Common Foods You Consume Regularly That Are Not Actually That Healthy!

Here is a list of some of some surprising foods that are not actually that healthy!

Little did we know that sometimes our best attempts at making healthy choices can fail miserably due to some very clever marketing by the Food Industry.

Low-fat or fat-free can come at the price of foregoing essential nutrients whilst increasing sugar intake, while gluten-free items usually contain just as many calories if not more sugars and fats as their full-gluten equivalents! Also, did you know many types of bread labeled "multi-grain" or "wholegrain," are actually made with bleached flour?

1. Multi-Grain/ Wholegrain Bread

Labels such as "multi-grain," "wholegrain" and "7-grain," sound extremely healthy however the bread inside the packaging may not actually be made from nutritious whole grains. Many types of bread labeled "multi-grain" are typically made with refined grains or bleached flour. Whole grains, by definition, are foods that contain all the essential parts of the entire grain seed; this includes the bran, germ, and endosperm. Without processing, these components remain intact and provide more protein, fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.

Tip: Read nutrition labels carefully. If the first item in the ingredient list is refined flour (it will typically say "bleached" or "unbleached enriched wheat flour"), you are not getting 100 percent whole-grain bread!

2. Vegan Food Products

Just because a product is vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Popular vegan diet books, restaurants and bakeries endorse vegan cookies, cakes and breads as healthy super foods that can be enjoyed as a part of a balanced diet.

Vegan products can contain just as many calories, sugar, and fat as their traditional equivalents.

The problem with vegan baked goods is that buyers assume that natural ingredients such as cane juice, agave nectar, and coconut oil, are healthier than traditional sugar, dairy and flour.

Scary fact: commercially-available vegan chocolate cupcakes contain 350 calories, 18 grams of sugar and 22 grams of fat per 50g serving!

3. Gluten-Free Products

Gluten-free means good-for-you, right? Wrong! Gluten-free cookies, crackers and baked goods are often loaded with refined grains such as oat or rice flour, sugar and fat.

It is very common to see Gluten-Free cake mixes available in the supermarket these days, however other than removing gluten from the recipes, they don’t trim the fat, calories or sugar in any meaningful way.

The best bet is to stick with natural gluten-free foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products.

Tip: When buying gluten-free baked goods and crackers, make sure you read the labels and avoid those that are rich in sugars or saturated fats.

4. Commercial Pasta Sauce

Tomato-based pasta sauce is rich in vitamins A and C and delivers at least a serving of vegetables whilst also providing nearly 85% of dietary lycopene, which protects against heart disease and some cancers. ]

However most commercial pasta sauce brands are loaded with sodium, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sodium and fillers to extend shelf life and improve taste.

Some of your favorite pasta sauces pack well over 900 milligrams of sodium per 1-cup serving -- more than a third of daily sodium intake.

Tip: If you want to reap the nutritional benefits from tomato sauce, make your own with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and a touch of extra virgin olive oil.

5. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

Reduced-fat peanut butter is not necessarily a healthier version of regular peanut butter. Both regular and reduced-fat peanut butter contain about the same amount of calories, but the reduced-fat version has significantly more sugar.

People ask "isn't it healthy to cut out

some fat in your diet?" Not in this case.

Regular peanut butter is a natural source of the "good" monounsaturated fats.

In recent few years, research has

shown that individuals who include

nuts and nut butters in their diets

are less likely to develop type II diabetes and are protected from heart disease.

Tip: Look for a natural peanut butter with an ingredient list that contains no added oils, cane sugar, or trans fats.

6. Frozen Yogurt a.k.a. “Fro-Yo” With Toppings

Popular frozen yogurt such as "Fro-Yo" offer self-service machines, jumbo portion sizes, and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink topping bars filled with cookies, candy, and hot fudge.

Tip: If your a frozen yoghurt lover, try and stick to the smallest portion size and choose real fruit toppings with a tablespoon of roasted nuts.

7. Fat-Free Salad Dressing

When trying to lose weight, salads are usually seen on ones meal plan.

But think twice about topping your salad with fat-free dressing.

It is common mistake to assume that fat-free dressing will save calories and is the healthier option. Unfortunately this is not the case just some very clever marketing, by skipping a full-fat dressing, you may be missing out on fully absorbing the nutrients found in fresh vegetables. Salads are chock-full of greens, which contain fat-soluble vitamins, essential minerals and antioxidants that protect our bodies from disease, but without the addition of some fat, our bodies are unable to fully absorb the nutrients in salad. A recent study showed that eating fat with your salad significantly increased how many nutrients were absorbed compared to fat free dressing.

8. Protein/ Energy Bars

Protein/ Energy bars are the perfect pre and post-workout snack, right?

Hold up! Unfortunately many bars are filled with high fructose corn syrup, added sugar, and artery-clogging saturated fat. In addition, they are often overloaded with synthetic ingredients that i bet you can’t pronounce.

