It’s summertime! Usually, it creates a picture in our mind of cocktails at the pool, spending the day at the beach, enjoying football games, having lots of fried and fattening food, and ice cream. Summertime is the time to enjoy a full barbecue, but you need to be a little bit careful as fattening foods of summer can lead to a serious calorie overload. Here are some of the most fattening foods of summer:
1. High fat and grilled foods
Summer is when we gorge on high fat, grilled foods like burgers, sausages, hamburger meat. While having fun and enjoying all these fattening foods you can easily take in hundreds of calories without knowing it. The average burger with cheese and tomato contains about 730 to 740 calories, and 46 grams of fat. Pork or beef ribs are the fattiest part of the two animals. Avoid the high fat burgers, sausages and other high-fat items. You can also try some side dishes which will provide you with all nutrients. Toss some fruits, veggies, and corn on the grill to enjoy.
2. Seasonal beverages
Seasonal beverages like ice cream drinks, iced tea and cocktails are favorites for summers. Liquid calories add up so quickly. Many cold beverages can easily add hundreds of extra calories. Know what is going into your drink, and limit the high-calorie offenders. Avoid taking a sip of soda, juice, energy drinks and other as they contain calories. Choose lighter drinks, most preferably water, coconut water and other zero or low calorie drinks, and try to satisfy your thirst with ice-cold water.
3. Creamy salads
If you are planning to dine out this summer, then avoid carrying pasta and potato salad in your picnic baskets as they are loaded with fat and calories. Side dishes like chicken salad and other cream-based dishes also contain lots of calories and fat. But don’t panic, we have a solution for you – to cut calories, try German-style potato salad, which uses more vinegar than oil. You can also toss lots of fruits or veggies into any salad to increase it’s nutritional value.
4. Ice cream and chocolates
When the weather warms up, the ice cream shops open up. But think about how many calories you are consuming. These chilly treats can add up lots of calories, so make sure to pay attention to calorie counts. Try to forget the toppings and all the extras and stick with a single scoop of your favorite ice cream. Many people are fond of eating chocolates. They think chocolates are beneficial for health. Yes, chocolate does have some health benefits, but only if you eat a small portion, not an entire box of chocolates. And if you over eat chocolates, the added fat, sugar, and calories negate the health benefits.
5. Sweet or salty snacks
A handful of any kind of snack would not harm your health much, but if your hands are fixed in the bag all day long, it can have a negative effect on your health. High calorie snacks make it hard to lose or even control your weight. You can try some fruits, raw veggies, or small portions of fat-free popcorn instead. Make sure that your snack has some nutritional value as well, it should contain a bit of protein, fiber and fat.