by Allyson Ribar

Created on: September 28, 2008   Last Updated: May 22, 2010

Hidden Calories Traps

1. Avocados-Avocadoes are nutritious but if you are watching your calorie and fat intake this may not be the fruit for you. An average avocado contains 276 calories and most of those calories are made up principally of fat.

2. Granola-Granola is often a staple of health nuts but it contains a surprising amount of calories and fat. One cup of Granola cereal contains 518.37 calories and 27.31 grams of fat.

3. Fish-steer clear of fish that is deep fried, pan fried, and cooked in butter or cream sauces. Look for words like baked, broiled, grilled, steamed, and poached. A big red flag goes up for fast food fish sandwiches where the fish is deep fried and stuck on a white bun coated in high calorie mayo or tartar sauce.

4. Muffins-Most muffins come super-sized these days and are really just glorified cakes. If you have to choose between an enormous muffin and a small glazed donut choose the donut.

5. Lite and low fat these food choices may have lower fat but they make up for it with extra sugar and calories. Words like low fat and fat free can trick you into overeating by making you believe the snack is healthier so you get free license to eat more. Check the nutritional label to see what the serving size is and how many calories your snack contains.

6. Fast Food and restaurant salads- Salad seems like the healthy choice but its all those extras that will get you. Bacon bits, sour cream, tortilla strips, croutons, cheese and creamy dressings can make the calories add up in a hurry.

7. Beverages- Specialty coffees such as frappucinos and marshmallow lattes are not simple a coffee but are desserts that can have as many calories as a Big Mac. Try regular brewed coffee with an artificial sweetener or get some calcium and add skim or low fat milk.

8. Beverages, alcoholic-Drinking your calories is less satisfying than eating them, therefore you can easily lose track of how many calories you've had. Some choices are worse than others. Opt for a red wine rather than a Pina Colada and alternate drinking water and an alcoholic beverage.

9. Deep fried vegetables such as zucchini sticks and vegetable tempura- We may think we are doing our body a favor by eating veggies, but when deep fried, veggies can soak up oil and calories like little sponges, especially zucchini sticks.

10. Creamy soups- soup sounds like a healthy option right? Not always. Limit soups with creamy, cream of and bisque in their names as they likely contain creams and higher fat milk. Choose vegetable soups and ones that have clear broth.

Remember to read labels and eat serving sizes that are appropriate for you.

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