisco Mixed Berry Fruit Snacks contain 100 calories, 0-3 grams of total fat and meet the US Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) per-serving standard for zero grams trans fat.

With baked goods suffering somewhat from the rapid growth of low-carb diets such as Atkins, manufacturers have been forced to take action to defend their credentials as a valid - not to say healthy - part of a diet regime.

Some have opted to support more balanced diet systems, other have launched low-carb variants of their products, while others still have followed the same route as Nabisco by revamping or rethinking the low-fat versions of their most popular brands in a bid to appeal to dieters and promote effective weight loss products to rival the low-carb foods.

Much of the marketing of these products has centred on the growing body of evidence to suggest that 'fad' diets like low-carb are potentially damaging to the health, as they advocate removing one type of foodstuff completely from the diet, rather than eating smaller quantities of a more balanced range of products.

This is the approach that Nabisco has taken, recruiting dietician Joy Bauer to speak on its behalf. "Including the foods you love in a balanced eating plan can help you to stick with long-term healthy eating goals,"​ said Bauer. "The idea is to snack sensibly and in moderation by controlling how much and how often you eat."​

The 100 Calorie Packs also appeal to the other great preoccupation of the modern consumer - convenience. "As one of the world's leading food companies, we are committed to meeting today's consumer needs for foods that taste great and fit an active lifestyle,"​ said Kathy Parker, senior director of new products at the biscuit division of Kraft Foods, owner of the Nabisco brand.