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Consuming too much of certain foods can lead to excess fat accumulation, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight. While your body uses mostly carbs and protein for energy, foods that are high in saturated fat, like fried chicken, can contribute to weight gain.
“Unless you need that fat right now in this moment, it’s going to get stored,” says Melanie Murphy Richter, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian. “It is true that excess fat has a direct line to your belly, and to other places where you hold fat in your adipose tissue.”
It’s no surprise that certain foods are notorious for stubborn fat gains (we’re looking at you, burgers, french fries and milkshakes). However, there are other foods that seem healthy, until the scale tells us otherwise.
Want to avoid these hidden weight-gain traps? Here are 12 foods that can add unwanted calories, sugars and fats to your diet.
1. Fat-free or low-fat cookies and muffins
Something labeled fat-free or low-fat certainly can’t make you gain weight. That’s what food manufacturers would like you to believe.
Back in the 1950s, the average American diet was heavy on meat and potatoes. As heart disease rates soared, researchers began connecting the dots between a diet high in saturated fat and heart disease.
Food manufacturers responded by producing lots of low-fat foods. “The problem is that fat is what makes food taste good,” says Richter.
To compensate, food companies replaced fat with sugar, which can also contribute to fat accumulation. Thanks in part to packaged foods, American adults now eat an average of 17 teaspoons of sugar a day, which is more than two to three times the limit of nine teaspoons a day for men, and six teaspoons daily for women, that the American Heart Association recommends.
While your total calories matter, “avoiding simple sugars is most important to prevent weight gain,” says Dr. Felix Spiegel, a bariatric surgeon at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.
Researchers point to sugar as a major contributor to obesity. It’s also been linked to other health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer, says Richter.
Tip: Avoid packaged low-fat sweets and opt for whole foods like fruit or homemade snacks with natural ingredients and no added sugar.
2. Flavored yogurt
Even if it’s labeled “fat-free,” yogurt is a hidden source of added sugar. A six-ounce container of chocolate nonfat yogurt contains 25 grams of sugar — more than an entire day’s worth for women. This doesn’t mean yogurt is unhealthy. Not only does it have protein and calcium, but many yogurts have bacteria that are great for your gut health.
Tip: Rather than eat flavored yogurts that are packed with sugars, go for plain Greek yogurt and stir in fruit or a bit of honey. Yes, honey is a type of sugar as well, but it has numerous health benefits and is less processed than refined sugar. Just don’t overdo it, as one teaspoon of honey has about six grams of sugar.
3. White bagels
This breakfast staple, especially in the white or plain form, is just one example of a simple carbohydrate that can spike blood sugar and contribute to excess fat storage. Muffins, cookies, white bread and cereal are other types of simple carbs.
Why do these foods cause weight gain? “One is the calories. If you’re eating more calories, you’ll gain weight,” says Dr. Adam Goldstein, director of the University of North Carolina’s Weight Management Program, in Chapel Hill. A large bagel packs more than 360 calories. Add a schmear of cream cheese at 100 calories, and you’ve already consumed nearly a quarter of your daily allotment if you’re on a 2,000-calorie diet. The second reason is the quick-digesting nature of simple carbs. They leave you feeling hungry sooner, leading to overeating, says Goldstein.
Tip: If you need a bagel fix, look for one made from whole wheat or whole grains and consider having just half, with fresh fruit on the side.
4. Red meat
Before you order a side of bacon to accompany your eggs or dig into a T-bone steak, consider this: A study that followed the diet and exercise habits of more than 120,000 people for up to 20 years linked processed and red meat to one pound of weight gain every four years (in addition to weight gain from other foods).
Meat is particularly problematic for putting on pounds because it contains protein and saturated fat, both of which promote weight gain. Red meat is also tied to inflammation, which is linked to several diseases. “Too much animal protein has also been scientifically linked to inflammation in the body, which can also cause weight gain,” Richter says.
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