Q&A: Nutrition Advice 101 Memorial Day Weekend

Patch has asked Maria Aoukar, who is a Holistic Health Coach and founder of Family Style Wellness, LLC, for nutrition advice on what to consider putting on your plate this Memorial Day weekend. Aoukar lives in Yorktown and is a mother of two young children, ages 1 and 4.

Patch: What health advice can you give to those who will be watching what they eat this Memorial Day weekend? 

Maria Aoukar: It can be difficult to watch what you eat when there is so much temptation. My advice is simple; don't sit in front of the food and mindlessly eat all afternoon. Instead, engage in an activity or socialize away from the food. When you do eat, do so with intention. Survey the food scene before digging in and choose foods that you will really enjoy. Fill your plate one time and then walk away. This approach just might save you from eating a whole bowl of chips.

Vegetables are too often nowhere to be found BBQ's. This can be easily remedied. Make a salad with your favorite dark green lettuce and chopped vegetables, or throw some of your favorites on the grill. Simply toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill for a couple of minute on each side.

Patch: What should people avoid? 

Maria Aoukar: Drinking too many sweetened or alcoholic beverages. When we are socializing with our friends and family, it's easy to lose track of how much we are drinking, especially on a hot day. A 16.9 ounce bottle of Coke contains 200 calories and 55 grams of sugar. That's 13 teaspoons! Sweetened teas are no better. A 16 ounce bottle of Snapple contains 160 calories and 42 grams - 10 teaspoons - of sugar.

Consider brewing your own and serving a pitcher of unsweetened iced tea. Sliced lemon and fresh mint can really kick up the flavor, and you won't need close to 10 teaspoons of sugar to sweeten your glass. You'll not only save on calories, it's also a lot cheaper than buying bottles. If you prefer a fizzy drink, add lemon and/or lime slices to seltzer or club soda. I love to do this and sweeten with agave nectar. If you choose to put a lime slice into a Corona Light, keep in mind that each one you drink will run 109 calories.

Of course, water is the best drink around. At the very least, drink a glass of water in between your intake of any other beverage choices.

Patch: What foods do people not know how really bad or maybe not so bad they are? 

Maria Aoukar: Creamy dips and dressings are really bad, even if they are on vegetables! It's unfortunate that vegetable platters are typically sold with unhealthy dressings in the middle section. Not only do these contain a lot of fat, calories and chemical ingredients, but they often contribute to a mindset that raw vegetables can only be eaten when covered in something. The same can be said for pretzels and chips. I don't like to encourage this thought pattern. Sometimes plain is perfect. If you need to dip, choose salsa, hummus or guacamole.

Guacamole is one of those foods that has some confusion around it. Avocados are known to be healthy but full of fat. While it's true that they do run high on fat, it is the unsaturated 'good fat' that your body needs to function properly. However, making it yourself is your best bet as many commercial brands add unnecessary ingredients which take away from the full health benefits of the basic ingredients.

Check back with Patch tomorrow for Maria Aoukar's guacamole dip recipe and a few other recipes from locals.