1). Potato Chips
It's the combination of salty and crunchy that gives potato chips their allure. Depending on the flavor, a 1-ounce snack bag has at least 150 calories. Munch your way through a large 8-ounce bag and you're looking at 1,230 calories -- not counting any dip.
Better Bet: Dip celery or carrot sticks in hummus. You'll get a satisfying crunch with fewer calories and more nutrients.
It's the combination of salty and crunchy that gives potato chips their allure. Depending on the flavor, a 1-ounce snack bag has at least 150 calories. Munch your way through a large 8-ounce bag and you're looking at 1,230 calories -- not counting any dip.
Better Bet: Dip celery or carrot sticks in hummus. You'll get a satisfying crunch with fewer calories and more nutrients.
2). Chocolate
Almost half of American women crave chocolate on a regular basis. There have been many theories to explain why, ranging from magnesium deficiency to mood swings. But one thing is certain: Downing a candy bar is a quick way to add a couple hundred extra calories to your day.
Better Bet: Have a small square of high-cocoa dark chocolate. It has less fat than a typical candy bar and may be good for the heart.
Almost half of American women crave chocolate on a regular basis. There have been many theories to explain why, ranging from magnesium deficiency to mood swings. But one thing is certain: Downing a candy bar is a quick way to add a couple hundred extra calories to your day.
Better Bet: Have a small square of high-cocoa dark chocolate. It has less fat than a typical candy bar and may be good for the heart.
3). Doughnuts
If you're dieting, doughnuts are like the forbidden fruit. That fact alone may be enough to trigger a craving. Research suggests that a yo-yo pattern of eating favorite foods one week and putting them off-limits the next can intensify cravings. If you are really having a craving, better to have just one bite than to put it off-limits completely. The trouble with doughnuts is they offer very little nutritional bang for the caloric buck.
If you're dieting, doughnuts are like the forbidden fruit. That fact alone may be enough to trigger a craving. Research suggests that a yo-yo pattern of eating favorite foods one week and putting them off-limits the next can intensify cravings. If you are really having a craving, better to have just one bite than to put it off-limits completely. The trouble with doughnuts is they offer very little nutritional bang for the caloric buck.
4). Pizza
Pizza is America's favorite food, according to an Oxfam survey. It does have some health benefits: A typical slice has 12 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber. But pizza also has about 280 calories a slice -- more if you add meat toppings – so the calories add up quickly.
Better Bet: Make pizza at home with a whole-wheat crust and a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese. Top with fresh tomato slices, broccoli, or other vegetables.
Pizza is America's favorite food, according to an Oxfam survey. It does have some health benefits: A typical slice has 12 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber. But pizza also has about 280 calories a slice -- more if you add meat toppings – so the calories add up quickly.
Better Bet: Make pizza at home with a whole-wheat crust and a sprinkling of reduced-fat cheese. Top with fresh tomato slices, broccoli, or other vegetables.
5). French Fries
Want some fries with that? This salty side is hard to turn down when ordering at the drive-thru. But a large order of fries can have as many calories as a burger -- about 500 at a typical fast food restaurant.
Better Bet: Opt for a side salad or fruit cup, if available. Or if you have willpower of steel, go ahead and order fries but limit yourself to five or six.
Want some fries with that? This salty side is hard to turn down when ordering at the drive-thru. But a large order of fries can have as many calories as a burger -- about 500 at a typical fast food restaurant.
Better Bet: Opt for a side salad or fruit cup, if available. Or if you have willpower of steel, go ahead and order fries but limit yourself to five or six.