We all know that eating a whole pizza or a block of chocolate is a lot of calories (even though we like to deliberately forget this when inhaling these). But there are other popular snacks and drinks which might surprise you with how calorific they are.
âMost people know the high calorie foods. Weâre all aware of how high calorie fast food is, but maybe we donât know how high it is,â accredited practising dietician Caroline Trickey told The Huffington Post Australia.
âPeople sometimes go to McDonaldâs and think to get something âhealthierâ like a McFish meal, but what they donât realise is that itâs over 800 calories -- thatâs nearly half of what a person needs per day and itâs only one of the three meals.â
Itâs not just meals and snacks that provide an overload of energy. Popular drinks are another surprisingly calorific food source we consume on a daily basis.
âOne of the areas where people donât realise the calorie content is when they drink things,â Trickey said. âTheyâll have a smoothie for breakfast, but still eat their bowl of cereal. So theyâre adding that on to what theyâre already having but donât understand why theyâre not losing weight.â
Although it's important to take note of how high in energy these foods are, according to Trickey, itâs more important to differentiate the good calories from the bad.
âI would rather people not consider calories, but instead focus on a healthy balance of fresh, whole foods,â Trickey said.
For example, people might focus on the calorie content of nuts. A handful of almonds (around 14 nuts) is 100 calories, which is the equivalent of one Tim Tam. Yes, itâs incredibly tempting to opt for the Tim Tam, but the calories are virtually empty and, compared to the almonds, it simply wonât fill us up -- and we all know how easy it is to eat a whole packet of Tim Tams.
âEven if a whole food is higher in calories, itâs definitely a better choice,â Trickey said. âA handful of nuts might have the same calories as a cookie, but theyâre very different calories.
âThe way your body breaks those foods down is very different from whole foods -- they provide really important nutrients. Your body knows how to break whole foods down better and use those nutrients, and they are going to fill you up for longer.
âJunk food is more likely to be stored than be used for good.â
One reason why we may be consuming these calorific (and often unhealthy) foods so often is because we donât know what is going into them.
âThatâs another thing. If you donât cook, you wonât actually know what goes into food,â Trickey said.
FOOD
Caesar salad -- 714 calories (for a Coffee Club Caesar salad)
âWe think âsalad equals healthyâ but Caesar salad is definitely not a healthy meal,â Trickey said.
âIf you think about whatâs in Caesar salad -- yes, thereâs lettuce but thereâs croutons (which can often be deep fried), a load of cheese, bacon, and then the dressing, which is made out of egg yolk, oil and usually cheese. So youâve got fat, fat and more fat.â
Subway cookies -- 215 calories (for one chocolate chip cookie)
âPeople go to Subway thinking theyâre having a healthier takeaway meal and then the person behind the counter asks, 'Would you would like a cookie with that?'. And many will get one, not realising the cookie has got almost as many calories as the actual sandwich they have ordered. But we donât think of that because itâs just one little cookie," Trickey said.
Croissant -- 541 calories (chocolate croissant), 452 calories (almond croissant) and 251 calories (70 gram plain croissant)
âIf youâve ever made croissants before, you will know what goes into them: layers of pastry and butter in between. This is where, if you cook, you will be less likely to go to it as a first option,â Trickey said.
Doughnuts -- 300 calories (one Krispy Kreme chocolate iced doughnut)
âDoughnuts are just white flour and sugar which are deep fried. Itâs a combination of an incredible amount of calories and, again, not healthy calories," Trickey said.
Steak/meat -- 682 calories (large T-bone steak with fat), 239 calories (lamb cutlet with fat)
âA lot of people eat T-bone steak and will think itâs not that big, but in reality itâs enough for two people," Trickey said. "Thereâs also the trend now to keep the fat on steak, which is a huge increase in your calorie intake.
âIt's the same with lamb cutlets. Most people eat 3-4 cutlets, which adds up very quickly in terms of calories.â
Granola -- 294 calories (for Ÿ cup)
Sugar and fat are the two suspects for granola being high in energy (and for being so delicious).
"There arenât many store-bought granolas that are low in sugar, and people donât want to eat boring muesli, which is just oats and untoasted nuts," Trickey said. "People look for flavour so, unfortunately, these are often your unhealthy options."
"You can definitely make your own granola and it doesnât take that long."
Hummus -- 388 calories (for œ a cup)
âTypically hummus has oil in it, which is high energy, so thatâs one thing that can increase the calorie content of hummus," Trickey told HuffPost Australia. "If you are buying hummus, it might not necessarily be a healthy oil, either. They can just use any old vegetable oil.
âThereâs definitely commercially available dips that donât have oil in it. Just be selective about your hummus and read the ingredients list.â
Although high in calories, hummus is a filling, sustaining and healthy option.
âHummus is a good source of protein and fibre, which both help you to feel full, making it a great snack. Itâs not one of those snacks which you eat and then need to eat an hour later,â Trickey said.
Muffins -- 581 calories (McCafe Blueberry Muffin)
Donât be fooled by the blueberries -- muffins pack a big calorie punch.
âThis is another one with high calories, especially those enormous Texas size muffins. They can have 600 calories in them," Trickey said. "If you sat down and ate a decent-size healthy meal for lunch, the muffin would have more calories than your meal."
Banana bread -- 614 calories (for one slice from McDonaldâs)
âAnother surprisingly calorific food is banana bread. Itâs such a big thing to have for breakfast at cafes, but one slice of banana bread can be 600 calories," Trickey said.
"One slice of banana bread from Boost Juice (for 140 grams) is 304 calories, and a slice from 7-Eleven (for 90 grams -- thatâs pretty small!) is 306 calories."
Protein bars and shakes -- 366 calories (for one Aussie Bodies protein bar), 227 calories (Muscle Milk Protein drink)
âProtein is not calorie free, which is what a lot of us donât realise. We think if we have excess protein weâre not going to store it," Trickey said. "Protein has calories, too, and if you donât use those calories you are going to store it.
âWhat I frequently see is people exercising a lot and still gaining weight. But they're having several protein shakes a day, added in on top of what theyâre already eating, so it's no wonder because those shakes have 200-300 calories in it.â
DRINKS
Smoothies -- 464 calories (Boost Juice Mango Mantra smoothie 610ml)
âDrinking your calories is one where people get caught out. You might be shopping and get hungry, and buy a smoothie as a snack before lunch, but itâs got 400 calories," Trickey said.
Starbucks drinks -- 494 calories (Starbucks Grande Strawberries and Cream frappucino with whipped cream)
âWe might think itâs just a coffee so itâs calorie free, but itâs all the added elements (like the liquid flavour, chocolate syrup and whipped cream) they have in there which make it so calorific," Trickey said.
Coconut water -- 55 calories (per cup)
While just one cup of coconut water doesn't contain many calories, if you're drinking a large carton every day as you would water, the calories can quickly add up.
"At around 55 calories per cup, if you have it in place of water and drink 3-4 cups a day, thatâs an extra 165-220 calories in a day," Trickey said.