Are Summer Treats Adding to Your Waistline?
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During hot weather you may find yourself reaching for a cool treat to help beat the heat. Ice cream cones and root beer floats may temporarily help relieve the heat, but they'll most certainly add calories -- and pounds -- where you want them the least.
It's true that there is something very refreshing about a treat that is sweet and cool on a hot day. But it doesn't have to be something that's high in calories and melts away your ambition to lose weight.
When picking something sweet and cool, aim for 100 calories or less. Options include Fudgsicles, flavored yogurts that you can place into the freezer, even pre-portioned servings of ice cream. And for that root beer float, use diet root beer and a low calorie ice cream.
Cool treats that incorporate nutrients from fruits are always a great option. So don't forget fruit juice bars, or simply a handful of cold, crisp grapes or berries!
To make a cool, refreshing smoothie, try whirling frozen berries in a blender with skim milk and a little vanilla flavoring. You can also enjoy a frozen banana, dipping it into 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup. But that totals 200 calories, so consider sharing it with a friend!
Sliced peaches and nectarines can be served really cold or even frozen with a drizzle of vanilla yogurt for a delicious, cool treat. And don't forget about the melons I wrote about a few weeks ago in Cool Off with Mouth Watering Melons.
Finding ways to trim calories can be even tougher when you're feeling deprived. By having low calorie cool treats as desserts or special snacks, you can cool off without consequences.
Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
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