Some Not So Healthy ‘Health Foods’

Healthy eating can be confusing with all the clever marketing claims that go on. Natural, low fat, organic.

But do these claims actually mean that the product in question is actually healthy?

Let’s have a look at nine offenders which are culprits of the healthy eating veil, yet are not so helpful for a healthy eating diet at all!

1. Tomato sauce. Although it does not taste super sweet and not incredibly salty, it is full of them both. Try and leave it at the supermarket, or if you are desperate for something, try a homemade tomato salsa or even make up your own tomato sauce using some tomato paste.

2. Juice. Especially bottled juice. You believe it is healthy as it is made from fruit. Some of the leading brands of juice are not 100% juice and they have zero fibre that fruit contain. If you are desperate for juice, try and at least get it squeezed fresh.

3. Granola or toasted muesli is toasted with oil or butter or some kind of fat. The additional nuts and sweetened fruits and sugar coated coconut does not make this product ‘healthy’. It is full of sugar, high in calories and potentially fat (in comparison to a plain rolled oat). Try roasting some flakes in your own oven and making some up yourself. At least you will have some control over how much fruit or nuts that go in.

4. Cereal bars. They get you for convenience but really they are just sweetened snack foods bound together with sugar or a honey concoction. Avoid these as there are better on the go breakfast options like wholegrain toast or a yoghurt.

5. Nut bars. I love nuts and they are a great snack. Although some nut bars are much greater than an ideal snack size plus they are coated in honey to bind them together. If the bar was broken down, there would be around two handfuls of nuts. The calorie content is high and the sugar content is high. If you can’t leave these at the supermarket, break them in half and eat it over two days.

6. Vitamin waters. These are effectively expensive diluted glamour cordial with a little hit of vitamin. In this case, you are way better getting a juice. But really you don’t need either, water and a piece of fruit will do your health more good than either of them.

7. Vegetable chips. Homemade ones are fine. Store bought ones have just as much fat and salt as regular potato chips. If you think you are being healthier by choosing a ‘vegetable’ chip over a regular potato chip, think again.

8. Multi-grain bread. This bread is effectively white bread with some grain in it. You will not get the same benefit of wholegrain breads and the associated lower GI

9. Low fat flavoured yoghurts. This is not always the case, but a lot of ‘diet’ yoghurts are incredibly high in sugar and hence calories and other artificial sweeteners or fillers to give the yoghurt the same texture and flavour that fat does. Sometimes, for the amount that you are eating, you are better off having the full fat item, feeling satisfied and moving on.
If you are ready to lose weight then The Healthy Mummy plans offer a healthy and safe exercise and diet routine that are safe if you are breastfeeding.
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