There are some foods that we think are “healthy”, like flavoured yogurt, veggie sticks, peanut butter, granola bars and more, but they actually aren’t!
We often read on product labels terms like “low fat”, “gluten-free”, “vegan”, “low carb” etc., and we tend to think these foods are healthier options of foods to consume, but they actually aren’t.
So, in this article, we’ll talk about “healthy” foods that are actually unhealthy!
Healthy Foods That Are Actually Unhealthy
1. Granola Bars
Granola bars are considered a healthy snack, but in fact, most of these granola bars are loaded with sugar, artificial ingredients, flavors and calories, of course!
2. Plant-Based Meat
Not all plant-based meat options are healthy. Some options contain large amounts of sodium and saturated fats. Also, some plant-based meats are highly processed, which is also not healthy. Eat your veggies and vegan protein-rich foods like tofu, edamame, soy, nuts and seeds.
3. Protein Bars
Protein bars often contain artificial sweeteners and syrups. Therefore, consuming natural forms of protein, is better for the body and health, as they contain the essential amino acids.
4. Fruit Juices
Conventional fruit juices are often considered as healthy, but they aren’t. They are made from fruits that are conventionally grown and are treated with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and could also contain GMOs.
5. Low-Fat Dairy
Low-fat dairy often replaces the fat with other fillers and sweeteners in order to substitute the taste. Sometimes, fat is replaced with sugar.
6. Nut and Oat Milks
Most store-bought nut milks have only 2.5% nuts and the rest is water, which means that the nut milk isn’t really that nutritious. Most often, plant milks contain added sugar and seed oil in order to make their taste better. READ MORE – Make your own Healthy Plant-Based Milk Recipes
7. Margarine
Margarine often contains an unhealthy combination of trans fats and saturated fats. These fats when consumed, could increase the risk of heart diseases. Margarine is a hydrogenated fat, that contains trans fatty acids and these are harmful to health.
8. Peanut Butter
Many people often think that peanut butter is healthy, commercial peanut butter often have added sugars, seed oils, and fats. The commercial peanut butter is heated and poured into plastic containers. The heat-packaged oil-based products packed in plastic food storage containers are related to heavy metal toxicity. READ MORE – Make peanut butter at home with only peanuts
9. Seed Oils
Seed oils are mostly higher in omega-6 fatty acids and this could lead to bodily inflammation. Also, seed oils are highly processed and are prone to oxidation. These seed oils are also low in their nutrient-value, as they are highly processed.
10. Unfermented Soy
Unfermented soy is not actually as healthy as fermented soy. This is because fermented foods are “fermented” and during the fermentation process, the antinutrients naturally found in soy foods like tempeh, miso, soy sauce, natto etc., are actually reduced. This doesn’t happen in the case of unfermented soy foods.
11. Cereal
Most often people enjoy a cereal for breakfast, because it is an easy option and keeps one full. But, cereals are often made with refined grains and do not have sufficient nutrients like fibre and protein. Also, they contain added sugar. Click below to make homemade granola at home –
12. Multigrain Bread
There is no guarantee that multigrain bread is made with 100 percent whole grains—or that it is free of refined grains. Read the ingredient list, and look for terms like “bleached” or “enriched,” which means the bread is not made up entirely of whole grains. Multigrain bread also contains ingredients like added sugar, salts etc., that are not actually ideal for health. The first ingredients of the whole READ MORE – Easy and Healthy Bread Recipes
13. Salad Dressings
The sad truth is that, while they’re convenient, bottled dressings are typically high in sodium, sugar, saturated fat and calories–even if they are organic.
14. Flavoured Yogurt
If you’re looking to eat yogurt, enjoy a bowl of plain yogurt! Do not opt for the flavoured yogurt alternatives, as these often contain added sugars which are considered unhealthy. Most often, each up of these flavoured yogurts have 30 grams of added sugar (which is actually a lot!).