Fattening Foods of summer

As you are enjoying your summer and having fun, don’t fall into the trap of high calorie foods, rather be choosy and make healthy and low cal food choices.

What foods to pay attention for during summer:

BBQ High Fat Meats: The pork and the beef ribs come from the fattiest part of the animal. So, you would rather go lean and have pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, and lean ground beef.

Hotdogs: The concern is not only the fats or the calories; after all you can choose low fat versions. Most hot dogs and other sausages are very high in sodium. A 100g of hotdog contains 280 calories and 1,250 mg of sodium. One teaspoon of salt contains approximately 2,300 mg of sodium. The recommended amount per day is between 1,500 mg (considered adequate intake) and 2,300 mg (upper amount) for people 9-50 years of age.

Salads with Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise as a sauce is considered extra calories. Making your salads with a light mayonnaise or mixing it with low-fat yogurt or light sour cream is a better option for cutting calories. Don’t forget to add a lot of veggies to increase your fiber and nutrient intake.

Alcoholic drinks: Always remember that cocktails are higher in sugar. It is true that they go down easily, especially the sweet fruity ones, but the calories add up quickly. The calories in a Pina Colada range from 245-490 calories, and the calories in Long Island iced tea is nearly 520 or more with much of it from sugar. Instead of them, try wine or try vodka with diet gaseous drinks.

Satisfying Thirst: Choosing your hydration sources is crucial in summer. Sweetened iced-tea, sweetened soda, energy drinks, juices, or beer contain a lot of sugar, thus are not good options for cutting your calorie intake. What go much higher are smoothies, milkshakes, and cold coffee. Try water or light versions of your favorite hydrating drinks.

Refreshing Frozen Treats: A cup of ice cream approximately contains 380 calories and 22 grams of fat. You don’t need to cut it completely, just avoid the giant portions and the high in fat toppings, so that you avoid adding more calories and fat. Also, choose sherbet, fudge bars, fruit bars or strawberry shortcake under 150 calories per serving.

Salad Toppers: Salads are perfect summer dinners, until you add to them high calorie toppers. Fried chicken strips, bacon, cheese, creamy dressings, and croutons are among the worst toppers. Instead, you can top your greens with grilled chicken, lean meat, or eggs, and sprinkle them with a light dressing.

Mindless Snacking: A small snack won’t do much harm, but a big one can damage your diet. 1 small bag of potato chips is roughly 160 calories and contains 10 grams of fat, whereas cheese nachos can contain more than the double amount of calories and fats. Also, a big box of movie pop-corn can contain 550 calories and 31 grams fat. It would be wiser if you snack on fruits, veggies with light dip, or get fat-free popcorn.

Christelle Bedrossian
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Beirut, Lebanon