Hidden Calories to Be Mindful Of

Everyone knows that certain foods are filled with empty calories that do nothing but lead to weight gain, having very little nutritional value. Some of these foods are French fries, potato chips, ice cream, and cookies. These are the foods that most of us typically try to avoid when trying to lose weight. There are, however, other foods that are loaded with calories that we don't always consider.

Nuts. Although nuts are very nutritious for you, they are also high caloric. It is easy to make the mistake of thinking that you can eat as many of them as you want to simply because of their nutritional value. 1 cup of almonds contains 1000 calories. 10 almonds contain 70 calories. They are very good for you, but be mindful of how many you eat.

Smoothies. People seem to think that fruit smoothies are low in calories and nutritious. Depending on the particular smoothie, this could very well be true. However, don't make the assumption that all smoothies are good for you and low in calories. For example, McDonald's smoothies are high in sugar and calories. A large smoothie has 330 calories, which is more than a cheeseburger. That particular size smoothie also contains 70 grams of sugar. If you want a healthy, low calorie smoothie, the best way is to make your own out of fresh fruit and yogurt. That way you will know that there is no added sugar.

Specialty Coffees (Cappuccino, Frappuccinos, and Lattes). Coffee has always been recognized as a drink that is low calorie, and it is. The problem lies in what we add to that coffee. Specialty coffees are very popular and trendy. To someone who is trying to lose weight, however, these coffees can mean dieting disaster. For example, a regular black coffee at Starbucks contains approximately 5 calories. Lattes, frappuccinos, and cappuccinos can have anywhere from approximately 70 to 350 calories. Be mindful of what kind of coffee you are drinking.

Yogurt. Yogurt is very nutritious. Not only is it high in protein, it is filled with calcium. There are, however, so many different types of yogurt on the market, it can be easy to be deceived into believing that they are all low in calories and good for you. This is simply not true. If you are watching your weight, you need to look for the yogurt that is highest in protein and lowest in sugar. This does not necessarily mean that every yogurt with a "light" label is best for you. Do some research and learn to read labels. One of the best yogurts you can eat is Greek yogurt. It is very high in protein and low in sugar. It is also preferable to eat plain yogurt and flavor it yourself with fresh fruit. Some of the yogurts on the market today are little more than desserts using a yogurt label as a means to trick you into thinking they are low calorie and healthy. According to AskDrSears.com, a "good" yogurt should have around 90 calories, 9 grams of sugar, and 22 grams of protein. Avoid yogurts that have 130 - 200 calories, 17 - 32 grams of sugar, and only 7 grams of protein.

Being informed is very important when you are on a weight loss journey. Don't believe everything that the advertisers tell you. Learn to do research and read food labels. You will be surprised at how many empty calories you are putting into your body.