When you mix fat and simple carbs it stimulates even more fat storage and increases your risk for heart disease. Avoid these fatty, carby foods and swap them with these healthier options.
DON'T EAT: POTATO CHIPS
INSTEAD EAT: BAKED CHEESE CRISPS
WHY: It should be a no-brainer to understand why potato chips are offensive: it’s a fried white potato with salt. However, many people still consider potato chips an easy, acceptable snack. Even though today’s potato chips contain little to no trans fat, they’re still a fattening combination of high-glycemic carbs and oil.
INSTEAD: Cheese crisps are a healthy home-made alternative to chips providing a rich source of calcium. Recently UK researchers evaluated the health implications of diets high in cheese and dairy products in healthy middle-aged men. They found that increased consumption of full-fat dairy products did not negatively affect heart disease or diabetes risk or increase body weight.
BONUS TIP: To make cheese crisps at home, take 1 cup grated hard cheese (such as Parmesean or Romano) - NOT the dried powdery stuff. Toss cheese with savory seasonings such as garlic powder or hot pepper powder, (about half a teaspoon for a cup of cheese) or leave plain. Pile 1-4 tbsp cheese (depending on the size you want) on a baking sheet covered with a silicon mat or parchment paper oiled on both sides. Flatten the tops so they are in more or less even and leave at least two inches between smaller mounds, and four inches between larger ones. Bake 5-6 minutes at 350 F until they are a light golden brown (they will be a little darker at the edges). Enjoy.
INSTEAD EAT: BAKED CHEESE CRISPS
WHY: It should be a no-brainer to understand why potato chips are offensive: it’s a fried white potato with salt. However, many people still consider potato chips an easy, acceptable snack. Even though today’s potato chips contain little to no trans fat, they’re still a fattening combination of high-glycemic carbs and oil.
INSTEAD: Cheese crisps are a healthy home-made alternative to chips providing a rich source of calcium. Recently UK researchers evaluated the health implications of diets high in cheese and dairy products in healthy middle-aged men. They found that increased consumption of full-fat dairy products did not negatively affect heart disease or diabetes risk or increase body weight.
BONUS TIP: To make cheese crisps at home, take 1 cup grated hard cheese (such as Parmesean or Romano) - NOT the dried powdery stuff. Toss cheese with savory seasonings such as garlic powder or hot pepper powder, (about half a teaspoon for a cup of cheese) or leave plain. Pile 1-4 tbsp cheese (depending on the size you want) on a baking sheet covered with a silicon mat or parchment paper oiled on both sides. Flatten the tops so they are in more or less even and leave at least two inches between smaller mounds, and four inches between larger ones. Bake 5-6 minutes at 350 F until they are a light golden brown (they will be a little darker at the edges). Enjoy.
DON’T EAT: DEEP-FRIED VEGETABLE TEMPURA
INSTEAD: SAUTÉED VEGETABLES WITH A TOUCH OF SAUCE
INSTEAD: SAUTÉED VEGETABLES WITH A TOUCH OF SAUCE
WHY: The Japanese usually make healthy foods, but this is one that they got wrong. Vegetable tempura may contain vegetables, but it’s just as bad as any other deep-fried flour-battered food.
THE REPLACEMENT: Satisfy your vegetable cravings by choosing steamed or sautéed vegetables. Just make sure the sauce they’re cooked with isn’t too high in sugar; soy is better than teriyaki.
THE REPLACEMENT: Satisfy your vegetable cravings by choosing steamed or sautéed vegetables. Just make sure the sauce they’re cooked with isn’t too high in sugar; soy is better than teriyaki.
DON’T EAT: CHICKEN FINGERS OR BONELESS WINGS
INSTEAD: BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS
WHY: Chicken finger creators have committed the same crime as those who made tempura: coat a perfectly healthy food with flour and fry it in hot oil. Not only does this add unnecessary carbohydrates, but it also adds deadly trans fats.
THE REPLACEMENT: When you’re jonesing for chicken as your appetizer, order a few baked (not deep-fried) buffalo chicken wings instead, but don’t dunk them in the accompanying ranch dip. Buffalo sauce is low in sugar with only 2g per serving, and the fat in chicken is 75% unsaturated from healthy poly- and monounsaturated fat. Chicken wings do tend to be very high in calories, so be mindful of how many you eat in one sitting.
INSTEAD: BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS
WHY: Chicken finger creators have committed the same crime as those who made tempura: coat a perfectly healthy food with flour and fry it in hot oil. Not only does this add unnecessary carbohydrates, but it also adds deadly trans fats.
THE REPLACEMENT: When you’re jonesing for chicken as your appetizer, order a few baked (not deep-fried) buffalo chicken wings instead, but don’t dunk them in the accompanying ranch dip. Buffalo sauce is low in sugar with only 2g per serving, and the fat in chicken is 75% unsaturated from healthy poly- and monounsaturated fat. Chicken wings do tend to be very high in calories, so be mindful of how many you eat in one sitting.
DON’T EAT: STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO® BLENDED COFFEE
INSTEAD: ESPRESSO FRAPPUCCINO® LIGHT BLENDED COFFEE
INSTEAD: ESPRESSO FRAPPUCCINO® LIGHT BLENDED COFFEE
WHY: Starbucks advertises this coffee as a decadent treat of coffee, milk and caramel blended with ice and topped with whipped cream and a swirl of caramel sauce. It’s a dreadful combination of sugar and cream, totaling 420 calories, and 51g of sugar.
THE REPLACEMENT: When you still crave a blended coffee from Starbucks, choose the sugar-free light blended coffee, such as the Espresso Frappucino Light without the whipped cream. You’ll save your self 300 calories, 33g of sugar, and 15g of fat.
DON’T EAT: REGULAR PEANUT BUTTER
INSTEAD: NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER
WHY: Peanut butter seems to be everybody’s favorite food and for excellent reasons: It’s a rich source of protein and provides a healthy dose of monounsaturated fats. However, peanut butter manufacturers have tainted this tasty treat by adding hydrogentated oils and sugar in the form of corn syrup or powdered sugar. This decreases the health benefits of this stealth food by adding trans fats in combination with high-glycemic sugar. Trans fats are the worst type of fat that you can put in your body as they are directly related to increased heart disease risk.
THE REPLACEMENT: Natural peanut butter may not taste as sweet, but it’s still just as satisfying once you train your taste buds to enjoy the pureness of creamy peanuts.
BONUS TIP: When you buy a new jar of natural peanut butter it will contain a layer of peanut oil on the top. This occurs because there is no sugar to hold the oil and the peanuts together, so the oil separates over time. Simply stir back in the oil once opened and store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
DON’T EAT: BAKED POTATO
INSTEAD: BAKED SWEET POTATO
WHY: The tasty sweet potato is a nutritional powerhouse compared to the simple white potato. One baked sweet potato (3.5 ounce serving) provides twice the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for beta-carotene and 42% of the RDA for vitamin C. A complex carbohydrate, sweet potatoes provide twice as much fiber as a white potato (4g vs 2g), and have a lower glycemic index (GI). The GI reflects the quality of carbohydrates, and ranks carbohydrate sources according to the body’s glucose response produced when ingesting 50g of available carbohydrate. Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated associations between GI and risk of diabetes and heart disease. Further, weight-loss is greater with diets containing lower GI foods.
BONUS TIP: Home-made sweet potato French fries make a great lunch companion to a lonely chicken breast. To make, simply cut a peeled sweet potato into strips, place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes and eat with a touch of Heinz organic ketchup once cooled.
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