4 Ways Your Power Bowl Is Making You Gain Weight

           
By Elizabeth Marglin, Prevention
   

Power bowls are a common sight on the menus of fast casual chains and trendy restaurants, and they're also super easy to whip up from leftovers at home. What's not to love about their whole grain simplicity and veggie goodness? It's salad with substance—but possibly too much substance.

[post_ads]Most grain bowls follow a similar pattern: a grain base such as rice or quinoa, followed by a generous serving of cooked or raw vegetables, a dollop of protein, finished with a hearty sprinkling of toppings. As innocuous as the ingredients seem, piled on with a heavy hand your grain bowl could be a calorie bomb in disguise. Here are 4 of the major power bowl pitfalls—and how to avoid them.

                

              

Doubling down on carbs

Don't make your grain bowl the modern equivalent of carbo-loading. "The main component of grain bowls—grains—may very well be the main calorie contributor in the bowl. Even the healthiest of grains can accumulate carbohydrates and calories quickly in the wrong portions. The serving size for quinoa and rice is ⅓ of a cup, which is equivalent in carbohydrates to one slice of bread.
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A typical grain bowl contains 2 cups of quinoa or rice though, which in terms of carbohydrates that's equivalent to six slices of bread," says Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in New York City and the founder of the F-Factor Diet. "And that's before other sources of carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and black beans get added to the mix."
                

The fix: A good rule is to halve the portion of grains and double the portion of greens, says Zuckerbrot.
              

              

Going to town on toppings

Yep, the multitude of add-ins make bowls a one-dish wonder. But the flavor bonanza can come with a hefty consequence. "While toppings such as olives, cheese, and nuts can be healthy on their own, when added to a grain bowl, they can turn your lunch into a real calorie bomb.

[post_ads]Part of the problem here is the portions of these toppings, especially when it's not just one topping included. A quarter cup of nuts can add 200 calories, and just six olives add an additional 45 calories and 5 g of fat. An ounce of high-fat cheese like goat, brie, or Swiss adds another 100 calories and 8 g of fat. Additions like these can easily tack an additional 500 calories onto your meal, which is not ideal if you're watching your weight," says Zuckerbrot. 

                  

The fix: Stick to just one or two toppings, or if you want the variety, make sure you get just micro amounts of each.
              

              

Spooning on the special sauce

Exercise restraint when it comes to your favorite cashew cream—the sauces and dressings that accompany grain bowls are a sneaky source of calories. "Don't drown all the health benefits of your bowl with too much dressing," says Caroline Kaufman, MS, a spokesperson for the California Dietetic Association. If you're at a restaurant, and they ask how much dressing you want, ask for 'light' and get extra on the side in case you want more. Try a vinaigrette-based dressing or plain olive oil and lemon, which help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in your salad (and make it taste good). 

             

The fix: Mix a drizzle of dressing with a dollop of hummus, which is creamy like a dressing, but offers healthy fat, protein, and fiber, says Kaufman.

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