You want to eat healthier. And who doesn’t?
The great thing is, there are so many ways to improve your diet. Just stroll through the supermarket. You’ll see so many foods with so many different health claims on the packaging.
“Low-fat,” one package says. “Sugar-free,” another proclaims. The juice box on the end-cap practically yells at you, “Made with real fruit!”
It’s fantastic, right? Everyone’s on your side – making eating healthy easier than ever before.
Well… not so fast.
Many “healthy” foods aren’t actually healthy at all, misleading you with great claims while containing unhealthy, and in some cases even harmful, ingredients.
Thankfully, you’re in the right place to look beyond the bogus claims and tell the good health foods from the bad. The following list breaks down fifteen of the biggest offenders that claim they’re great for your health when they’re actually not.
1. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is one of those things that most people drink to try and consume more fruit. It’s a healthier alternative to soda, right?
Well… maybe not so much. Some fruit juices have more sugar than Coca Cola.
While whole fruit is healthy for you, fruit juice can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Why is that?
One big reason is that fruit juice doesn’t have the fiber of whole fruits. That fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar, letting your body handle it easier. Without that fiber, you’re susceptible to sugar highs and crashes, as well as unwanted weight gain.
Sticking to whole fruits is the way to go. Rather than orange juice, why not buy fresh oranges? Or, swap out fruit punch for berries, grapes, and watermelon.
One great thing about dropping fruit juice for whole fruits is you have more choices in flavors. You can choose the types of apples you like, or if you prefer citrus, you can have clementines – rather than plain old orange juice.
Drop fruit juice like it’s hot and your body will thank you.
2. Sports Drinks
Athletes consume sports drinks for the electrolytes. Electrolytes perform a variety of functions in the body, a major one being regulating your body’s fluids. They’re key for staying hydrated and ensuring optimum performance during exercise.
The thing is, you don’t lose electrolytes as fast as you might think.
You actually lose water much faster than electrolytes. Sports drinks were originally made for high-level athletes, like football players and marathon runners. It’s only through high-intensity or high-endurance physical exertion that we need to replenish electrolytes to maintain hydration and performance.
Somewhere along the line, the recommendations for athletes became one for everyone, and Gatorade and other sports drinks became a staple item in seemingly everyone’s gym bag.
The problem with is these drinks aren’t just electrolyte replenishers, but are also loaded with sugar. Just like with fruit juice, sugar in liquid form isn’t the best thing for your body. The key takeaway?
Unless you’re a high-level athlete, you’ll rehydrate just fine with water.
3. Vegetable Oils
There are plenty of healthy fats found in fish, nuts, beans, and meat. And when it comes to these healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids are the primary type you want in your body.
Omega-6 fatty acids are definitely not the same thing.
An ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is right around 1:1. The average ratio for American diets, however, is anywhere from 15:1 to almost 17:1.
That’s a big problem.
Where are we getting all of these omega-6 fatty acids from? And why are they so bad for us in excess?
Studies show that high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, compared to omega-3s, can be a major contributor in the development of heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
This happens because some omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation of bodily tissues (which leads to many of those chronic conditions listed above), while omega-3 fatty acids have no impact on inflammation.
Omega-3s and omega-6s are in competition with each other, so a diet high in omega-3s reduces the impact of omega-6s, in the process reducing inflammation and the risk of chronic diseases.
Why discuss omega-3s and omega-6s to such great length here?
Most vegetable oils are extremely high in omega-6s, and low in omega-3s.
There are, however, a few healthy vegetable oils that aren’t so high in omega-6 fatty acids. Olive oil and coconut oil break the trend, offering a healthy ratio of fats – so stick to those two instead of the typical vegetable or canola oil.
4. Whole Wheat
Walk down the bread aisle in your grocery store. Take a look at the different types of bread.
What do you see?
“Whole Wheat Bread.” “Made with Whole Grains.” “Multigrain Bread.” “Wheat Flour.”
There are so many different kinds! But what does it all mean?
Not much, to be honest.
Labels can be misleading. There’s only one thing you should look for on a package of bread, one nutritional claim that you can trust means exactly what it says: “100% Whole Grain.”
There are a ton of different loopholes to make bread sound healthier than it is. “Whole” is a buzzword in the nutrition industry, and going for “whole” foods – fresh fruits and veggies, for example – is a good practice to get into.
Unfortunately, “whole” can also be used in misleading ways. “Whole wheat” is essentially no different than anything else made with wheat. “Whole grains” contain the entire kernel of grain, while anything else has the essential parts of the grain stripped away, removing important nutrients and fiber.
So why only “100%” whole grains? Well, it’s the only guarantee that the bread is made entirely with whole grains.
Technically, a food can have only a single kernel of whole grain in their product, and still label it “made with whole grains.” That’s why the “100%” is so important.
Going for 100% whole grains guarantees you a nutritious product. Anything else isn’t worth your attention.
5. Low-Fat and Fat-Free Foods
There’s one important thing you need to know about nutrition:
The science is constantly changing.
Well, “changing” isn’t the right word. The science never changes, it’s just that we keep discovering new things. What once was “bad” is now good, what once was “good” is now bad.
