The Top 10 Worst Foods to Eat on the 4th of July

As families get together for the 4th of July holiday, most are thinking of the delicious foods they’ll share. However, if you’re on a diet or trying to stay healthy, some of these foods are loaded with bad things and should be avoided. No matter how delicious they may be, they’re awful for your waistline and sure to throw off any diet you may be attempting. Continue reading to learn about the 10 worst foods to eat on the Fourth of July.

Cheeseburgers

Yes, they taste great, but they’re loaded with calories, fats and a whopping dose of over 2,000 mg of sodium. A healthy alternative could a turkey burger or a Boca burger on a whole wheat bun, or even without it.

Chips and Dip

The handfuls of chips covered in salt are dehydrating and filled with saturated fats that do nothing for you. The dip only makes it worse by adding a nice dollop of fat to your daily calorie count.

Potato Salad

Potatoes are vegetables, right? Yes, but not all vegetables were created equal. Mostly, the humble potato is made up of starch and carbohydrate. Recipes for potato salad are varied, but they all include lots of eggs, relish, mustard, mayo and other fatty, high calorie things. This makes for a meal that’s loaded with fat and calories. On average, one cup of potato salad can be more than 350 calories. If you truly love potato salad, watch your serving size in order to cut calories.

Fried Chicken

Whether you get fried chicken from a restaurant or make your own, fried chicken breasts have over 400 calories each. Wings, legs and drumsticks have around 200 calories each and  between 10 and 20 grams of fat each. Whatever option you choose, no good can come from it.

Carrot Cake

This delicious dessert may be light and the base is relatively healthy, but the frosting is often loaded with cream cheese, making for a yummy, but bad-for-you, dessert topping.

Baby Back Ribs

Two ribs are approximately 230 calories, so if you can hold back and just eat two, these can be a good choice. Keep in mind, though, that they still have nearly 20 grams of fat. Adding barbecue sauce adds even more calories.

Beer Bratwurst

Although the beer and the brats have that perfect 4th of July taste, just one link has over 270 calories, 22 grams of fat and 810 milligrams of sodium. That’s nearly half your daily recommended sodium intake.  Not recommended!

Festive Cupcakes

Although cupcakes seem a lot smaller in portion compared to cake slices, they are still overloaded with calories. The average cupcake from grocery stores have an average of 585 calories each – just two of these and you’ll already eaten half your calorie intake for the day! If you make them homemade they’re a little better, but not much at 298 calories.

Soda

Diet or regular, it’s all bad for you. Even worse, soda is dehydrating and has absolutely no good nutrients or vitamins. Bottom line, it’s best to select fresh lemonade or, better yet, ice cold water.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

The baked potato is no angel, despite the health value of eating the skin (it’s packed full of fiber). Starting at 200 calories of starch, then covered in cheese, sour cream, butter, chives, bacon and whatever else you want to put on it. Delicious? Of course. Bad for you? Without a doubt.

These 10 items aren’t the only unhealthy foods at 4th of July picnics and barbecues, they’re just some of the worst. When confronted with them, choose wisely and sample some of your favorites. Don’t do it every day and make sure to balance your plate with healthier options, such as salad (choose balsamic dressing), char-grilled veggies and corn-on-the-cob.