When the temperature starts to go down,
many people turn to rich fall foods such as those served for football games, hayrides, and
fireside meals.
While fall foods can be comforting, it only
takes an extra 100 calories a day to put on 10 pounds a year.
Registered dietician Felicia Stoler,
Ph.D., author of the book “Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to
Lose Weight and Feel Great,” offers this list of the most fattening foods of
fall:
- Halloween candy. Long before Halloween arrives, bowls of
candy bars appear frequently at the office.
- Tailgating buffets. Chips, guacamole, ribs, burgers, and beer.
This one day of overeating can ruin a whole week’s worth of conscious eating.
- Cream soups and hearty stews. Beware of cream of baked potato and
broccoli cheese soups and beef stroganoff. Warm soups and stews may feel
nutritious, but if they’re loaded with cream, cheese, or meat, they are also
loaded with calories.
- Root vegetables. While many are super-nutritious, root vegetables
can quadruple in calories when you cream them, fry them, or mix them with
cheese, cream, butter, canned soups, or crispy bacon. A sweet potato casserole
can easily have 500 calories per serving – 400 more than a plain roasted sweet
potato.
- Seasonal beverages. Hot toddies, along with hot chocolate,
pumpkin-spice lattes, eggnog, and apple cider, are a quick way to take in lots
of extra calories. A 16-oz. Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte with 2 percent milk
and whipped cream is 380 calories, while the same size caramel apple cider has
410 calories.
- Apple, pecan, and sweet potato pies. These fall favorites start with healthy
ingredients such as heart-healthy nuts or antioxidant-rich fruits and
vegetables. However, they also include high-calorie ingredients such as piecrusts,
sweet fillings, and whipped cream or ice cream topping.
- Macaroni and cheese. It's a favorite comfort food for kids and
adults, but it can wreck your diet. In addition, many recipes call for extra
ingredients such as high-fat meats or sausage.
To cut
calories, eliminate these items or only eat small portions. Concentrate on
fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, meatless meals, and skipping desserts instead.
It is difficult to list the most fattening foods because many foods that aren’t fattening become that way by the way you prepare them. However, there are some general guidelines to remember when buying or ordering food. There are certain types of food that don’t appear to be fattening, but are actually full of fat and calories. And, there are some foods that are high in calories, but full of “good fat” that reduces cholesterol. Be aware of the sneaky fattening foods when choosing what you eat, and you’ll drastically reduce your fat intake.