avoiding dietary danger zones: beware of hidden traps on packaging

Besides the number on the scale, what is the second most important number for people trying to lose weight?

 

Answer: Calories, calories, and more calories!

On the basis of meeting the daily needs of the human body,Intake < Consumption = Successful Weight LossSo, calculating the calories in food and controlling calorie intake has become the top priority for those trying to lose weight. However, even with such a simple addition and subtraction within a thousand, some people still fall into traps they can't escape from.

 

After shopping in the supermarket for so long, have you understood food labels?

 

Food labels usually indicate the production date, shelf life, ingredients, quality (grade), etc., and can tell consumers whether the food is fresh, its characteristics, nutritional information, etc. The state mandates that pre-packaged foods must have food labels, which is necessary for food safety and scientific management, and also an objective requirement to protect consumer rights.

 

How to read food labels?

 

1. Check the date:Production date, shelf life.

2. Check the name and category:The simplest way to distinguish is to look at the full name and then the ingredient list.

3. Check the ingredient list:The ingredient list usually includes three categories: regular ingredients, food additives, and probiotics. As for food additives, they are unavoidable in processed and packaged foods, but as long as they are within the national permissible range, there is no major issue.

4. Check the nutritional content:Through the nutritional content, we can know the calories of this food (including the three main energy sources: fat, protein, and carbohydrates), as well as the content of some vitamins, minerals, and sodium.

 

Are you falling for the hidden bombs in food?

 

When we buy packaged foods, we often step into traps, involving two calorie bombs:Sugar and fats..

 

Fats, we need to consume a certain amount of quality fats daily, whether from olive oil or nuts, and avoid bad fats as much as possible. Packaged foods often contain bad fats, such as trans fats. Many breads and cookies on the market containhydrogenated vegetable oil, margarine, etc., which belong to trans fats..

 

Sugar,inadvertently consuming too much sugar is also a main cause of excess calories.Many foods have added white sugar, such as yogurt, beverages, and dairy drinks. The staple carbohydrates we eat daily are essentially sugars, which convert to glucose during digestion to provide energy for the body. Therefore, whether you consume fructose or glucose, you should avoid excessive intake.

 

What does 100 calories mean, and how to calculate it?

 

A calorie (calorie) is a unit of energy widely used in nutrition measurement and fitness manuals, also abbreviated as C, commonly seen on food labels. It is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius under 1 atmosphere of pressure.

 

Generally speaking,women'sdaily energy requirementis about 1800 calories,.men'sis about2000 calories.To avoid exceeding calorie limits, you need to know what 100 calories mean.

 

100 calories of food looks like this:

 

Snacks

100 calories roughly equals one scoop of ice cream, 1/4 of a chocolate croissant, half a chocolate cream cake, six and a half marshmallows, a small piece of sandwich cookie, 23 grams of potato chips, a chocolate bar, seven fruit hard candies, eight dried apricots, and one spoon of raisins.

 

Drinks

100 calories roughly equals more than half a cup of cola, a cup of beer, 125 ml of white wine, 200 ml of freshly squeezed orange juice, and 150 ml of chocolate milkshake.

 

Fruits

100 calories roughly equals a small bunch of grapes + an apple, a banana, about 30 mulberries, four peaches, a plate of strawberries, etc.

 

Others

100 calories roughly equals a boiled egg + a small piece of whole wheat toast, half a muffin, a spoon of peanut butter + a slice of whole wheat bread, 10 slices of cucumber + a piece of mashed potato oatmeal cookie, a plate of cucumber and carrot + 36 grams of mashed potato, etc.

 

Calorie conversion formula:

1 kilocalorie = 1 large calorie = 1000 calories = 1000 calories = 4186 joules = 4.186 kilojoules

 

A person's daily calorie consumption:

 

Men:

11-17 years old: Weight (kg) × 105 = Basic Calories (kJ)

18-30 years old: Weight (kg) × 63 + 2850 = Basic Calories (kJ)

31-60 years old: Weight (kg) × 48 + 3500 = Basic Calories (kJ)

Over 60 years old: Weight (kg) × 56 + 2050 = Basic Calories (kJ)

Women:

11-17 years old: Weight (kg) × 84 = Basic Calories (kJ)

18-30 years old: Weight (kg) × 61 + 1880 = Basic Calories (kJ)

31-60 years old: Weight (kg) × 36 + 3500 = Basic Calories (kJ)

Over 60 years old: Weight (kg) × 44 + 2050 = Basic Calories (kJ)

Under the same living and working conditions, the required calories vary due to differences in age and body type. However,focusing on eating is the most effective way to lose weight.Compared to exercise, many people find it tiring and time-consuming... But eating is something you do every day, so why not take action?

