Eating a good diet is essential to stay healthy, but sometimes our desire to lose those extra kilos or to try to eat a little better, can lead us down the wrong path in terms of nutrition. And it is that many of the ingredients or products that are sold or that we consider as healthy, really provide us with an unnecessary dose of sugar, calories or carbohydrates that are less healthy than we think. Do you want to know which 10 foods seem healthy but are not? Keep reading because we present them to you.
Granola: a sugar bomb
We have always been sold granola as a very healthy product, ideal for a healthy and nutritious snack or snack. But the reality is that this combination of cereals has large amounts of sugar that are not suitable for anyone who wants to lose weight, not even for someone who wants a healthy and balanced diet.
In general, it is not recommended to abuse any type of cereal with added sugar in the diet.
Frozen yogurt, hidden calories
Sure, frozen yogurt doesn’t have the same calories as regular ice cream, but don’t be fooled by the marketing that says it’s a healthy option. It is also a dairy product with fat and sugar to which, in addition, we usually add various calorie toppings such as chocolate, syrup, fruit in syrup, etc. Anything but a healthy dessert, so it is best not to abuse your intake.
Gluten-free products are also fattening!
If you have joined the fashion of eating gluten-free to take off those extra kilos and lead a healthier diet, it is important that you start by knowing exactly what gluten is. This ingredient is a wheat protein that is unsuitable only for those who are intolerant to gluten that is celiac, or allergic to this component, the rest of us mortals can eat it without problem.
Gluten is not fattening and in fact eating products free of this ingredient but full of sugar, fat and additives will not help you in your weight loss either. Compare the same product with or without gluten, evaluate the amount of sugar, fat and final calories and choose the best for you, do not get carried away by a misleading idea.
Sports drinks, if you don’t train hard you don’t need them
If you are someone who prefers to choose a sports or isotonic drink before a bottle of water, it is important to correct this habit as soon as possible. The benefits of drinking water are many, but the benefits of consuming this type of drink if you do not train intensely for at least an hour are: none.
Isotonic drinks, in addition to electrolytes to recover from an arduous workout, contain an important contribution of sugar, between 15 and 30 grams per 600ml of product that, under normal circumstances and without having lost the liquid and calories that we lose with sports, they will only help you store more pounds in your body. Without a doubt these are calories that we can easily do without by choosing water, teas or natural infusions and without added sugar.
Frozen vegetables, less nutritious than you think
Having a diet rich in fresh vegetables is essential to guarantee our contribution of vitamins and nutrients, improve our intestinal transit, avoid constipation and help us to lead a healthier diet. But none of this includes frozen vegetables, a type of product that we must do without.
These foods contain sodium and preservatives to keep them in good condition, but also the preservation methods used cause most of their beneficial properties to be lost, so what is the purpose of consuming them then? Although we know that they are more comfortable, it is best to forget that they exist and always opt for fresh and seasonal vegetables.
Cereal bars, an instant dose of sugar
It is sold as an excellent option to obtain energy throughout the day, to recover from a sports activity or to have a “healthy” snack. But it would be necessary to have no taste buds to avoid the fact that this product contains a lot of sugar and many calories to be a healthy option.
It is much better to consume an apple, a portion of low-fat cheese or a handful of nuts without added salt or sugar, if what we are looking for is fiber and a healthy snack.
Any smoothie
Smoothies differ from juices in one essential respect: they contain some dairy product, be it milk or yogurt, giving it its creamy and delicious consistency. But in addition to that, in many places they add sugar, in addition to what the fruit itself already contains, and they use dairy products that are not low in fat, all served in a huge glass.
Something with these proportions and characteristics cannot be light or completely healthy. If you want to prepare a rich banana or strawberry smoothie at home, opt for a skim milk product or a vegetable milk, and of course do not add extra sugar.
Packaged turkey, a great source of sodium
We consider it as a healthy sausage and it certainly is if we compare it with others with a high fat level such as salami or chorizo. However, packaged turkey also contains large amounts of sodium, sometimes providing much more than we need on a daily basis.
If you prefer this alternative then choose it low in salt or opt for natural turkey slices, a delicious option.
Whole milk, fat we don’t need
They have always sold us that milk is a healthy food and necessary to grow healthy and strong, but we must not forget that we are also mammals and that, like many species of the animal kingdom, once we stop being babies we do not need to consume this product in large quantities. However we are the only ones who do it.
The whole milk offers a high fat intake may contribute to increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, as well as causing digestive disorders who begin to develop lactose intolerance, which is very common as of age because our body stops to properly tolerate the sugar in this food. The best solution is to decrease your intake and opt for skim milk or vegetable drinks when we feel like it.
Wholemeal bread?
For whole wheat bread to be really beneficial, providing whole fiber to our body that helps us to improve intestinal transit and reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, it is very important that it is really made with whole grains.
Many of these products are inadequately labeled, so they do not offer the desired contribution and therefore are not truly comprehensive. Always make sure that the label says that the bread has whole grains and, above all, that it was not made with refined flour, bleached or flour enriched with wheat, in which case it is not really whole grain.
