They may seem healthy, but watch out!
As much as you may try to make good choices when you’re food shopping, the reality is that sometimes you get ‘duped’. Blame it on misleading marketing claims, conflicting research, and confusing ingredients lists—but supermarket shelves are stocked with foods that despite their health halo, have tons of sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and other additives that don’t exactly benefit your body. Which is why the shelves are packed with “healthy” foods that dietitians actually hate.
In fact, a 2017 study, which examined millions of grocery store purchases in the United States, found that vague, unreliable claims about the amount of sugar, salt, and fat were common on many products. For example, many fruit juices that are marketed as being low in sugar actually have more of the sweet stuff than comparable products with no such claims. And some breakfast cereals that are labeled as being low in calories had a higher calorie content than other products without these claims.
The lesson here? Don’t judge a food by its label. Just because something says “whole-grain” or “all-natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to dietitians, the following foods may not be quite as “healthy” as you once thought. Here are a few examples of foods dietitians hate.
Energy bars
Protein bars seem like a healthy choice when you need some on-the-go sustenance to hold you over between meals. The thing is, though, many of them are loaded with sugar and calories.
Store-bought smoothies and juices
Many store-bought smoothies and juices seem healthy because they hype the dozens of fruits or veggies they contain in one serving. However, they’re missing one of the most important benefits that the produce has to offer: fiber. For this reason, it’s better to just eat the fruit or vegetable whole.
Granola
Granola is made from oats—so it has to be healthy, right? Unfortunately, many store-bought granolas are chock-full of added sugar and oil and may be high in fat as well.
Nut milks
Milk made from almond, walnut, cashew, and hemp are trendy non-dairy alternatives but before buying any nut milk, check how much added sugar is in it.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil has become increasingly popular—particularly with the rise of the keto and paleo diet—but you may want to think twice before cooking with it. If you want to lower your risk of heart disease, coconut oil may not be a good choice.
Protein powder
Protein powder can seem like a great addition to your diet for a quick boost of energy, especially super active people but some contain up to 20 or more grams of sugar per scoop. You may also be loading up on protein that your body doesn’t need which could lead to weight gain and kidney damage, among other negative effects.
Gluten-free treats
Newsflash: just because a cookie is gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s healthier, it still contains calories and since sugar is free of gluten, these baked products aren’t necessarily sugar-free, either.
Veggie chips
With “veggie” in the title, it’s easy to assume that these snacks are good for you. But don’t be fooled—they’re still considered processed junk food. The same goes for veggie pasta (like spinach fettuccine) etc.
Meat alternatives
Meat alternatives are popular right now but while cutting down on meat consumption overall can be good for your health, the alternatives aren’t always as healthy as they may seem. They often don’t fare better in the sodium or fat department than their meat counterparts and are typically highly processed.
Culled from eatthis.com