Some (particularly meal replacement ones) contain more than 350 calories each ― a bit more than "snack size" for most people. Another fact that our bodies actually cannot store more protein than our muscles allow. These means any excess protein within your body will usually stored as fat while any surplus amounts of amino acids is excreted.

Tip: Consider these alternatives: try 1/4 cup of trail mix, or 40g of low-fat cheese and three to four small whole-grain crackers.

OR try for a protein/ energy bar made with dried fruit, nuts, and whole grains and avoid chocolate-coated bars, which tend to be higher in sugar, fat and calories.

9. Foods Labeled "Fat-Free"

It is key that we understand that fat-free does NOT mean calorie-free.

Fat free foods often lack any flavour to counteract this food manufacturers will increase added sugars, thickness and sodium.

Always check the nutrition labels when buying packaged foods and remember when it comes to fat, not all sources are created equal.

“Good” fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats improve blood cholesterol and increase satiety. The overall makeup of a food is just as important as its fat content, so check to see how your favorite foods compare in total calories, sodium, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Of course, it’s also important to remember that there are many very healthful naturally fat-free foods, including most fruits and vegetables.

10. Store-Bought Smoothies

Most smoothie chains and coffee bars start out with good intentions and healthy ingredients. Smoothies often begin with a “base” of blended fruit, yogurt and low-fat dairy. The problem with this seemingly-healthy option is disproportionately large serving sizes combined with added sugar, ice cream, and flavored syrups. Commercially-available smoothies often include a half dozen add-in ingredients. This combo racks up a hefty amount of fat and sugar that can reach anywhere from 500-600 calories!

11. Sports Drinks

If you're going for a light jog or doing a a quick 40 minute weight session, skip the sports drinks. While most sports drinks do contain important electrolytes (like potassium and sodium) necessary for those who are doing intense workouts or endurance training, you don't need a sports drink to fuel light activity.

Dietitians and Nutritionist alike agree that sports drinks are only beneficial during high-intensity exercise when your workout exceeds one hour. Many sports drinks contain 125 calories and nearly 15 grams of sugar or more per 560ml. bottle. Spare yourself the extra calories and opt for plain water to keep you hydrated.

Tip: Stick to this rule of thumb- only drink sports drinks when you are completing high intensity exercise, and don’t gulp sports drinks outside of activity — the extra sugars will be converted to fat, which won’t help your performance or your waistline.

12. Granola

Granola typically starts with nutritious ingredients: rolled oats, dried fruit, and a healthful dose of fat from nuts and seeds. The problem is that most of the whole grain goodness and fiber is coated in sugar, honey, and syrup and then baked in oil to deliver the crunchy texture. A traditional 1-cup breakfast serving can pack nearly 600 calories and 20 grams of sugar before adding milk or yogurt. With the addition of gourmet ingredients such as coconut, chocolate, and roasted almonds, some commercial brands deliver as much as 25 grams of fat per serving!

13. Baked Chips

While baked chips do reduce the fat content of chips, they don’t offer as big of a calories savings as you might expect. In fact, many chips that say that they’re baked have just 20 fewer calories compared to their fried full-fat counterparts. In addition, because fat is filling, you may actually eat more calories when enjoying baked chips because they provide a higher carbohydrate to fat ratio than fried potato chips.

Scary Fact: When we believe we’re making a healthier choice, we often eat larger servings.

14. Pre-Packaged Wholegrain

Whole grains that cook in less than 90 seconds can be alluring. Brown rice, long grain rice, and other grain products are an essential part of a heart healthy diet. Whole grains like these are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Plus, complex carbohydrates have been linked to reducing diabetes and some cancers. Although boxed rice appears healthy and low in fat, just wait until you read the sodium content! Spice packets, which accompany instant grains, can contain as much as 800 mg of sodium – almost half the daily recommended sodium intake. Excess sodium in the diet increases blood pressure and contributes to excess fluid in the body.

Tip: Cook a batch of whole grains on Sunday and add your own chopped garlic, onion, spices, and seasonings. You can portion out servings for the week in containers, so you have a quick, healthy whole grain side dish.

15. Fibre-Fortified Foods

Many people fall short of the 25-30 grams of the recommended daily fibre intake.

However it may be surprising to hear that resorting to fibre-fortified foods is not a great solution to this problem. There are an increasing number of packaged products including cereals, snack bars, and crackers that are made with refined grains with artificial fibres added to them. Most of these products’ packages display claims about the high fibre content. Unfortunately, research suggests that some of the fibres manufacturers are adding to their products may not provide the same health benefits as natural fibre that comes naturally in whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruits and vegetables.

16. "Diet" Soft Drink

Surely we should all know this one by now! Although diet drinks such as coke zero are "calorie-free" there’s no evidence that drinking diet soft drinks will help you lose weight. In fact, some believe that drinking diet soft drinks may increase your desire for sweets and may trip up your body’s natural mechanisms that help control your hunger and appetite. Using diet soft drinks to satisfy your sweet tooth may train your brain to crave more sweets. Consequently, when you eat a naturally sweet food, like some strawberries or a banana these treats may not taste sweet enough.

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