Food That Makes You Fat

As of 2009, one third of the United States' adult population is obese. That number doubled from 1980, causing a stir amongst health officials and the general public. Obesity is linked with several diseases and cancers which means that maintaining your weight is important to maintaining your health. Weight control is a product of exercise and appropriate eating. Here are some foods that you can avoid or limit to help control your weight. (See Reference 2)

Balance

• In general, no particular food can make you fat. You can eat whatever you want as long as your energy expenditure (calorie burning) is equal to or higher than your caloric intake (what you eat). Overeating, or eating more calories than you burn, will make you overweight no matter what you eat. However, there are some foods that we can avoid to better maintain our weight and health.

High Calorie

• High calorie foods when eaten in excess can contribute to weight gain. Some high calorie foods are good for you, while others are not. Some examples of high calorie foods whose nutritional value isn't worth the amount of calories are chicken pot pies, heavy sauces (especially cheese sauces), and cinnamon rolls. According to NutritionData.com, the top one hundred high calorie foods are fats and oils.

High Fat

• High fat foods aren't only high in fat, but they also tend to be higher in calories. One gram of protein or carbohydrates equal 4 calories, whereas one gram of fat equals 9 calories. Bacon has 31 grams of fat for three slices and one rack of baby back ribs has 65 grams of fat. In general, meats have more fat than the other food categories, but dairy products and legumes may have high fat contents as do oils.

Empty Calories

• According to the American Heart Association, empty calories are foods that have little or no nutritional benefit. These can make you fat because one, you do not need them. Unless you are starved and purely need calories, there is no reason to consume empty calorie foods. Secondly, these foods make you feel full, but your body is still missing nutrients and that means that you will still need to eat to get those nutrients. Examples of empty calorie foods are sodas, French fries and chips, candy, alcoholic beverages, and refined grains.

Fast Food

• If you're counting calories, fast food is not your best option. If you do find yourself in a drive-through, however, there are some foods you should avoid. First is McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast. It has 1,220 calories, with 550 of these being from fat. Taco Bell's Fiesta Taco Salad may seem like a healthy choice, however, it has 860 calories with 82 grams of fat. Just one of Cinnabon's Caramel Pecanbon gives you 1,100 calories. The highest calorie thing you can find at fast food restaurants is Burger King's Triple Whopper with Cheese. It has 1,230 calories. For someone on a 2,000 calorie diet, eating this is over half of their calorie needs for the day.