Today, people tend to be very health-conscious and try to eat foods that they think are healthy. However, our perception of what foods are actually healthy might be twisted, as certain foods can be deceiving. Can you say with full confidence that your groceries aren't deceiving you? Here are 6 items that may be tricking you:
Cereal
In the grocery store, some people gravitate towards the organic food aisles to choose alternative “healthy” cereals rather than the sugary, colorful boxes that line the shelves. While it is only logical to believe the nutrition information on the box stating the cereal is 'high in fiber' or 'organic', it does not automatically mean that it is healthy.
In cereal, the high-protein grains have been ultra-processed, which is actually worse for your health. When choosing a cereal, it is much better to read the ingredients and choose one with a shorter list, in order to know what you are actually eating.
Veggie Chips
You may think that grabbing a handful of veggie chips is a healthier alternative to a handful of Doritos. But, turns out, there aren’t actually any vegetables present in the snack. Only the dye used to give the chips their color comes from vegetable powder.
Vitamins A and C that are found in vegetables disintegrate when the veggie chips are processed, so the chips don’t provide much in terms of nutritional value. In fact, an ounce of veggie chips contains the same amount of saturated fats as potato chips, and are high in fat, sodium, and calories.
Green Drinks
A more recent health fad includes green drinks. While these drinks may promise that you’re drinking an entire salad in a bottle, it’s more likely that you’re consuming much more sugar than you think. Some smoothie drinks can have up to 50 grams of sugar in just one bottle.
The suggested amount of sugar that should be consumed is upwards of 37.5 grams per day for men, while women are recommended to only consume about 25 grams per day. Drinking one of these green drinks, both men and women surpass the recommended amount of sugar intakes for a single day.
Vegan Baked Goods
Vegan baked goods seem like the perfect go-to snack to fulfil your sweet-tooth craving and keep calories low at the same time. Although vegan goods use margarine instead of butter, margarine is just as rich in calories as butter.
Most baked goods, vegan or not, are still filled with refined sugars and flours; these are also referred to as empty calories. Of course, vegan baked goods aren’t horrible for you, but if given the option, it is much healthier to whip up homemade vegan desserts.
Frozen Yogurt
Trying to skip the sugar-filled ice cream and get froyo instead? Bad news. Frozen yogurt, even the plain flavor, has just as much sugar as some of the more decadent flavors. A half cup of frozen yogurt holds about 17 grams of sugar, and that’s before you add in toppings like sour gummy worms and cookie dough bites. For a healthier alternative to both froyo and ice cream, try blending bananas or other fruits in a blender and top with granola or honey.
Trail Mix
When you need a quick boost of energy, it’s likely that you’ll grab a bag of trail mix. It’s easy to think that a few wholesome nuts, harmless chocolate chips and even dried fruits can do nothing but benefit you.
While natural trail mixes made with unsalted nuts and unsweetened dried fruits will indeed provide you with a good energy boost and a feeling of healthy fullness, most others will not. Many are jampacked with chocolate chips, loads of salt and added sugars. Even just a small handful can contain 300 calories. Trail mix can be a healthy snack option, but it is still important to check nutrition labels.
Of course, it is more than okay to indulge from time to time, but it is also very important to stay healthy and make healthy eating choices. Knowing what is in your food will not only make you feel better, but your body will thank you.