Those fun little grinches at Men’s Health who are always telling us to Eat This, Not That are at it again. Did you know the average person consumes an extra 600 calories per day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s? Each day, not each holiday. The grinches say that adds up to six pounds of belly fat. So to save us from ourselves, they’ve rounded up 16 foods and beverages we should avoid if we’d like a fighting chance of not having to buy elastic-waist pants on January 2.
Some of the 16 include the Worst holiday coffee: Starbucks’ Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha (venti). Venti is 20 in Italian, ounces in this case, and it’s a smaller number than the fat grams in one of these drinks: 22g and 15g are saturated. That’s three-fourths of our daily allotment for saturated fat. Instead, ask the Starbucks barrista for Cafe au Lait with Peppermint Syrup, a mere 5g of fat, 3.5 saturated.
Worst cocktail: This one’s a surprise. It’s gin and tonic. 210 calories and 21g of sugar, thanks to the tonic water. They say have a glass of Champagne instead for 100 calories and 5g of sugar. (There is a sugar-free tonic water, which I often mix with fruit juice for a faux cocktail, but I guess the typical gin and tonic fan doesn’t go that route.)
Worst candy: Fudge. One of the most calorie-dense foods on the planet. They say 3 pieces have 360 calories and you don’t want to know how much sugar and fat — it’s astronomical — and if 3 is one serving they must be thinking of cubes, not the brownie-size slabs of fudge we see. They say 5 Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses are the way to go and they don’t have to ask me twice. Not if dark chocolate’s involved.
Worst entree: Nobody can afford it anymore, but it’s prime rib, with 750 calories per serving and 45g of fat. Nobody can afford the healthier beef alternative either — tenderloin, aka filet mignon — with 165 calories and 7 fat grams.
Worst side dish: Candied yams. Lucky for me I don’t like them. If you do, the price is 320 calories, 12g fat and a whopping 26g sugar. A baked sweet potato is the better choice with 180 calories, 12g sugar and absolutely no fat.
Worst gift from your neighbor: Fruitcake. Tricky territory, with a neighbor involved and all. So if somebody hands you a fruitcake, be diplomatic and do not say, “Oh, joy! 400 calories and 35g of sugar per slice!” Just thank them and eat ginger snaps instead.
Follow the link above for the rest, including leftovers lunch, side dishes and appetizers.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, I love fruitcake, but don’t have neighbors generous to give it to me, and I won’t buy it for myself.
Love yams and sweet potatoes, but not the kind most people eat–that written, a couple of baked yams mashed with real buttah and some sticky goooey sweet stuff, agave, honey, or caramelized with turbinado sugar is one of my favs.
I’m surprised that egg nog didn’t make the worst drink list. I didn’t think anything could be richer than egg nog . . . even that nasty soy substitute without the alcohol has a sinful number of calories. Although technically, I suppose it’s not a “cocktail” . . .
Fun entry. Wonder if “Women’s Health” is avoiding this issue all together.
Happy Holidays to you, ella!
Word Bandit’s last blog post..Troy Davis? Letter to Friends and Supporters
Hi, Ella,
I must email you my fruitcake-for-people-who-hate-fruitcake cookie recipe.
Think bourbon soaked raisins, whole pecans, red and green cherries and citron in a minimal batter heavily infused with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.
They were my dad’s specialty, called Lizzies.
Otherwise, some good tips here. We actually have agreed on filet for Christmas dinner, with salad, potato and cheddar-dill bread. Period. Aren’t we good?! If we were serving ten, that filet would go bye-bye.
I came over to give you this wonderful link to the process for road-deicing in Ankeny, Iowa. Seems they’re using garlic salt, donated by the Tone spice company. Bon appe-tire, perhaps?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ia-garlicroadsalt,0,1742019.story
The holidays are a great time. The food part is what kills us. If your on a strict diet, then this is a trying time. We need to be aware of what we eat and try to maintain our diets somewhat. As long as everything is in moderation we hould be fine. We can enjoy the variety of foods offered during the holidays, but be smart about it!
Happy holidays to you too Word! – It’s good to see you again. I’m amazed about eggnog too. I looked at the label a few weeks ago, as I do every year, and put it right back, as I do every year. It’s a shame because I do love it.
I think the Eat This, Not That guys have a tie to Men’s Health or vv. They’re always telling me to take food out of my mouth!
You can officially have all of my share of yams and sweet potatoes forever. Promise!
Hi Shore – I saw that story yesterday. What a hoot! If they did that here I’d do nothing but eat because of the aroma.
Your dad’s fruitcake sounds good. Are you making it? Someone else posted a recipe at my request in the comments for the pumpkin butter, a white fruitcake. I’ve been meaning to write about it but life interevened, so I’ll post it separately in comments here.
Your dinner sounds virtuous as can be. It also sounds delicious! Bon appetit and Merry Christmas.
Hi, Mike – You sound like a wise man who will never have a weight problem if you can help it. Moderation is key, of course, but sometimes it’s easier said than done.
I like to use what I call the “bank method.” I know I’m having a huge dinner tomorrow night so I’m “banking” uneaten calories and fat grams today to use tomorrow. I’ll probably cut back Monday too. It doesn’t always balance out, but I try.
Happy everything!
Here’s the fruitcake recipe posted by Barbara…Cack is her daughter. Thanks again, ladies!
Cack’s White Fruitcake Recipe
(Fruitcake for folks who swear they hate the stuff)
1 pound shelled pecans
1 pound golden raisins
1-1/2 pounds candied pineapple-8 oz.red, 8 oz.green, 8 oz. yellow
1 pound candied cherries-8 oz, red and 8 oz. green
1 pound BUTTER-NO SUBSTITUTES
6 EGGS, separated
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 ounces lemon extract
Cut cherries in half and pineapple in little pieces.
Cream together butter, egg yolks, and sugar. Add flour and mix well. Add lemon extract and mix thoroughly. Add fruit and pecans; mix.
Beat egg whites into soft peaks. Fold into batter.
Grease pan (tube or loaf) and line bottom with waxed paper. spoon in the batter. Bake 1-1/2 hours at 250*F, the increase heat to 325*F and bake 30 more minutes or until done(toothpick inserted in center comes out clean)
Cool in pan.
Turn out and remove the waxed paper.
Wrap the fruitcake in cheesecloth that has been saturated with apple juice, then in plastic wrap and finally, aluminum foil.Store in cool place
Ages well and will keep for a full year.