The world of food can be a dangerous place. We are constantly bombarded with messages of what is healthy and what is not, and food marketers are always looking for ways to get us to eat packaged food. Recently, many foods have been labeled “natural” or “low fat” and “low sugar.” A high-sugar product is marketed as low in fat to trick consumers into thinking it is a healthier food.The key to eating healthy is having these treats in moderation. If you totally restrict foods, you may find you crave them even more. Here are the 10 worst foods you may want to consider never eating and recommendations of foods to enjoy instead.
THEATER POPCORN:
One of the worst products you can buy at the theater is the popcorn. Unfortunately, it is also delicious and addictive. A medium bag of popcorn, with butter topping, has more than 50 percent of your daily-recommended calories.
Popcorn can be an amazing snack, if you cook it right. Use an air popper and don’t add any buttery toppings. This treat will be low in calories and much cheaper than buying it at the theater.
FRIED CHICKEN:
Many people say that fried chicken doesn’t absorb the oils it’s cooked in. It is true that cooking in very hot oil can prevent the chicken meat from getting greasy. Unfortunately, the breading on the chicken is full of fat and calories. Restaurant and store-bought fried chicken is even worse, because it can contain saturated and trans fats.
Instead of frying chicken, bake it. You can get a crisp coating and cut the calories in half.
FETTUCCINE ALFREDO:
This classic Italian-American restaurant dish is packed full of calories and extra fat. The original dish is just Parmesan mixed with butter, but modern versions are filled with heavy cream, too.
Pasta doesn’t have to be an unhealthy meal. Opt for tomato-based sauces. Whole-grain pasta will fill you up faster and keep you full longer. Add cut-up vegetables, like peppers and mushrooms, to make your meal more filling.
FANCY COFFEE:
Many people enjoy their morning coffees, but you can pack on the pounds with this seemingly-innocent drink. Black coffee has 0 to 5 calories per glass, making it a smart choice. As soon as you start adding cream and sugar, the calories increase. Fancy cafe coffees are much worse. They add shots of flavored sugars, top with whipped cream and drizzle on caramel or chocolate sauce. This can raise the calories to more than 300 for one drink. Instead, take your coffee black or with milk.
DELIVERY PIZZA:
Pizza is a weekend favorite for many families. Not only is this tradition expensive, it could be expanding your waistlines. Adding extra cheese and fatty meats like pepperoni is a delicious, but unhealthy choice. One slice of pizza could be an entire meal’s worth of calories. Deep-dish pizza adds extra carbohydrates and calories.
Make your own thin-crust pizza, top it sparingly with cheese and meats, and add all the roasted vegetables your heart desires.
FULLY-LOADED BAKED POTATOES:
This popular side dish is packed with extra calories and fat. Potatoes themselves are high in calories, as they are a starchy carbohydrate. Topping them with butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon and more can be heart attack inducing.
Skip the butter; use low-fat sour cream and cheese or add salsa, green onions and other low-calorie toppings.
POUTINE:
While delicious, poutine, fried potatoes topped with artery-clogging cheese curds and coated in thick, fatty gravy, is one of the unhealthiest foods you could eat.
If you love topping your fries with layers of delicious foods, then try this healthier combination: baked potato wedges topped with chili or a thick ragu and sprinkled with low-fat cheese.
BEER NUTS:
Beer nuts, honey nuts and chip nuts are all unhealthy snacks. These peanuts are coated in breading, spices and sugar — and then fried, amping up the calories even more.
Nuts are a great snack if they are dry roasted or left raw. Instead, enjoy peanuts in their shells. This will keep your hands busy, making you eat less of these high-calorie nuts.
MIXED DRINKS:
A mixed cocktail is delicious, but may contain hidden calories. A gin and tonic could contain close to 200 calories per glass, as tonic water is surprisingly high in sugar. Opt for soda water instead. Many mixed drinks contain simple syrup, which is justsugar and water. Blended drinks can be particularly bad. A piña colada could be an entire meal’s worth of fat and sugar in one drink.
Instead, look for drinks mixed with diet soda.
MILKSHAKES
Milkshakes are a popular diner beverage, but they are massively unhealthy drinks. A large milkshake could contain 5 cups of ice cream, plus added syrups and cream, for more than 3,000calories!
Try an ice cream float with low-fat ice cream with diet soda. You’ll get delicious milkshake flavors but save a ton of calories.
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