You can still enjoy the delicious fun of summertime cookouts and stay on track with your weight loss goal. We have lots of lower-calorie ideas to help you do that, such as these 15 healthy grill recipes and 20 easy summer salads!
But while you are choosing healthy dishes like those, be aware that sneaky excess calories are lurking in places where you might not expect them. Condiments may seem like just little dabs of flavor. However, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a single tablespoon of ketchup can have four grams of sugar and an equal amount of mayonnaise can come with 90 calories and 10 grams of fat. That’s why most condiments are counted as “Extras” on your Nutrisystem weight loss plan.
Good news: These five low-calorie condiments are loaded with flavor. Better news: They are all unlimited “Free Foods” on Nutrisystem, so you can enjoy as much as you want!
Here’s what you need to know about choosing and using low-calorie condiments:
1. Mustard
The seeds from the mustard plant, a leafy green with a spicy flavor, are ground up and blended with vinegar and other ingredients to make the familiar yellow condiment. The color actually comes from turmeric, another flavorful spice.
The mustard shelf at the grocery store is filled with lots of choices, from mild, smooth-textured bright yellow types to browner, grainier and very hot varieties. Dijon mustard is blended with white wine to add a tart flavor to balance the moderately spicy taste of the mustard. Beware of honey mustard, which has added sugar, and “dijonnaise,” which has all the excess calories and fats of mayonnaise.
TRY: Mustard is most commonly used to add zest to burgers and hot dogs, but it makes a tasty glaze for grilled chicken, fish or vegetables. You can also use it to make a low-calorie flavorful salad dressing, such as our Creamy Honey Mustard dressing recipe.
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2. Lemon and Lime Juice
Your food gets a spark of bright, acidic flavor from the juice of these two citrus fruits. Both are nearly calorie-free and loaded with vitamin C. Generally, lemons are slightly more sour than limes, while for many people the latter has a lightly bitter taste.
Fresh lemons and limes have the best flavor and they’re easy to slice up and squeeze for juice by hand. You can also find packaged lemon and lime juice in supermarkets—just be sure before you buy that they are pure juice and contain no added sweeteners.
TRY: Fresh lemon or lime juice adds a refreshing splash of flavor to calorie-free seltzer. These juices also brighten the taste of grilled fish or chicken, and they add a spark of acid to fruit salads. Briefly grill lemon or lime halves to infuse them with a smoky taste that gives many dishes a flame-cooked flavor.
3. Hot Sauce
Also known as chili sauce or pepper sauce, this spicy condiment is made from hot peppers blended with a little vinegar. Hot sauce comes in a wide range of heat options, from mildly tongue tingling to five-alarm fire. Those made with habanero or ghost peppers tend to be the spiciest.
Sriracha (sometimes call “rooster sauce” because of the image on its label) is a popular Vietnamese-style hot sauce that’s moderately spicy. According to BioMed Central, all hot sauces are loaded with capsaicin, the heat-bearing compound that research shows speeds metabolism and can help burn fat. Sriracha is another tasty, low-calorie and spicy option that can pump up the flavor in your BBQ!
TRY: Unless you’re an experienced hot sauce lover, start with just a few drops on your food and add more once you’ve tasted it. Mix a little hot sauce into ground turkey to punch up the flavor of your burgers with one of the most flavorful low-calorie condiments. Sprinkle a little on grilled vegetables or seafood, such a shrimp or clams. Use hot sauce to make a zesty (and sugar-free) marinade for meats by whisking it with a little olive oil, fresh lime juice, minced garlic and chopped scallions.
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4. Salsa
When we think of salsa, we typically picture a chunky sauce made with tomatoes, chile peppers and onions that comes in various levels of spiciness. You can also find salsas that are based on tomatillos (green or “salsa verde”) or fruit such as mangoes or pineapple.
When shopping for bottled salsa, be sure to check the label for added sugar, which will load on extra calories. To get all the goodness and nothing more, you can use our simple and healthy recipe to whip up your own fresh salsa in minutes.
TRY: Skip the cream-based dips and instead slip your veggies into a bowl of one of our favorite low-calorie condiments: Salsa. Make quick and healthy guacamole for dipping by blending salsa and lemon or lime juice with mashed avocado. Hold the ketchup and top your burger with a spoonful of salsa. Fruit-based salsas turn plain grilled fish into a tropical treat.
5. Vinegar
According to the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, vinegar is made, like wine, by fermentation, which in this case produces acetic acid rather than alcohol. While vinegar generally has a tangy flavor, you’ll see a variety of types made with such ingredients as apple cider, red wine and even champagne, each with slightly different tastes.
Balsamic vinegar, made from grapes leftover from wine-making, is dark-colored and tends to be thicker and more flavor-intense than other types. Vinegar has long been used in cooking as well as a folk remedy for many conditions. One recent study even found that vinegar may prevent spikes in blood sugar, which can be very beneficial for people with diabetes.
TRY: Vinegar infused with herbs such as tarragon or basil makes a flavorful (and calorie-free) salad dressing. A trick many chefs use is to splash roasted or grilled meats or vegetables with a little vinegar while they’re still warm, which brings out the full flavor of the ingredients. Use apple cider vinegar in place of the creamy dressing in coleslaw or potato salad to reduce their fat content.
Interested in learning more about low-calorie options? Check out more healthy recipes!
The post 5 Low-Calorie Condiments to Use at the BBQ appeared first on The Leaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Take African Mango Extract?
