4. Shelve the shellfish. Shellfish is in abundance during the summer, but there are rules you should use when indulging. You should only eat shellfish in months that contain the letter ‘R’ which means May through August is typically off limits. Seafood has seasons just like fruits and vegetables. Shellfish is out of season when they are spawning, and this happens during the summer for most oysters, clams and mussels. When shellfish is harvested before it has a chance to reproduce, it puts populations at risk. Shellfish is tastier when they aren’t fertile. They tend to be more milky and soft. An alternative is to buy farmed shellfish during the summer months, but some of these may be genetically modified. Try alternate seafood options instead.
READ: Summer & Food Poisoning: What You Need To Know
5. Don’t put that daiquiri on ice yet. Daiquiris look like they wouldn’t contain lots of calories, but if you check their nutritional profile, you will find that daiquiris contain loads of sugar. One 8-oz strawberry daiquiri has more calories than a double-patty hamburger and is full of fat and sugar. Instead, opt for a mojito or find a low-calorie cocktail alternative.
6. Hold the potato salad, please. Potato salad is often a staple of most outdoor festivities, but eater beware. One of the factors which make this dish delicious but fattening is the mayonnaise. If tempted by potato salad at an outing, you may want to choose another option instead. When choosing potato salad make sure it has low-fat mayo or a more heart-healthy unsaturated fat. A good example of a healthier oil choice is olive oil.
7. Drink freshly squeezed lemonade only. Homemade lemonade is the best and can be refreshing on a hot summer day. But depending on what is in your lemonade, this drink can be deceiving. While freshly squeezed lemons are healthy, lemonade is often loaded with tons of added sugar, which can pack on the calories. When this is the case, lemonade can have the same amount of calories as soda which is full-sugared. If you are drinking 16-ounces of lemonade, this adds to up 200 to 250 calories and drinking this type of lemonade doesn’t factor in as being equitable to serving of “fruit juice.” Opt to make your lemonade and make sure you don’t add too much sugar.
Just because it’s summertime is doesn’t mean you have to pack on the pounds with the numerous food options in front of you. Avoiding foods that do this will make a difference in a big way.
Summer Swaps: 7 Foods To Avoid During Summer was originally published on blackdoctor.org
