Hello,
Last week, we here at the GetFit office were discussing our summer eating habits and came up with our own top 5 'Summer of Fat' alerts.
This weeks blog counts down the last 3 alerts. so with no further ado...
Number 3 – Choosing low or reduced fat dips
My particular weakness… It’s amazing that I’ll take cucumbers, carrot sticks and slices of peppers, all wonderfully healthy, and then happily dip it up to its neck in something that can be 80% fat. That’s summer madness…
So when looking for reduced fat dips, remember that this means the product must contain at least 25% less fat than the standard product. For example, standard mayonnaise is 80% fat, reduced fat mayonnaise is 30-40% fat i.e. it is lower in fat than the standard but it is still a high fat product.A guideline figure for choosing a lower fat dip is 15% (or less) – this means 15g fat (or less) per 100g. Although lower fat dips can be as low as 3%, setting an upper limit at 15% will give you more choice – just try not to overdo it!
And whilst at the salad bar, BBQ buffet or in the kitchen, try to use a spoon to portion out the dip onto your plate, rather than freely “dipping” into the container the dip is purchased in – it’s so easy to overeat just because it’s there!
Number 2 – Salad dressings
Okay, so this is similar to Number 3, but it’s worth its own places as there are some great alternatives to shop bought dressings.
Traditional French dressing, tartare sauce and seafood sauce contain in the region of 50-75% fat and many oil-based dressings contribute to the enjoyment of certain foods for many people. Oil is a very calorific ingredient that is added to many dressings because of the “mouth feel” it gives to food.
Reduced fat versions of French dressings are readily available from supermarkets, with Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco producing their own range of reduced fat dressings, whilst Kraft produces a range of fat-free dressings (e.g. French Vinaigrette, Thousand Island).Even better, a quick Google for ‘Low Fat Dressing Recipes’ brings up over 6million results – I am sure there is something that even amongst that lot I could find something I both like and could make…
So what was the GetFit team’s greatest weakness?
Number 1 - Switching to a reduced fat ice cream or alternatives
Whatever you thought of Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first Prime Minister, you can’t deny she did wonders for ice-cream. Whilst working for J. Lyons and Co. she helped research and produced a new type of ‘soft-scoop’ ice cream that could be served through a machine. Hey Presto – Mr Whippy!Ice cream is one of those treats that have been enjoyed by nearly everyone down the generations. Its taste and texture is truly unique. Add the sounds of the ice cream van jingle and happy days are here again!
Ice cream is one of those delights that just would not be what it is without the fat. Cornish dairy ice cream is somewhere in the middle when it comes to fat content – about 10.2% fat and a calorie content in the region of 190kcal per 100g. Some chocolate, fudge or toffee-containing ice creams can be as high as 23% fat.
You don’t need to avoid it, just include it as one of the treats in your eating plan – a single scoop of plain ice cream is about 100 calories.
Alternative, try out a frozen yoghurt option. There are whole cafes dedicated to this wondrous delight - see Yog , Snog and Itsu.
All we need is the summer to actual start acting like a summer so we can put these tips into practice!
Over the next few weeks, we'll introduce some more health habits that won't necessarily depend on the weather!
