Most of us are always on the lookout for healthier alternatives to make our meals more nutritious. We learn about many health boosting and weight reducing foods from fitness blogs as well. Any product advertised as a ‘diet food’ often grabs our attention because we perceive it as ‘healthy’ due to the supposed low calorie content. Unfortunately, many foods that we incorporate into our lifestyle are not as beneficial as promised by the promoters. Below are ten ‘health foods’ that nutritionists would never even touch:

Soy Milk

Many people switch to soy milk on a diet because it is plant based and contains a lot less fat than cow milk. It turns out that soy contains estrogen-like compounds, which can cause infertility, impair thyroid functions, and promote growth of cancerous cells if consumed frequently. If you want to skip dairy, you should try other options, such as organic almond milk. 

Granola Bars

Granola bars are frequently advertised as healthy and high energy yielding snacks. The truth is that a single bite of granola is packed with fattening calories. The sugar content in these bars is basically a “criminal offense” for anyone trying to lose weight. Instead, make your own granola with raw nuts, oats, and organic honey. 

Fruit Juice

Fruit juice, even when it is made of 100% natural fruit extract is not as healthy as you might think. Juices exclude the natural fiber in the fruit; hence, they essentially are a natural sugar concentrate. Most juice packs contain preservatives and artificial sugar as well, so ditch them and eat the real fruit instead. 

Veggie Chips

Chips of any kind are unhealthy because they are deep fried. If you think that vegetable chips at the grocery store are healthier or less fattening than regular potato chips, then you are absolutely mistaken. Go for making a batch of roasted or air-fried vegetables if you are serious about improving your diet. 

Flavored Yogurt

Organic Greek yogurt is a miracle food, which is often used as a substitute to dairy cream. It is delicious, rich in probiotics, and low in calories. However, the flavored yogurts you see at stores are far from healthy. They are full of preservatives, artificial sugars, and inorganic flavoring compounds. Make your own snack by adding fresh seasonal fruits to a cup of fresh plain yogurt. 

Canned Beans & Veggies

Most canned foods have low nutritional value and lots of preservatives. If you do not have access to organic or fresh produce, choose unprocessed frozen food instead. 

Packaged Popcorn

Corn itself is a whole grain, which makes popcorn a healthy snack. However, the commercial readymade kind is again saturated in fats, chemical preservatives, unhygienic flavorings, and sugar/sodium. Popcorn you make yourself from scratch is the only healthy kind; also, avoid adding salt, butter, and other unhealthy ingredients. 

Fat free Dressings

Any processed market product labelled ‘fat free’ is usually a scam. When dressings exclude ‘fat’, it implies that they contain artificial thickeners to get the texture and consistency, which is worse. Try making your own salad dressings at home, using cold-pressed olive oil as a base. 

Boxed Cereal

The American obsession with boxed cereal leads to millions starting their day off with more refined carbs than they probably need  for an entire day. Most people do not realize that when you have boxed cereal for breakfast, you start your day with one of the unhealthiest junk foods ever. Boxed cereal is loaded with carbs, sugar, and rarely much else. 

Diet Drinks

All diet drinks including zero-sugar fizzy drinks and green juices are bad. Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners, which mess with the gut bacteria, causing indigestion, bloating, constipation, gassiness, etc. Make your green juices at home with fresh vegetables because the processed kinds usually contain fruit juice and other unhealthy ingredients to enhance flavor. 

About the Author

John Adams is a lifestyle blogger who concentrates on health, fitness, and self-development. He encourages readers to fight their fears and overcome obstacles holding them back. He believes that every person can improve the quality of his/her life by incorporating positivity and determination. He loves to share his insight on life experiences, and contributes on various online platforms in the same niche.