Eating healthy can be a challenge, with so many foods on the standard american diet being high in sugar and other additives, it can be difficult to know which foods can be pitfalls and which foods will have you fit for life.
Below is a list of foods that may seem like they are healthy and should be on your list of go to's but can be silently causing your waistline to expand:
1. Light or reduced fat ANYTHING
Foods labeled "light" or "reduced-fat" are usually anything but, the health food industry has a way of fooling the masses and marketing buzz words that are catchy and eye popping. Staying away from these falsehoods is key to making good nutritional decisions.
Baked chips, light ice cream and reduced-fat mayo are examples of foods that are labeled as "light" or "healthy" but provide few nutrients and little satiation.
2. Fruit Juices
Cranberries, apples, oranges, and strawberries all have great nutritional benefits but add 'juice' to the end of it and you'll be cancelling out any of those healthy aspects for a slew of sugar and additives.
While most of us need to consume more fruits and vegetables, typically the shortcut of drinking bottled fruit juice throws us off. Even with juices labeled "100%" you are likely consuming a high calorie and high sugar drink.
3. Nuts and Trail Mix
While nuts and dark chocolates in moderation are healthy alternatives, these are still calorie dense foods. Nuts and trail mixes are foods that are high in calories and consuming more than the appropriate serving size can cause you to silently push the scale upward.
The goal when eating nuts, dark chocolates, and trail mixes is to remember that are a snack food, meant to provide energy and satiety in between larger meals, make sure you follow the recommended serving sizes and all should be good.
4. Diet Soda
Most people look to make small behavioral and nutritional changes when adopting a healthier lifestyle. Oftentimes this means replacing some vices with others, one of these is replacing that daily coke with a "diet" or "zero calorie" alternative.
You could be doing just as much, if not more damage. Just because something is calorie free doesn't mean something is chemical free. The artificial sweeteners found in low and zero calorie drinks can trigger insulin responses which effect fat storage and body weight.
5. Dried Fruit
Similar to juices, dried fruit should be at the lower end of your list of "dieting snack foods". Many people think that dried fruit is healthy, however, they are typically loaded with sugars and lack many of the nutritional values found in regular fruit. They are often not much different than just having candy. The prevailing tip would be to eat fruit as nature intended, in all its hydrated glory.
6. Wheat Bread
When it comes to healthy eat, carbohydrates are a touching subject. Ideally sprouted grain "breads" like Ezekiel Bread will be much healthier for you than anything else. Wheat breads are often highly processed and devoid of fiber. Bread and carbohydrates in general are not the enemy of weight loss, but too much bread is, and any bread devoid of fiber is the enemy of weight management.
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