Healthy Alternatives to Junk Food

There are lots of foods that silently add hundreds of calories to your diet. These foods are easily accessible and tasty. These are also often high in saturated fats or sugar or both. Thus, not only do they add to your body fat, they even increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. For many people, the battle to lose weight or keep the fat off can be a long and difficult road and eating these high calorie foods can only make it harder.

Find below a list of foods which are amongst the worst for achieving fat loss:-

1.      Fried Potatoes  Studies shows that people who consume potatoes daily, in any form, put on about a pound on average over 4 years. This is because of potato’s high GI (Glycemic Index), which causes a spike in blood sugar levels. Potatoes eaten in moderation are not bad since they even contain some essential nutrients. But when potatoes are fried, they absorb a lot of oil. So a high amount of saturated fat is added, which may increase the risk of heart disease and the body’s fat levels.

Better alternative For a low GI option, swap potatoes with sweet potatoes. Or have normal potatoes with the skin to increase fibre content. You can make your own French fries by oven roasting them with a light spray of olive oil.

2.      Processed Meats Processed meats are high in fat, most of which is saturated and also high in calories, which contributes to weight gain.

 Better alternative Choose lean meats and opt for a lower saturated fat protein source such as fish.

3.      Soda and energy drinks Sugar sweetened soda and energy drinks are high in sugar and calorie content and there are little to no nutrients in these drinks.

Better alternative Sugar free sodas or water flavoured with a lemon/lime juice.

4.      Refined Grains Food that is made from refined grains such as white breads can spike blood sugar levels which can increase hunger and make us overeat.

Better alternative Whole grain based foods.

5.      Mayonnaise Apart from pure fats and oils, mayonnaise may just be the foods with the largest percentage of fat. A100g serving of mayonnaise contains about 80g of fat.

Better alternative Use low fat yoghurt with lemon as a substitute of tangy salad dressing.

6.      Ice cream and cream Ice cream contains not only fattening cream, but also eggs yolks and sugar, which means it is incredibly high in calories.

 Better alternative Use low fat yoghurt or condensed milk to replace cream in cooking and choose low fat and sugar ice creams or sorbet, which is water based.

7.      Chocolate, cake and candy These foods are high in sugar and calories with low nutrient value.

Better alternative If you do eat chocolate keep portion sizes small and opt for higher cocoa content as cocoa provides healthy antioxidants. Choose other treats such as fresh fruits, low fat yoghurt or a low sugar flavoured dairy dessert.

8.      Fast Foods Fast foods are detrimental for any diet, weight loss or not. They are high in saturated fat content, contain simple carbohydrates and are likely to be high in sugar content.

Better alternative Make tasty and healthier alternatives at home using healthy ingredients such as whole grain, lean meat, low fat ingredients and good fats. If you do eat at a fast food joint, then minimize the portion size.

9.      Butter, lard and other animals fats With pure saturated fat and very high calories, it is best to stay away from these.

Better alternative Replace animal fat with unsaturated fat like olive oil or canola oil. Choose non fat cooking methods or use spray oil for cooking to get the smallest possible amount.