10 food claimed as healthy but are not!
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Mar 31, 2019
- 3 min read
10 'Healthy' Foods That Are Actually Bad For You:
Nowadays, finding healthy products become more diffcicult as many products are claimed as healthy but in fact they are junk food loaded with extra sugar, salt, trans-fat and calories.
Here are ten seemingly healthy foods that are actually diet busters, according to experts:
· Microwave Popcorn: Fresh made popcorn are a great source of fibre while microwaveable versions have high levels of sodium and the chemical diacetyl, making it a food that shouldn’t be eaten often.
· Granola: Granola at grocery stores are loaded with sugar and which is hidden in packages. It is better to make your own at home.
· Flavored Yogurt: Many flavored yogurt have more sugar than a piece of cake,” notes Warren. Similarly, other flavored health foods like milk, oatmeal, coconut water and smoothies are also laden with sugar .It is important to read label and nutrition facts to know how much sugar are you consuming. Choose non-sweetened yogurt as a healthy option.
· Store-bought Trail Mix: Homemade trail mix can be an easy-to-make, balanced snack option, but ready-to-eat versions often contain chocolate chips, high amounts of salt and added sugars.
· Veggie Straws: Veggie straws are mostly made from potato and corn. However, some processed vegetable chips have high sodium and fat content. This makes them only a slightly better option than regular potato chips.
· Packaged Salads: Salad is a healthy option yet many packaged and ready to eat salad contains high sodium, fat and calories in adition to preservatives. Home made salad is the best option to stay healthy.
· Individual Applesauce Cups: Often, the applesauce cups that contain added flavors like strawberry, blueberry or peach have high-fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient.
· Turkey Bacon: Turkey bacon is high in sodium and saturated fat which increases the risk of obesity and heart disease.
· Dried Fruit: Many packaged dried fruits are loaded with sugar so choose always the unsweetened ones in addition be careful about portion size.
· Multigrain Bread: Just because it is claimed as multigrain does not make from the product a healthy type instead it means that the product is made from one or two types of grains. You need to choose products made with whole grains instead of refined grains as this ensure you will get more fibre.
So, how can you make sure what you’re eating is actually healthy?
#1 Pay attention to the back of the label, not just the front. You need to read the label carefully and dont get fooled by the claims. Gluten free or sugar free dont mean that they are really free. You need to see what susbtitute the missing ingredient. For example when it is sugar free it may be high in fat and vice versa.
#2 Understand the ingredient list. Be wary of ingredients you cannot pronounce or are unclear of why they should be inside a product. For example, peanut butter should logically be only peanuts and perhaps salt. It’s unnecessary to have anything else in it such as added sugar, partially hydrogenated oils or any other ingredient you aren’t familiar with.
#3 Stock up on whole foods. Choose always fresh food like fruits and vegetables in addition to whole grains. If you want to choose packaged food, aim to choose those close to the natural food.
Natural food like eggs are good source of vitamin D and enhance fat soluble vitamins absorption.
Here are a few other expert-approved strategies to eat healthy:
· Get enough protein. Protein is important in order to crub appetite, feeling full and have stable blood sugar moreover, it lowers the chance of eating more throughout the day.
· Start a food journal. It is important to keep a food journal to know exactly what you are eating and what you are missing. At the end of the week you will notice the areas for improvement and what you need to add or remove from your daily plans.
· Detox after a food binge. It is good to include your favrotie food but what really matters is to not give up and always stay motivated in orde to reach your goals.
You need to start always with a healthy breakfast as some people may skip breakfast due to bloating feeling. They need to know that skipping breakfast will result in over eating throughout the day and slow metabolism.
In addition, you can go for a “one or two-day reset involving a rotating mix of protein, vitamins and healthy fats. For instance, eat two hard-boiled eggs in the morning followed by carrot and bell pepper sticks or a roasted chicken breast for lunch. And a couple of hours later, eat some sliced cucumbers with guacamole for a light evening snack, and so on.
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