Fat used to be considered this horrible thing. And why not? Fat makes you fat, right?
Well, not exactly. Over time and with more research, it turned out fat doesn’t actually make you fat. Still, the damage had been done, flooding shelves with “low-fat” and “fat-free” products designed to help save dieters from horrible fats.
The thing is… food with the fat removed tastes pretty bad.
Fat and sugar are two very prominent factors in the taste of a food. Take all the fat out of a high-fat product, and you’re left with something remarkably unappetizing.
Naturally, to improve the flavor, low-fat and fat-free foods have a ton of sugar added.
The problem with that is (are you seeing a trend here?) that large amounts of sugar from the wrong sources aren’t good for your body. As mentioned above, excess sugar can increase your risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and a whole host of other nasties.
Do yourself a favor: don’t trade down to “low-fat” and “fat-free” options. They’re actually worse for you than their full-fat counterparts.
6. Margarine and Fake Butter
Another result of the era of “anti-fat” nutritional advice was the major increase in the use of margarine and other alternatives to butter.
The thing is, butter is actually really good for you.
Real butter tends to be high in vitamin K2 which plays an important role in blood clotting, tissue health, and bone health. Paired with vitamin D and calcium, it makes for a winning combination for bone and joint health.
Beyond that, studies have shown that margarine contributes to increasing the risk of heart disease due to large amounts of trans fats, while butter is shown to have no effect at all in heart disease risk.
Bottom line: there really is no reason to choose margarine over real butter. Stick to the good stuff and your body will thank you.
7. Gluten-Free Junk Food
To clarify, when I say “junk food” I mean things like chips, cookies, and pastries.
Gluten allergies and intolerances are common, so it makes sense to try and seek out gluten-free alternatives. Just don’t mistake “gluten-free” for “healthy.”
Any “(insert term here)-free” junk food is going to have the same problem: highly refined, devoid of nutrients, and loaded with added sugar.
For those with gluten intolerances, gluten-free junk food has the added bonus of often being made with starches, like potato starch, that easily spike blood sugar. You’re much better off staying away and taking advantage of naturally gluten-free goodies like fruits, vegetables and dairy.
8. Pita Chips
Pita chips get plenty of press for being healthy because they’re baked.
Okay, that’s great, but why does that matter?
The most important thing is what’s in the food.
I always ignore how something is made until I’ve looked over the ingredients list and the nutrition facts label. Often, what you’ll find is that most pita chips are lacking in fiber, and are made with wheat flours that don’t fall into the “whole grain” department.
Just like with whole wheat bread, if you’re choosing any product made with grains that can’t claim “100% Whole Grains,” it’s probably not worth your time or money.
9. Yogurt-Covered Pretzels
Do you find it interesting that “yogurt-covered” snacks, from raisins to pretzels to nuts, don’t have to be refrigerated?
That’s because it isn’t really yogurt covering them.
Look in the ingredients and you’ll usually see something like this: “Yogurt Coating (Sugar, Nonfat Milk Powder, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Yogurt Powder… etc.).” There are a whole lot of interesting ingredients in there, but aside from “yogurt powder,” there doesn’t seem to be any actual yogurt involved.
Another important thing to know about ingredients lists: the ingredients are sorted by weight. That means the heaviest ingredients (the ones with the most volume) are listed first.
Notice something about the “yogurt coating” ingredients? Sugar is the first ingredient.
And I think you know how I feel about excess sugar by now.
Make your own yogurt-covered pretzels at home instead, preferably using Greek yogurt. Just dip pretzels and enjoy right away, or freeze them until they harden. Do the same with strawberries and other fruits for a quick, healthy snack – without all the extra sugar.
10. Pre-Made Parfaits
Yogurt, fruit, and granola. Parfaits sound really healthy, right?
Well, it can be. The thing is, the pre-made varieties tend to have huge amounts of sugar.
You’re better off making your own at home. Use Greek yogurt (the pre-made parfaits in the store often use regular yogurt that’s higher in sugar), low-sugar fruit like blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, and oats rather than granola.
Mix it all up and you’ve got a highly nutritious snack that’s packed with protein, calcium, fiber, and tons of vitamins – all while steering clear of excess sugar.
Make your own parfaits with high-quality ingredients at home for a healthy alternative.
11. Breakfast Cereals
When you think of unhealthy cereal, choices like Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops, Trix, and Count Chocula come to mind.
And you’re right! They’re definitely not the best way to start your day. However, even plenty of “healthy” cereals are high in sugar and lack the protein and fiber needed to help you avoid a sugar crash later in the day.
There are several possible solutions to this:
Choose the right kind of cereal. There are still healthy cereals to choose from, it just takes a discerning eye. Check out the ingredients list and nutrition facts labels. If the first ingredient has to do with sugar, move on.
10 grams of sugar or less is ideal. Less sugar is better, and you’d be surprised at how many cereals have 20 grams or more of sugar per serving!
The first ingredient should be some kind of whole grain. Whole grain oats are common (it’s the first ingredient for General Mills Cheerios, a classic cereal for a reason).
