Food Frauds That Can Wreck Your Diet

Caesar Salad A small bowl can have almost 300-400 grams of fat just in the dressing. Food fix: Use 1 tablespoon of dressing and 2 tablespoons of tangy Parmesan cheese. Fresh Smoothies Packed with a whopping 80 grams of sugar with 350 calories or more, there is very little protein and no fresh fruit. Fruit concentrates are used instead of fresh fruit. Sorbet, ice cream, and sweeteners are no better than a milkshake. Food fix: Get a small cup and ask for fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, milk, protein powder blended with protein for good nutrition. Energy Bars These are no more than enhanced candy bars with more calories ( 500+) and a higher price tag. The compact size leaves people unsatisfied--a few bites and they're gone. Food fix: Choose bars with 200 calories or less, some fiber, at least 5 grams of protein to help provide energy when sugar rush fades. Chicken Burrito PThese are packed with 1,000 and plenty of saturated fat, cheese, sour cream, and fat in a jumbo flour tortilla. A burrito as big as your forearm is too big a serving. Food fix: Share one or try a soft taco with fajita-style grilled meats and veggies on a corn tortilla with a tasty, low-calorie salsa. Sugar-Free Foods This is a problem if you think you have to order a large order of fries or big dessert. Just upsizing fries adds 300 calories to your meal. Eating more calories than you burn makes you gain weight. Food fix; watch your total calories. Enhanced Water Vitamins added to bottled water as well as sugar add up to as many as 125 calories. Food fix: Refrigerate tap water and to make more appealing, try packets of crystallized lemon adds flavor without added calories. 2% Milk This has more than half saturated fat of whole milk. Here's what's in a cup of milk: Whole milk--(3.25%) = 150 calories, 8 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat. Reduced fat--(2%) = 130 calories, 5 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat. Skim (nonfat)--80 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat. Food fix: Like whole milk, blend with 2%, then with 1%, then skim, until you get used to the taste of nonfat milk. 2% Milk Latte This adds up to 580 calories, 15 grams saturated fat in a 20-ounce white chocolate mocha (which is more than a quarter pound burger with cheese.) Food fix: try a sweetened, frothy beverage for a diet splurge. Limit the damage with a nonfat (skim) milk--no whipped cream--to avoid the 130 calories and the 2/3 saturated fat. Turkey Hot Dogs The nutritional content varies according to the brand. It may say "less fat" on the label but it may have plenty of fat in each sausage. Food fix: compare nutrition labels for the lowest fat content. Some good choices available or eat a few times a year. Breakfast Muffins Altough better than donuts, they are still sugary cakes of refined flour. A store-bought muffin contains about 500 calories and 11 teaspoons of sugar. Food fix: Eat one that is no larger than 2-1/2 inches in diameter. Look for 100-calorie muffins at the store. Some brands can be a good source of whole grains and fiber. Low-Fat Granola This low-fat crunchy cereal has 10% fewer calories, but full of sugar. Low-fat label leads to overeating. A study at Cornell University found that people eat 49% more granola when they thought it was low-fat, going over 10% calorie savings. Food fix: Look for low-sugar, whole-grain cereal, sweetened with fresh fruit. Low-fat Yogurt This is a nutrition superstar that is rich in protein and calcium. Also, many yogurts have lots of added sugar. Some brands have 39 or more grams of fructose, sucrose, other sweetneners. Compare plain to fruited yogurt to see the difference in sugars that have naturally added milk and sugar on the nutrition label. Food fix: 6 ounces should be 90 - 130 calories and under 20 grams of sugar. Avoid sugary "fruit on the bottom" yogurts. Blend sweetened yogurt with plain, nonfat yogurt. Multi-Grain Products With more than one type of grain, products made from refined grains such as white flour have been stripped of fiber and many nutrients. Food fix: Look for "100% whole grain", like oats and wheat, as the first ingredients. Also choose brands with more fiber. Light Olive Oil Anything labeled "light" is enticing when watching your weight. Sometimes food may not be what you expect. LIght olive oil has the same calorie and fat content as other types. It is just has a lighter color and taste. Food fix: compare labels in the store for light foods when saving calories. Added Omega-3 Some yougurt, milk, eggs, cereal, and other foods have a boost of added omeaga-3. It may not contain omega-3 that is best for the heart--EPA or DHA. Or it may have EPA/DHA, but just smidgen, less than one bite of salmon. It may have ALA from vegetable sources, but not as potent or beneficial as DHA/EPA. Food fix: try 6 ounces salmon,which has 100 times more Omega-3 than a serving of fortified of yogurt. Vegetarians consider algae-derived Omega-3 as supplements. Iced Tea Antioxidants like iced tea don't make a health food: there is too much added sugar which turns a tall glass into a health hazard. A 20-ounce bottle has more than 200 calories and 59 grams of sugar. Food fix: skip "sweet tea" in favor of unsweetened iced tea. Try lemon or artificial sweeteners to add zing without the calories. Herbal or berry teas give a mildly sweet taste without the sugar. Microwave Popcorn "Snack" can be misleading on microwave popcorn. One brand packs 9 grams of fat in each "snack size" bag. Food fix: compare nutrition labels to get lower-fat popcorn that has no transfat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese or low-fat salt spice blends for added flavor without a lot of fat. Iceberg Lettuce It may be big on crunch, but it has zero on vitamins and flavor. The boring taste leads people to use more dressing or toppings. Food fix: Add spinach or arugula to the mix. Cruble 2 tablespoons (100 calories) of blue cheese or feta on top. Toss with a splash of oil or vinegar to spruce flavor without the calories. Salty Toppings {rpcessed artichoke hearts, chickpeas, and olives are salt shockers lurking at the salad bar. Avoid getting too much by limiting anything that come s from a can. Pass up cured meats; instead choose beans or tuna, but not both. Food fix: try radishes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and other fresh vegetables that are low in sodium. Be sure to rinse beans to remove most of the salt. Coleslaw Cabbage is okay, but coleslaw can be a diet disaster. One popular restaurant has a small cup (4.5 ounce) with 260 calories and 21 grams of fat; 1/3 of people's daily limit due to the mayonnaise. Food fix: some place make a healthier coleslaw--just ask for nutrition information. If making at home, use a low-fat mayonnaise or nonfat yogurt. Banana Chips Deep-fried bananas have 145 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 8 grams of saturated fat--as much as a fast-food hamburger. Food fix: try a fresh banana, which is four times more food, 0 grams fat and 100 calories. Source www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-foods-that-can-wreck-you-diet.