500 Calorie Cupcakes

By : | Comments Off on 500 Calorie Cupcakes | On : October 6, 2014 | Category : Breakfast, Caveat Emptor, Diet, Dieting

Assorted Decorated Cupcakes

Americans wonder why they are overweight and cannot lose weight. It can’t have anything to do with their diet. It must be genes or hormones or nasty bacteria and viruses that’s turned them from svelte to obese.

The truth in most cases is the problem is their diet, lack of physical activity, and the abundance of affordable, high calorie foods.

I’m asked how I can eat cake, cookies and ice cream and not gain weight? The simple answer is I eat more like southern Italians than southwestern Americans.

When I eat cake or cupcakes I usually make them and they look like this:

Homemade Carrot Cake

Homemade Carrot Cake

Glazed Chocolate Cupcakes

Glazed Chocolate Cupcakes

The serving of carrot cake has about 190 calories and the glazed chocolate cupcakes about 160 calories (120 calories unglazed).

Top a 130 calorie cupcake with a half cup (120 ml) of sugar based frosting and decorations and you get this:

Assorted Decorated Cupcakes

Assorted Cupcakes

They look delicious, but id you have a weight problem they are can easily provide as many calories as one meal. A tablespoon (15 ml) of sugar based frosting has 70 to 80 calories. Eight tablespoons (1/2 cup) 560 to 640 calories. That’s frosting only! My 500 calories estimate can be of they up to 400 calories. Two cupcakes can provide one- half to one days worth of calories. Not exactly what you would call healthy eating, especially if you need to lose weight.

I would not recommend this type of cupcake for even a Continental breakfast. It has too much sugar and too many calories. You shouldn’t get 700 or more calories from any desert except on rare occasions. You are better off eating one or two homemade cupcakes or cookies for breakfast.

Healthy eating and lifestyle comes down to choices. They are not difficult choices, and it is unfortunate doctors are not trained to help you make the right choices. There are dozens of healthier alternatives like many of the dessert recipes on this website.

Large Cream Puff: 265 calories

Tiramisu: 410 calories

Brandy Alexander Pie: 455 calories