FitSugar

Speak Up: How Do You Avoid Overeating at Barbecues?

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:03:34 -0700

Hot dogs and hamburgers are comfort foods of Summer, and I'm sure by now you've eaten your fair share at all the barbecues you've been frequenting. Aside from those staples, grilled corn smothered in butter, potato salad, chips and dip, and cold beer are also favorites. With all this irresistible food, I'm wondering, what are some tips you can suggest to fellow FitSugar readers to help avoid overeating at the next BBQ?

Healthy Side Dishes and Desserts

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:30:46 -0700

Barbecues are a great way to chill out with your friends, but they can be a disaster for your waistline. Be proactive and bring side dishes and desserts you know are healthy and diet-friendly. This way you can spread the health while ensuring you have something to eat. Here are some ideas.

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5 Things: Grilling and Marinating Meat

FitSugar — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Barbecue season is upon us so let's celebrate by grilling, since it's an easy and lowfat way to cook. If you're grilling meat, protect your health by marinating your meat. Here are five things on the whys and hows of marinating.

Marinating meat, fish, and poultry significantly decreases the amount of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs) produced when the meat is cooked at high temperatures, like in grilling. Marinades can reduce HCAs by as much as 99 percent.
Marinades may slow the growth of harmful bacteria, like listeria.

Learn a few more tips about marinades when you read more.

Marinating meat with naturally acidic ingredients, like vinegar or citrus juices, tenderizes the meat, making your protein easier to digest. Plus marinades will help lock in moisture so your meat won't dry out and toughen up.
To keep the calorie count down, only use a half cup of marinade to every pound of meat. This will be enough to coat the meat, but cuts down on excess.
Never marinate meat at room temperature. Although marinade can slow the growth of harmful bacteria, it cannot stop them completely, so marinate your meat in the fridge.

Do you have a great marinade recipe? Share it in the comments section below.

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Good Buns Are Hard to Find

FitSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:00:00 -0700

If you're trying to make your barbecue a little healthier by grilling up salmon burgers instead of ones made out of beef, don't skimp on the buns. It is easy to be fooled by ones that look healthy, but still have enriched flour listed as the first ingredient. As you'll recall, enriched flour is made when good old healthy wheat flour is processed and stripped of all the nutrients, and then companies add a little back in. The word "enriched" sounds healthy, but this is not what you want to be eating.

Go on a bun mission to find ones made with whole wheat flour. But don't stop there - make sure your buns are free of corn syrup as well. If you're in a bun conundrum and can't find any made with healthy ingredients, pick up some regular bread and use slices of that as your bun.

Keep the BBQ Healthy Today

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:00:00 -0700

One of my favorite things about the Fourth of July is firing up the grill. Not only is grilling a great way to cook a tasty meal, but it's also a fabulous way to trim down the fat. Use my tips to keep your barbecue healthy this holiday weekend.

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5 Things: Ways to Slim Down Your BBQ

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Since it's so hot out, my family grills just about every night (I wouldn't dare turn on the oven). If you're like me, eating tons of burgers and hot dogs every night wouldn't make you feel too good. Here are some ways to keep your BBQs healthy.

Make real guacamole (made with avocados) instead of creamy dips. Avocados offer you the healthy fats your body needs, which is a much better option than the saturated fats found in dairy-based dips.

Grill veggies. Use a grill basket, corn holders, or make shish kebabs. Brush veggies with a little olive oil and the warm, savory flavor is really satisfying. I especially love grilled peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, and eggplant. Be sure to fill your plate with a variety of them.
Instead of beef, choose veggie burgers and hot dogs. They're made with vegetables, beans, and whole grains, so they're loaded with protein and fiber rather than artery-clogging cholesterol.
Eat buns made with whole grains not enriched flour.
Make substitutions when it comes the fixings on your burgers. Choose raw tomato instead of ketchup, low-fat cheese instead of the full-fat kind, and try plain yogurt instead of mayo.

