Health

High Calorie Food You Should Avoid In Singapore For A Healthier Life

You are what you eat
By: Agnes / November 22, 2021

Are you craving fast food? Does adorable petit gateaux and bingsu make you happy after a tiring day? While these food items spark joy, you should also know that they are high in calories. Foods that are high in calories can deteriorate your health and cause you to be overweight or obese. With that, Glitz is listing down high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore if you want to live a healthy life.

High Calorie Food You Should Avoid In Singapore

1. Sugary Beverages

High Calorie Food You Should Avoid
Pic cred: Unsplash / Jonny Caspari

We know how much you love your ice-blended drinks and canned sodas. But we’re here to tell you that they probably have the highest calories. Sugary beverages have a whole lot of added sugars and very few nutrients. Other than that, they also make you hungry faster. This means that when you drink sugary beverages, you tend to eat more than usual. Don’t believe it? Try it out yourself. We’ve personally experimented with this and it’s true. Thus, this is one high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore.

Replace sugary beverages with water, freshly squeezed fruit juice, or fresh coconut water. Also do not add sugar in your coffee or tea. 

2. French Fries

We’re not saying that potatoes are entirely unhealthy, no. But french fries in particular is a high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore. Firstly, it is processed potatoes. Other than that, it is usually deep-fried in oil, which adds a lot of calories and fats. Plus, french fries actually do not keep you full for long. This can be a problem if you’re trying to lose weight or be healthy. You might need some extra runs if you’re consuming french fries on a regular basis. 

Instead of french fries, try baked potatoes instead. And consume it in moderation. 

3. Chips

High Calorie Food You Should Avoid
Pic cred: Unsplash / Jeff Siepman

Chips are addictive. We particularly enjoy snacking on them whenever we’re on Netflix or Disney Plus. But unfortunately for us (and for you), chips are very high in calories and fats. This is why it’s a high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore. Want to know why? Well, it’s firstly heavily processed and contains loads of salt and sugar. There have been multiple studies that find the link between extremely processed food and obesity. Thus, we recommend steering clear of chips for a healthy life. 

Replace chips with fresh carrots and celery or nuts. You can even add a hummus dip on the side. 

4. White Rice

While white rice is not very high in fats, it is very low in protein and fiber. Another thing about white rice is that it increases your blood sugar levels. This will increase your risk of diabetes in the future. Studies have also found that consuming too much white rice can make you put on weight. This means you may need to go to the gym more often than not. Therefore, if you want to avoid obesity and diabetes and live a healthy lifestyle, we recommend avoiding white rice. If not, try not to eat too much of it in a day. 

Instead of white rice, try brown rice or quinoa. You can even opt for cauliflower rice, which provides good amounts of fiber. 

5. Sweetened Dried Fruit

Pic cred: Unsplash / Andrey Metelev

Despite fresh fruits being sweet, their natural sweetness is actually in very little amounts. And fresh fruits also give you the fiber you need for a healthy system. However, did you know that when fruits are dried, the sugar level increases? This in return increases the calories as well. And while dried fruit is still okay, what isn’t is dried fruit that is candied or sweetened. This is because dried fruit already contains more sugar than fresh fruit, yet more sugar is added to it. Therefore, when you consume sweetened dried fruit, it’s almost like eating candy. Thus, this high calorie food is what you should avoid in Singapore. 

Replace sweetened dried fruit with fresh fruits. You can also enjoy dried fruits but in moderation.

6. Processed Meat

Do you regularly consume ham in sandwiches or burger patties at restaurants? Did you know that processed meat is a food that’s extremely high in calories? It’s a definite high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore. This is because processed meat contains a lot of salt and is usually very low in nutrients. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) actually put processed meat under a category of food that causes cancer. Thus, we truly recommend that you avoid overconsuming this food. 

Instead of processed meat, try fresh meat. We recommend you get the lean parts. You can also opt for fish or vegan options like beans. 

7. Energy Bars

High Calorie Food You Should Avoid
Pic cred: Unsplash / Towfiqu barbhuiya

Are you a fan of energy bars and granola bars? Do you often eat one before starting the day? Sadly, we’re here to tell you that they are not as healthy as you think they are. Energy bars and granola bars may contain a high level of protein and fiber. But sometimes they also contain a lot of sugar. Now you know why they are always so sweet. You can eat this in moderation but it’s a high calorie food you should avoid eating too often here in Singapore. Even every other day considers as pretty often so you might want to think of some alternatives. 

Replace energy bars with apple and peanut butter, nuts, greek yogurt, or eggs for the ultimate protein spike. 

8. White Bread

Just like white rice, white bread is actually a high calorie food you should avoid here in Singapore. This is because white bread contains a high level of calories and carbohydrates. Plus, it’s usually low in nutrients, fiber, and protein. It also doesn’t fill you up a lot, which means you will tend to eat more when you consume white bread. But nowadays, there are many alternatives to white bread that you can find on the shelves. They are typically not too expensive as well. So, we recommend that you go for those and avoid picking white bread.

Instead of white bread, try wheat bread or wholewheat bread. 

9. Alcohol, Specifically Beer

Pic cred: Unsplash / kazuend

Some alcohol, like wine, can be beneficial to our health. However, most of them are not. In fact, most of them have high carbohydrates which can cause us to gain weight. This is especially true with beer. Despite the fact that the link between alcohol and weight gain isn’t very clear yet. Some may argue that drinking certain amounts of alcohol helps a person lose weight. But when you overdrink alcohol, especially beer, it becomes very evident that you will gain weight. Thus, this is one high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore.

Replace beer with wine. But drink wine in moderation.

10. Ice Cream

When you live in a tropical country like Singapore, it’s without a doubt that ice creams are the go-to. But ice creams are also very high in calories and are a high calorie food you should avoid. It also has a lot of sugar which is bad for your health if you consume too much of it. Of course, a small amount of ice cream is fine. But we all struggle to stop ourselves from eating it all in one sitting. 

So instead of ice cream, try homemade ice cream or frozen fresh fruits. 

11. Cookies And Cakes

High Calorie Food You Should Avoid
Pic cred: Unsplash / David Holifield

Baked items, especially cookies and cakes are truly some high calorie food you should avoid in Singapore. Yes, they can be delightful to consume. But they also contain a lot of sugar and carbohydrates. This can make us feel less full, causing us to eat more. This will then in return make us gain more weight. 

Replace cookies and cakes with dark chocolate. But consume this in moderation.

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