13 ‘Healthy Foods’ That Are NOT So Good For You
Some of the foods we think are so good for us does more harm than we ones we think are so bad. The foods listed below are generally assumed to be healthy but they’re not as healthy as we think. Over consumption of some them might not be good for our health.
Smoothies
Any smoothie aside from home made might not be as good as you think. Although some smoothies made with simple, whole-food ingredients can be healthy, don’t get fooled into thinking anything with the name “smoothie” is good for you. Some smoothies are made with lots of added sugars, high-calorie ingredients like chocolate syrup, or even use full-fat ice cream as a base.
Yogurt
Added sugars and lots of fat make yogurt one of the worst breakfast foods. And all that hype about the good probiotics? This study shows that there’s really no benefit.
Whole wheat products
Whole wheat is naturally bitter, so whole wheat products usually have a lot of added sugar. You should also be careful of products that are “multigrain,” which may not include the whole wheat portions.
Salads
Obviously, it’s not the greens themselves that are the problem. The problem is all the add-ons: the dressing, the croutons, the salty sunflower seeds, etc.
Microwave Popcorn
With so many light varieties of microwave popcorn on the market, it’s easy to think that this snack is healthy, but with high levels of sodium and the chemical diacetyl, some health professionals caution about making this a regular snack.
Energy bars
They are disguised as healthy snacks because they’re associated with working out, but don’t be fooled. One little bar can have over 350 calories, which come from high-fructose corn syrup and other unhealthy additions.
Mashed potatoes
Potatoes naturally have a lot of vitamins and fiber, but most of those healthy elements are in the peel, which is lost in mashed potatoes. Then you add the butter, the sour cream and the salt, and suddenly this staple side dish has lots of fat and none of the fiber.
Dried fruit
Fruit naturally has a lot of fiber and vitamins, but dried fruit usually has a lot of added sugar. Also, the drying process reducesthe Vitamin C levels in the fruit.
Sports drinks
The levels of sodium and sugar in sports drinks are so high that they can damage your insulin sensitivity.
Protein powder
Too much protein can damage your liver and kidneys. Besides, protein is more easily digested when it comes in natural forms like tofu, legumes and flaxseed.
Diet soda
It saves you the calories, but it’s not proven to make you lose weight. In fact, it’s associated with a higher risk of diabetes.
Skim/lowfat milk
Taking out the fat also means taking out a lot of the minerals. Some kinds of skim milk come fortified with extra Vitamin D and other minerals to try and make up for it, but you’re better off just drinking 2%.
Flavored Nuts
Nuts are a wonderful health food when eaten in moderation. But roasted nuts? They take a good thing and coat it with not-so-great-things like sugar and salt. Try to limit your nut consumption to plain raw nuts. And if you want to make your own flavored nuts, roast some in the oven with spices like turmeric, pepper, or even hot sauce!