Some of them supposedly healthy foods aren't much better than their fattening counterparts. From foods that replace the fat with tons of sugar to drinks with various edible chemicals, join me as we count down 15 supposed health foods that you should avoid if on a diet.
#15: Fruit juice
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| In this case, homemade is best. |
These drinks have much higher nutritional value than any soft drink, but the juices sold at the stores tend to be high in sugar, salt and calories. Some of the fruit juices I bought during my days at Raytown High actually have around twice as many calories as the average can of Coke!
#14: yogurt
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| Healthier than ice cream, but still better from home. |
If you thought the nutritional power of yogurt couldn't be ruined in any way, you'd be wrong. Store bought yogurts tend to have plenty of sugar, starch and corn syrup to make them taste good, along with preservatives to make them last long. Luckily, this food can be made much healthier at home.
#13: Cereal/granola
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| At least this one is quick and easy to prepare. |
We all know that the varieties of cereals aimed at kids aren't healthy, but the brands aimed at older consumers aren't much better. Not only do they still contain sugar, the process of making them also destroys much of the nutrition that the oats used to have. Granola has plenty of fiber, but store bought varieties tend to have high calorie counts from butter, fats and shortening. Not only that, many granola bars also have unhealthy ingredients like chocolate chips.
#12: Smoothies
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| Hold the sugar and corn syrup! |
The fruits and vegetables are healthy, but adding ingredients like fruit juice, ice cream, sorbet and sugar can make these drinks contribute to your waistline.
#11: Multigrain and wheat bread
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| You know what they say: all toasters toast toast! |
Whole wheat bread is much better for you than white bread. However, most multigrain and wheat breads found on store shelves are made with refined grains, which lack the fiber of whole grains and can actually cause cravings.
#10: Sports drinks
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| Either get these while jogging or just go for a soda. |
Gatorade, Powerade and other similar brands might be good for athletes, but they aren't the best choice if you're just sitting down. In addition to electrolytes for hydration, they also contain heavy amounts of salt and sugar, as well as artificial dyes to give them their vibrant appearances.
#9: Bran muffins
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| They deceive! |
They might have fiber, but the store bought muffins tend to have lots of sugars and fats for taste. As if that wasn't enough, they also tend to be much larger than the homemade kind.
#8: Turkey bacon
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| Doesn't matter what animal it comes from, its still bacon! |
Turkey bacon has slightly less fat and calories than pork bacon, but it is still processed meat and tends to be loaded with tons of sodium and artificial colors. There really isn't much of a reason to get your bacon from turkeys instead of pigs.
#7: Trail mix
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| Many different foods all add to the calorie count. |
Homemade trail mix made of various nuts and fruits can have a substantially good effect on your health. Storemade versions, however, tend to come with yogurt covered fruit pieces, chocolate chips, MMs and various other things that dieters should avoid at all costs.
#6: Margarine
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| Meet frankenbutter! |
This replacement of butter isn't even a real food. Its a combination of chemicals made to look and taste like real butter. While real butter is full of saturated fats, margarine is said by scientists to have a 34% greater chance of causing death by heart attacks, strokes and diabetes if consumed too much.
#5: Dried fruits
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| If you want fruit, try the fresh stuff! |
You're probably wondering how fruits can be unhealthy, besides coating them with candy. While they're healthier than potato chips, they are filled with preservatives to raise the amount of time they stay fresh, as well as sugar and high fructose corn syrup to make them taste good.
#4: Veggie burgers
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| At least this one has actual vegetables! |
Turns out them vegetarian burgers aren't much better than their ground beef counterparts. Most store bought vegetable patties are made using chemicals, preservatives, unhealthy oils and/or fillers like soy, plus they aren't even that high in vegetable content. If you want a healthy veggie burger, just make your own.
#3: Energy bars
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| Unless you need energy for the olympics, these things are just glorified candy bars! |
Much like sports drinks, these are best eaten while you're engaging in hefty physical activity. Otherwise, the sheer amount of sugar, fats, calories and oil will just pack on the pounds and you'll become slightly heavier.
#2: Low fat and fat free foods
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| The only thing you'll be going wow at is how little impact the fat removal has! |
Sure, foods that have little to no fat might seem like a dream come true, but there are some factoids that turn it into a nightmare. First of all, there are actually some fats that are beneficial to the human body and they also get removed in the process. Second, the products that remove the fat tend to add extra sugar, high fructose corn syrup and other unhealthy ingredients to make them taste good.
#1: Diet soda
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| Anyone who says these will cancel out large amounts of calories is a liar! |
Soft drinks from Coca Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and other companies obviously aren't healthy, but their so-called "diet" counterparts might be even worse. Sure they have no sugar and boast zero calories, but they have various different chemicals and additives that completely ruin any health benefits they could possible have. They are better than regular colas for those with diabetes, but even then water is still a much better option.
I'm not saying these foods can't be enjoyed, but you definitely shouldn't consume them on a regular bases, especially if you're trying to get into better shape. If you know of any foods that should be incorrectly called healthy, feel free to mention them in the comments section. I'll see you later. Have a happy Thanksgiving.
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