Friday Fun Facts!! 12 "Healthy" Foods That Really Aren't!

12 "Healthy" Foods That Really Aren't

 Pretzels

They may be low in calories (around 110 calories per ounce) but they can raise your blood sugar faster than jelly beans or ice cream -- so be careful!

 Low-Fat Peanut Butter

Most commercial brand peanut butters are sweetened with "icing sugar," and the low-fat brands are the worst of all -- plus they have less of the healthy fat your body needs.

Granola Bars

While granola is made with whole oats (full of nutrients and fiber) in a granola bar they basically get glued to each other with sugar (corn syrup, honey, and barley malt).

 Corn Oil

It has lots of Omega-6 fatty acids, but very few Omega-3s. Both are good for you, but studies show ingesting them out of balance can cause inflammation. Olive oils and canola oils are better choices because their fats are more balanced.

 

Baked Beans

Although beans are high in fiber (which can help you feel fuller) in baked bean recipes they're often covered in a sauce full of brown and white sugars -- 1 cup of baked beans can have as much sugar as an 8oz soda.

California Rolls

The seaweed wrap is full of essential nutrients, but the imitation crab and white rice are both high in carbs and low in protein. Men's Health calls California rolls "Japanese sugar cubes."

 Croutons

Croutons are made with refined flour -- which has a higher glycemic index than sugar. Thankfully they're tiny, so their negative impact usually is too.

English Muffins

One whole English muffin (both halves) has half the calories of two slices of bread, but it's also completely devoid of nutrients and fiber (empty calories, anyone?).

 Fruit Cocktail in a Can

Again, it's the sugar! Most fruit cocktails are canned in heavy syrup and can include as much as 23g of added sugar. Look for fruit canned in "100% fruit juice," or better yet make your own fresh fruit cocktail!

 

Yogurt with Fruit on the Bottom

Yogurt is healthy and fruit is healthy, but when you put the two together they almost never are. Cornsyrup is the culprit, causing the sugar content to go so high it pretty much cancels out any health benefits the yogurt had to start with.

 Low-Fat Salad Dressing

Taking the fat out of the dressing does drastically reduce its calorie count, but studies have shown that taking the fat out of a salad also reduces the nutrients and antioxidants a person absorbs. So it's better to go with a full-fat dressing made with olive oil or canola oil.

 

Pasta Salad

The veggies included in most pasta salad recipes is great, but the white-flour pasta is not (close relative to white bread).  Make it with wheat pasta for a healthier version!