Think before you dip
Michael Lewis II
| 2 min read
Celery, carrot sticks, and strawberries are some of the most popular healthy snack items, and it is common for people to enjoy them with some kind of dip. Celery and carrots are typically enjoyed with ranch while strawberries are enjoyed with whipped cream. Although these added flavors make the snacks tastier, are they counterproductive?
Ranch
For years, ranch has been considered the most popular dressing in all the land. It is the number one dressing of choice in American restaurants. As tasty and popular as it may be, ranch is loaded with fat and sodium. A two ounce serving of ranch contains 188 calories, if your meal plan limit is 2,000 calories, this is about nine percent of the daily recommendation. Since eating ranch alone is not common practice, one serving of ranch adds quite a few calories to any dish.
Spinach artichoke dip
Just because the dip contains spinach and artichokes, does not make it healthy. One order of a typical spinach and artichoke dip, contains over 1,000 calories and is high in fat. Even if this dish is shared, the high sodium content is cause for concern.
Peanut butter
Atop celery and apples, peanut butter can be deceiving. One serving of peanut butter contains 94 calories and 8 grams of fat, did I mention that one serving is a tablespoon? Before you go tossing the peanut butter out on the street, keep in mind that peanut buter contains mostly good fats and is low in sugar.
Hazelnut spread
Hazelnut spreads, like Nutellla, appear to be one of the healthier dipping choices on the market but it’s all about moderation. Compared to peanut butter, it does seem to be the better option, but remember to look at the sugar content in these spreads. There are some health benefits from the hazelnut spread, a two tablespoon serving contains four percent of your daily iron needs, as well as four percent of your calcium needs.
Photo credit: Vie
