It’s common for foods to be generically categorized into healthy and unhealthy. Sometimes we have associations about the health of products without it being evidence based. If you’ve never looked at the nutrition facts or anything, the “healthiness” of foods can be seen as a fact without factual backing. The trouble is, some of these foods are seriously categorized incorrectly. Here’s a list of the biggest ones.
- Wheat Products. Not all wheat products, but the ones most commonly bought. Unless a product is 100% whole wheat it can still contain enriched flour, which is highly unhealthy and contains a large amount of carbs. Try buying 100% whole wheat products for a healthier result.
- Dried Fruit. While it is delicious and, technically, still fruit, it is in no way healthy. It contains huge amounts of preservatives and added sugars. As well as this it contains high amounts of fat and commonly has three times the amount of calories of fresh fruit when comparing volume.
- Flavored Fat Free Yogurt. Just because it’s fat free, does not make it healthy. Fat free yogurt is highly comparable to fat free ice cream. Try greek yogurt instead for a real healthy choice.
- Pretzels. Just because you’re eating them instead of chips, doesn’t mean that’s making a real difference. Pretzels still contain high amounts of fat and even higher amounts of sodium. As well as this they’re packed with unnecessary carbs.
- Granola Bars. Yes, they’re great on the go snacks and easy to travel with, but that doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Most granola bars are glorified candy bars. While not all of them are bad, bad warned and look at the amount of sugar and fat before you buy them.
Additionally, not all organic foods are healthy. A common misconception is that snack foods are healthier when bought organically. While there may be a lower number of chemicals, your pop tart is still just a pop tart
Cooking with Ellen 