The fitness craze that has swept the world lately can be witnessed quite accurately across every superstore. Healthy foods inscribed with “organic,” “no sugar added,” “low-fat,” and best of all, “all-natural” marketing buzzwords are mostly just marketing buzzwords.
A lot of the foods you peck or eat as part of your everyday diet aren’t as healthy as you think them to be. Take a look through this list of unhealthy foods that are mistaken as healthy foods. These are some of the most common foods people think are healthy but the reality is much disappointing.
1. Wraps
Wraps seem to be a healthy choice because they’re thin and filled with loads of healthy foods, but each wrap is generally big enough for two people. Depending on its size, a wrap alone can deliver 300 calories to your body. Moreover, wraps are likely to be prepared with refined grains, instead of the dietary fiber which is healthy.
Don’t be misled by colorful choices including veggies. Have a look at the ingredients list and you’ll possibly find the veggies listed on all counts at the bottom, which means it is actually negligible.
Also Read: The foods you can rely on when you are sick
2. Veggie Burgers
They look as if a super food because of the title “Veggie” assigned to them. They can be considered as a healthy food when they’re made with essentially vegetables. Trouble is that many frozen and prepared burgers are filled with more fillers, such as corn starch and yeast, than real veggies.
Your best shot is to glance at the ingredients list and ensure the foremost item is a vegetable. Each veggie patty should have 7 grams of protein and not more than 150 calories. Any veggie patty which offers more than 10 grams of protein is possibly made with more soy protein and wheat gluten than actual veggies.
3. Couscous
Couscous is likely to enjoy a healthy status because it’s admired among vegetarians. But be watchful. The main ingredient contained in this “supposedly” healthy food is semolina flour, just like plain white pasta.
So it’s time for you to revise your list of healthy and unhealthy foods. Merely one-third of a cup of couscous will render you 230 calories. You may opt for similar healthy foods like whole-wheat couscous or quinoa.
4. Gluten-Free Bread
You can’t call something healthy just because it comes with a tag of “gluten-free”. Gluten-free products are prepared for those who are intolerant towards whole grains like wheat, and they’re usually crammed with refined grains, sugar and, sodium to improve their taste.
As gluten-free bread lacks whole grains, vital nutrients like naturally-occurring fiber and B vitamins are missing from it.
5. Taco Salad
Taco salad generally seems like a healthy choice but it can still impair your diet. These salads are usually served in a tortilla shell that’s been deep fried and most varieties are loaded with sour cream, ground beef, and guacamole all high on calorie and high on fat items. Just because it contains some healthy veggies and the word salad in its name doesn’t make it healthy.
Also, pay attention to salad dressings. Salad which are drenched in dressing, overpower the benefits of its healthful ingredients. Most dressings are almost 100% fat, so always order it on the side and stick to a tablespoon or less.
Also Read: Friendly Foods for Weight Loss
6. Premade smoothies
You may consider a premade or store-bought smoothie to be brimming with health benefits but actually, it may contain more calories than a cheeseburger. Smoothies can contain as much as 650 to 1000 calories owing to the extreme portions of fruits, vegetables, and, most often, added sugars, syrups and saccharine.
You feel more comfortable getting larger sizes of smoothies because they are rich with plant-based nutrients that our essential for the body, but as with anything, you can’t overdo it.
7. Fat-free sweets
Fat-free chocolates, cakes and cookies are deceiving. You may mistake “fat-free” to be “calorie-free”. Further, the sugar replaces the fat in these products so you’re still getting a high number of calories.
Conclusion:
Try to mix unhealthy foods from your regular diet and work in the healthier alternatives instead.
