Many are familiar with the 580 calorie McDonald’s Big Mac, but often don’t think about hidden-calorie food and drinks. Many may consider some of these foods healthy, but they can pack on more calories than a Big Mac and side of french fries. The Milestone Online looked into some of the food and drinks that end up being a lot healthier sounding than they really are.
1. Salads
After the cheese, croutons, and high calorie dressing, a salad can be as unhealthy as a plate of French fries. A regular size Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad has 1,380 calories and 99 grams of fat. At that rate, it would be better to get a cheeseburger, which has 940 calories and only 58 grams of fat. Try getting the Paradise Chicken Salad which contains only 340 calories and 4 grams of fat.
2. Guacamole
The fact that it’s full of vegetables makes guacamole sound super healthy. However, 4 oz. of guacamole from Chipotle has 170 calories and 13 grams of fat. A couple chips later, and 300 calories could have been consumed before the burrito. Try dipping their chips in tomato salsa, which has 17 calories and 0 grams of fat per 4 oz. serving.
3. Nuts and Peanut Butter
While nuts and peanut butter contain healthy fat, they are best eaten in small portions. There are around 160 calories and 14 grams of fat in a 1 oz. serving of peanuts, and 190 calories and 16 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Avoid snacking on nuts when they’re sitting in a bowl at a party, and use portion control when eating them.
4. Coffee
Many people have to have their cup of coffee in the morning. However, if it’s not chosen wisely, it can add a large number of calories to your diet. A Starbucks Venti (large) sized Mocha Coconut Frappuccino with whipped cream has 710 calories. Try a healthier option to start off the morning with the same-sized Clover Brewed Coffee which has only 5 calories, or a Misto with brewed coffee and steamed milk that only has 130 calories.
5. Muffins and Bagels
These two classic breakfast foods aren’t always very filling and can add up in calories. A Cinnamon Crunch Bagel from Panera has 430 calories without cream cheese, and a Panera Pumpkin Muffin has 590 calories. To cut down the calories on a carb craving, try the 320 calorie Cinnamon Swirl and Raisin Bagel with a side of reduced fat plain cream cheese.
6. Fruit Smoothies
If made right, a fruit smoothie is a perfect healthy snack. However, the added sugar, yogurt, and ice cream can pack on the calories. A medium sized Cranberry Supreme smoothie from Smoothie King contains 831 calories, which is way more calories than needed for a snack. Try the small sized Blueberry Heaven which only has 325 calories and still satisfies a smoothie craving.
7. Sandwiches
Places like Subway, Jersey Mike’s, and Jimmy John’s deceive many into thinking that all of their sandwiches make for a perfect, healthy meal. Many of the ingredients, though, contain belt busting calories. A 6” Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt from Subway has 570 calories. Add a bag of chips and a soda, and a meal could get up to 1,000 calories. Try a 6” Subway Club which has only 310 calories, but has plenty of meat to satisfy your hunger. Stay away from high calorie condiments like oil and vinegar, and mayonnaise.
The McNicholas Milestone 