Queso dip or Guacomole? That is the question!
You are confronted with this choice over and over again…when you’re watching football, at restaurants, snacking at home or at parties. So let’s take a moment to break down these dips and see how they look from a nutritional perspective:
Nutritional Analysis for Queso – 1 ounce serving
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 8 grams
Saturated Fat: 5 grams
Carbs: 1 gram
Fiber: 0 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Cholesterol: 29 mg
Sodium: 183 mg
Nutritional Analysis for Guacamole – 1 ounce serving
Calories: 31
Total Fat: 3 grams
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 25 mg
One ounce of cheese has 10 grams of fat. Five of these grams are the unhealthy saturated fat that contributes to increased LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. That serving weighs in at 115 calories as well.
In one ounce of avocado there are four grams of fat, none of which is saturated fat; avocados actually increase your HDL, or “good,” cholesterol. There are 47 calories in one ounce of avocado.
Avocados are rich in vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and monounsaturated fat. Switching from saturated fat to monounsaturated fats help reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease by reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides. Queso is loaded with saturated fat and sodium. So ounce for ounce the choice is clear. Make the switch and choose guacamole!
If you are still concerned with the calorie and fat level for guacamole, try this recipe:
Mockamole
1 ripe Haas avocado
1 block silken tofu (10 ounces)
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 small garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro
Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh, placing it in the blender or a food processor. Crumble in the tofu. Add the rest of the ingredients, and process (or blend) until smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape the sides of the container and/or add a tablespoon or two of water. Taste and add more salt or hot pepper seasoning if needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Mockamole will keep in the refrigerator covered for 2-3 days. To prevent discoloration, make an airtight seal with plastic wrap lightly pressed onto the top of the mockamole or squeeze a little lime juice over the mixture.
Per 2 oz. serving: 56 calories; 2.8g protein; 4.4g fat; 2.8g carbohydrate; 119 sodium; 0mg cholesterol
*Recipe adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day
Laura Tolle is a registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator with Mission Health – MyHealthyLife Wellness.
Sources:
- Nutritional analysis obtained from nutritiondata.self.com.
- Information regarding cheese and avocado obtained from myfitnesspal.com.
- Avocado information obtained from authoritynutrition.com.
