Sugar, sodium, and fat may be lurking on so-called healthy products. Check these eight junk foods in disguise.
Sometimes we are just trying to do the right thing and keep a healthy diet. But looks can be deceiving, and there are lots of diet saboteurs filled with sugar, salt, and additives disguised as healthy food out there. A healthy catchword on the label can advertise a product as “no cholesterol”, “multigrain”, “all natural”, “organic”, or even “vegan”. Thus, they can mislead people to believe they are healthy, but that’s not always the case. Sugar, sodium, and fat may be lurking in these products. Therefore, it’s crucial to pay extra care to the label and the list of ingredients when purchasing these items. So don’t let these fake healthy products fool you, and keep an eye on these eight junk foods in disguise.
Fruit juices
We should pay attention to what we eat and to what we drink as well. This is the case with fruit juices. Many people prefer them to sodas – after all, fruit is healthier, isn’t it? However, some fruit juice you find in the grocery store don’t even have any actual fruit in them, just chemicals that taste like fruit. So, you’re mostly drinking fruit-flavored water, laden with sugar. A Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School (US) study showed that fruit juice contains a similar quantity of sugar as a sugar-sweetened beverage. So, pay very close attention to the label!
Granola and protein bars
They have granola, big chunks of nuts, some also have a mix of fruits, and they’re loaded with protein. So, they must be healthy, right? Unfortunately not. Don’t let a few oats fool you: most of these bars are sweet junk food in disguise. They are rich in high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. If you can’t do without granola bars, choose those containing less than 10 grams of sugar and some fiber and protein.
Multigrain bread
Switching from white to multigrain bread seems a great option when you want to follow a healthier diet. However, don’t be fooled by words like “multigrain,” “wheat,” and “7 grain”: they don’t mean all that much. A study by Harvard Medical School pointed out that whole wheat bread can have a similar glycemic index as white bread. Also, many labels indicate the bread is multigrain, but it still contains refined grains. It can make your blood sugar spike faster after eating, leading to cravings. So it’s essential to check the ingredient list to see if the bread is made with whole grains: if the first four ingredients listed on the label are refined, it’s not a whole grain product.
Packaged turkey
Package turkey is a practical, tasty, lean meat. With whole wheat and oatmeal bread and other veggies, it makes a killing sandwich. The problem here is the amount of sodium: some brands have as much as 450 grams of sodium on just two-ounce serving, approximately one-third the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA). Also, it is processed meat. A study by the Université de Toulouse (France) and a study by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School (US) showed people who eat processed meats have a higher risk of many serious diseases, including colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Sports drinks
Many people love to cool off with sports drink, especially when playing sports. Yes, it’s essential to stay hydrated, especially when working out, but perhaps sports drinks are not the best choice. Although many people consider them healthier than sugary soft drinks, there’s no essential difference between them. Also, it’s necessary to keep in mind that sports drinks are designed for athletes. It means that they contain electrolytes (salts) and sugar, which are good for athletes but not so much for most people. So you’d better drink plain water.
Sushi
Fresh fish is healthy and essential for our diet. But all the white rice and dipping it in soy sauce is not good for anyone… You’re getting lots of refined carbohydrates and sodium. Healthier options are rolls wrapped in cucumber or more fish and less white rice (sashimi), with some vegetables on the side. Also, go easy on the soy sauce, preferring wasabi to add some flavor.
Sweeten and flavored oatmeal
Oats are a nutritious whole grain and a healthy grab-and-go breakfast choice. Also, you can boost it with berries, flax, and nuts, making it even tastier. Nonetheless, sweeten and flavored packets are loaded with sugar and sodium. Plain instant oatmeal packets are healthier options, and you can flavor it up by adding natural peanut butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract, cocoa nibs, grated apple, mashed banana, or fresh berries.
Gluten-Free, low-carb, organic, or vegan snacks
Ok, they may be tasty, but snacks are rarely healthy. Most of them are junk food. And labeling something as gluten-free, low-carb, organic, or vegan doesn’t make them healthy. Many of these snacks are laden with as many empty calories as their counterparts. Catching up on a green and healthy trend, food manufacturers flooded the market with these products. But the problem is that they are factory-made products, usually highly processed and containing few nutrients, and thus unhealthy. The bottom-line: junk food is still junk food, doesn’t matter how you call it.
