Surprising Foods

Surprising Foods Packed Full of Fat 

Fettuccine Alfredo = 34 grams of Fat

Big Mac = 29 grams of Fat

Classic Caesar Salad = 36 grams of Fat

Tuna Sandwich = 41 grams of fat 

White Pizza = 22 grams of Fat

Saturated fats have shown to increase “bad” cholesterol, also know as LDL.  Food sources include animal products- steak, cheese, and cream.  Some of these foods are shown above: alfredo sauce, pizza slice, a cheeseburger, and salad dressing.  In order to limit saturated fats: select lean meats and trim off the fat, and choose non-fat and low-fat dairy options.  Also, substitute unsaturated or “good” fat options; for example, replace butter for olive oil.  Another dangerous fat is trans fats and this has shown to raise “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and reduce “good” cholesterol (HDL).  These fats are coded as "partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils" on food labels and are found in almost all processed foods - such as baked goods and fast food.  Both trans and saturated fats increase the risk for heart disease and increase cholesterol in the body even more than foods that are high in cholesterol. 

According to the American Heart Association, healthy people should consume less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol and others at risk for heart disease less than 200 mg/day.  One egg contains about 186 mg of cholesterol and only 1.6 g of saturated fat and one egg a day is "ok" for healthy adults.  However, recent studies have shown the direct association that saturated fats have on cholesterol levels.   The following are surprising foods that increase cholesterol…

·      Pizza: Usually, one slice of pizza has 10 grams of fat and 4.4 grams of saturated fats.  If you want a slice then stick to one and top it with filling vegetables.

·      Whole-fat dairy products: Dairy foods are loaded with saturated fats.  Switch to low-fat milk, cheeses, and yogurt.  

·      Ground turkey: It may say 85% lean ground turkey on the package, but it still has 12.5 grams of fat.  Be aware of food labels and make sure to select lean meat options.    

·      Mashed potatoes: Delicious... but they are loaded with saturated fat with cream, cheese, and butter.  Order a plain potato and top it with salsa, broccoli, lean chicken, and low-fat sour cream and shredded cheese.      

·      Plant Oil: Coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, and coconut butter contain lots of saturated fat.  Pina coladas have about 600 calories and 20 grams of saturated fat in about 12 ounces.  They may seem refreshing but limit your intake!  Switch to other cool summer time drinks such as: refreshing and calorie-free water or wine (5 oz. white wine = 123 calories).        

·      Popcorn: Cinema’s medium sized popcorn has about 60 grams of saturated fat and 1,200 calories.  Skip the buttery topping and select the small sized popcorn.