We all aspire to eat healthy as much as possible, and the food industry knows this! The recent growth in popularity of diets and health-conscious eating has created a groundswell of unhealthy foods being presented and marketed as “good for you” when they’re really not. It’s important to know what makes something healthy or unhealthy, so here’s a handy list of 20 foods that seem healthy but aren’t.
1. Sushi Rolls
Sushi is often billed as healthy and low-calorie food and, while that certainly can be the case (especially sashimi), more often than not sushi is just as bad for you as any other junk food. This is mostly because many popular rolls come packed with mayo-based sauces, cream cheese, or fried tempura.
2. Flavored Yogurt
Yogurt is quick, convenient, and great for your gut health. Unfortunately, all of that goes out the window as soon as you add sugar, which is the case for almost all flavoured yogurts. The added sugar negates any of the probiotic benefits that yogurt is known for, ultimately making it no better for you than a candy bar.
3. Veggie Chips
Veggie chips are one of those things that sound healthier just by virtue of the fact that it has the word “veggie” in it. Well, potatoes are a veggie and potato chips aren’t all that great for you either. Don’t fall victim to this marketing sleight of hand, as these often contain just as much unhealthy fats and salt as regular old chips.
4. Smoothies
The problem with smoothies is that they are only as good as what you put in them and, in the case of store-bought smoothies, what’s in them is horrible for you. Generally consisting of sugary fruit juice, frozen yogurt, or even ice cream, store-bought smoothies are more of a high-calorie dessert than a healthy meal replacement.
5. Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is generally an excellent source of fiber and nutrients, but it also boasts high concentrations of sugar. Since regular fruit is about 80% water, fruit in its dried form becomes much smaller — meaning that you’ll probably eat more than usual while still getting the same sugar concentrations. On top of that, many brands will even add extra sugar!
6. Protein Bars
Often just as sugary and calorie-dense as their candy bar counterparts, protein bars are something you should be very wary of. Although often containing a hefty dose of protein (hence the name), many protein bars are made with artificial ingredients, unhealthy oils, and high amounts of sugar, essentially undermining any redeeming qualities from the protein intake.
7. Granola
You may think that granola is good for you, and the companies selling it certainly hope you do. But in reality, granola (especially the store-bought versions) is typically high in sugar and calories. In many cases, added sweeteners and hydrogenated oils are used to bind the oats together, making for a not-so-healthy “health” food.
8. Instant Oatmeal
Oatmeal is generally a healthy, wholesome, and convenient food. But all of that goes out the window when you add instant oatmeal into the mix. Due to its often high sugar content and inclusion of artificial flavours, instant oatmeal is instantly made unhealthy, especially compared to plain old-fashioned oats.
9. Energy Drinks
Generally presented as a fitness beverage geared towards high-functioning athletes, energy drinks are no better than your average soda. Filled with sugar and caffeine, these drinks are prone to cause energy crashes and increase heart rate and blood pressure. Water, homemade electrolyte drinks, or even coffee are a much better alternative.
10. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter
On paper, reduced-fat peanut butter might sound like a good product, especially if you're looking to lose weight. Unfortunately, this reduced-fat alternative is often forced to compensate for its lack of fat with additional carbs and sugar. Generally, fat isn’t the root of all evil so it's better to stick with moderate amounts of natural, full-fat peanut butter.
11. Gluten-Free Snacks
Gluten-free snacks generally aren’t all that they’re chalked up to be. For people with celiac disease, gluten-free options are essential, but something isn’t necessarily healthy just because it doesn’t have gluten. In fact, many gluten-free snacks are rendered completely unhealthy by the added sugars, fats, and artificial ingredients that they contain.
Wheat Free Gluten Free on Wikimedia Commons
12. Pre-Made Salads
Chalked full of vitamins, nutrients, and even healthy fats: we all know salads are a great addition to any diet. Sadly, store-bought salads are meant to appeal to our worst tendencies, which means they often come packed with creamy dressings, cheese, and fried toppings. These salads are deceptively high in calories and unhealthy fats and should be avoided at all costs.
13. Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are marketed as a quick and efficient way for high-performing athletes to hydrate and replenish their electrolytes. The thing is: you’re probably not a high-performing athlete. And even if you were, a lot of these drinks are needlessly high in sugar and artificial colours. In most cases, water is more than sufficient.
14. Rice Cakes
This low-calorie snack food also packs a hefty punch when it comes to having a staggeringly high glycemic index. In addition to causing blood sugar spikes, rice cakes are lacking when it comes to vital nutrients like fiber and protein, making them an unbalanced, high-carb snack.
15. Fruit Juices
The mere invocation of fruit is enough to convince people that they’re consuming something “healthy, but they’re not! Even 100% fruit juice often comes packed with sugar and little to no fiber, which is prone to cause massive blood sugar spikes without the satiety that comes from eating whole fruits.
16. Fat-Free Salad Dressings
When it comes to salad, simple and unprocessed ingredients are the way to go. Fat-free salad dressings, although seemingly healthy on paper, are often full of flavour-enhancing ingredients like sugars, salt, and artificial additives that ultimately negate the health benefits that come from eating a salad.
LAUICKWUIR loopwourawoe 01 on Wikimedia Commons
17. Trail Mix
Trail mix is great — if you opt to make it yourself, that is. Otherwise, you’re putting yourself at the mercy of the company packaging it. Sadly, store-bought trail mix is often loaded with sugary dried fruits, flavoured nuts, and even chocolate!
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia Commons
18. Frozen Yogurt
Often viewed as a healthier version of ice cream, frozen yogurt is generally just as bad for you. Filled with sugar and artificial ingredients, there’s really nothing about frozen yogurt that sets it apart from its creamy counterpart. Moreover, the toppings bar at your local frozen yogurt shop is liable to help you rack up the carb and sugar count even more.
ParentingPatch on Wikimedia Commons
19. Bottled Green Tea
Green tea is an excellent source of antioxidants that help regulate your metabolism, ward off free radicals, and keep you healthy. Sadly, bottled green tea companies like to piggyback off these incredible benefits while also adding sugar and artificial flavours that negate any of the aforementioned healthy properties.
Paul Downey on Wikimedia Commons
20. Low-Carb Snacks
Low-carb diets are all the rage these days. While that’s certainly not a bad thing, it has inevitably led to an overwhelming amount of low-carb snack options appearing on the market. Since most of these snacks are highly processed and full of artificial flavours and sweeteners, it's clear that this groundswell of low-carb snack options is meant to capitalize on a fad and not actually provide you with a healthy alternative.
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