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. (Repeat after us: No more dieting. Ever.
Instead, learn how to eat clean—with zero deprivation!—and watch the pounds drop off, with Your Metabolism Makeover.)
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." (Here are 15 carbs nutritionists want you to eat more of.)
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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." (Here are 15 carbs nutritionists want you to eat more of.)
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.
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.
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.
[post_ads]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.
