What is a Calorie? | How Many Calories Makes One Pound? | Burning Calories | Walking 1 Mile Burns How Many Calories?
Dieting, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
How sugar impacts the weight scales, effects our weight loss plan and our state of health amid the holiday season.
|
|
Beware of Sugar & Fat in the Daily Diet
Two ingredients to watch out for during the holiday season are oils and sugar because these contain a lot of fat and calories and will add unwanted pounds to your frame. And of course, they tend to be the main two stars of holiday recipes.
Rather than incorporating white table sugar into your holiday treats, opt for slenderizing Splenda which holds up exceptionally well under heat. There's no aftertaste, no calories and it's been proven safe by the FDA for both children and adults alike - but of course, check with your doctor before giving Splenda or any sugar substitute to children under your care.
This is an example of how many calories Splenda as well as other sugar substitutes can save you this holiday season:
- 1 cup of sugar contains about 800 calories while 1 cup of Splenda or Equal contains about 0 calories
The downside? It's on the expensive side and it can negatively impact allergen sensitivity issues in some individuals. However, if it is keen in ridding unwanted pounds, that expense might be mighty cheap when it comes to redeeming health values. As to the sensitivity - if you start experiencing break-outs or hives and rashes be sure to discuss with your doctor.
Other effective methods for avoiding sugary calories in recipes is to use fresh mashed or pureed fruits that compliment the recipe. For example, if you are preparing a banana walnut bread you can use less sugar - as well as about 1/2 the oil by substituting the banana. And the fresh ripe fruit will not only add natural sweetness to the recipe, but it will also intensify flavors while adding moistness.
How to Beat Fat Out of the Daily Diet
We've addressed the sugar issue, now to tackle oils and fats. While sugar contains close to 800 calories per cup, oil contains close to 2,000 calories - all of which are fat calories.
Over all of our years of experimenting in the kitchen, more often than not the amount of recommended oil used in commercial mixes can be reduced without impacting the flavors or textures of the finished product to a great degree. Experiment by added 1/4 less than the directions recommend. If you do not notice a change in flavors or the texture, try reducing the oil by 1/3 the next time that you make the recipe.
This method works really well in commercially boxed cake mixes.
While cooking oil comes to mind when we think of dietary fat, it's not just the oil that we have to be concerned about. There is also the Cholesterol Factor which can lead to clogged arteries and impact heart health over time in some individuals. Many of the holiday recipes require eggs which are mined with cholesterol - actually, just the yolk. Rather than adding cholesterol mgs to your recipes, switch to egg substitute which contains zero cholesterol. This is just one method that can assist in making the recipe healthier.
Dairy products are also rich sources of dietary fat when they are in their full-blown state. Switching to the reduced fat products can save both fat grams and caloric values.
Best Recipes for the Holiday for Dieters
Even if you are currently on a weight loss plan you are likely to enjoy yourself on the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays via a relaxed diet. If so, you can keep the caloric damage to a minimum by making wiser choices where desserts are involved.
Fruit pies contain more health benefits and fewer calories than cream pies as well as nut pies such as pecan, but do avoid the mincemeat and raisin pies as well as other recipes that have been prepared with dried fruits such as raisins rather than with fresh or canned fruit.
As to cakes, those without the sugary frosting make the wisest choices. You are better off adding a serving of low fat whipped topping or light whipped cream to the cake rather than eating the frosting which can more than double the calories of that slice of cake.
|
|