Let them eat you-know-what.

Think Big Mac. That's about how much saturated fat you get in a slice of Sara Lee All Butter Pound Cake or Original Cheese Cake.

Think Burger King Onion Rings. That's about how much fat you get in a slice of Entenmann's Homestyle Apple Pie.

Sweet baked goods aren't just sweet - they're fatty. Or at least they used to be. Now you can buy fat-free or half-fat versions of almost any cake, pie, doughnut, brownie, or muffin.

But don't assume that you can load up on those goodies without your waist and hips finding out about it.

SWEEF CEILING

We didn't just limit fat in our search for "Best Bites." We also put a ceiling on the total percentage of calories from fat plus sugar. Just because a dessert is fat-free doesn't mean the sky's the limit for sugar. Our combined fat-and-sugar criteria knocked many of the fat-free contenders out of the running.

We also looked for at least ten percent of a day's naturally occurring calcium or fiber or vitamins A or C, which are nutrients you'd get from added fruit, wholegrain flour, or milk.

Yes, we know. Nobody expects cakes, pastries, etc., to be nutritional powerhouses. They're desserts, not vegetables. Even so, it wouldn't hurt for them to have a little good stuff. But few do.

MUFFINS

A typical muffin like a Sara Lee Blueberry has 220 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 12 grams of sugar. Get a fat-free one and you'll save a quarter to half of those calories. Even though the fat-frees often taste sweeter, their sugar is about the same. That's also true of most fat-free cakes, pastries, and other baked goods.

Food for life's Fat-Free and Low-fat Muffins are a real find (if you can't find them, call the company at 800-797-5090). Thanks to the whole grains and bran, you get three to five grams of fiber - that's close to what's in a baked potato with skin. Whole grains also meant a "Thumbs Up" for Health Valley Fat-Free Healthy Scones.

DOUGHNUTS & BROWNIES

Doughnuts may look innocent. But that's just because you don't see the vats of oil they're fried in.

Those with frosting just on top tend to be the lowest in fat (around 8 grams) and calories (around 200). With plain or powdered doughnuts, fat climbs to 20 grams and calories to nearly 300. Pick up a doughnut completely covered with chocolate and you could get 25 grams of fat and 400 calories.

In general, you'll lose less than half the calories when you get a tastes-like-the-real-thing Entenmann's 50% Less Fat Donut. But at least you'll cut the fat down to six to nine grams.

Brownie-lovers have it easier. Great-tasting fat-free versions are a dime a dozen.

PIES

What harm could a slice of fruit-filled pie do? Try about 300 calories and 14 grams of fat. Worse yet, the saturated and trans fat in that flaky crust can clog your arteries.

So far, only Entenmann's has managed to take the fat out completely. The crust on its Fat Free Apple and Cherry Pies (available in the Southeast only) may not taste exactly like the real thing, but it should please most palates.

If you live in the Northeast or Midwest, check out Entenmann's 50% Less Fat Apple Pies. The taste is probably worth the six grams of fat. And it beats Mrs. Smith's Reduced Fat Pies (at 8 grams and SnackWell's Reduced Fat Pies (at 10 grams). You won't save many calories, though.

DANISH, COFFEE CAKES,

BUNS, & OTHER PASTRIES

Do your arteries and your waistline a favor. Give Entenmann's Fat Free line a try. Out with the 10 to 15 grams of fat (three to six of them saturated) goes about a third of the calories.

But watch those serving sizes. The fat, etc., listed on most packages of danish, coffee cakes, and buns is for a modest two-ounce serving. A danish at McDonald's is twice that size.

CAKES

It doesn't matter if it's Entenmann's or Betty Crocker. When you switch to a fat-free cake, you drop nine to 15 grams of fat and a third of the calories. The only mix we tried - Betty Crocker Fat Free Sweet Rewards Banana Cake Mix - was delicious.

Like pound cake? Spare your blood vessels a Big Mac's worth of saturated fat with Entenmann's Fat Free Golden Loaf. We liked Sara Lee Free & Light Pound Cake even more.

Sweet Something

"Best Bites" get no more than: one gram of saturated fat, 20 percent of their calories from fat, and 60 percent of their calories from fat and sugar combined. They also contain at least ten percent of the Daily Value (DV) for naturally occurring calcium, fiber, or vitamins A or C. "Honorable Mentions" met the fat, sat fat, and sugar limits only.

Following each product's name (in parentheses) is the number of brownies, muffins, etc., or the portion of a cake, pie, or mix that makes one serving. Products in color are full-fat versions for comparison. Within each category, products are ranked from lowest percent of calories from fat to highest, before rounding.

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