Remember when Mean Girls’ Regina George realized her supposed diet bars were actually a calorie-packed snack meant to help people put on, rather than shed, the lbs.? We do. Let’s all avoid a similarly disturbing eureka-moment with these nutrition tips that show us which “health foods” aren’t quite so healthy after all.
Granola
Image via Local Kitchen Blog
This crunchy breakfast item has long served as a healthy staple, with a reputation for being the most nutritious option at the brunch table. What many of us don’t realize is granola’s sky-high calorie count — just one cup of this oaty mixture can pack a solid 450 cals. This is thanks to the honey and oil in which it is often baked. Add dried fruit and nuts to the mix and you are looking at a whole lot of calories for a measly amount of food. You are better off eating a couple of eggs with whole wheat toast and fruit for the same amount of calories and a more filling meal. We’d rather not feel hungry an hour after we eat. Who else is with us?
SEE ALSO Daily Bite Wellness Tip: Don’t Forget Your Egg Yolks!
Dried Fruit
Image via Faron
Dried fruit is still fruit, so it’s healthy, right? Wrong. (Sorry.) Dried fruit oftem contains two, or even three, times more sugar than fresh fruit. That means a single serving of dried apples could pack more sugar than you are meant to have in an entire day. Scary. Even scarier? According to Well + Good NYC, a Milky Way candy bar has less sugar in it than a cup of dried figs. Bottom line: stick to fresh fruit. Your blood sugar and insulin levels will thank you.
SEE ALSO 5 Fruit Smoothies That Are Perfect For Summer
Bars
Image via Twitter
The market for bars is ever-expanding, with options extending far beyond the Luna and Clif varieties these days. Unfortunately, these packaged snacks aren’t as nutritious as they are marketed to be. For one, the artificial ingredients in these bad boys abound. Moreover, the very first ingredient listed in a Chocolate Brownie Clif bar is brown rice syrup, which may sound better than ‘white sugar,’ but isn’t all that different and packs the small, 2.4 oz bar with a whopping 22 grams of sugar. Clif’s motto, “Nutrition for Sustained Energy” doesn’t quite hint at the crash you’ll experience soon after consuming the bar. Not so sustainable, after all…
SEE ALSO Video: How Sugar Affects Your Brain
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Juices! “Health” juices such as Odwalla have more sugar than a can of pop! Crazy.
I agree with the juicing comment! I’d much rather eat the fruit or make a smoothie with it and get the fiber.
I also thing the massive amount of avocado people eat is kind of funny. Granted it is a healthy fat, but if you are eating a couple avocados a day that adds up to a loooooot of it…
YOGURT! That’s another one that is NOT VERY HEALTHY AT ALL!!!! I hate JUICE too… And smoothies – UGH! People common!