Where Are Those Hidden Calories Lurking?
-- by Victor Marchione, MD
Seemingly healthy, these foods could deep-six any diet.
Throughout the day, we reach for seemingly innocent food
to snack on. "Can't be that bad for me, and it's right here, so
I'll eat it." Though most of us do this on a frequent basis, for
those who are involved in a diet plan, there are certain foods
that are deceptively rich in calories. And eating or drinking
them can deep-six even the most carefully laid diet plans.
The calories slip right down your throat without you
knowing it.
So, on that note, it's time to find out. It's time to read labels,
if you don't already. There you will find the deceptions
brought to life. What follows are the foods and beverages
that you should be most careful with when it comes to
calories.
Breakfast/Energy Bars:
These are marketed as being wise health choices, and might
have healthy-looking illustrations of fruits on them. But
these are chronically high in sugar and calories -- not all of
them, but many varieties. What's more, they often don't fill
you up as much as you'd like, and you end up snacking an
hour or so later, thus putting more calories in your system. A
bowl of fiber-rich cereal with blueberries sprinkled on it is
not only filling, but it's also much healthier than any bar. If
you're not sure, check out the ingredients in the bars. If one
of the first few listed ingredients is corn syrup, put it down.
Salad Dressing:
This is a big one -- it lines so many shelves at the
supermarket. There are so many kinds and most put
unnecessary extra calories and fat on an otherwise healthy
salad. You can eat salad all the time, make it your primary
meal every day, but you'll be doing that diet strategy a
disservice by using store-bought salad dressings. (Especially
if bacon bits, cheese, and croutons are part of the equation.)
An easy alternative? Try making your own dressing at home
with olive oil as the base. Mix in a bit of balsamic or red
wine vinegar, some pepper, and maybe a little Dijon
mustard. Mix and match, experiment, and find one that
works for you.
Soup:
Yes, you read that right. Soup is not thought of as a source
of calories, but often it is. Again, it comes down to reading
labels if you are in the supermarket. Be careful with any
cream or milk-based soup, as it will be higher in fat than
those made with broth. By hurling more than 300 calories
down your throat, your favorite clam chowder, cream of
broccoli, or cream of mushroom is hurting your diet goals.
The best bet? Tomato soup.
Certain Beverages:
Both juice and soda have hidden calories in them. Start your
day with a tall glass of orange juice, have a can of soda for
lunch, and another over dinner and you just cost yourself
more than 400 calories from drinking beverages alone.
These seriously add up and are in fact the most commonly
consumed calories that prey on the unknowing. Water is the
only thing you can count on as being calorie-free.
Sugar-free Sweets:
If you don't have a sweet tooth, be thankful, because this
compulsion can be tough to conquer. Weight conscious
people often choose cookies and biscuits that are sugarfree.
Too many people mistake this for meaning caloriefree. If
you read a package and it says "fat-free" or "sugarfree," this
does not mean it automatically has fewer calories. Check
that label! A sugar-free biscuit may have the same amount
of calories as the regular ones do.
Java:
North America has a love affair with coffee that is virtually
unrivaled anywhere else in the world. We are communally
addicted to the stuff. Here's what you need to know, and it is
so obvious that you likely knew it already. Because we love
it so much, we sort of ignore the calories that come with a
steaming cup of Joe. Black coffee has no calories. Cream,
on the other hand, is chock-full of them. And don't get me
started on sugar. If you prefer the fancy drinks at Starbucks
and Dunkin' Donuts, then your caloric intake gets a big
spike with every cup.
Nuts:
Wait, I thought nuts were good for us! You'd be right, but
the problem with nuts is that you can shovel them into your
mouth. Nuts are great snack sources of nutrients, protein,
and healthy fats. But you can?t really exceed a big handful a
day. Once you do, the calories you're getting start to pile up.
The problem is that you can munch nuts almost without
thinking, just like refilling the coffee cup. Nuts are very high
in calories. P.S.: don't buy overly salted or roasted ones.
Dried Fruit:
What? I was certain these were good! Again, they are. But
here's the catch with dried fruit: they barely have any water
in them, unlike fresh fruit. Without the liquid levels, the
calorie content is much denser. Dried fruit are true hidden
sources of calories.
ROSEBUD