The “healthy” label may not be what you think…
It’s amazing what kind of foods we’ve been told are “healthy”! We end up eating a lot of things that have very little nutritional value, all because of something someone told us or we watched on the news that one time. A lot of foods labeled as “health foods” have less nutritional value than the normal varieties, but we gobble them down because of that healthy label. What silly gooses we are!
Here are a few of the “health foods” that really aren’t as good as you think:
Low Fat Dairy — Skim milk, low-fat yoghurt, and other types of dairy with the fat removed are nowhere near as healthy as the original full-fat variety. Not only do these low fat foods have a higher sugar content, but the lack of fat means that it’s harder for your body to absorb calcium. More sugar and less minerals? No thank you!
Whole Wheat Bread — Sadly, whole wheat bread isn’t as healthy as you might think. There is still a lot of carbs in the bread, with only a small amount of fiber to balance it out. You end up with a high glycemic food, increased fat storage, and too many calories.
Powdered Peanut Butter — Just because regular peanut butter has fat, that doesn’t make it bad. In fact, a bit of fat is actually very good for you, as it helps to keep your body’s internal functions balanced. Powdered peanut butter is lower in calories and fat, but it’s far less satisfying than regular peanut butter. This means that you end up eating more just to get that same satiation that comes with a small amount of high-fat peanut butter!
READ MORE: Why Chocolate Should Be an Everyday Food
Sugar-Free Anything — Just because it doesn’t have sugar, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. In fact, chances are that it’s even LESS healthy than the regular type, sugar and all! “Sugar free” products contain aspartame and other chemical sweeteners, all of which can have serious long-term health consequences. The list of added ingredients goes way up when sugar is removed from a food, and most of them are highly artificial and chemical.
Salad Dressings — If it comes in a bottle, it’s probably best to avoid it! The best types of salad dressings are the ones you make at home, using fresh, raw ingredients. Commercial salad dressings tend to have more processed oils, artificial flavorings, added sugar and HFCS, artificial colors, and other chemicals. “Low fat” salad dressings are even worse, as the number of chemical and artificial ingredients goes way up when fat is removed from the dressing. Unless it’s made fresh, it’s probably better to avoid it!
Puffed Veggie Chips — Brands like Veggie Straws and Pirate’s Booty claim to be healthier than regular chips, but take a closer look at the nutritional info. Not only do they contain potatoes like regular chips do, but they’re only marginally lower in calories and fat. There are a few brands of veggie chips actually made from fresh veggies, but for the most part, veggie chips are nothing more than clever marketing.
Fruit Juices — Unless you’re drinking a glass of juice that you just produced in your own juicer, it’s probably best to avoid fruit juice as a rule. Packaged fruit juices are loaded with sugar, but without the fiber to balance it out. Even “cold pressed juices” aren’t as healthy as they claim to be. The ingredients may have once been healthy, but the process of turning fruit into juice destroys most of the enzymes, vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants.
