8 ‘Healthy Foods’ That Can Make You Fat
Tea
Tea contains antioxidants like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), catechins, and polyphenols, which have been found to help boost metabolism, block the formation of new fat cells, fend off disease, and even minimize cell damage, aging, and risk of stroke. But don’t let these facts trick you into believing that all teas are created equal; that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Not only do restaurants and coffee chains serve brews that have a fraction of the antioxidants as the kind you would brew at home, they’re also usually injected with more sugar than you’d find in a Halloween candy stash.
Coffee
Coffee’s benefits span from warding off Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease to aiding weight loss efforts. But the second you start tinkering with your cuppa joe— adding things like chemical-filled flavor syrups, whipped cream, and fatty half-and-half—you start diminishing these health-protective properties and adding in tons of calories. To reap the most benefits from your morning cup, add a splash of milk, a teaspoon of sugar, and a shake of cinnamon if you need some extra flavor.
Strawberries
Both organic and conventionally grown strawberries get their bright red hue from antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins, which have been found to help reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline. However, conventional strawberries have a major flaw: they’re covered in pesticides that can cause a dip in metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight.
Apples
Apples are crunchy, they’re tart, they’re said to keep the doctor away, and they’re also the second most pesticide-laden piece of produce on that aforementioned 2016 Dirty Dozen list. So despite the fact that their skin is filled with belly-flattening fiber and ursolic acid, a compound believed to increase calorie-incinerating brown fat, this delicious fruit may be doing your body more harm than good if you tend to buy the conventional varieties and eat them regularly. Even if you don’t put on weight right away, over the years as the chemicals compound in your system, they could wreak havoc on your metabolism and waistline.