There are some foods that you just know are good for you: Apples, broccoli, whole grain breads, and the list goes on and on. On any day at any time, these wholesome choices deserve their place in the forefront of your diet. There are foods, however, whose reputation for being healthy far exceeds their actual nutritional value. Take innocent-sounding fat-free frozen yogurt, for example. That has to be good for you, right? It’s not ice cream after all. In reality, if you take a look at the other unhealthy ingredients (like sugar and carbs) that can be found on the label, you might just want to put it back on the shelf.
Ok, what about granola bars? How could whole oats, nuts, seeds and bits of dried fruit be a bad thing? The truth is, most granola bars aren’t worth their weight, nutritionally speaking. They are either doused with sugary syrups, loaded with chocolate chips, or stuffed with highly processed ingredients. To make sure you know exactly what is going into your body, try making your own trail mix using whole-grain cereals, whole nuts and unsweetened chunks of dried fruit. If you absolutely must have a granola bar, at least try to choose one with a short ingredient list composed mostly of whole grains, seeds, nuts, and real fruit pieces.
Another food item that is throwing people off is bottled tea. It’s quick, it’s cold and it tastes great. The problem is that all of the antioxidant power, phytonutrients and other perks that tea can boast are in the actual brewed leaves, and very little of this makes its way into the final shelf-ready product. What is making its way into these beverages is a lot of sugar. If you absolutely can’t live without it, make your own tea in advance. Brew it, chill it, and add a touch of lemon and a small amount of sugar or other sweetener.
Here’s to hoping that the seemingly wholesome and hearty muffin has not made its way into your ‘nutritious’ category. Tack a berry or a bran to the name and many consumers start to believe that muffins must be good for you. What’s worse is that the size of most muffins also seems to be getting larger over time. The modern day muffin is about 500 calories and 20 grams of fat, whereas years ago muffins had about 160 calories and only 5 grams of fat. As a healthy alternative, opt for muffins that are made from real whole grain flour, corn meal or bran, and if this isn’t possible, at least share a bigger one with a couple of friends.
Watch out for “lite” or “free” versions of foods. Just because you have decided to make better health choices and you pick up a “Light” mayonnaise doesn’t mean you are doing yourself any favors. Oftentimes these ‘upgrades’ cut out calories and fat only to bring in extra amounts of cholesterol, sodium and even sugar. To keep the nutritional ball in your court, make sure you check labels or even visit websites like NutritionData.com so you can educate yourself about a food’s real nutritional value.
Lifestyle changes require dedication, willpower and motivation. Once you have these down you are definitely on the right track. The first step in making better food choices is to arm yourself with knowledge so that you are not duped by seemingly ‘healthy’ foods.