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Food Review: Sunshine Burger

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 09:00:00 -0700

I'm so psyched for BBQs now that the weather is so warm. I always like to keep a box of veggie burgers in the freezer just in case I don't feel like a regular burger, or if we have vegetarian guests over. Now that meat alternatives are so popular, there are so many different kinds to try out, like this Organic Sunshine Burger. Not only are they vegetarian, but they're also vegan, soy free, and gluten free.

Want to see what these burgers really look like and find out how they taste? Then read more.

When I read the ingredients, I was surprised to see that these burgers are mostly made from ground up raw sunflower seeds and rice, which gives them a soft, slightly squishy texture. The mild flavor came from the black beans, peppers, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño peppers, cumin, and onion. It was slightly spicy, but I was expecting more of a kick. It did grill well and didn't stick to the grate like some meat alternatives, like tofu pups, can. Since these burgers are pre-cooked, they only need a few minutes on the grill to heat through. Overall, I found these Sunshine Burgers to be just OK. They were a little too dry for my tastes and honestly, I wanted more flavor.

Serving Size	1 patty
Calories	240
Total Fat	12g
Saturated Fat	1.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	240mg
Carbs	26g
Fiber	9g
Sugar	2g
Protein	6g

5 Things: Marinate for Your Health

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:00:00 -0700

BBQ season is upon us and while grilling is an easy and low fat way to cook food (compared to sautéing in oil or butter). Here are five things I thought you might want to know about the whys and hows of marinating.

Marinating meat, fish and poultry significantly decreases the amount of carcinogenic HCAs (heterocyclic amines) produced when the meat is cooked at high temperatures, like in grilling. Marinades can reduces the HCAs by as much as 99 percent.
Marinades may slow the growth of harmful bacteria, like listeria.
Marinating meat with naturally acidic ingredients, like vinegar or citrus juices, tenderizes the meat, breaking down the proteins making the meat easier to digest. Plus it helps lock in the moisture so the meat won't dry out and toughen up.
To keep the calorie count down, only use one-half cup of marinade to every pound of meat. This will be enough to coat the meat, but cuts down on excess.
Never marinate meat at room temperature. Although marinade can slow the growth of harmful bacteria, it cannot stop them completely, so marinate your meat in the fridge.

Have fun grilling!

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Healthy BBQ: Grilling Meat at High Temps

FitSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:30:00 -0700

It's barbecue time again, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I love grilling, but it's important to keep food safety in mind when firing up the grill. I always try to marinate the meat before cooking, in hopes of reducing the production of carcinogens, but the high heat can also produce chemicals with cancer-causing properties. This does not mean you should skip the grill this weekend (or all Summer); just follow these simple tips from the Harvard Health Letter for keeping grilling safe:

Cook smaller pieces: They cook more quickly and at lower temperatures.
Choose leaner meat: Less fat should reduce flames and therefore smoke.
Precook in the microwave: Doing so for two minutes may decrease heterocyclic amines by 90 percent, according to some research.
Flip frequently: That way, neither side has time to absorb or lose too much heat.

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Healthy BBQ: Not So Healthy Whole Wheat Buns

FitSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:00:00 -0700

It's that time of year again to bust out the grill. Since hamburgers and hot dogs are a staple at most backyard BBQs, there's something you should know. The whole wheat buns you're buying may not be so healthy. Gasp! They might say "made with whole wheat," or they look brown but that doesn't mean they don't contain enriched flour and corn syrup of the high fructose variety. Check out the surprising ingredients in these popular buns and rolls:

Pepperidge Farms 100% Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns: High fructose corn syrup

Arnold Select Multi Grain Kaiser Rolls: High fructose corn syrup and enriched wheat flour

Barowsky's Wheat Bulky Rolls: Enriched flour

Country Kitchen Whole Grain Wheat Hot Dog Rolls: High fructose corn syrup

Fit's Tip: Remember to read the label to make sure your buns and rolls are made with whole wheat flour or another whole grain flour, and aren't sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. At a BBQ, you don't want to eat your corn as a sweetener, but as grilled corn on the cob. Am I right?

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