Sometimes a celebration calls for a full meal at a restaurant, complete with drinks, dessert, and of course, a delicious starter for the whole table to share. However, eating out can become tricky when you’re trying to lose weight or just keep your health in check. Unfortunately, especially when it comes to appetizers, there are many fried varieties that can get in the way of your health goals by leading to inflammation, weight gain, and even serious disease.
To discover one of the worst appetizers out there and learn more about how it may affect your body over time, we spoke to health experts Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet, and registered dietitian Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, of UCLA medical center. They told us all about why you should steer clear of mozzarella sticks. Read on for all of their insight!
Mozzarella Sticks Lead To Weight Gain
Next time you're out to eat and someone suggests splitting mozzarella sticks as a starter, Richards says you should think twice before agreeing—especially if you're looking out for your health or want to lose weight. This one of the worst appetizers you can order due to the fact that it's fried and filled with fattening cheese. In fact, Richards warns that it's "one of the worst for your metabolism because it contains a significant amount of calories and fat along with the inflammatory nature of the ingredients." Yikes!
Those inflammatory ingredients include high amounts of both dairy and gluten, which are known to cause and worsen issues like weight gain, bloating, and a slow metabolism. Of course, another major culprit at hand is all the carbs this appetizer packs in. In fact, Hunnes says these highly processed carbs are the "least healthy type of carbohydrate to eat" due to the fact that "they provide no nutritional benefit" and "are often devoid of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds" all of which is "terrible for your metabolism."
Not only do these inflammatory ingredients take a toll on your metabolism, but Hunnes says they're also likely to result in insulin spikes, which can lead to a plethora serious health consequences like chronic disease over time.
Of course, mozzarella sticks are notoriously hard to resist. If you want to treat yourself to a few of them while celebrating with friends and family, we won't stop you. However, it's best to not make a habit out of indulging in cheesy fried appetizers like this one, especially if you're trying to shed some pounds.