 

Have you fallen for these five fake weight-loss foods?

 

To become slimmer, more beautiful, and healthier, you must have put a lot of effort into eating, but have you ever thought about whether the weight-loss foods you carefully selected can really help you lose weight? Can they really help you avoid detours on the road to weight loss?

 

Well, you might not believe it, but those foods that attract you with the "healthy" label might actually be stumbling blocks in your weight-loss journey!

 

1. Puffed cereal

In the morning, a cup of milk or yogurt + crunchy oatmeal, cereal rings, looks good and tastes great. There's no more convenient, quick, and nutritious breakfast than this, right? However, seemingly healthy cereals have high sugar content after puffing, with astonishing calories and pitifully low protein and fiber, and they can easily stimulate insulin secretion, making the body automatically enter fat storage mode. Studies have shown that 100g of cereal rings contain up to 38g of sugar.

 

Despite this, don't "fear cereals." Pure oatmeal is still very good for the body. Soak oatmeal in milk, add a small handful of mixed nuts or dried fruits (according to personal preference), such as walnuts, dried cranberries, raisins, etc., and you'll feel full and energized all morning.

 

2. Mixed smoothies

After lunch, a cup of fruit and vegetable mixed smoothie is satisfying and delightful. You might think: Hmm, I'm one step closer to a better self, but little do you know that what you drank might be a hidden "calorie bomb"! Various fruits + yogurt + nuts... You think you're putting detoxifying, beautifying delicacies into the blender, but you might unknowingly drink more calories than a full meal, as the combined calories of these fruits can easily reach 500~600 kcal.

 

For post-meal digestion, try a cup of black coffee instead, which helps boost metabolism and keeps you alert.

 

3. Energy bars

During your weight loss period, when you're craving but can't eat freely, ta-da, energy bars come to the rescue. Words like "whole grains" and "non-fried" on the packaging are very appealing to women. But is it really so? Look closely at the ingredient list, and you'll find that the fat content of energy bars is not low, generally between 25%~45%. This means that eating 100g of energy bars (about 2~3 bars) equals consuming 25g of fat. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends a daily oil intake of 25g per person, which is quite alarming when you think about it.

 

So what should you eat when you're hungry? A small cup of yogurt is a good option, aiding digestion and rich in calcium. Or choose a truly pure grain bar, and be sure to carefully read the nutrition label: 100g should have around 350 kcal, fat no more than 5g, sugar no more than 3g, and protein 5+g.

 

4. Sugar-free foods

When you see the words "sugar-free" on food packaging, do you get super excited, thinking you've finally found the weight-loss food you've been looking for? Do you think avoiding "sugar-free" really means you're embracing health? Many foods labeled "sugar-free" contain zero sugar but have added many artificial additives, such as aspartame, acesulfame, saccharin, etc. These artificial sweeteners can increase appetite and lead to overeating.

 

Compared to foods labeled "sugar-free," natural foods are better, such as apples or a small piece of dark chocolate, which satisfy your taste buds without too many calories.

 

5. Whole grain drinks

What's your first reaction when you see whole grain drinks? They seem healthier than some so-called fruit juices and are convenient and delicious without the need for preparation! But what you're drinking isn't the plant protein and rich dietary fiber you think it is; it's sugar! Most grain drinks have dietary fiber content of ≤1g per 100g, far lower than the grains themselves. Imagine drinking a 300ml bottle of grain drink, getting less than 3g of dietary fiber but a whopping 30g of sugar, far exceeding the daily sugar intake limit of 25g.

 

If you want to drink whole grain beverages, it's better to grind the powder and make it yourself, or choose pure soy milk or plain yogurt.

 

Losing weight is not as simple as "controlling your diet and exercising." Besides using the right methods, the journey is still long. Remember to keep your eyes open and avoid various weight-loss food traps.Delicious food requires attention to intake.Yo~

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*Images in the article are sourced from the internet, and will be removed upon request.