“Moderation in all things” -Aristotle
It is a simple but powerful statement which is definitely applicable to the treats that a lot of us find hard to resist and sometimes trying to avoid them all together is counterproductive as you ban yourself for a long time and then one day, you give in! You lose self-control and you find that you have eaten an entire tub of ice cream or an entire packet of chips.
Here are some tips on how you can continue to include these treats in your diet without overindulging.
There are two ways in which one can include treats in moderation, either by swapping it for a healthier alternative option or portion controlling your regular favourite snack if you do not wish to replace it.
Ice Cream
The current weather in Sydney may make us want to cool down with an ice cream or a soft drink. Here are some swaps which can help you control calories, saturated fat and sugar you are putting in your body. For the purpose of simplifying, I have used magnum classic as an example as it is one of the popular brands.
When choosing healthier snacks we should look at snacks that are less than 150 calories, less than 2g/100g of saturated fat, less than 15g/100g of sugar and 120mg/100g of sodium.
1. Swapping a Magnum ice-cream bar for a paddle pop
| Magnum ice-cream | Paddle pop |
|---|---|
| 288 Calories | 107 Calories |
| 13g of Saturated fat | 1.6g of Saturated fat |
| 24g of Sugar | 13.5g of Sugar |
2. Swapping a Magnum ice-cream bar for a Mango Weis bar
| Magnum ice-cream | Mango Weis bar |
|---|---|
| 288 Calories | 112 Calories |
| 13g of Saturated fat | 2.6g of Saturated fat |
| 24g of Sugar | 17.8g of Sugar |
3. Swapping a Magnum ice-cream with flavored yogurt
| Magnum ice-cream | Flavored yogurt |
|---|---|
| 288 Calories | 94 Calories |
| 13g of Saturated fat | 0.2g of Saturated fat |
| 24g of Sugar | 6.4g of Sugar |
Chips
We may wish to have something savoury now and again, but there are definitely some swaps that can help you save yourself from excess calories, saturated fat and salt without depriving yourself. Swapping something like Twisties for air popped popcorn can help control the calories, saturated fat and salt consumed.
1. Swapping Twisties cheese snack pack for popcorn snack pack
| Twisties (6 pack) | Popcorn (6 pack) |
|---|---|
| 94 cal per snack pack | 62 cal per snack pack |
| 201mg of Sodium | 64mg of Sodium |
| 2.2g of Saturated fat | 0.2g of Saturated fat |
Portion control
Opting for mini versions of ice creams, chips and soft drinks can help decrease the calories, saturated fat and sugar consumed
1. Swapping regular sized Magnum bar for a Mini Magnum
| Magnum | Magnum Mini (6 pack) |
|---|---|
| 342 cal | 155 cal |
| 15g of Saturated fat | 7g of Saturated fat |
| 24g of Sugar | 13g of Sugar |
2. Swapping regular sized Twisties cheese bag for a Twisties 6 pack
| Twisties (90g) | Twisties (6 pack, 1 pack 19g) |
|---|---|
| 447 cal | 94 cal |
| 10.3g of Saturated fat | 2.2g of Saturated fat |
| 954mg of Sodium | 201mg of Sodium |
3. Swapping regular sized Coke Cola can for a mini sized Coke Cola can
| Coke Cola (1 can, 375ml) | Coke Cola Mini(1 can 200ml) |
|---|---|
| 161 cal | 86 cal |
| 40g of Sugar | 21g of Sugar |
Although there is space in your diet for treat foods, it is recommended that one try and snack more on nourishing foods such as nuts, fruit and vegetable sticks with hummus to get the required energy boost during the day.
Contact us for results focused on nutrition
This article was written by our dietitian and nutritionist Juhi Bhambhaney. If you have any questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment with one of our dietitians. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today.
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