Buyer beware -- some foods that appear healthy are nothing more than junk food in disguise. Food advertisements and packaging might present a healthy image, but that image might not hold up under closer scrutiny. Don't be fooled by false claims. Consider the nutrition facts to avoid healthy food impostors.
Smoothies
Smoothies may seem healthy because they're made with fruit or fruit juice and other healthy-sounding ingredients, such as green tea or acai berries. The truth is that many smoothies are loaded with sugar and calories. Make your own healthy smoothies with fresh or frozen fruit and low-fat plain yogurt or milk instead.
2-Percent-Fat Dairy
You may have made the switch to 2-percent-fat dairy products because full-fat dairy is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Actually, milk, yogurt and cheese that contain 2 percent fat still have too much of these artery-clogging substances. Fat-free or 1-percent-fat dairy is a healthier choice.
Vegetable Juice
Drinking vegetable juice seems like a healthy substitute for eating vegetables, but that might not be the case. Most vegetable juice is high in sodium. One leading brand contains 600 mg, which is 40 percent of the recommended daily limit, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Drink low-sodium vegetable juice instead. Even better, eat whole vegetables to get more vitamins and fiber in addition to less sodium.
Whole-Grain Impostors
Foods advertised as "multi-grain," "nine-grain" or "made with whole wheat" may not be whole-grain products at all. To get a true whole-grain food, look at the ingredient list. A whole grain, such as whole wheat, whole rye, oatmeal or whole-grain corn, will be the first ingredient.
Margarine
A stick of margarine looks like a healthy substitution for a stick of butter, which is filled with saturated fat. What you might not know is that stick margarine contains trans fat, which is even worse for your heart than saturated fat. Instead, choose soft margarine, which contains little or no trans fat.
Fruit Yogurt
Yogurt has a solid reputation as a healthy food, but not all varieties deserve it. Some fruit yogurts are loaded with added sugar. Choose plain, low-fat yogurt instead -- the only sugar it contains is from the naturally-occurring lactose found in milk.
References
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: Nutrition Action Health Letter: 10 Worst and Best Foods: At least One Will Surprise You ...
- American Heart Association: Whole Grains and Fiber
- Clemson Cooperative Extension: Limit Sugar
- MayoClinic.com: Fats: Choosing Healthy Dairy Products
- Center for Science in the Public Interest; Nutrition Action News Letter; 5 Overrated and Underrated Foods; Bonnie Liebman, et al.; May 2010
Member Comments