We belong to an era in which every individual is particular about eating healthy. We have several options available to us and there are several promises made by big, recognized brands to aid in getting fit or losing weight with the help of their products. Today, there are several food products available in the market that claim to be healthy but are, in reality, as harmful as junk food and other unhealthy options.
To be a wise shopper, don’t be fooled by the fancy packaging or the promises made by big companies in order to sell their product. Several food items are backed up by heavy marketing that can trick you into believing that their brand is good for you. They will even convince you that you are making a healthy choice. But, it is all just an attempt to make enormous sales, irrespective of your health.
Throwing further light, here are 8 foods that are not as healthy as they seem to be:
- Energy and Granola bars
Yes, we all like a snack every now and then. It gets easy for us to lose control and indulge in snacking. But, energy bars or granola bars are certainly not a wise option. These bars are high in sugar and white flour, which beats the whole purpose of eating healthy. They are nothing more than a candy bar with a dash of vitamins and other nutrients. Stay away. Opt for fresh fruits instead!
- Flavored (Light) Yoghurt
Light yoghurt with “real fruits” does not really do you any good. It is, again, packed with added sugars, artificial sweeteners and preservatives. In order to achieve the fruity appearance, several food colours are added as well. Trust us; there is nothing natural about such yoghurts!
- Juices
People think juices are healthy. They may be, to an extent. But when you extract the juice from a fruit, you miss out on the fiber that the fruit has to provide. It can lead to constipation or irregular bowel functioning. Eat the entire fruit instead of its juices. If you get store bought juices, they have artificial flavors and added preservatives. You can definitely make do without those in your system.
- Energy Drinks
These energy drinks such as your vitamin waters and sports drinks contain about 8-10 teaspoons of sugar in one serving. Our advice would be to keep it simple, have homemade lemonade or fruit infused water instead. But keep yourself at a safe distance from these.
- Diet Soda
There is nothing healthy about diet soda. If you need to have soda, have the regular ones. These are insanely over hyped. Diet soda may have lesser calories but they contain harmful ingredients that can lead to serious lifestyle changes and in some cases, even bone loss.
- Processed foods
Processed foods are loaded with sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and artificial ingredients. They are designed to lead to over eating. They are also high in refined carbohydrates which are in no way healthy or good for your body. Stick to real foods. Eat fresh. Anything processed is just a fancy container full of chemicals and artificial taste.
- Fat-free Products
Fat free products are doing quite the rounds today in the world of healthy eating. But what people don’t know is that when fat is removed from a product, its sodium and sugar levels shoot up! It does not benefit your body in the long run. Besides, your body needs a certain amount of fat to function. The fats we consume in our foods keep overeating in check, thus helping us prevent weight gain.
- Trail Mixes
Be it your salted peanuts, or your mixture of sev and cashews, these mixtures act as perfect snack time munchies. You might wonder that it is just dried fruits that are salted, but there is lot more harm in that packet of mixture than you think. They are not low on calories as they contain several refined carbs and trans-fats! Ouch!
At Boot camp Chennai, we guide you towards the right eating habits. Research, before you buy a product. Understand the ingredients mentioned in the cover and know what effect it can have on you. Buy smart, Eat Healthy J
