Five Foods that Aren't So Healthy After All...

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a watchdog site for consumers, has recently reported that five foods, commonly considered “good for you” are not so healthy after all.

The list of “not so great” foods starts with granola---which sounds healthy to the average person, but is often loaded with sugar and calories, especially if you eat more than a ½ cup! Next on the list are smoothies—which can top over 1000 calories per serving. Though healthy ingredients are often in the mix, the syrupy or sugary liquids added to the fresh or frozen fruit will pack on unwanted calories. Not surprising on the list are energy bars that boast of protein but often include calories loaded with a sugar base that glue them together! The fourth culprit on the list was vegetable juice because of the high sodium content it included per serving. And the final food that consumers think are better for you than unhealthy snacks were pita chips—which have almost as much fat as potato chips.

If you have been attempting to eat healthy for any length of time, this list won’t surprise you. But if you have been a trusting, casual consumer who relies only on the manufacturer’s marketing mottos, such as “natural” or “healthy” or “fresh,” you might be getting more sugar, salt, and calories than are healthy for you and your family.

One little change that you can immediately make that is guaranteed to have a big result in improving your health is to read the labels on packaged food that you purchase or review the contents of food served at your favorite restaurants before ordering. (Most fast food or chain restaurants are posting the ingredients and calories on their menus—or they will give this information upon request, including Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, California Pizza Kitchen, etc.)

What should you look for? Sodium content, calories per serving (noting how many servings are in bag, cup, bar or portion), sugar and fat grams, and how many foods include processed ingredients or chemicals.

Of course, if need to swap the five “not so healthy” foods for healthier ones, try making your own 100-calorie handfuls of raisins and seeds, or snacking on plain yogurt with berries, drinking water spritzed with lemon and ginger and cucumbers, or stocking up on low sodium soups or vegetable juices and dark chocolate covered almonds.

Summer is a perfect time to make these little changes -- reading labels and asking for a list of ingredients to whatever you eat! It will change your life!

Be encouraged,

Becky