Even though summer is usually associated with being outdoors, swimming and sunbathing, eating fresh fruit and veggies and drinking plenty of water, it turns out kids – as well as adults – are more likely to gain weight when the temperatures rise. Ice cream, cold sodas and beer, barbecues and waterside food vendors are temptations most of us find hard to resist. Here are 8 best and worst foods of summer.
1. Worst: Ice cream sandwich – we admit that two chocolate chip cookies sandwiching vanilla ice cream pretty much sounds like a dream, but this treat packs around 500 calories and gets an astounding 60 percent of its wonderful flavor from saturated fat, which is enough for a reality check. Instead, opt for homemade ice cream sandwiches using lower-fat sorbet.
2. Worst: Fried dough – found at most summer festivals or carnivals, fried dough is a nutritional bomb and should be avoided completely, as it is one of the worst sources of trans fat, just like any other fried or battered food.
3. Worst: Corn dog – this deep-fried snack is packing around 20 grams of fat and plenty of sodium, so keep it out of your reach at all times. Choose a hot dog on a whole grain bun, as it has under 150 calories and 14 grams of fat.
4. Worst: Lobster rolls – if you think lobster rolls sound like a healthier alternative to a burger, think again. Lobster is mixed with mayonnaise and put on a white bread, well-buttered bun, which means it has over 400 calories and more than half of that comes from fat. Make your own lobster rolls, put a little bit of low-fat mayo and use a whole-wheat roll instead, eliminating butter.
5. Best: Watermelon – contains over 90 percent of water and has only 44 calories a cup. This great fruit is one of the best ways to rehydrate and is a better source of cancer-fighting lycopene than tomatoes.
6. Best: Fresh iced tea – tea has plenty of antioxidants and zero calories, but in order to get the nutritional benefits of it, keep in mind to make your own, instead of opting for the bottled kind.
7. Best: Gazpacho – cold and healthy soup is the perfect solution for long summer days. Gazpacho is packed with amazing ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers, which are both light and delicious.
8. Zucchini – if there is the perfect summer veggie, zucchini must be it. It has zero fat and cholesterol, just 20 calories per cup and 35 percent of daily-recommended intake of vitamin C.
Photo Credits: Bubblews
