 It's Fair Time! OR SHALL WE SAY FAT FESTIVAL?? Many people go to the fair to enjoy the rides, games and entertainment. Unfortunately, many people go for the food. . . especially the fried food. And these days, the food at fairs is scarier than the tilt-a-whirl or roller coaster! Lona Sandon, assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, has given the following calorie approximations for popular fried fair foods: - Fried cola dough, whipped cream and Coke syrup on top: 830 calories
- Fried macaroni and cheese: 610 calories
- Fried cheesecake: 500 calories
- Fried praline: 350 calories
- Tortilla-wrapped hot dog and cheese from the fryer: 550 calories
Here are more frightening nutritional figures, from the Calorie King web site, about fat and calories in food at the fair or festival: - Fried Snickers (5 oz.): 444 calories and 29 grams (g) fat
- Fried Twinkie (2 oz.): 420 calories/34 g fat
- Funnel cake (1): 760 calories/44 g fat
- Twinkie Dog Sundae: 500 calories/14 g fat
- Cotton candy: 171 calories/0 fat
- Fried cheesecake (6 oz.): 655 calories/47 g fat
- Foot-long hot dog and bun: 470 calories/26 g fat
- Giant turkey leg: 1,136 calories/54 g fat
"Eating at a fair or festival can wreak havoc on your waistline because it is so easy to consume thousands of calories," says Christine Palumbo, RD Remember, even foods/beverages that sound healthy can pack extra calories and sugar at the fair! Homemade lemonade on a hot summer day sounds refreshing (even healthy!), but this is one of the more deceiving drinks. Quite often, it's made with sugar water in addition to the fresh-squeezed lemons. Lemonade contains about the same amount of calories as a full-sugared soda. Guzzling a 16 oz. lemonade will set you back 200 to 250 calories and no, this doesn't count as a serving of "fruit juice." HERE ARE SOME TIPS: - Don't go hungry
- Drink Plenty of water
- Try to sit when you eat, otherwise you will mindlessly consume 1,000s of calories
- Choose grilled foods like 4 oz. chicken kabob for 450 calories or a medium-sized corn on the cob (hold the butter) for 77 calories.
DON'T FORGET, IT'S SUMMERTIME, THESE FOODS ARE BATHING SUIT BOMBERS! CHOOSE YOUR FAIR FOODS WISELY!
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