Best and Worst Foods of Summer

It is a kind of myth that summer means more exercise and healthier food choices for all. A revealing study found that children gain weight three times faster during the summer than they do the rest of the school year, thanks to a steady diet of junk food and video games. 

And then there is no comparable stats on adults and weight gain, barbecues, state fairs, and food vendors waterfront offer a multitude of temptations. Here was the food, you should always avoid and healthier options you can feel free to enjoy.

Let's start with the Worst

• Ice cream sandwich

What's better than two sandwich cookies with vanilla ice cream, especially when cookies are chocolate chips? Well, in fact, almost everything is better for you, because this treatment usually packs about 500 calories and gets a whopping 60% of melts in your mouth flavor of saturated fats. 

A better idea: Make your own ice cream sandwiches with less fat sorbet.

• Fried dough

A staple in the summer fairs and carnivals, fried dough is simply nutritional napalm and belongs to our list of 50 foods fatter In States permanently. 

Fried flour, butter, shortening and sugar may seem like something you can get away with once or twice a year, but keep in mind that fried and battered foods are among the worst sources of trans fat. 

Although trans fats can be tasty, it raises bad cholesterol, lowers the good kind, and can increase inflammation in your body. Bottom line: fried dough is not part of the diet of everyone.

• Corn dogs

What state invented the corn dog? Texas claims to have unveiled this bomb deep fat dried at a state fair in 1942, but Minnesota wants credit too. But why brag? Everything fried is usually best to avoid, but this snack is in its own category, packing 20 grams of fat and loads of sodium. 

A better idea: Choose a hotdog less than 150 calories and 14 grams of fat and sodium limited to less than 450 milligrams. And having a small grain bread.

• Lobster rolls

If lobster rolls sound like a lean and healthy alternative to a burger, consider how these treats are assembled sea: lobster mixed with mayonnaise, then nestled in a bun buttered white bread for a sandwich fatty clogged weighs over 400 calories, more than half of the fat stems. 

A better bet: Try to make lobster rolls at home, where you can just use a hint of low-fat mayonnaise, put them on a whole wheat bread, and limit or even eliminate the butter.

• Fried clams

Some fried clams are to share with friends, but do not make a meal of them. 3/4 cup serving of the fried seafood packs nearly 500 calories and a whopping 26 grams of fat. A better bet is to eat cooked but not fried. 

Pack cooked protein and are one of the best sources of vitamin B12, which is vital for a healthy nervous system clams and prevent anemia.

• Ribs

Ribs come in all shapes and sizes, but no matter how you cut it, a coastal restaurant should stay out of your summer menu. A quarter pound of beef or pork ribs weigh 288 calories and are loaded with saturated fat, and you have before you slather on the BBQ sauce. 

When cooking ribs at home, place the sauce in favor spices low in fat such as mustard, garlic and chili powder. They will add delicious flavor without many calories. 

Try our barbecue rib recipe as an appetizer. Before cooking, be sure to cut off any visible fat and keep portions small.

• Daiquiris

Daiquiris its light and refreshing, nutritional profile Their goal is large and inflated. A Strawberry Daiquiri 8 ounces, for example, includes more calories than a hamburger and double pancake is loaded with fat and sugar! 

Purpose there are plenty of drinks to enjoy the healthy pool, with or without alcohol.

• Onion rings

While the onion rings do not sound like the worst health choices you can make, once the onions are dipped in flour and eggs thrown in a fryer, then salted, the result is a food disaster . 

A much better idea: Try a Faux Fry! Coat onions with egg whites and a mixture of grated Parmesan cheese, flour, whole wheat panko breadcrumbs and sliced​​. Spritz cooking spray and bake in an oven at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes. 

Crispy, healthy, satisfying ... you'll never eat fried onion rings again!

We Are Done From The Worst ... Let's Start With The Best :

• Corn on the cob

Corn on the cob without butter or salt is high in fiber, foods low in calories. We like shaving off the cob in salads, use it for healthy salads, and grill - just not too much butter! 

Tip: choose the yellow variety on the white kind for added vitamin A

• Watermelon

Skip some watermelon in your mouth is a great way to rehydrate after a long day in the sun. 

True to its name, the watermelon is 90% water. It is also a better source of lycopene fight against cancer than raw tomatoes. At only 44 calories per cup, there is no reason not to bite into this summer fruit.

• Fresh iced tea

Tea has zero calories, loads of antioxidants, and can even help you lose weight. To get the nutritional benefits of tea, you really need to do it yourself and do not go to the bottled variety. 

Black or green, if you make your own using a tea bag, ice is just as beneficial as hot.

•  Fruit salad

Summer is high season for berries and colored stone fruit, and fruit eaters tend to weigh less than people who do not enjoy fruits! 

If this is not enough to get you on the farmers market, red fruit, violet and blue are important antioxidants and vitamins sources, and some, especially berries, wrap up a third of your needs daily fiber per serving. 

• Gazpacho

In the summer months, the last thing you want is to stir a pot on a hot stove and insert it into a steaming bowl of soup. Cold soups are a perfect solution for many of our recipes all you need is a bowl to prepare! 

Gazpacho is filled with healthy foods like peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, which make a tasty soup yet light ingredients.

• Grilled chicken kabobs

Easy to throw on the barbecue chicken skewers are packed with protein but low in calories, fat, carbohydrates and. 

When you add vegetables (like zucchini, peppers, squash) to your roster, you add delicious flavors of summer and loads of antioxidants. 

Vitamin C red peppers lunches are a big plus, because they become even softer on the grill and half a cup provides only 14 calories. Another option: Dip chicken skewers with yogurt in sauces, as in this simple summer yogurt and spices, Chicken Skewers flat.

•  Zucchini

Raw, grilled, rolled, sliced ​​or diced, zucchini is the perfect summer vegetable. At only 20 calories per cup, it has zero fat and cholesterol, and 35% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

• Shrimp cocktail

Ideal for a snack mid-afternoon cocktail at a party, or for a light lunch, shrimp are rich in protein and low calorie way to get excited. They provide about 14% of your recommended daily intake of iron, and a portion of 3.5 ounces is less than 100 calories. 

We like topping on salads, eat them plain or grilling