14 Healthy Food You Should Avoid Eating
There are many healthy foods you can see when you go grocery shopping during the weekend, but on the other hand, there are also tons of unhealthy foods that seem to be “healthy” just because on the packaging they are labeled things like “sugar-free” or “reduced-fat” or things that make you think they are better and healthier alternatives. Truth is, food that comes with such a label normally has no better health benefits for you, in fact, they might even be terrible for your body! Here are some of those sneaky “healthy” food that you should be aware of and not fall into their trap and next time you go grocery shopping.
1. Flavoured Yogurt.
Why are they unhealthy?
They seem to be healthy, as they contain yogurt, which is rich in calcium that helps promote stronger bones, and they have fruit flavourings, which everyone knows fruits are healthy. However, the truth is they are filled with lots of sugar. An average tiny cup of flavoured yogurt can contain sugar content of up to 15g, which is approximately 3.5 teaspoon of sugar!
What to eat instead?
Instead of going for the flavoured ones, next time just purchase plain yogurt unflavoured yogurt and add the flavourings in on your own. It doesn’t even need to be fruits! The choices are endless! Aside from fruit slices, you can drizzle with some honey, or add some seeds, whatever you desire. The taste would be much better, and they are way better for your health.
2. Canned Fruit.
Why are they unhealthy?
Canned fruit is usually packaged with sweetened syrup to enhance its flavours or to preserve them for a longer time. And if the syrup added isn’t bad enough, when they made in the factory, their natural sugar and other healthy nutrients are usually stripped off from them so that they do not go bad that easily.
What to eat instead?
Of course, going with regular fruits is a much better choice. Though they take you some time to prepare, that doesn’t mean going for the canned ones is your alternative. Sure, they are convenient, just open the can and the fruit is there for you, but in the long run, think about how much damage can they do to your body, especially the sugar to your brain.
3. Vegetable Chips.
Why are they unhealthy?
The package vegetable chips are sneaky food, as they fool you into thinking they are made of vegetables, so they must be healthy. But what they don’t tell you, of course, is how much sodium, preservatives, colorings even, they add to create them. Sure, the chips they used are indeed actual vegetables, but they are vegetables that have their nutrients stripped off.
What to eat instead?
Of course, eating raw vegetable would be a much much much better choice, you’d probably had expected this. But if you really want to try vegetable chips, you can try them on your own. There are tons of healthy recipes you can find online. Plus, the choice of vegetables and flavorings are endless! Not only do you need to use kale or other greens, but you can also go with sweet potatoes or even carrots!
4. Packaged Trailed Mix.
Why are they unhealthy?
Trailed mix is different from packaged nuts, as not only do they contain nuts, they sometimes even add other ingredients, such as small crackers pieces, chips, popcorns, and even chocolate chips! Sure, the nuts are the healthiest of them all, that’s why they seem like the main characters in these packages. But think about the other stuff they add into the mix. Don’t they just totally defeat the idea of eating “nuts”?
What to eat instead?
Instead of getting trailed mix, just go with the nuts, as little flavoring as possible, too. Of course, if you prefer needing some other food to balance out the taste of the nuts, opt for dried fruit or unflavoured popcorn. Try to avoid adding things that are high in sugar.
5. Flavoured Soy Milk.
Why are they unhealthy?
Soymilk is different from dairy milk, as it originated from soy instead of dairy animals, like cows. They are great alternatives for vegans as they are not associated with animals at all, and they can be healthy as well! But, a mistake people do with soymilk is that they get the flavored one, which is way worse than the original thing, as flavored means they added lots of sugar, coloring, and preservatives to make them taste better.
What to eat instead?
Just get original soy milk and try to avoid those that are labeled with flavoring. Some even try to make them seem more healthy with all the healthy food but don’t be fooled by them. Everything is better original.
6. Bottled Green Juice.
Why are they unhealthy?
Green Juice, similar to smoothies, is an excellent health beverage, only when you make them on your own. Those in the stores do have vegetables in them, but only in a small amount. The majority of it is made of sweetened syrup, colorings, and everything that would do more harm to our body.
What to eat instead?
If you really want green juice, just make it on your own. They are not that difficult to make. Just toss your greens into a blender and add some water, and blend them all up. In 5 minutes you’ll have your very own custom-made green juice and it probably cost even lesser than those in stores.
7. Energy Drink.
Why are they unhealthy?
Although they do contain some caffeine and some minerals and vitamins, they also contain tons of colorings and also lots of sugar. Sure, they give you energy for your workout, but what you didn’t know is all the sugar you are consuming totally defeats the idea of working out. In fact, it is even better if you don’t drink them and don’t work out at all!
What to eat instead?
