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| The grill is fired up, flames lick at the juicy beef patties and barbecue sauce caramelizes on top of the chicken’s crunchy skin. Which is worse? (Credit: Brand X Pictures/Getty Images, Melanie Acevedo/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| From the oven, your host brings out a steamy tray of pulled pork slathered in barbecue sauce. From the grill come hot dogs topped with chili -- a mix of beef, beans and vegetables. Which is worse? (Credit: James And James/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images, Crystal Cartier Photography/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| What makes that pulled pork so succulent? “It’s usually made from a real fatty kind of pork, the shoulder,” says Holly Herrington, registered dietitian at the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “You really can’t trim that off.” The hot dog has fat too, but it’s redeemed by the chili’s stomach-filling protein from the beans and fiber from the vegetables. “It will fill you up a little more, leaving you less likely to go back for seconds,” Herrington says. (Credit: James And James/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| They’re both served up on a bun and topped with your choice of ketchup, mustard, onions or relish. But when it comes to links, should you opt for the beefy hot dog or the sausage-filled Brat? Which is worse? (Credit: Donna Alberico/Digital Vision/Getty Images, Jonelle Weaver/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| It’s more than just its name that make the bratwurst the worst. A frankfurter will yield about 150 calories and 14 grams of fat; Bratwurst comes in at about 260 calories and 21 grams of fat. The extra calories and fat come from size -- the bratwurst is a lot larger than the average frank. And, “sausages have more saturated fat than a hotdog, which is bad because it raises your cholesterol,” says Herrington. (Credit: Jonelle Weaver/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| The grill is fired up, flames lick at the juicy beef patties and barbecue sauce caramelizes on top of the chicken’s crunchy skin. Which is worse? (Credit: Brand X Pictures/Getty Images, Melanie Acevedo/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Hamburgers are usually made from ground chuck, one of the fattiest cuts of ground beef. And once ground, it’s impossible to get that fat out of meat. But the chicken’s fat is mostly in its skin, which can easily be removed. Opt for white meat chicken over dark, Herrington says, and you’ll save some more fat and calories. You’ll also get a larger piece of meat -- the breast is bigger than a thigh or leg -- so you’ll feel fuller. (Credit: Brand X Pictures/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| In the faceoff between a cheeseburger and sausage and peppers sandwich, which deserves a yellow flag on this play? Which is worse? (Credit: Jupiterimages/Comstock Images/Getty Images, Lisa Hubbard/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| A sausage link and one 4-ounce serving of ground beef both come in at about 250 calories. Trouble is, most hamburgers are bigger than 4 ounces, says Herrington. One popular brand of pre-made patties serves up a one-third pound burger with 450 calories. A slice of cheese adds up to another 100. So opt for the sausage and peppers and go heavy on the veggies. They’re full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. (Credit: Jupiterimages/Comstock Images/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| In the battle of the dips, which one deserves to be sacked: The guacamole or the bean dip? Which is worse? (Credit: Lisa Romerein/Foodpix/Getty Images, Annabelle Breakey/Photodisc/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Most bean dips are made with cheese, which brings extra calories and saturated fat. Guacamole’s main ingredient is avocado, which is full of monounsaturated, heart-healthy fat. But beware of store-bought guacamole, which can be made mostly with sour cream. “The real problem with dips is what you’re eating it with,” says Herrington. “I’d say stay away from the dip altogether because you’re going to eat it with tortilla chips.” Chips add an extra 140 calories and 7 grams of fat per 1-ounce serving (that’s only seven chips!). If you must indulge in a little dip, use cut-up veggies to scoop your guacamole and you score a few points with the nutrition experts. Just don’t go overboard with the dipping (Credit: Annabelle Breakey/Photodisc/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Buffalo wings are all about that crunchy, spicy (and fatty) chicken skin. Nachos feature deep-fried chips smothered with cheese and a host of other high-calorie toppings. Which is worse? (Credit: Heath