Pancakes and eggs, separately, are not an entirely unhealthy breakfast choice. It is the bacon, sausage, syrup, cheese, and butter that pack on the fat and calories. On average, we should consume about 300 to 400 calories at breakfast.
Going out to eat for breakfast makes that goal literally impossible. The “classic skillet” breakfast at IHOP, for example, has 1,800 calories! It’s eggs, potatoes, pancakes, and a side of bacon or sausage. And then we pour syrup over it. It’s like consuming the entire day’s calories first thing in the morning.
Cheese Fries Look Like a Heart Attack in a Bowl
Truth be told, it’s the sodium content that is a hidden threat. This irresistible mound of fries slathered in cheese can contain up to 780 calories, half of which come from fat. It has 88 grams of carbs and 35 mg of cholesterol. Yet, the sodium levels are off the charts with 1330 mg of salt. That means cheese fries are 56 percent salt.
Too much sodium, actually sodium chloride, causes high blood pressure. Hypertension affects one out of three people in the U.S. Excess sodium intake will also put you at risk for stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, and kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure.
Creamy Soups
Another food that packs a high sodium punch is cream-based soup. Just one serving offers half the daily recommendation of sodium intake. Tracy Lesht, an NYC says to stay away from ingredients like "cream of, chowder," and "bisque."
Lesht encourages people to opt for broths and vegetable-based soups. These are generally healthier because they contain less fat and cream.
Buffalo Chicken Salad
No one chooses something from the salad menu expecting to consume 1,000 calories. But that is exactly what you get when you order the Boneless Buffalo Chicken Salad at Chili's. This salad contains 970 calories and 66 grams of fat.
A person who orders a salad because they are watching their weight is not looking for a meal that contains half a day’s calories.
Not All Syrup is Equal
Pure maple syrup, tapped from the tree, offers one of the best sources of sweetness—all-natural, no preservatives added. The “maple” syrup one finds sitting on the tables at restaurants, however, should be avoided. Ingredients include high fructose corn syrup and caramel coloring. If that sounds harmless enough, it’s not.
Caramel coloring is a possible source of carcinogen 4MEI, which forms during manufacturing. And what’s so wrong with high fructose corn syrup? It can cause liver damage. Specifically, consuming too much of this syrup increases fat in the liver, resulting in fatty liver disease.