Live Healthy: The College Student's Guide

I went to a friend’s house over the weekend to enjoy a fire and conversation before she leaves for a five-month journey to Australia, lucky girl! With a good dozen hungry people present, we felt it was only appropriate to make S’mores around the fire. Growing up in lake country (Minnesota), I was used to spending summers around a campfire with my family doing this fun-filled activity. But what I had failed to realize was how unhealthy this pastime is.

Nine marshmallows equal 100 calories. Okay, so I’ll have one. No big deal, right? Wrong. While roughly eleven calories per marshmallow sounds like a dream, it’s not always about calories. Marshmallow ingredients include sugar, corn syrup and salt, not to mention artificial colors and flavors in some brands. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that ingredients do matter, oftentimes more than calories do.

After toasting this low-calorie puff, the fun begins. Sliding the toasted mallow onto a graham with chocolate is an exciting feeling for a kid, especially when you know what’s coming next – consumption. But again what some people fail to realize is that adding all of these ingredients together can result in 150 to 200 calories, depending on brands and how much chocolate is used. And you can bet that some people aren’t going to have just one. A few people in the group have two S’mores, and one girl even had three. And all of these ingredients include sugar. Talk about a sweet tooth!

Does this mean I’m never going to eat S’mores again? Of course not – that would be silly. What I’m suggesting is to be careful when camping or sitting around a fire when these tempting treats are present, and to follow a few health tips: First, people searching for all natural health foods can look for natural graham crackers and marshmallows. Second, replace milk chocolate with organic dark chocolate. And most importantly, try sticking to one serving. If you want to maintain weight loss and still enjoy summer at its best, these tips will ensure a healthy time around the fire.