Here Are The Healthiest Swaps To Make When Ordering Barbecue

Flickr / Hungry Dudes

Thinking about grabbing some barbecue for dinner? We’ll admit that’s a great choice, but if you’re looking out for your health, you have to be careful. With lots of yummy marinades, sauces and basting methods (and let’s not even get to the side dishes like mac ‘n’ cheese), it’s easy to go overboard. Here’s how to order healthily at your favorite barbecue joint without skimping on flavor.

1. Swap sweet tea for unsweetened tea with a sugar packet.

This one should be obvious, but you may overlook the responsible choice just because sweet tea is so good with barbecue. Depending on how it’s made, sweet tea can contain upwards of 33 grams of sugar per serving, which is close to (or over) the average person’s daily recommended amount. If you need some sweetness, use one sugar packet, which only adds about 2 to 4 grams per serving, and see how it tastes.

2. Swap the half chicken for smoked barbecue turkey.

Flickr / Alpha

You wouldn’t assume the chicken would be an unhealthy choice, but it’s really all in how it’s cooked. A typical barbecue half chicken recipe includes constantly basting the chicken in fat or in traditional barbecue sauce, which can be packed with sugar. The better choice? Go for the smoked barbecue turkey, which isn’t basted or cooked in fat.

3. Swap spareribs for a pulled pork sandwich.

Here’s the deal: we know that it seems silly not to splurge on the ribs when you’re at a barbecue restaurant, after all. But you probably didn’t realize that pork ribs contain at least 20 percent fat on their own. That’s without counting the constant basting with fat and sauce. On average, a pulled pork sandwich naturally contains less fat per serving, but it includes even less fat sometimes since the bun, and sometimes slaw, are filling the space that would just be more meat (and fat).

4. Swap BBQ sauce for a dry rub.

As we said before, barbecue sauce is typically packed with sugar, especially if the recipe includes ingredients like ketchup and molasses. A dry rub, on the other hand, contains no fats or sugars — just spices. You’re much better off with a dry rubbed item because you’re cutting out the bad stuff without skimping on flavor.

5. Swap mac ‘n’ cheese for collard greens.

Flickr / Jacqueline

Are you surprised? When it comes to choosing a side, you’ll be tempted to choose the cheesy, creamy mac n’ cheese, but say hello to all the fat and all the carbs. Instead of going with the tempting side, opt for a serving of collard greens, which contains over 250 percent of your daily vitamin A needs, over 50 percent of your daily vitamin C needs and 26 percent of your daily calcium needs.