Patterson/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images, Bacon/StockFood Creative/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| “With the nachos, the portion size is your problem,” says Herrington. You might eat three or four Buffalo wings, but are you really going to eat just a few nachos? Doubtfully, and the more you eat the bigger pile on of calories, fat and sodium (Credit: Bacon/StockFood Creative/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| The ribs are smoking on the grill and the sloppy Joes are steaming in the slow cooker. One of these should be sacked. Which is worse? (Credit: Alexandra Grablewski/FoodPix/Getty Images, Andrea Gomez/Foodpix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Go on, have a sloppy Joe, says Herrington. “What makes ribs so good and tender is all that fat,” says Herrington. A half a rack of ribs -- about seven -- delivers a whopping 1,000 calories. A sloppy Joe sandwich only yields 275-300 calories, says Herrington. “With the sloppy Joe, you’ll feel like you’re getting more of a meal,” says Herrington. “With the ribs, you won’t feel as full and satisfied, which makes it easier to just keep eating.” If you’re the sloppy Joe chef, add some extra onions, peppers and tomatoes to the mix to make it an even better choice. (Credit: Alexandra Grablewski/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| How does the artichoke dip, all warm on the inside with a nice crusty layer of cheese on the outside, stand up against the sour cream-rich French onion dip? Which is worse? (Credit: Alexandra Grablewski/FoodPix/Getty Images, French Onion DipLarsen and Talbert/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| The cheese in the artichoke dip sends this appetizer out of bounds, says Herrington. Two tablespoons of French onion dip brings 60 calories to your plate, whereas the same amount of artichoke dip delivers 150. “And who eats just two tablespoons?” Herrington asks. Whichever you choose, try to pair it with vegetables instead of chips to save on calories and fat. (Credit: Alexandra Grablewski/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| A tantalizing mix of refried beans, tomatoes, guacamole, onions and other fixings, the seven-layer dip is sometimes served alongside warm, spicy cheese-filled jalapeno poppers. Which is worse? (Credit: Jupiterimages/Comstock Images/Getty Images, Brian Hagiwara/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| What a way to ruin a vegetable, says Herrington. Not only are Jalapenos filled with fatty cheese, they are deep fried, which adds heart-stopping trans fat to the recipe. Opt for the seven-layer dip, but watch your portions and the number of chips you eat it with. (Credit: Brian Hagiwara/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Vitamin-rich spinach gives spinach dip its alluring color. Deviled eggs are high in cholesterol. Which is worse? (Credit: Sang An/FoodPix/Getty Images, Fran Gealer/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| In general, people don’t watch their portions when eating dips, says Herrington. “Whereas with the deviled eggs, no one is going to sit there and scarf down 10 deviled eggs.” And eggs get a bad rap, but it’s overblown. They’re a great source of vitamins B and D as well as protein. “We deceive ourselves with thinking, ‘It has spinach in it; it must be healthy,’” says Herrington. “But think about the sour cream and the chips or bread you’ll eat it with.” (Credit: Sang An/FoodPix/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| When reaching for a salty snack, should you opt for a snack made from cereal or the classic chip? Which is worse? (Credit: Steve Cohen/FoodPix/Getty Images, Medioimages/Photodisc/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| The Chex mix is baked, instead of fried, which saves you some fat and calories. “But that doesn’t mean you can eat the entire bag,” says Herrington. A half-cup serving of party mix has about 140 calories, so go easy. (Credit: Medioimages/Photodisc/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Mini hot dogs wrapped in pastry, or deep-fried potatoes topped with cheese, sour cream and bacon -- which one should be blitzed? Which is worse? (Credit: Melanie Acevedo/FoodPix/Getty Images, Brand X Pictures/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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| Neither is a great choice, says Herrington, but the potato skins are essentially one layer of fat on top of another (first deep fried, then cheese, then bacon). The skins are generally larger than a pig in a blanket, so opt for a mini hot dog and you won’t sacrifice too many calories. (Credit: Brand X Pictures/Getty Images) The Full Story from iVillage.com |
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