Many of us enjoy the food that we eat and we may even try to make healthy choices along the way as well. On the surface, it would seem to be an easy decision because there are plenty of low-fat, low-calorie or low sugar foods available on the market.
As is true in many areas of life, however, it is important to look under the surface. Although some food may appear to be healthy and some people would consider it to be a good food choice, it could be harming your health. That is the case with these 8 foods that are typically mistaken as healthy food choices.
1. Flavored Oatmeal – If you want healthy oatmeal, opt for rolled oats. The prepackaged oatmeal contains loads of sugar!
2. Wheat Bread – Many people fail to make the distinction between wheat bread and whole-wheat bread. If you pick up bread from the shelf that is multi grain or wheat, it still makes use of refined grains. Always opt for whole-wheat bread.
3. Flavored Yogurts – Plain Yogurt does have some positive health properties but flavored yogurts, even though they may be low-fat, still contain far too much sugar to be healthy.
4. Low-Fat Foods – If the packaging is labeled “low-fat,” it typically means that the food is high in sugar. When the fat is removed from food to make it a low-fat item, it typically is also low in flavor. Sugar is added to add flavor. Make sure you look at the label for sugar content before purchasing.
Homemade Wholegrain mustard vinaigrette by fresh ingredients
5. Premade Smoothies – Dr. Oz warns of the dangers of premade smoothies, saying that they may have more calories than a cheeseburger! If you want a healthy alternative, make your own smoothies at home.
“That premade or store-bought smoothie you think is so healthy may in fact have more calories than a cheeseburger! Smoothies can have as much as 650 to 1000 calories in them due to the extreme portions of fruit, vegetables, and, often times, added simple sugars and syrups.”
6 Frozen Diet Meals – In most grocery stores, half of the prepackaged frozen meals are going to be “diet” meals packaged by companies, such as Lean Cuisine or South Beach diet. These meals may be low in calories but they also are low in nutrition.
7. Frozen Yogurt – Ice cream lovers around the world who are trying to be good will often opt for frozen yogurt. Although it may seem like a good decision, both ice cream and frozen yogurt may be fairly close when it comes to calories and sugar content. Adding sugary toppings to your frozen yogurt, a common choice, is also a bad idea.
8. Nut Butters – If you want a great start, reach for a handful of walnuts, peanuts or cashews. They can keep you full and they have plenty of healthy fats inside. During the process that turns nuts into nut butter, however, some of the healthy fat is removed and saturated fat, along with sugar, is added.
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