It’s easy to take mango extract. Simply cut open a fresh mango and scoop the flesh into a blender. Blend until smooth.
You can also strain the pulp to obtain a finer consistency. Store in a cool dark place.
The pulp can be frozen for future use. The pulp can be frozen so that you don’t have a second batch to purchase when mango season returns.
Are green leafy vegetables worth the effort?
It depends on what you mean when you say “worth”. If you are referring to health benefits, then the answer is yes. But, cost-effectiveness is a different question.
They are not beneficial when you consider the long term costs (e.g. do they cost me less over the next 10 year).
However, if you look at short-term costs (e. What is the impact on my waistline? If you answered yes, it’s worth it.
I find this question interesting as it focuses on two key aspects of nutrition – cost-effectiveness, and health benefits. We have strong evidence that regular fruit and vegetable consumption can reduce the risk of certain cancers. However, there is less evidence that cost-effectiveness can be proven.
Both factors can be considered simultaneously to help you decide if healthy eating is worth it. This is called the Health Economic Assessment. This involves analyzing the expected health outcomes of different foods and the associated costs.
Do smoothie cleanses work?
The key question here is whether you are getting rid of toxins from your body. If not, there could be another problem.
To make a cleanse work, it must eliminate all toxins from your body.
If you don’t see this, it’s likely that you’re not drinking enough water or aren’t eating well.
This could also mean you need to cut back on salt intake and caffeine.
Another reason you may not see results is:
- Your digestive system isn’t functioning correctly. This means that your body isn’t taking in what you’re taking in.
- You’re not getting enough protein. Protein helps build muscle tissue.
- You are consuming too many carbs. Carbs are stored energy.
- You are consuming too much sugar. Sugar causes insulin spikes. This slows down your metabolism.
- You are not consuming adequate amounts of fats. You need to ingest certain vitamins.
- Too many essential fatty acids are (EFAs). EFAs have been proven to reduce inflammation.
- Your fiber intake is too low. Fiber absorbs cholesterol and bile salts. It speeds up digestion.
- Your diet is not adequate in vitamin C. Vitamin C is necessary for proper collagen production. Collagen keeps skin firm and elastic.
- You are eating too little. Use a standard cup measurer to measure portions.
- Consuming too much alcohol is a problem. Drinking alcohol is extremely drying.
- High amounts of caffeine can cause you to be addicted. Too much caffeine can be toxic to your liver.
- Low magnesium levels are a problem. Magnesium is required for healthy bones and muscles.
- Too much potassium is being consumed. Potassium is needed to maintain fluid balance in your body.
Statistics
- After 10 weeks, the CQ-only group experienced an 8.8% decrease in body weight, and the CQ and AME group an 11.8% decrease, on average. (healthline.com)
- On average, they experienced 28 pounds (12.8 kg) of weight loss, a 6.4-inch (16.2-cm) reduction in waist circumference, and a 6.3% dip in body fat (5Trusted Source (healthline.com)
- A 2003 meta-analysis of studies found that people taking orlistat for 12 months in combination with lifestyle changes saw a 2.9% greater weight reduction than the placebo group (26Trusted Source (healthline.com)
- On average, they may help you lose 3–9% of your body weight compared with a placebo (56Trusted Source (healthline.com)
- According to a 2014 review, even prescription weight loss pills don’t work as well as you might assume. (healthline.com)
External Links
fda.gov
ods.od.nih.gov
- Ephedra, Office of Dietary Supports
- Health Professional Fact Sheet: Dietary supplement for weight loss
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- IGOB131 is a novel seed extract from the West African plant Irvingia gaonensis that significantly lowers body weight and improves metabolic conditions in overweight individuals in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial – PMC
- A case of renal dysfunction that has been linked to African mango eating – PMC
cdc.gov
How To
How can you lose weight without dieting or exercise?
Natural weight loss is possible by increasing your metabolism to burn more fat than you store. Your metabolism is key to how much energy and calories we use. You don’t need to do any exercise to increase your metabolism. Simple lifestyle changes can help increase your metabolic rate. These are the best tips!
- Eat more protein – Protein keeps blood sugar levels stable and helps muscle growth. Research shows that protein intake can be reduced by up to 20% if eaten before meals.
- Drink More Water – Drinking water keeps your body hydrated, making it easier to stay full longer and reducing hunger cravings. Drinking eight glasses of water daily is a good way to increase your metabolism and digestion.
- Cut Back On Sugar – When it comes to losing weight, cutting back on sugar is one of the easiest ways to start burning more calories. Sugary foods will cause insulin to be released, which can make it difficult to burn fat. To avoid this, cut out sugary snacks like soda and sweets altogether. Drink plenty of water, and eat lots of fruits.
- Get Enough Sleep – Getting enough sleep has been shown to boost brain function and overall health, including improved glucose tolerance. It also lowers appetite hormones such as leptin or ghrelin.
- Do Cardio Daily – Regular aerobic activity burns extra calories throughout the day. Walk for 30 minutes each day, three times per semaine, if this is something you are looking to do immediately. This will raise your heart rate and improve cardiovascular fitness.
- Move Every Day! Keeping active is important for losing weight because it gives your body a reason to move each day. There are many ways to add movement to your day without going crazy. Instead of taking the elevator, use the stairs; park farther from the entrance when shopping; walk around and talk on the phone while you wait; stand up during meetings and calls instead of sitting; and take regular breaks throughout your day to stretch and breathe deeply.
