Junk food is low in healthy nutrients, high in fat and a source of empty calories. Junk food is often the favored choice because it is convenient and tasty, but the fat content of most junk food can contribute to increased risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. To reduce the negative impact on your health, choose lower fat products for snacking, treats and meals on the run.
Popcorn
Theater-style popcorn is laden with unhealthy fats and salt. Plain air-popped popcorn, however, is a naturally fat-free, whole-grain food and provides 1 g of fiber per cup. Traditionally made with butter or oil, manufacturers offer low-fat and fat-free versions, some with butter flavoring and lower sodium.
Low-fat Chips and Crackers
Potato chips, tortilla chips and crackers are usually high in fat but can now be purchased in low-fat or baked versions. Regular chips contain about 10 g fat per 1-oz. serving while baked versions provide 3 to 5 g fat.
Low-fat Cookies and Treats
Kicking a sweet-tooth is difficult but the typically high fat content can wreck havoc on health and well-being. Look for low-fat versions of brand-name cookies and treats. Some cookies are normally lower in fat such as ginger snaps, oatmeal cookies and biscotti. Low-fat doesn't necessarily equal low-calorie, so review food labels to maintain your daily calorie goal.
Frozen Yogurt and Light Ice Cream
Frozen yogurt and ice-cream producers offer a wide range of choices including light, reduced-fat and fat-free. Reduced-fat products have 25 percent less fat, light products contain 50 percent less fat and fat-free products contain less than .5 g of fat per serving. Read labels for actual fat content of products. According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration nutrient labeling definitions, low-fat foods contain less than 3 g per serving.
References
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory
- Consumer Reports: Tasty Lower-Fat Snacks
- Consumer Reports: The Scoop on a New Häagen-Dazs
- FDA: Definitions of Nutrient Content Claims
- Good Housekeeping: Light Microwave Popcorn Taste Test
- Institute of Food Technologies: Press Release: Snacking on Low-Fat Popcorn May Curb Hunger, Support Weight Loss
Member Comments