Try for fiber. Typically three grams of fiber is a high amount when it comes to cereal. Aim for at least this much from your breakfast cereals.
Choose cereal as part of a balanced breakfast. This is undoubtedly the best way to go. Having a bowl of cereal alongside some eggs and high-fiber fruit (raspberries are the winner with eight grams of fiber per serving, but apples, oranges, bananas, and strawberries are all great choices as well).
Combine protein with fiber for best results. The combination of eggs, cereal, and the right kinds of fruit is intentional, used to give you a blast of protein and fiber in the morning to keep you energized without a major crash later in the day.
You don’t need to cut cereal out of your breakfast routine. Just make sure you’re choosing the right kind of cereal, and whenever possible, combining it with other great breakfast foods for a complete and balanced start to your day.
12. Frozen “Diet” Meals
Or any frozen meal, really. In order to properly freeze and preserve whatever combination of food the package boasts, companies have to go the “extra mile,” so to speak.
Just take a look at the ingredients list on most frozen meals, and you’ll understand: they’re obscenely long, and riddled with hard-to-pronounce names of chemicals and compounds you’ve never even heard of.
A good rule of thumb to have when shopping is: the shorter the ingredients list on the packet, the better.
Instead of turning automatically to frozen meals, buy your own ingredients – fruits, veggies, meat, bread, spices, and oils – to make your own meals. You can even prepare meals ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate them yourself, saving you time when staring down the barrel of an exceedingly busy week.
The great thing about making meals and freezing them yourself is you don’t have to add strange chemicals and compounds to do it.
The reality of an industry that has to provide food for hundreds of millions of people across the country is that additives and preservatives are necessary to prevent spoilage and reduce waste.
But they’re not all created equal. There are good additives and preservatives that may be unfamiliar to you, the most common being:
Niacin – Also known as vitamin B3, niacin is commonly added to bread and flour to help eliminate the nutritional disease pellagra
Ascorbic Acid – Basically, just a fancy name for good old vitamin C.
Iodine – Added to table salt, iodine has played a major role in virtually eliminating the nutritional disease known as goiter.
Looking for shorter ingredients lists helps to avoid the many unhealthy chemicals and compounds added to processed foods, but the best way to know what’s good for you and what isn’t is research.
If you don’t recognize items on an ingredients list, write them down and then look them up when you get home.
Educating yourself is the best way to know what’s good for you and what isn’t. Then again, that’s why you’re reading this, isn’t it?
13. Energy/Protein Bars
Protein and “energy” bars fall into a similar category as sports drinks: elite athletes may have a use for them, but the average individual should stay away.
Protein bars can be helpful for high-level athletes who need to eat lots of calories and take extra protein to maintain performance and muscle mass. When you need to consume 4,000-6,000 calories per day just to perform adequately in your sport, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to do that all through whole foods and cooked meals alone.
However, for the average person, eating a protein bar is about the same as eating a candy bar.
After all, they have a lot of the same ingredients, along with similar levels of processed flours and artificial flavors. Besides the extra protein from a protein bar, they’re pretty much the same in terms of calories and sugar content.
While they can make for a healthier snack on-the-go than fast food, you’d still be better off planning ahead and bringing along a bag of almonds or a homemade smoothie instead.
14. Fiber Bars/Brownies
While fiber bars do live up to their claims of containing a third of your daily fiber needs, there’s a catch, and it’s similar to the one plaguing protein bars.
Fiber bars contain a lot of undesirable ingredients.
Getting their fiber from tasteless plants, rather than whole grains and veggies, fiber bars and brownies mask their unappealing nature with copious amounts of sugar, artificial flavorings, and unhealthy oils.
Sure, they’re often low in calories. But you can have your cake and eat it, too, with home-cooked meals and healthy snacks that serve up all the fiber you need from real foods.
Remember, getting the daily recommendation for dietary fiber isn’t so hard that you need unhealthy fiber bars to make it happen.
15. Agave Nectar
With all this talk about avoiding sugar, it’s tempting to go for “sugar-free” options in the grocery store.
First problem: sugar alcohols. These guys are often found in artificial sweeteners, and can have an uncomfortable impact on your digestive system.
The other problem is fructose. Too much fructose in your diet can be harmful, with such impacts as:
Turning to fat. Fructose is metabolized in the liver, and if the liver is full of glycogen, the fructose will just be converted to fat.
Insulin resistance. Too much fructose can cause liver disease and other metabolic issues, such as insulin resistance. Resistance to insulin and leptin – both helpful hormones in the body – frequently leads to type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Agave nectar is the main culprit here, having nearly twice as much fructose as regular sugar. The reason this is especially important is because, alongside common sugar alcohols, many sugar-free products are sweetened with agave.
If you should be avoiding sugar, then you should definitely avoid agave nectar.
The bottom line? Be very careful when going for sugar-free or fat-free products in the grocery store.
Now, I want to hear from you:
Are any of these “healthy” foods ones that you have in your regular diet? Let me know in the comments below, and let’s figure out some healthier alternatives together!
The post The Shocking List of “Health Foods” That Aren’t Healthy At All appeared first on Nutrition Secrets.