One of the problems people have when trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle or lose weight is knowing what to eat and what not to eat!
We’re often led to believe that we need to eat more of certain foods and cut down on others, which is true. However many people end up eating more foods that are supposed to be healthy but actually contain more sugar, fat or chemicals than they realise which is preventing them from losing weight.
Here are 10 “Healthy” foods that are actually bad for you:
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Fruit Juices
Fruit juices unhealthy? Surely not! We may think fruit juice is healthy because it comes from fruit but they actually contain loads of sugar! Fruit contains lots of natural sugars and in the right quantity can be beneficial because of the vitamins it contains, just watch how much you consume.
2. Margarine
Years ago we got told that butter was bad for you because of the high saturated fat content, and instead got told to use margarine. However margarine is basically artificial butter, made by chemicals which many experts now believe are bad for you. So despite butter being higher in fat, this is a natural product so is actually far better for you!
3. Processed breakfast cereals
Many breakfast cereals claim to be healthy and advertise as low in fat but actually contain loads of sugar. Why do you think they taste so good?
Don’t believe the advertising and the slogans promoting one single health benefit or ingredient, because it’s often offset by something much worse for you.
4. Ready made Smoothies
This is pretty similar to fruit juices where they’re advertised as healthy, they look healthy because of the colours and because you know they contain fruit, so it must be healthy?! Many ready made smoothies contain loads of sugar, chemicals and sometimes use ice cream as a base as a thickener. You’re better off making your own so you know exactly what is in it.
5. Diet Soda
Many people think that because the soda they’re drinking is ‘diet’ then it’s healthy to drink because of the low or zero sugar content. The problem is that it still tastes good, which is due to the artificial sweeteners is contains. It’s basically full of chemicals that make it taste nice, which we don’t fully know the implications. These sodas also contain lots of sodium, which can cause weight gain!
6. Baked Beans
Baked beans actually have their benefits because they’re high in fiber and a good source of plant protein. The problem is they contain loads of sodium, sugar and additives which can often lead to weight gain.
7. Cereal Bars
Many people try to be more healthy by eating “healthy” snacks to reduce their reliance on biscuits and cakes. The problem is that many cereal bars, despite containing some healthy ingredients such as oats, have a high sugar content to help make them taste good. So despite your best intentions, you could be doing more harm than good!
8. Dried Fruit
Dried fruit may surprise you because you think it’s just fruit, which is healthy right? Half true, despite the fruit being healthy many companies actually add sugar and additives, so you’re probably better off just eating normal fruit!
9. Flavoured Fat Free Yoghurt
Just because it’s fat free doesn’t necessarily make it healthy, if it’s fat free and tastes good it’s probably because the sugar content is high.
10. Rice Cakes
Rice cakes have often been a snack of choice for people adopting a healthy lifestyle, believing there are virtually no calories in them. The problem is the sugar content, as many companies produce flavoured rice cakes which contain additives and sugar.
As you can see there’s a trend in the above foods. Most foods advertised as “healthy” contain added sugar and additives to help make them taste good which can have a detrimental effect on your diet and health.
The problem is when people think something is healthy, they tend to eat more of that thing. The foods in our list all have some nutritional value, so if it’s something you want to eat then fine go ahead, just make sure it’s not a large part of your diet!