Mistakes that increase the calories in your diet

There are many foods that, in addition to being tasty, offer health benefits and, therefore, can be part of a healthy and weight loss diet.

However, when using these foods and preparing some dishes, some people exaggerate the additional ingredients, which ends up adding extra calories to their diet.

Below you can see a list of foods that are often prepared and/or consumed “incorrectly”, which ends up adding calories to the diet… As well as tips to prevent these mistakes from getting in the way of your diet:

1. Egg

Egg is well known for being a healthy food, however, it should not be consumed in excess or accompanied by other caloric ingredients.

The nutritionist and personal diet Sabrina Lopes explains that a boiled egg has, on average, 98 calories. Already a cheese omelet, about 126 calories.

“To consume fewer calories in the omelet, the person should avoid adding yellow cheeses, prefer white cheeses, also avoid sausages such as bacon, pepperoni, among other ingredients. She can also add vegetables and greens”, says Sabrina.

2. Potato

Potato is a food that most people like. But the way it will be prepared makes all the difference in the diet of those who are looking to lose weight or simply maintain weight.

Jackeline Taglieta, nutritionist at the University of São Paulo (USP), postgraduate in Functional Clinical Nutrition, explains that a skimmer of boiled potato (50g) provides 40 calories. Already a slotted potato fries (30g), 80. In other words, double the calories!

3. Meat

The same is true of meat. The way it is prepared makes all the difference in a diet.

Sabrina Lopes explains that grilled meat has, on average, 140 calories, while breaded meat has around 320.

4. fish

Fish is well known for offering health benefits and for having few calories, being a super important food in the diet of those looking to lose weight or simply a healthier life.

However, it is worth paying attention to the difference in calories between a baked fish and a fried fish (this does not highlight the issue of the harm that fried food offers to our health).

Jackeline Taglieta points out that a fillet (150g) of baked white fish (eg hake) has 150 calories, while the same fried fish provides 230 calories.

5. Milk

Nutritionist Jackeline explains that a glass of skim milk (200 ml) offers 70 calories. But, if to the same amount of skimmed milk, two spoons (soup) of chocolate are added, the person will consume 144 calories.

6. Cheese

People should also pay attention to the type of cheese they are going to consume. Jackeline Taglieta points out that an average slice (30g) of fresh Minas cheese has 45 calories – the same amount as an average slice of ricotta.

A thin slice (15 g) of cheese provides 55 calories. And two slices, which add up to 30g, offer 110 calories.

In the case of mozzarella, a thin slice (15 g) has 50 calories.

7. Noodles

When preparing pasta, it is essential to choose good ingredients and avoid exaggeration.

Nutritionist Jackeline highlights that a deep dish of pasta in sugo (200g) offers, on average, 274 calories. “We should not add ingredients such as: bacon, ham, sausage, sour cream, cheeses, etc., because, in addition to significantly increasing the caloric content, they greatly increase the inflammatory profile of the dish, further harming those looking to lose weight or maintain weight” , it says.

8. Cheese on Macaroni

Many people have the habit of adding grated Parmesan cheese on top of dishes, especially in the case of pasta. However, it must be remembered that it also adds calories to the diet.

Jackeline Taglieta explains that a tablespoon (10g) of traditional grated Parmesan cheese has 43 calories. And a tablespoon (10g) of light grated Parmesan cheese, 36.

Thus, even if you opt for the light version, it is important to avoid excesses, so that the pasta dish does not become too caloric.

9. Orange juice

Some people prefer, instead of sucking an orange, to make a natural juice from the fruit.

Nutritionist Sabrina Lopes points out, however, that when we consume juice instead of fruit, we end up ingesting more calories, since more than one fruit is present in it. “Also, some people end up adding sugar to it,” she says.

That doesn’t mean that natural orange juice can’t be consumed, from time to time. But it should not replace the fruit daily, nor should it be sweetened.

10. Breads

If you are going to prepare a bread at home, the tip is to improve its nutritional profile. Jackeline Taglieta explains that instead of just thinking about calories, it’s worth replacing part of the white flour with whole grains, such as quinoa, oatmeal and amaranth flakes; seeds like linseed, sesame, sunflower seed etc. “And when it comes to oil, the tip is to use coconut, olive or canola oil,” she says.

You should also use as little sugar as possible and, when you use it, prefer organic. “There is not much to change the nutritional value of bread itself, but it is possible to work on the effect of bread on the body, improving its glycemic index and fat profile”, highlights nutritionist Jackeline.

General tips for not adding extra calories to the diet

• Sabrina Lopes highlights that, when preparing food, we can avoid some calories in the seasoning, using minimal amounts of functional oils, avoiding industrialized seasonings and abusing herbs and natural seasonings.
• Nutritionist Sabrina reinforces that, to reduce calories, it is also essential to exchange fried foods for roasted and grilled preparations.
• Sabrina recalls that replacing refined foods, such as white flour, for wholemeal flour also helps to reduce extra calories.
• Jackeline Taglieta reinforces that it is important to avoid the use of sugar in juices, fruits, etc. In the case of people who are very used to the sweet taste, the tip is to decrease the amount of sugar, training the palate with the natural flavor of food and drinks.
• Another tip from nutritionist Jackeline is to replace cottage cheese with soy paste.
• Nutritionist Jackeline suggests not having a whole glass of juice, but only half a glass at a time.
• Jackeline Taglieta reminds us that olive oil is healthy, but it should not be used too much when dressing the salad. One dessert spoon, on average, is enough.
• Nutritionist Jackeline explains that you should not put bacon, pepperoni and sausage in the preparation of beans. If you like the smoky flavor, you should opt for smoked tofu.
• Jackeline points out that you have to be careful with ready-made salad dressings. The best options for dressing the salad are apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon and orange.
• Nutritionist Jackeline reminds us that it is necessary to use as little oil and butter as possible in the preparation of dishes. “Having good quality non-stick pans at home is also important. The use of fats will often be dispensed with,” she concludes.

With these tips it is much easier to avoid mistakes in food preparation and consumption and thus achieve your goals more easily!

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.