When you’re trying to change your eating habits and make consciously healthy food choices, the amount of information about what to eat and what to avoid can seem overwhelming. Fad diets and unrealistic eating plans can confuse even the most savvy person on their journey towards health and weight loss. Below is a list of food that may seem healthy but could in fact be jeopardising your diet.
- Sushi
Sushi has gained a reputation for being a “healthier” choice when it comes to fast, convenient food. In reality, sushi can have a number of hidden calories that can impact your healthy eating plan. Sushi is often prepared using highly processed white rice which is devoid of the nutrients and minerals of brown rice. Sushi is also often served with calorie-dense dipping sauces.
- Dressings
A fresh salad makes for a healthy meal choice but drowning that salad in commercially available salad dressings can be a recipe for disaster! Store-bought salad dressings have been shown to be very high in calories with even most “low-fat” versions being high in added sugars. Skip the store bought dressings and make your own at home. When you are eating out, always ask for the dressing to be served on the side.
- Peanut Butter
There’s no denying that peanut butter is absolutely delicious but at almost 100 calories per tablespoon, it is incredibly calorie dense. Nuts can be an excellent source of protein however most commercially available peanut butters combine the nuts with oils, sugar and salt making this tasty spread a less-healthy choice than you first thought.
- Popcorn
Often heralded as a healthy alternative to potato chips or crisps, popcorn is often a go-to snack for those watching what they eat. Although plain popcorn can be a relatively low-calorie snack, store-bought popcorn usually has butter, oils and salt added that negate any of the positives.
- Frozen Yoghurt
Frozen yoghurt has been marketed as a healthy alternative to soft serve icecream but it is deceptively high in both fat and sugar. It is frequently served with toppings and in large serving sizes so it is very easy to blow your calorie allowance with just one seemingly healthy dessert.
- Protein Bars
Although protein bars are convenient, clever marketing has led us to believe they are a health food that deliver a powerful protein hit. The reality is that protein bars are highly processed and many are absolutely loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. With some “snack” bars containing as much as 400 calories in a single bar, you might as well be choosing to eat a chocolate bar.
- Fruit Juice
It might be difficult to believe, but some fruit juices can contain just as much sugar as a soft drink. Although fruit is a healthy food choice, fruit juice is missing the critical elements that make fruit good for you. Juice is missing the important fiber that whole fruit gives you and is nutritionally poor by comparison. It is also very easy to consume a large amount with one large glass being the equivalent of several pieces of fruit in a short amount of time.
- Diet Desserts
Don’t let the term “diet” fool you – diet desserts are highly processed foods that offer empty calories with little to no nutrition. When a product is “low sugar” it is often very high in fat and conversely “low fat” desserts are often loaded with added sugars. Diet desserts can also be full of dangerous and artificial sugar substitutes such as aspartame.
- Deli Meats
Deli meats are highly processed and full of sodium and preservatives to increase shelf life. In particular, deli meats usually contain potentially carcinogenic nitrates and have been linked to cancer. Research has shown that eating a lot of processed meat in linked to a high risk of colorectal cancer.
- Diet Soft Drinks
Diet soft drinks are often presented as a way for people to enjoy sweet, fizzy drink without the sugar and calorie hit. Diet soft drinks use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame to achieve the same sweet taste as their traditional counterpart. A number of studies have linked diet soft drink consumption to a number of worrying health conditions including heart conditions and metabolic issues. It is also thought that the use of aspartame can increase someone’s craving for sweet, sugary foods.
