To many of us, summertime means freedom. Anybody who lives in a four-season zone of the globe can attest to that. There is freedom from using those heavy coats and sweaters, freedom to go wherever you want, freedom from worrying if the kids are doing well in school and if they have done their homework. And most of all, there is freedom to eat whatever you want. Because life is easy during this season, people tend to eat whatever they want and crave for.

In a medical perspective, when the body is resting and lazing around, it is the time when the body digests food. So naturally, people eat a lot because their body craves a lot more. Because of this, people get to the point where they eat foods that do not just have lesser nutritional value, considering that during summertime the mind do not necessarily discriminate, they also eat foods that tends to have a negative effect on one’s health, especially when these foods are taken in excessive amounts. Below are some of the foods that are associated with summertime – foods that you can certainly do without:

• Barbecued High-Fat Meats

  Barbecuing is the process of cooking using indirect heat and possibly hot smoke in a slow manner. Summer has always been associated with barbecue parties. The smell of the meat grilling on top of the pit always makes your mouth water. For those with indiscriminating appetite, they do not care what goes on top of the grill. In fact, the more fatty it is that is grilled on top of the hot charcoal, the more delightful it is to eat. But in truth, the T-bone, the most popular part of the meat that is used for barbecuing, that weighs 20 ounces actually has about 1,540 calories and has a fat content of 124 grams. A grilled meat burger patty has 750 calories, with a fat content of 45 grams. Since barbecue was introduced by the Indians to the world, barbecuing the fattiest part of the animal is the most delectable way to enjoy barbecue. But remember what it does to your health: too much fats can never be good for your heart.

• Sausages and Hotdogs

  Another favorite among summer foods include sausages and hotdogs. These are also popular during baseball games, but equally popular as an easy cook food. Just drop it in a pan with a small amount of hot water and oil, and you can enjoy a delicious meal while watching your favorite television show or playing your beloved MMPORG. Traditional sausages and hotdogs are made from ground meat, herbs and spices.  Plus, loads of fat make it tastier and a lot of salt is used to preserve it. In fact, the standard hotdog not only contains 280 calories, but its fat content is about 15 grams and the sodium content reaches to about 1,250 milligrams.

• Salads Loaded with Mayonnaise

  Eat your veggies and fruits! Yes, that’s easy, but some people load them up with volumes of mayonnaise, apparently, to hide the off-taste of vegetables and some fruits. In salads, instead of savoring the true taste of vegetables, fruits, legumes or some meat and poultry, the outstanding taste that frequently comes out is that of the dressing, particularly the mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is a mixture of egg yolks and vinegar or lemon juice. Commercialized mayonnaise is loaded with fats in order to emulsify it and achieve the thick creamy texture. That means that if one plops a large dollop of mayonnaise into a carbo-laden mixture of ingredients, such as potato for potato salad, the salad itself will be richer in fats and calories. Salad is a favorite summer food as it is served cold. Enjoying this will be more pleasurable if one has fewer worries on the nutritional content. So instead of using traditional mayonnaise, toss it with something like the more appetizing vinaigrette instead.

• Seemingly Harmless Thirst Quenchers

  Summer depletes fluid in the body quickly. So to keep one’s self hydrated, there should always be a thirst quencher prepared nearby. But what seems to be a harmless thirst satisfier can actually cause damage to the waistline measurement one tries to protect. Commercial juice drinks, energy drinks, sweetened soda, sweet tea and beer are about 150 calories per 12 ounces. As the concoction thickens, such as milkshakes, smoothies and all those sweet fruity alcoholic drinks often serve with a cute little umbrella, the calorie content increases coming from the sugar added to the drinks. To enjoy these drinks without guilt, sip the lighter version.

• Ice Cream

  In Sesame Street, they sang, “Search the whole world over, travel near and far, but everyone loves ice cream, no matter who they are”.  Yes indeed, everyone loves a cone of soft served ice cream, especially during summer days. But a cone contains as much as 380 calories and 22 grams of fat. If the concoction is like that of a chocolate cookie dough milkshake, the calorie content shoots up! But there is no reason not to enjoy ice cream. Just take them in small servings and remove those eye-catching, yummy toppings and you will be safe. You can also enjoy other frozen light desserts, such as the yogurt, sherbet, sorbet or fruit bars or those fruity desserts.

• Snack Foods

  Potato chips, nachos, cheese puffs seem to be harmless, but eaten in large quantities will cause havoc to your plan to lower your weight. An ounce of potato chips is about 160 calories and 10 grams of fat. Nachos and the thick cheese on top can shoot up to 700 calories. A large box of popcorn while watching your favorite videos also has a large amount of calories. How about changing your favorite munch treats to dried fruits, nuts, crispy vegetables and fat-free popcorn? This will satisfy your mouth grinding habit, without the worries of large calorie content.

• Fried Chicken

  Any kitchen expert knows that the easiest food to feed the crowd is fried chicken. But eating more than a cut of this finger-licking lip-smacking food can not only compromise your waistline, but also add to the worries of artery diseases. You can enjoy chicken though, but not the battered type, or the deep fried ones which adds to the calorie and fat content of the food. Grill it instead and serve with light sauces and nutritious fresh vegetable salsa.

Sources
webmd.com
nutrition.doctissimo.com
healthmad.com