Fried mozzarella sticks are a golden-brown, crisp and gooey dish served in many restaurants and available in the frozen-foods sections of grocery stores. Fried mozzarella sticks contain some calcium, and they taste good; however, they're best enjoyed as only an occasional treat because they're high in fat and calories.
Calories
Fried mozzarella sticks tend to be high in calories, although the number varies depending on where they're made. Applebee's restaurant offers mozzarella sticks for an appetitzer that have a whopping 940 calories, or close to half a day's worth if you're on a 2,000-calorie diet. Sonic restaurant has mozzarella sticks on the menu that are categorized as a snack or a side dish; an order includes five sticks and has 440 calories.
Fats
Fried Mozzarella sticks are full of fat. Applebee's mozzarella sticks contain a total of 48 grams of fat; 21 grams are saturated fats and 1 gram is trans fats. Sonic's mozzarella sticks contain 22 grams of total fats; 9 grams are saturated fats and 0.5 grams arevtrans fats. Saturated fats raise your level of harmful low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. Trans fats may be even worse for your health, because they raise harmful LDL cholesterol and reduce heart-healthy high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The American Heart Association advises you to limit saturated fats to 7 percent of your daily calories and limit trans fats to just 1 percent, which means if you eat 2,000 calories per day you should get only 20 calories from trans fats, the equivalent of 2 grams.
Sodium
The heart association recommends that you get less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. If you're trying to cut back, you may want to skip the fried mozzarella sticks, because they're loaded with it. Applebee's mozzarella sticks contain 2,640 milligrams of sodium, which far exceeds the entire day's limit. Sonic's mozzarella sticks contain 1,050 milligrams of sodium, nearly a day's worth. Sodium may be a factor for the one in three Americans who develop high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A high-sodium diet is also linked with fluid retention, heart failure, stroke, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease, warns the heart association.
Alternative
When you have a craving for mozzarella sticks, consider making them at home for a healthier choice. To prepare them, mix Italian seasoning with bread crumbs and brown them in a skillet. Dip reduced-fat mozzarella sticks into beaten egg and then into the browned bread crumbs. Place the coated mozzarella sticks on a greased cookie sheet, bake them in the oven and serve with warmed pizza sauce for dipping. Baking instead of frying reduces the fat and calorie count; a serving of two mozzarella sticks has approximately 200 calories, 10 grams of fat and 30 percent of the calcium you need in a day, according to North Dakota State University Extension.
References
- Applebee's;Applebee's Nutritional Information; August 2011
- Sonic; SONIC Drive-In Menu Nutrition Guide; August 2011
- American Heart Association; Frequently Asked Questions About "Bad" Fats; May 2010
- American Heart Association; Sodium (Salt or Sodium Chloride); August 2011
- North Dakota State Universtiy Extension Service; Eat Smart: Bone Up on Calcium; Julie Garden-Robinson; September 2009
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