‘Health’ Foods Moms Should STOP Eating
MICROWAVE POPCORN
Popcorn is filled with healthy fiber and grains, but only if you get the air-popped versions. The pre-packaged microwave popcorns available in grocery stores are actually one of the worst foods on the planet, thanks to additives and chemicals used in popular brands like Jolly Time and Jiffy Pop. Many brands contain heart-harming trans fats and the dangerous butter-flavor additive, diacetyl, an ingredient shown to harm the brain. Even worst, the bags are also lined with perfluorooctanoic acid which is the same toxic stuff found on Teflon pans.
CANNED SOUPS
Like popcorn, soup can be an incredibly healthy meal, but not when you buy it in a can. First of all, canned soups fall under the “processed food” label, meaning it’s loaded with sodium—even in the low-sodium varieties. Then there’s the added fats and sugar that can up the calories considerably. However, the cans are the real reason to stop buying it forever. The plastic lining in many of the popular soup brands contains Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor that can impact a woman’s reproductive system and the health of a child.
DRIED FRUIT
Fruit is good—but in moderation. The same goes for dried fruit, but it’s actually best to stay away from the dried versions of your faves. Why? The fructose in fruit gets more concentrated when dried out, making it more potent in smaller doses. Also, many companies top their dried fruits with additional sugars and coating, making it even more sugary.
LOW-FAT PEANUT BUTTER
Peanut butter is a health food full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and muscle-building protein, but too much of the good stuff is eliminated when you opt for the wrong kinds (often the low-fat version). The fats are part of what gives peanut butter its taste, so taking it out will leave you with a bland nut butter you won’t want to eat. Manufacturers know this, so they replace the fat with tasty sugars. This isn’t good. Instead, go for the “full fat” versions of peanut butter and eat in moderation, or grind your own peanuts for natural butters with nothing added.
FRUIT JUICE
Most fruit juices are loaded with sugar and even high-fructose corn syrups that contain even more sugar than your regular can of cola. It is true that the fruit has nutrients, but most of the good stuff—including fiber—is taking out during the juicing process.
ORGANIC CANDY
Candy is never part of a healthy diet, and that goes for the seemingly-healthy organic candy, too. Organic candy is still candy; it’s made with sugar-filled ingredients (like fruit juices and honey) that add up quickly. It’s also a nutritionally-void food, meaning it has nothing in the way of vitamins or nutrients your body craves
FLAVORED YOGURT
Yogurt is a wonderful food; the probiotics found in it are great for your gut, plus it’s loaded with protein. But the health benefits are wiped out when you eat the flavored versions sold at stores. The reason: They’re loaded with sugar—sometimes 20 grams or more for just a few ounces of yogurt. Keep yogurt healthy by looking for low-sugar versions (ideally less than 8 grams) and add a bit of sweetener or berries for taste.
FAST FOOD CHICKEN NUGGETS
Chicken nuggets contain several synthetic ingredients from diglycerides to Red #40 to carrageenan. These chemicals help make overly-processed foods like chicken nuggets possible because that’s what keeps the (very few) organic materials in the nuggets from going bad (or looking weird) after days spent traveling on the road or months in the freezer. But even if you buy them at the grocery store, you might not be safe.
PROTEIN BARS
We need protein to build our muscles but we need to be careful with the choices we make. Most protein bars are nothing more than glorified candy bars, with plenty of chocolate and sugar to boot. Many actually have more carbohydrates than protein, so it’s clear the companies that make these bars are only trying to get in on the protein bandwagon. There are good protein bars, but they’re the ones that contain fewer grams of carbs over protein.
BAKED CHIPS
Baked chips are touted as a health alternatives to regular potato chips since those crunchy snacks are typically fried in oil. While it is true that baked chips are lower in fat, they’re typically processed with a ton of added sodium and even sugar to add taste.