Crouching Salad, Hidden Calories

Eoin from The Fit Kitchen takes a look at some surprisingly calorie-heavy food options. Beware: may cause distress.

In today’s modern society, being healthy and fit seems to be an increasing priority on majority of people ‘to-do’ list, which is fantastic. It’s the reason I post, cook, video and photograph all that I do, to try and teach and guide people in the right direction when undertaking this new found passion for self-improvement. However I’m not the only one practicing and preaching these health and wellness tips, far from it! We now live in a world with such an enormous library of information at our fingertips, but as it so often happens, with this vast amount of information comes an equal amount of misunderstanding and bad practices attached.

If you have been following my content, you’ll already know I’m a firm believer in living a balanced and healthy lifestyle through good wholesome foods, but having certain things in moderation to allow you to live your life (and not become a insane deprived manic!). It sounds easy — and can be — but with certain marketing strategies and hidden secrets in the food and health industries, this simple life motto can be a challenge.

Reading and understanding the nutritional information attached to foods will always be the best way to determine exactly what you are eating, and often influences what you do/don’t put on your plate. There are foods that people often label as ‘healthy’, unbeknownst to what is actually contained, and some that are so calorie dense that a few ‘harmless handfuls or spoonfuls’ can pack in some serious calories to your daily diet. Below are some examples of foods and snacks with a staggering amount of calories attached, that people may find surprising!

Starbucks White Hot Chocolate

Given I previously wrote a piece on Starbucks coffees — this may not come as a huge surprise — but this seemingly harmless hot chocolate drink packs a hefty 675 calories per cup. Especially on a cold winters day, some busy workers on-the-go or WiFi stealing hipsters could easily rack up a few of these throughout the week, damaging their wallets and also adding 1000s of calories unknown to themselves.

Healthier Alternative: Try and steer clear of these fancy named chocolate drinks if you’re watching your calories. Opt instead for a skimmed milk or milk substitute in your drinks, and use the option of a sugar free syrup to add the sweetness.

Domino’s Garlic and Herb Dip

This was a new one, even to me! I have always been a fan of the creamy garlicky dip for my Domino’s crust, but never realized the calories that the 100g tub of glorious goodness packed. A whopping 675 calories to be exact! An astonishing amount of calories, and it is often the case where several of these are needed to finish the baked pizza pie. Domino’s state that each 100g tub has ‘4 servings of 169 calories each’. Fair enough, if you’re feeding a family of mice.

Healthier Alternative: Using a reduced fat garlic mayo dip will without a doubt be a better option. To make your own dip (less than 50 calories): 2 tablespoons of lighter than light mayo, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of parsley, half teaspoon of mustard and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add a little milk to lighten the consistency and boom — you’ve dodged over 600 calories and missed little in terms of taste.

Lenny and Larry’s Cookie

Now these may not be familiar to everyone, but Lenny and Larry’s protein cookies have become very popular in the health and fitness industry over the last few years. These protein packed cookies seem like a great option when you’re sweet tooth cravings come knocking, but one cookie packs a whopping 360 calories. I want to draw attention to the fact that people will often opt for a snack like this (there are tonnes of ‘healthy’ snacks in stores nowadays that are similar) over a typical sweet treat, because they think it is a much healthier option. In reality, your average bar of chocolate has 200–250 calories (it varies with brand), so you are actually consuming more calories from the ‘healthier’ cookie than the other option. Of course, it has a high serving of protein and fibre etc., but on a calorific level, there are a lot more lower calorie options to choose from if needs be.

Healthier Alternative: I’m not going to say the cookie is a bad option, once you can account for the calories. Fruit is always a good option to reach for if in need of a snack. Also homemade sweet treats can be handy to hit the sweet spot, as you will know exactly what is in them. Check out my recipe for Coconut Bites:

Caesar Salad

It may come as a shock to some, but ordering a salad when dining isn’t always the best option if watching one’s calories. Generally, a rule of thumb with salads is that the devil is in the dressing. Taking the Texas Roadhouse restaurant Caesar Salad for example, it packs an incredible 1050 calories! The majority of Caesar salads will be the highest in calories, having very caloric dense fats from the creamy dressing, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and croutons. Being +700–800 calories isn't unusual for these hefty salads, and can be an area where many people get caught.

Healthier Alternative: Making your own Caesar Salad dressing is quite easy. Replace the mayo with a non-fat Greek yogurt, with some extra-virgin olive oil, Parmesan, anchovies, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and garlic. If eating out, ask for the dressing (applies to any dressing) on the side and spread it yourself.

Ramen

Another ‘on trend’ dish that is popular right now, the Japanese soup dish is without a doubt a culinary celebration for the taste buds, but not to be underestimated, packing a generous 1000+ calories on average per portion — from the wheat noodles, the fish or meat broth and the slices of meat often from pork shoulder or belly. This mighty meat selection is why it tastes so damn good, but also could be the reason that the scales ain’t budging. Soups in general can be tricky. Anything vegetable based is pretty much guaranteed to be a good option, but when creams and other fat sources are added is when the calorie begin to clock up. As well as this, sodium level can be extremely high in some ‘store bought’ soups or instant noodle dishes.

Healthier alternative: Again, I’m not saying to avoid the Japanese soup, but be aware of the nutrition attached. Of course, choosing a soup that is vegetable based (carrot, mushroom, cauliflower etc.) will have less calories per serving.

The last thing I want to do is to scare you away from these foods, or to make your dining experiences less enjoyable. The purpose is to open your eyes to the hidden calories in these dishes that so many of us throw a blind eye to and classify as a good option, ending in frustration when progress comes to a stand still weeks later. If you have heard it once youve heard it a thousand times… modration is key!

I will not be removing my ramen, skipping the salad or ditching the dips, but I will be more conscious of the calories attached, and will make them fit into my daily routine and lifestyle. At the end of the day, you have to have garlic dip for your pizza crust… it’s a necessity.