Thursday, December 13, 2012

Packing Calories


With Christmas just around the corner, people are now planning for their Christmas party and Noche Buena. We usually prepare for a sumptuous dinner to be shared with the family at exactly 12 midnight or after the midnight mass. It is in these times that we always neglect our diet and gobble foods high in cholesterol, salt and sugar. It is during this holiday season that we let our bodies pack some more fats and add more weight.


But before picking up our spoon and fork and drool on those crispy lechon (roasted pig), succulent ham, soft and flavorful humba (braised pork belly), hot and oily bulalo (beef marrow stew),  creamy mango float and other noche buena regulars, let us be aware that:

1.   Every bit of those food that you put in your mouth will be absorbed by your body and every gram of it has its equivalent (1 gram of fat = 9 calories; 1 gram of protein = 4 calories; 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories; 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories).

2.   On a daily 2,000-calorie balanced diet, you need to consume 50 g of protein, 300 g of carbohydrates, 65 g of fat (20 g of saturated fat, 300 mg of cholesterol) and 25 g of fiber.

3.   Therefore, eating a plate full of slices of lechon and ham, humba, pasta, desserts in one meal can be packed with fattening calories, harmful cholesterol, and deadly salt and sugars.

To give you an idea what I am talking about, here is an example of a typical Christmas or Noche Buena plate with computed calorie and cholesterol count.


1.    1 – serving Rice (1 cup) = 242 cal; 0 mg cholesterol
2.    2 – serving Lechon (200 g) = 484 cal; 190 mg cholesterol
3.    1 – serving Smoked Ham (100 g) = 122 cal; 22 mg cholesterol
4.    ½ – serving Humba (50 g) = 86 cal; 14 mg cholesterol
5.    ½ - serving Chopsuey (1/2 cup) = 50 cal; 0 cholesterol
6.    1 – slice Mango Float = 280 cal; 12 mg cholesterol
7.    1 – bottle Beer (330 mL) = 139 cal; 0 cholesterol


To sum up, you had 1,043 calories and 238 mg cholesterol in one EXTRA midnight meal! This is half of your daily calorie requirements and 80% of your cholesterol intake. No wonder it is in this holiday season that a lot of people gained weight and got heart problems.


With the extra calories you had, you need 2 hours of high impact aerobics or 2 hours of non-stop jogging or 5 hours of walking to burn out the excess calories.


It is important that we should watch out our food intake by choosing the right food and eating in moderation those that are high in fat and cholesterol and be prepared to go to the gym to sweat out and burn out those calories.

22 comments:

  1. I wish you just post all the delicious foodies for this season na lang Kuys without us informing its calorie count. Parang nakaka-guilty magpasarap this season :)

    Feel ko wag na lang kaya maghanda para mas matipid pa. Hehehe

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    1. Hahaha, I'm just informing you. Its also for your own good Tevs!

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  2. I am glad to have found my way here :D Thank you for the reminder to stay healthy! I haven't been conscious about my food intake the past years until middle of last month when I started my weight loss regimen seriously...the Holiday season is here and I need you to wish me a lot of luck sticking to my diet :)

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  3. Now I don't feel like eating... but I think I won't be able to help myself since we're spending Christmas back home. Who can resists those delectable home-cooked dishes? Not me :)

    Dalhin ko na lng meds ko pangontra sa bad stuff na kakainin ko :)

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  4. forget the calories lets pig-in hehehhehe. I want all of those please

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  5. Ah, when Noche Buena comes, all those calories is a forgotten term. But yes, it is best if we go slow with our eating spree.

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  6. It's a once in a year event so why now lol. I miss those kinds of foods!

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  7. Hmm! This informative post makes me want to forget about my indulgence plans. LOL! I know it will take a lot of self control to be able to do that. But if ever I fail, I just have to punish myself for longer hours at the gym. LOL!

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  8. holy cow!I really miss the pinoy foods...it's really hard to avoid these kind of yummy foods...no diet during holidays...lol!

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  9. Yeah! I see lots of calories and cholesterol on the table! LOL. Well, exercise lang dayon banat after the feast! :D

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  10. LOL, thanks for reminding, haha, one of the reasons i seldom eat out these days because it is required by CA law that chain and big restaurants post their calorie information, there are some meals a serving alone is over 1,00 calories! I used to get a slice of cheesecake after a meal, but when I saw one slice is 600 calories and the sat fat and cholesterol was high, I stopped getting cheesecake after a meal, I still do, very once a while. Now, i wonder if we would still eat a lot if we have these numbers in front of us, haha! sometimes though, i am so guilty, i closed my eyes and still INDULGE, since eating is happiness :)

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  11. I can understand if it is daily food but for me Christmas and any events is an exception so I don't need to think all calories I intake during that time. Only I remember is yummy. : )

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  12. Oh these numbers scare me but it is really so difficult to say no when every good food is being provided at every event for this season.

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  13. Hahhaah that's a lot of calories indeed but if just that day I will do it hahhaha. Thanks for the heads up... :)

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  14. Nah! don't worry about the calories...would definitely enjoy all the foods you posted here :-) Getting rid of the calories are much easier in PI than here in USA :-) I would love to go for a walk, go to the beach and swim :-)

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  15. Who can resist the delicious foods on Filipino dining table? I can't.

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  16. Excited na ako for Noche Buena but I believe I need to start my diet na :D Hahahaha

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  17. They said that December is the fattening time of the year, so for me, i'll skip my diet and will only resume diet after the Holidays, esp now that i came home after almost 5 years being not able to eat these foods...

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  18. aarrgh..heheh wtf:) (whattafats ) hehe. Uh, even so of those reality , if only i have a chance to have these filipino foods this christmas, i wouldn't mind at all about diet..heheh!

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  19. Christmas is everywhere it's my fav. season of the year slowing down to eat those fatty foods. I see i miss the roasted pig yummy.

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  20. wow! lechon..ang makasalanang lechon..hahaha..this food makes very Pinoy..

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  21. We will always associate delicious food with Christmas and new year, too :) Happy new year! Thanks for the visit.

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