Nobody goes to a barbecue to lose weight, but if you’re keeping track of your calories or want to spend your daily intake on something less costly then there’s one item in particular that you ought to be watch out for.
Even without considering the salt, fat, and processed ingredients, barbecues are a pretty poor health choice. More often that not there’ll be some burned patches on the meat or vegetable skewers, and the acrylamide inherent in burned food is a known carcinogen.
But again, you’re not at a barbecue to eat healthily. It’s a rare joy to be out in the garden with friends and family, wolfing down hot dogs with abandon, choking down some of that optimistically-made salad to counteract some of the UPFs, washing it down with a Budweiser while you solve the world’s problems with your mate’s neighbour.
Nevertheless, as already teased, there’s one common barbecue food that one weight loss expert has decried as a no-go.
Professor Franklin Joseph, a consultant physician at Dr Frank’s Weight Loss Clinic in London, told the Express: “Barbecue season is brilliant for socialising and enjoying good food.
“But I always tell patients to be mindful of so-called ‘healthy’ options - because some of the worst offenders aren’t the burgers or sausages, but the things you think are the lighter choice.”
For Dr Joseph, the problem child is some squeaky-textured cheese.
“Halloumi is often seen as the ‘healthier’ swap on a BBQ menu, especially for vegetarians or those trying to eat lighter,” he said. “But it’s an absolute calorie bomb. A small portion - just two slices - can have over 300 calories and around 25g of fat. And let’s be honest, no one stops at two slices.”
The combination of high fat, high salt, and low satiety is a recipe for eating a tonne of calories without breaking a sweat.
“You don’t feel full from it in the same way you would from a lean protein like chicken or a piece of fish,” Dr Joseph explained. “It’s moreish, salty, and the fat adds up fast. You can easily double or triple your calorie intake at a BBQ just by picking halloumi.”
On top of that, barbecues generally have a near-Christmas-like quality of being an excuse to let loose and chow down, meaning it’s easy to lose track of what you’ve munched.
“People tend to graze, go back for seconds, and have little bits here and there without realising how much they’re actually eating,” he continued. “That’s why it’s so important to choose foods that will fill you up without blowing your calorie budget.”
A good option for managing your appetite at a barbecue is to eat some salad first. The fibre gives you a stronger sense of satiety, meaning you should hit a sense of fullness more quickly and feel fewer cravings for additional portions.
That said, live your life dude. Even in a calorie deficit-focused diet, a recent study found that occasional treats often result in better long-term outcomes than total abstinence.
Featured Image Credit: Kinga Krzeminska/Getty Images
Rachael Davis