The internet is full of recipes which claim to be packed full of benefits to your body, but are you being fooled? Find out below the 5 most common killers of a once healthy recipe and keep your claimed healthy recipes in the good books for your body.
- Meat Overdose
Lean meat is a great part of any meal, but the serving size does matter. More meat does not necessarily mean better and going on a meat lovers paradise can put unnecessary strain on your kidneys as well as lead to increased stored aka increased waistline. Try to stick to between 20-30g of protein a serve per meal, which is around 65g of red meat, 80g chicken or turkey or 100g of fish means your body. Another smart choice is to trim the excess fat and skin which increase your LDL-cholesterol or ‘bad’ cholesterol. The only meat which you want fattier is fish which contains the healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fat which increases your HDL-cholesterol or the ‘good’ cholesterol as well as giving your body many other health benefits.
- Cheese Lover
Who can resist the smell and taste of melted cheese? Like anything there are benefits with moderation when it comes to this delicious dairy source which includes protein and calcium for strong bones, teeth and muscles. The good turns to not so good when the whole meal is swallowed up by cheese and you can’t tell if there are any other ingredients in the meal! Try sticking to a serve of around 40g of cheddar cheese or ½ cup of ricotta or cottage cheese per serve. Low fat cheddar or fetta is a great option for those wanting to lose the calories that come with full fat cheese and there are tasty lighter cheeses available in the supermarkets.
- Hold Back the Sauce
I am sure you have experienced a meal or salad which is swimming in sauce it could be drunk out of the bowl. Sauces can contain many unwanted calories with hidden added sugars as well as added put unwanted stress on your heart with added salt. The trick is to either pass on the sauce all together, or if you are making the meal at home try experimenting with herbs and spices or lemon or lime juice which add little calories to your meal as well as potential added health benefits.
- Pasta Monster
Pasta can be a healthy part of a meal, especially when in the whole grain form. Whole grain pasta adds fibre which helps keep you fuller longer and feeds you good bacteria as well as many vitamins and minerals including B vitamins which your body needs to convert energy from the food you eat, zinc needed for immune support, magnesium needed for your muscles to work properly and provide a non-animal form of iron. Pasta becomes a monster when, firstly, it is the refined variety which provide little fibre and less vitamins and minerals and secondly when the serving size explodes. Try to stick to ½-1 cup of whole grain pasta, rice, quinoa or couscous for each meal and you are less likely to go into a food coma.
- How Much Olive Oil Is Too Much?
Extra virgin olive oil is an amazing healthy fat which is safe to use in cooking and provides your body with an array of health benefits due to the polyphenols in the oil. Like all the above it comes down to the amount you use which can make the healthiness its use slide more to the ‘red zone’. Oil is still a fat, and one tablespoon will still give your body 120 calories. Try to limit the amount of olive oil per serve to around 15mls or around 1 tablespoon per serve.
Take home message: Healthy recipes can still unknowingly sabotage your waistline. Take on board these five most common killers to a once healthy recipe and never be fooled again.
