Gotcha Foods: "Health Foods" that Aren't Healthy!
A trip down the “health food” aisle can be unwittingly unhealthy, if not equipped with a bit of knowledge.
All health food is not created equal! Just because the label says so doesn't mean it is.
In 2016 the health food industry was $707.12 Billion dollars and it is predicted to be $811.82 Billion by 2021! That’s a lot of kale chips!!
But not all of the foods sold as health is good for you.
Here are 2 foods that should just not be consumed, full stop. Not health foods by any means!
Vitamin Water: Firstly, this is a Coca Cola product and secondly it is just coloured highly fructose sweetened water. With 120 calories and 32g of sugar per 591ml bottle, it is not healthy. In fact, we should keep our sugar intake to a minimum and NOT exceed 50g/day. Excess sugar can lead to heart disease, obesity diabetes among other preventable diseases. One bottle is 64% of your daily recommended amount of sugar!! For the so called “vitamins” added to this water, they are is really unnecessary if you have a varied and well-balanced diet.
Protein Powders: Don’t get me started, see my previous blog on protein, but what I will say about protein powders is that most commercial protein powders are highly processed. They contain many harmful heavy metals, fillers and anything that has the flavour of birthday cake or salted caramel should be avoided.
Here are a few that can be healthy but you need a bit of a heads up when buying and consuming.
Dried Fruit: OK, I personally like dried fruit however, I avoid them because of the concentration of sugars and calories. You can easily over do dried fruit and not realize it. In 1 cup of dried apricots there is 314 calories and 69g of sugar!! Remember our intake should be about 50g. Another thing is dried fruit, if not organic, will contain Sulfur Dioxide. This is used to extend the shelf life, kill any bacteria and to maintain colour. Many people who have allergies to these additives or those who have asthma may be affected by eating dried fruit. Another thing to note is anyone who has issues with constipation should avoid dried fruits as it can draw fluids from the intestines making it worse. If you choose to eat dried fruit make sure it is organic.
Nut Butters: This one can get you if you don’t read the label. Some labels will claim that they are are “All Natural” or contain “Just Peanuts” and if you are rushed and don’t check the label you will be ingesting more than just nuts. There are some nut butters that after peanuts, sugar is the next listed ingredient, then there’s the hydrogenated oils. Your nut butters should only contain 1 ingredient and thats nuts! Be mindful of when consuming any nut butter, they are very high in fat so it’s very high in calories, 1 tbsp is about 100 calories. Maybe measure it out a few times to see how much 1 Tbsp looks like, it may surprise you how much you are eating and not realizing.
Veggie Chips: They sound good but are basically the same as a regular potato chip. There are always exceptions to the rule but for the most part veggie chips have the same amount of calories, fat and are sometimes higher in sodium than a regular potato chip. Keep in mind veggie chips are also deep fried and often in the same oils as a potato chip. If you want a salty snack and must have a potato chip make it organic and watch your portion! And of course enjoy them! Potatoes are veggies too!
Granola: This one is also tricky and is why I just make my own. Often the granola that is being marketed as “healthier” is not. A quick google search of the top selling granolas proved that they are very similar in calories, and the “healthy” version was actually higher in fat and sodium! In just 2/3c there is 260 calories, 7g of fat, 13g of sugar and 30mg sodium with 7g of protein. Be careful when eating granola, I suggest using a smaller bowl and measuring your portion out and adding lots of fresh berries.
When grocery shopping try to stay on the outside aisles, try to buy more fresh produce, dried beans, grains and less prepared packaged foods. If it comes in a box, package or bottle read the label carefully and look for added sugar, salt and fats.
Feel free to reach out to me for any health concern, meal planning or more shopping tips.
Sarah
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