Summer Treats Done Right Summer is here. The sun is shining, school is out and the beach is beckoning. Higher temperatures may put you in the mood for a cold, tasty treat, but can you satisfy that craving without overindulging? There are plenty of options for the health conscious out there, and here are some ways to navigate the summer. If you are going out: Choose frozen yogurt…over ice cream. (Pink Berry vs. Baskin Robins)
Both ice cream and frozen yogurt offer that cold creamy sensation, but frozen yogurt flavors are typically lower in fat and calories for a greater portion. A small at Pink Berry is 140g, has an average of 159 calories and only 3 flavors have fat. On the other hand, a small at Baskin Robins has 71g, an average of 160 calories and between 5-13g of fat. As you can see, you can eat twice as much frozen yogurt than ice cream for the same amount of calories Another benefit of frozen yogurt is that it is usually self-serve. This means that you can carefully portion what you actually want, rather than have an ice cream scooper dole out what could be an inflated portion. The self-serve aspect is also a double edge sword when it comes to toppings. If you load up with fudge, candy bits and tons of nuts, your treat can quickly add up in the calorie department. So be mindful when choosing toppings. There are usually many fresh fruit options that are lower in calories and have vitamins and fiber.
If you are at the grocery store: Choose a fruit bar…over an ice cream bar (Edy’s Fruit Bar vs. Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Bar)
If you are craving something on a stick, know that there are healthful options out there. For example a fruit popsicle comes in around 80 calories, 0g fat, 19 g sugar and 25% of your daily vitamin C. An ice cream bar is definitely heavier fare with 230 calories, 10g fat (3.5g saturated fat), 17g sugar and 2 grams of protein with negligible amounts of vitamins. The ice cream does have a small amount of protein and less sugar, but it has three times the calories and 15% of your daily fat recommendation. Fruit bars and popsicles can be very tasty and are light, so you can better manage your calories. If you are making your own: Choose a smoothie…over a milkshake (Peach Mango Smoothie vs. Vanilla Milkshake)
There is no limit to what can go into a smoothie. It can include any fruits your like, you can sneak in a vegetable or two, toss in protein powder, or even add fiber. For milkshakes, some people may add a bit of fruit, but they typically don’t experience the same range as
smoothies. But even without all the extra fanfare, smoothies can taste great and still beat out a milkshake, any day. A typical homemade vanilla milk shake (ice cream, milk, ice,) has approximately 300 calories, no fiber, 20g fat (13g saturated fat), 10g protein and 45% of your daily calcium. A mango-peach smoothie contains about 110 calories, 1.5g fat, 2.5g protein, 10% potassium, 14% vitamin A and 87% vitamin C. The smoothie is much lighter and contains a higher level of vitamins. The calcium and protein are definitely higher in the milkshake, but by adding milk, yogurt, protein powder or supplements to your smoothie, you can make up the difference and still come in with fewer calories. This summer, when it’s hot and you just need something refreshing, keep these options in mind so you can feel good about your choices, and enjoy some carefree summer fun.