Holiday Foods to Avoid
Thursday, December 4th, 2008“A moment on the lips, forever on the hips;” this holiday season are words to live by. While you may have been good all year, over indulging on holiday food may show up on the waistline come the New Year. Many favorite holiday foods are loaded with calories, some with exceptionally high values. Usually dishes at holiday times take everyday nutritious foods and turn them into a diet disaster. The following foods should be avoided from a nutritional stand point.
Sweet potato casserole: Sweet potatoes are generally a nutritious diet food. Full of beta carotene and other healthful vitamins, come the holiday season, this otherwise healthy vegetable gets smothered in sugary marshmallows, butter and brown sugar, a lot of empty calories!
In addition to sweet potatoes, otherwise healthy regular potatoes get jazzed up with cream and butter. If you are the cook, try substituting chicken broth for the butter and milk. No one will be the wiser. Actually in addition to a better health option, chicken stock also offers an additional flavor enhancer to holiday dishes.
Eggnog: the combination of sugar, heavy cream and alcohol surely tastes delicious; however a single serving of this festive libation packs nearly 400 calories! That equals a lot of time on the treadmill to work off. If this drink is too much to pass up, be sure to cut back on other indulgences.
Fried stuff with cheese: What can be tastier than the salty combination of cheese combined with some fried carbohydrate? Even though these comfort foods bring back fond memories, they contain little or no nutritional value and a healthier substitute should be taken into consideration.
To offset these diet hazards those serious about weight loss have found appetite suppressants such as hoodia extract a great tool in the fight against hunger cravings. Also meals high in protein, or a supplemental protein shake will send the signal of fullness to the brain, in turn curbing the appetite. Finally remember if you are serious about your efforts to lose weight, self control and moderation are the key to enjoying the holiday season that is upon us.