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Summer is synonymous with fun times, vacations, and outdoor excursions, like trips to the beach and carnivals. Coincidentally, there’s also one popular food you’ll find at carnivals and food trucks that is an undoubtedly delicious warm weather treat, but also high in refined carbs and one that belongs in the “eat in moderation” category.
This is one of the worst carbs you can eat in the summer for a flat stomach. But it’s not all bad news — we included tips on how it can be made at home in a much healthier way.
Fried Dough
Fried dough, or zeppole, as they are called in Italy and many U.S. states, are a staple at fairs and carnivals. This tempting dessert and snack is typically made from a combination of flour, eggs, sugar, and ricotta cheese. It is then deep fried using vegetable oil and, lastly, treated to a dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Outdoor revelers enjoy these goodies straight from a paper bag and can walk while eating them, making them the perfect summer food for outdoor parties and festivals.
But one glance at its nutritional content confirms that, when it comes to zeppole, too much of a good thing won’t do your health any favors.
Depending on the health resources you rely on, the calorie and carb content for your average “carnival zeppole” will differ slightly, but not by much. According to My Fitness Pal, you can count on one six-ounce fried dough treat containing 720 calories, 39 grams of fat (with a high percentage of saturated fat), and a high 79 grams of carbohydrates, made up of refined sugars with trace amounts of fiber. "Anything that's been deep fried is always a no-go when you're trying to lose weight," New York-based nutritionist Regina Fazzini tells SheFinds. "Zeppoles are one of the worst things you can eat because of its high calorie count and fat content."
Refined carbs are stripped of fiber and essential minerals and vitamins. Eating too many of these simple sugars can spike glucose and insulin levels, as well as make it more difficult to burn belly fat.
“Long-term studies have also shown that eating refined carbs is linked with increased belly fat over the course of five years,” reports Healthline. “Furthermore, refined carbs may cause inflammation in the body. Several experts have speculated that this may be one of the primary dietary causes of leptin resistance and obesity.”
If zeppole are among your favorite summer treats and you can’t fathom living without them in your life, one way to enjoy them without worrying so much about their nutritional content is to make a healthier version at home. This recipe is light on sugar and substitutes probiotic-rich yogurt for ricotta cheese. You can even bake them instead of frying them to cut down on grease and calories.
You’ll need:
Flour
Salt
Plain yogurt
Egg
Lemon
Baking powder
Vanilla extract
Granulated sugar
Frying oil (optional)
Cozyna Air Fryer ($79.99)
Most zeppole recipes require that you fry or deep fry balls of dough, but that’s also a surefire way to add calories and saturated fat to your plate. Invest in an air fryer like this model, which can fry up foods with no oil whatsoever, and you’ll keep the delicious taste and texture you love, while reducing your consumption of saturated fats.
