Last week we discussed five of the ten worst foods hanging out in your fridge. This week we’re exploring the last five worst foods and their healthy food replacements.
Whole Milk Goods
Milk is good for you, right? Yes, as long as it’s not whole milk; whole milk products are full of cholesterol and fat. However, they aren’t considered empty calories since they have calcium, riboflavin, protein and B-12—but there are a ton of calories! If you drink two 8 oz. servings of whole milk per day, in a week you’re getting 105 grams of total fat, 315 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,904 calories and 59.5 grams of saturated fat—holy cow!
Most dairy products like cream cheese, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt and cheese have fat-free and low-fat versions to choose from. Let’s not forget that almond milk and other plant-based milks are cholesterol free as well as low in calories and fat.
Mayonnaise
Okay, if you use only 1 or 2 teaspoons of this condiment, then it’s probably not that bad for you. But if you’re like most people, you slather this yummy white stuff on your bread. Sadly, eating mayonnaise this way gives you 40 grams of fat and an astounding 360 calories per ¼ cup serving!
Luckily, there are several choices that don’t have all the fat but still has a ton of flavor. Light mayonnaise has 3.5 grams of fat and only 35 calories per tablespoon and you’ll still have that mayo taste you love. But if you absolutely need the real thing, just use two teaspoons which will give you 6.7 grams of fat and 60 calories. Yet there are other condiments you can select: BBQ sauce, mustard, taco sauce, salsa and chili sauce.
Alcoholic Drinks
We all know what the effects are from drinking too much; yet alcohol can also ruin your diet. Your liver must work overtime to change that liquor into fatty acids. Then the fatty acids build up in your liver—it just takes one night of excess drinking to do that.
Alcohol is another beverage that’s empty calories. One 12 oz. bottle of beer has 150 calories, an 8 oz. glass of wine contains 170 calories and one 1½ oz. shot of vodka, whiskey, gin or rum has roughly 105 calories and that’s in addition to any mixers or soda you may stir in.
When drinking alcohol, drink in moderation. However, the best idea is to sip diet sodas, soda or mineral water with a lime or lemon slice or coffee or tea.
Gourmet Ice Cream
Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is just scrumptious—but, sadly, your diet suffers the consequences. Even sticking to the ½ cup serving on a pint-sized container of Häagen-Dazs White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle yields you 16 grams of total fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 9 grams of saturated fat. Ben & Jerry’s isn’t any better; a ½ cup serving of their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough gives you 14 grams of total fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 calories, 23 grams of sugar and 9 grams of saturated fat. Many of us double—or even triple—that suggested serving of ice cream which means you get twice or three times the amount of calories, sugar, fat and cholesterol.
You can always throw some fresh fruit in with plain yogurt for a nutritiously delicious treat. But, if you’re a true ice cream lover, you won’t want to cut ice cream from your diet—and you don’t have to! Peruse the ice cream aisle for low-sugar, low-fat ice cream. A ½ cup serving of Safeway’s light variety of Mint Chocolate Chip has just 4.5 grams of total fat, 14 grams of sugar, 120 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat.
Margarine or Stick Butter
Margarine and stick butter have a high fat content. Since margarine or stick butter has a firm texture, it’s hard to spread it on foods and, consequently, people tend to use more of it. Just 1 tablespoon of either one contains 11 grams of fat and 100 calories. In 1 tablespoon of margarine it also has 1.5 grams of trans fats and 2 grams of saturated fat while 1 tablespoon of stick butter also gives you 7 grams of saturated fat.
Olive oil and canola oil are loaded with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats—smart fats—and are a great cooking substitute for margarine or butter. If you want to use butter on your foods, buy whipped butter; it’s easier to spread because it contains a lot of air and has less fat, calories and saturated fat. To keep spreading margarine on your favorite foods, seek out reduced-fat margarine which has low saturated fat and no trans fats.
Now that you know what unhealthy foods are hiding in your fridge and freezer, let’s get cracking and give that fridge an overhaul! Once you’ve replaced all the unhealthy stuff with healthy choices that were discussed in these two blogs, you’ll be well on your way to a much healthier you. Bon appétit!
Teri
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