Monday, February 18, 2013

10 Foods That Make You Fat





The market today is flooded with so many kinds of foods that it is quite difficult to ascertain which foods are good to eat and which should be avoided. The discussion around fat is obviously a confusing one as a lot of health guru tends to make confusing and different pronouncements on fat as good, or fat that cause cardiovascular disease, and that there are good fats and bad fats.  

Fatty foods can easily drag down an otherwise good diet, whether it’s nibbling snacks, ordering fast food or cooking at home. The USDA Dietary Guidelines notes that high amounts of total fat usually contain too much saturated fat. Hence, it is important that foods with the highest fat content are avoided in order to keep from gaining weight and maintaining calorie boundaries. Some of the fatty foods that need to be avoided or if not avoided, be taken in moderation are:

1.   Hot Chicken Wings.

Watching football is not complete without the hot chicken wings. Unfortunately, this finger food is highly caloric and counts as more of a meal than just a finger snack. Not only are the hot wings high in fat, but they also have extra sodium from all that dippin’ hot sauce. Better to think of alternative finger food to go while watching football.

2.   Cider.

An 8.5 ounce of cider produces about 30g of carbohydrates, 30 g of sugar and about 120 calories. The calorie count may be low but the insulin surge from all the sugar and carbs will keep the fats stored in your body. The same is true for apple juice.  

3.   Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

This is definitely a comfort food that contains 498 calories, 33 g of fat, 43 g of carbs, 3 g of sugar for a typical 8-ounce serving. Smaller portion or serving size will reduce the caloric content.

4.   Baked Acorn Squash.  

While this seasonal vegetable is rich in antioxidants and fiber, the popular recipes make this food a fat bomb – butter and brown sugar are usually mixed with the vegie in most recipes. Alternative is to bake it with olive oil instead of butter and use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.

5.   Rotisserie Chicken.

Without the skin and dark meat, this classic can be a good diet choice. The skin and dark meat from the wings will increase the fat content on rotisserie chicken. The skin will also have packed much of the sodium. Hence, to reduce sodium content, do not include the skin and dark meat when cooking rotisserie chicken.

6.   Corn Bread.

Usually a favorite partner for the chili and soups, one 3.6 ounce piece of corn bread has 46 g of insulin-increasing carbs, zero fiber and 328 calories. A good replacement would be wheat roll which has about 115 calories, 22 g of carbs and more than 3 g of fiber.

7.   Pumpkin Bread.

Not turned to bread yet, pumpkin is a healthy choice. When baked, with all the sugar and flour, what you will have is excess carb, high sugar content and less fiber. Choose bread recipes that reduce the amount of carbs and sugar and instead increase the fiber content.  

8.   Creamy Soups.

Creamed soups tend to pack more sodium than the water-based soup choices. A clear broth with fresh vegetables and herbs for flavorings can keep the fat and sodium content down.
  
9.   Bratwurst.

This German sausage packs about 300 calories and 28 g of fat. This increases if combined with carb-heavy beer and potato salad.

10.  Apple Pie.  

Fresh apples eaten as fruit are good. Apple pie is not a replacement for fruit requirements considering that a slice of apple pie gives 18 g of fat, 42 g of carbs and 22 g of sugar. It would be better to bake an apple crumble, minus the crust which is what drives the fat up.

Healthy food choices are always available. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables could be the option and replacement of these foods that have high fat content. Who said that these foods must not be eaten? Everything in moderation is not bad as long as you know how to limit yourself from overeating these food that do not contain high nutritional value and high amount of saturated fat. A bit of controlling can save you from those bulging excess fats and skin.