Avoid these 5 popular winter foods loaded with sugar and calories, advices nutritionist

Packaged instant soup are loaded with sodium and empty calories. So, it's best to avoid having it. (Picture Credit: Pexels)

With the cold season, it is natural to feel the need to satisfy your cravings by having comfort foods that may not be good for you, even when they are promoted as ‘healthy’. Staying warm in cosy blankets leads to less movement, and hoarding calories does no good.

Pune nutritionist Amita Gadre, in her recent post on Instagram, shared how some foods that are considered nutritious during the season may not be so and may, in fact, hinder your fitness progress. She listed five foods that can be easily avoided in winters for being high in sugar and calories.

“Every winter, the same old ‘must-eat, must-drink’ advice starts doing the rounds. But not everything we’re told to eat in winter actually helps. Some might even be holding back your health goals,” she said.

5 things you don’t need this winter

Amla candy

While amla is considered healthy, amla candy offers no real nutritional benefit. It is, in fact, loaded with sugar. She suggested, “You can instead add grated amla to your chutneys, dal, vegetables, and salads.” It is the simplest and most effective way to derive its goodness.

Chyavanprash

She clarified that it may be an unpopular opinion, but chyavanprash is something that no one needs, not even kids, as it is high in sugar. “A vegetable soup has way more antioxidants than chyavanprash.”

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Take a look at the post:

 

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A post shared by Amita Gadre | Nutritionist (@amitagadre)

Dry fruit laddoo

To keep themselves warm, most people reach for dry fruit laddoos, but according to the nutritionist, “They are nutrient-dense, but high-calorie too. One laddoo is easily around 200 calories.” What you can do instead, if you are trying to lose weight, is take a handful of nuts and consume them. That should be enough.

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Packaged instant soups

She shared that they are just a whole lot of sodium and empty calories, with barely any other nutrients. The nutritionist recommended taking a pack of instant soup and mixing it with a pack of tomato purée or mixed vegetable purée. She also suggested using a pre-cut pulao mix for this.

Ghee

Again, many feel that loading up on ghee may help with nourishment, but with little movement, it only increases your weight. “In winters, we are anyway moving less and want to be cosy. We become lazy, so the last thing we need is extra calories from fats.”

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.