If you need to eat healthy but still want to enjoy a hearty meal, you can’t go wrong with Chile.
“Chili is a relatively healthy dish when prepared with quality ingredients,” says Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD a Balance One Supplements. “Chili is often made with Beans, ground meat (beef or poultry), bell peppers, onions, and a wide variety of other nutrient-dense ingredients. A bowl of chili can be a well-balanced meal on its own.”
On paper, chili can fit into most diets, but some home cooks have found ways to take this unassuming dish to new caloric heights by loading it up with ingredients brimming with fat and salt. Trying to find the perfect balance between delicious chili bowl and a meal that doesn’t derail your health goals sounds difficult, but with the right knowledge, you can avoid some major nutritional pitfalls.
Eat this, not that! consulted a handful of registered dietitians for insight on which chili ingredients you might want to avoid if you’re sticking to a healthy eating plan. Getting rid of some of these add-ons may sound difficult, but it shouldn’t stop you from experimenting with new recipes. If you need some inspiration, try one of these The 20 best healthy chili recipes for weight lossand you might even discover your next favorite version of this classic homemade dish.
pretzels
If you need to add an extra crunchy texture to your next bowl of chili, try not to search for your favorite. biscuits. “Crackers are a popular chili topping, but their sodium and refined carbohydrate content make them nutritionally problematic,” says Best.
Crackers aren’t the only crackers to consider. “Oyster crackers are also often served with chili,” explains Best. “Both are highly processed and made with refined carbohydrates, which are essentially devoid of vitamins or fiber. All of the beneficial ingredients found in whole-grain crackers are missing in these forms, and in turn can have inflammatory properties.”
If you crave a little extra crunch on top of your chili but don’t want to use crackers, you can try a different type of topping. “Tortilla chips and whole grain crackers are ideal substitutes for refined carbohydrate-based crackers,” says Best. “Finding low-sodium options of these alternatives will also help improve this area of concern. Otherwise, those who crave the cracker crunch may enjoy sweet potatoes or jicama to add vitamins and minerals as well.
Bacon
Bacon It has been under fire for years due to its high content of saturated fat and salt. You can easily overload any meal with fat, and chili is no exception.
“Bacon is high in saturated fat and also high in sodium,” says Olivia Sokolowska, MBA, DR a salted butter kitchen. “Consider using turkey bacon or adding smoked in other ways with seasonings or charred vegetables.” If you need to watch your diet, skip the bacon crumbs the next time you whip up a batch of chili.
whole sour cream
Even if you made a perfectly healthy pot of chili, you can easily undo some of the benefits by loading it up with unhealthy ingredients. Many people love a good dollop of sour cream to finish off each serving of chili, but this add-on can easily add too many calories and fat grams to your meal.
If you love a little extra creaminess on top of this dish, don’t assume you can’t find a good substitute for sour cream. “Choose low-fat options or top with Greek yogurt,” Sokolowska recommends. “Low in fat sour cream It typically has about 50% less fat than full-fat sour cream, which helps save calories while helping you enjoy a classic chili dressing. Swapping out a nonfat plain Greek yogurt is great if you’re looking for an extra low-calorie option with a stronger flavor.”
whole cheese
Full-fat dairy dressings promise to undo all the hard work you put into trying to craft a healthy bowl of chili and generous sprinkles of cheese plus this dish can add a ton of unnecessary nutrition. “Too much full-fat cheese will skyrocket the calories and saturated fat in the meal,” he says. Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, CDNand collaborator in Sporty Smiles.
“I would definitely recommend using a low-fat cheese if you want your chili to be healthier because the saturated fat content will be much lower. I definitely wouldn’t cut out the cheese entirely if that’s your thing, but just exercise moderation and care.” by adding it.”
If you decide to top your chili with some cheese, make sure this dairy product has some fat. “I also wouldn’t recommend fat-free cheeses because, in my opinion, they really taste like cardboard and don’t melt well due to the low fat content,” says Tomaschko. “In that case, I would recommend skipping the cheese altogether.”
Store-bought spice and salt mixes
no good chili recipe features a ton of flavor. While many versions of this dish require you to create your own spice and seasoning mix at home, others rely on store-bought seasoning mixes.
You can usually adjust your homemade seasonings and keep the salt low, but “pre-made spices and seasoning mixes can contribute to an unhealthy amount of sodium,” says Tomaschko. “This is because they are quite easy to ‘overdo’.” These spices can range from garlic and onion salt to pre-made Cajun seasonings or chili seasoning packets.
To keep the salt levels in your chili in check, leave this ingredient out and opt to make your own spice blend. By taking matters into your own hands, you can supercharge your chili.