The best drink to have before or after a workout is no doubt water. They are free, healthy, and they make your body and skin feel better. If you prefer drinking something flavored, try lemon water or green tea, as these drinks are excellent beverages as well, regardless pre or post-workout.
8. Packaged Meat.
Why are they unhealthy?
Just because it is advisable that you cook at home doesn’t mean you need to get packaged meat. Sure, meat provides a huge amount of protein, which is great for our body and muscle, but do you know what packaged meat is also high in? Sodium. They are usually added with a huge amount of salt so the meat can be preserved longer.
What to eat instead?
Get meat directly from the deli counter, as they are usually freshly cut, and they do not add in any preservatives or sodium to make them last longer.
9. Wheat Bread.
Why are they unhealthy?
When bread is labeled “wheat” or somewhere along the line, they usually mean two things: one, only a small amount of wheat flour is added to the dough when making, and the majority comes from white flour; and two, they are labeling white flour as “wheat” because technically, they are. They usually have no difference from white bread, as they are just unhealthy carbs.
What to eat instead?
Be sure to check the ingredients properly. Make sure the bread is made of “100% Whole Wheat” or choose those that are “Multigrain”. They contain more fiber than usual bread, which is great for your body.
10. Wheat Cereal.
Why are they unhealthy?
Nowadays food companies are getting trickier. They try to fool people using the word “wheat” as it sounds healthy, and now even cookies, muffins and cereals are getting “healthier.” Sure, they are made of “whole wheat,” but there are two possibilities, either they had been grounded to a fine flour and all the nutrients are stripped off, or the whole wheat only takes up a small percentage of the ingredients.
What to eat instead?
Try to find cereals that specified that they are made of whole wheat 100 percent. But aside from “whole wheat” there are other ingredients that you can opt for as well, such as quinoa, beans, brown rice, and so on.
11. Agave Nectar.
Why are they unhealthy?
Agave nectar sounds like a great alternative to sugar, but in actual they bring the same harm, if not worse. The thing about agave nectar is that though they are natural food, which is usually considered the healthiest, they also contain a high level of fructose, which is a natural sugar that doesn’t do your body any good.
What to eat instead?
Of course, it is not to say to avoid agave nectar, just have them in a small amount will do, same goes for sugar. But if you prefer other choices, using honey as substitution works as well, but remember, moderation is key.
12. Bran Muffin.
Why are they unhealthy?
Just because of the word “bran” they seem like they are so much healthier than other kinds of muffins out there. Yes, brans are indeed healthy. They are the layer of grain that contains the most nutrients. The problem with them is that when they are made into a muffin, oftentimes other flavorings are added, such as jam, butter, or frosting. Another thing about them is that bran muffins are large in size, which does not help the body too much.
What to eat instead?
Either go for a bran muffin that is smaller in size and also those that are just plain ones, instead of those with added flavors. Also, going with muffins that are 100 percent whole wheat are great alternatives for bran muffins as well.
13. “Healthy” Frozen Meal.
Why are they unhealthy?
Don’t they just look like a healthy meal for a day when you came home late and are too lazy to cook? It is said in the label itself anyway! But these convenient packages are usually filled with lots of preservatives and sodium as they are meant to work that way. Aside from that, they contain little vegetables and lots of trans fats.
What to eat instead?
Of course, cooking on your own would be the best choice. But if it is really late and you aren’t exactly in the mood to be a chef for the night, perhaps going with frozen meals that are specified to be low in sodium, trans fat, sugar, and all those nasty ingredients.
14. Store Bought Oat Cookies.
Why are they unhealthy?
Yes, they sound healthy because they are made of oats. But perhaps, the “oats” part of it is only a small amount. The other ingredients might contain lots of refined flour, sugar-filled flavorings, unhealthy fats and oils, and so on. Even if they used oats in a larger amount, the nutrients on them might be stripped off and left only the carbs that do nothing well.
What to eat instead?
They are cookies and are bad for our healthy anyhow. But if you really want to eat oat cookies, check the ingredients list and nutrients. Make sure they are made from healthier choices, such as “100% whole wheat” and check on the amount of sugar, carbs, and also fibers.
These are a few unhealthy foods that claim to be “healthy.” Of course, not all of these foods are unhealthy. Some do state that they are low in sodium, or low in fats or reduce, and their ingredients list only contain some raw and healthy food. But for the majority of them, they might be harmful to your body and that you should avoid at any cost. The most important thing is to check the label to make sure they contain as little ingredient as possible, and the ingredients are as raw as possible.
*Disclaimer: The writer is not a trainer, bodybuilder or any health expert. The information given is all dependent on the research she had done and are considered to be appropriate to be up on this list. Do whatever you know best works for you, as you know yourself the best. Feel free to take the information you want and leave what you don’t. The writer would not be responsible for any medical issues that would happen due to the extracted information was shown.
コメント