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Nutrition Game TextText for Big A's Food ItemsText for the Fish Sandwich Texture~*~*~*Fish Sandwich*~*~*~ Health Stats: Certain types of fish can have many positive health effects, and are usually low in fat and high in protein, but unfortunately when fried as it normally is at fast food chains, fish absorbs a good deal of fat from the oils it is cooked in. This makes is somewhat less healthy then grilled or charbroiled counterparts, although usually still better for you then a cheeseburger. To make a fish sandwich a healthier meal, get the fish grilled or charbroiled whenever possible and order without the cheese and especially the tarter sauce. Text for the Chicken Caesar Salad Texture~*~*~*Chicken Caesar Salad*~*~*~ Health Stats: If it weren't for the dressing, a chicken Caesar salad would be an incredibly healthy meal. The romaine lettuce is packed with nutrients and the chicken has a lot of protein. Unfortunately the dressing almost doubles the number of calories in most Caesar salads and can add almost as much fat as a burger. Although still healthier than some other options, like greasy burgers or fried chicken sandwiches, don't be fooled into thinking that just because you're eating a salad you have nothing to worry about. To make a chicken Caesar salad a healthier option, make sure you order with grilled chicken, not fried, skip the croutons, order fat free or light dressing whenever possible, and always order the dressing on the side so you can use only the amount you need. Text for the Cheeseburger Texture~*~*~*Cheeseburger*~*~*~ Health Statistics: Although cheeseburgers often have a large amount of protein and calcium which your body needs to stay healthy, the bad things in cheeseburgers, such as the fat, sodium, cholesterol, and high calorie content, usually outweigh the good. To make a cheeseburger a healthier meal, order it without the cheese and sauce (especially mayo), and just get a single piece of meat, no doubles! This can significantly reduce the amount of calories and fat consumed. Text for French Fries Texture~*~*~*French Fries*~*~*~ Health Stats: Small Medium Large This scrumptious side is very high in calories and fat and has almost no nutritional value. Often heavily salted, French fries can be very high in sodium as well. New evidence even shows French fries having high levels of the cancer causing agent acrylamide too, making them possibly even dangerous to your health. French fries should be eaten sparingly or not at all. Text for Soft Drink Texture~*~*~*Soft Drinks*~*~*~ Health Stats: Small Medium Large This bubbly favorite is full of calories and sugar and contains no nutritional value. The carbonation can be dehydrating making soft drinks an especially poor choice for athletes. Although water will always be your best choice, if you just can't stay away from soft drinks, order diet which usually contains 0 calories and a sugar substitute. Text for Grilled Chicken Texture~*~*~*Grilled Chicken Sandwich*~*~*~ Health Stats: 425 calories A grilled chicken sandwich is often one of the healthiest options available at fast food joints. The chicken is naturally low in fat and packed with protein and nutrients. Grilling helps maintain the healthy aspects of the meal without adding large amounts of fat, sodium, cholesterol and especially calories as well. To make this meal as healthy as possible, order without the cheese and dressing. Text for Breaded Chicken Sandwich~*~*~*Breaded Chicken Sandwich*~*~*~ Health Stats: 560 calories Although the difference between a grilled and breaded chicken sandwich may seem minimal, the nutritional statistics are actually very different. Chicken sandwiches are usually a healthy option at fast food restaurants, but unfortunately a substantial amount of calories and fat are added to the meal when breaded. Grilled chicken has the same great chicken flavor but with significantly fewer calories and less fat, making it a much better option health wise, so opt for it whenever possible. To make a breaded chicken sandwich a healthier meal order it without the cheese and dressing. Text for Sally's Sizzlers Food ItemsText for Fried Chicken Meal~*~*~*Fried Chicken Meal*~*~*~ Health Stats: 562 calories This popular southern favorite is popular not just in the South, but all over the United States. Although chicken is a healthy food choice, the effects of frying easily outweigh the health benefits. On its own, chicken contains a lot of protein and nutrients. The oil used to fry chicken usually contains incredibly high amounts of fat and calories though, some of which are absorbed into the meat. Fried chicken should be replaced by a grilled or roasted version whenever possible. To make fried chicken a healthier meal, always opt for the least amount of breading possible, no extra-crispy! Text for Cajun Filet Sandwich~*~*~*Cajun Filet Sandwich*~*~*~ Health Stats: 437 calories This grilled chicken sandwich features a grilled chicken breast with Cajun seasonings and sauce. Chicken is full of protein and nutrients and the caloric intake is moderate but the fat content is relatively high. Not a horrible choice overall as long of the rest of your meal is low in fat. To make this meal healthier, order it without the cheese or sauce. Text for Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya~*~*~*Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya*~*~*~ Health Stats: 257 calories This tasty dish is often a little spicy and is usually a combination of rice, meats which in this case are chicken and sausage but can vary, vegetables such as onions, green peppers, and celery, and Cajun seasoning. Compared to other fast food options jambalaya is lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol making it one of the better food options. In this case the sausage adds a significant portion of the fat so to make it a healthier meal, try to stay away from the sausage. Text for Crawfish Etouffee~*~*~*Crawfish Etouffee*~*~*~ Health Stats: 200 calories Etouffee is a Cajun stew usually served over rice. It can contain crawfish, other types of seafood or chicken. The stew also contains vegetables, tomato paste, and seasoning. It is a relatively healthy meal being low in calories and fat, but still having nutritional value. Text for Mashed Potatoes~*~*~*Mashed Potatoes*~*~*~ Health Stats: 90 calories This southern staple is relatively low in calories, although it also lacks much nutritional value as well. Because of being so low in fat, cholesterol and calories, mashed potatoes are a decent side option, although make sure your meal has lots of nutritional value to make up for it. Text for Coleslaw~*~*~*Coleslaw*~*~*~ Health Stats: 230 calories Although coleslaw if full of healthy vegetables, it is also usually contains mayonnaise which is very high in fat and calories with no nutritional value. Coleslaw may not be devoid of nutritional value but the high amounts of fat and calories make it not worth it!. Enjoy occasionally, or look for a version that substitutes mayonnaise for yogurt which is considerably healthier. Text for Dirty Rice~*~*~*Dirty Rice*~*~*~ Health Stats: 166 calories Dirty Rice is a southern recipe combining rice with Cajun seasonings, vegetables such as green peppers, onions, and celery, and small pieces of chicken livers or giblets. The dark color of the dish, which inspires the name, is given by the dark color of the chicken liver or giblets. The livers are often dry but add a mild flavor to the dish. Dirty rice had a moderate amount of calories but is low in fat and cholesterol and also has a decent amount of protein so it makes a good option for a side dish so long as your meal is not high in calories. Text for Chinese Restaurant Food ObjectsText for Orange Chicken~*~*~*Orange Chicken*~*~*~ Health Stats: 500 calories Orange chicken consists of small breaded pieces of chicken cooked in a heavy orange-citrus flavored sauce atop a bed of rice or lo mein. This tasty dish provides a lot of protein from the chicken, but the breading and heavy sauce add lots of calories and tons of fat. To make this a healthier meal get the smaller portion size and add a healthier side if you're still hungry. Text for Sweet and Sour Pork~*~*~*Sweet and Sour Pork*~*~*~ Health Stats: 400 calories Sweet and Sour pork is a dish of small pork pieces deep fried in a batter-type breading and served with sweet and sour sauce. Because of the heavy breading and sauce, and being fried, this dish is high in calories and fat. Eating this meal without the sauce will make it slightly healthier but the majority of fat and calories come from the breading so try to keep portion sizes small when eating this dish. Text for Kung Pao Chicken~*~*~*Kung Pao Chicken*~*~*~ Health Stats: 240 calories Kung Pao Chicken consists of diced, marinated pieces of chicken that are stir-fried with peanuts, peppers, rice wine, and hoisin sauce(a salty and slightly sweet flavored sauce made with soy, garlic, vinegar, chilies and sweetener) and is usually served atop a bed of rice. The peppers provide often provide a very spicy flavoring. Because the chicken is not battered or deep-fried this dish is relatively health dish. The chicken provides nutrients, and the caloric content in pretty low. Text for Spicy Shrimp with Cashews~*~*~*Spicy Shrimp with Cashews*~*~*~ Health Stats: 210 calories This dish consists of a stir-fry containing shrimp, cashews, and vegetables in a light, spicy sauce served atop a bed of rice or lo mein. Nothing is breaded or deep fried, so calorie and fat content are relatively low, and the dish contains only a moderate amount of cholesterol. There is also some nutritional value provided by the cashews and vegetables, although the cashews also provide a significant source of fat. Overall, this dish is one of the healthier options available at restaurants serving Chinese-American cuisine. Text for Egg Roll~*~*~*Egg Roll*~*~*~ Health Stats: 170 calories Egg rolls consist of a vegetable filling (usually cabbage) wrapped in wheat based dough which is then dipped in egg and deep fried. Egg rolls are similar to spring rolls, but contain more filling and a thicker pastry. The side provides a relatively small amount of nutritional value and frying it adds a large amount of fat and calories. Although very tasty, egg rolls should only be eaten occasionally. Text for Chicken Pot Stickers~*~*~*Chicken Pot Stickers*~*~*~ Health Stats: 440 calories Pot stickers consist of thin dough filled with meat and vegetables and the pinched shut around the edges. They are then usually pan fried, steamed, or deep fried. They are very high in calories and fat, especially for a side dish. If you absolutely have to have them, try occasionally eating them as a meal, but adding them in addition to another dish promises to be a very high calorie and fat meal. Text for Veggie Spring Rolls~*~*~*Veggie Spring Roll*~*~*~ Health Stats: 80 calories Spring rolls are made by wrapping vegetables with thin rice-based dough and then frying. They are similar to egg rolls, but contain less filling and a thinner pastry. They contain a small amount of fat and are low in calories, making them a decent choice for a side dish. Text for Rice and Lo MeinHealth Stats: Steamed Fried Lo Rice Rice Mein 380 450 390 Calories Steamed rice is always the healthiest option, containing the least amount of calories and fat and no cholesterol. Fried rice is made by frying the rice with egg, vegetables, and spices or sauces for flavoring. This method of cooking it adds a lot of calories, fat and cholesterol. Lo mein is a mixture of stir fried wheat noodles and vegetables, and also contains a lot of fat. Although maybe not the tastiest, steamed rice is definitely the healthiest option. |