Some foods are healthier than others and, in the end, you truly are what you eat. Foods can prevent or even cure some of the most feared diseases and conditions of the century but, on the other hand, they can also increase their likelihood.
With that in mind, here you will find the top 10 most “deceiving” foods, foods that you thought to be healthy when, in fact, they are bad for you:
1. Smoothies
Fruit smoothies have been promoted for years as healthy, nutritious and filled with valuable minerals and vitamins, which is true as long as you make them at home, in your own kitchen, with your own juicer. The possibilities are endless, as you can mix fruits with vegetables and even some artificial sweetener, but the truth is that bought smoothies and the so-called “natural juices” you find in the commerce these days are anything but good for you. These commercial smoothies are filled with sugar!
2. Pasta
Easy to prepare and very versatile, pasta has been around for centuries, and it will certainly not disappear anytime soon. However, pasta is anything but healthy, as it has almost no nutritional value: it has barely any fiber, it contains no vitamins or minerals whatsoever, and it is packed with carbohydrates that will ruin your weight loss efforts, along with unhealthy fats. It is important to read the label and pay attention to the nutritional value of pasta next thing you plan on cooking macaroni and cheese, spaghetti or noodles.
3. Ketchup
We all know that tomatoes contain a valuable antioxidant that is known as lycopene, which is particularly beneficial for preventing prostate cancer and other types of cancer. However, there is a major difference between eating raw tomatoes and consuming ketchup, as the latter is packed with sugar. As a matter of fact, approximately one quarter of the ketchup bottle is pure sugar – add some extra salt to that and you get one of the unhealthiest foods you can possibly have.
4. Flavored Yogurts
Some yogurts, such as the low-fat yogurts that are very high in protein (the Greek yogurt) are great for your diet. On the other hand, flavored yogurts are the commercial version of the product, and it is enriched with artificial sweeteners and flavorings designed to give it unnatural taste that makes it more appealing to the consumer. Not only are flavored yogurts packed with flavorings, preservatives and all sorts of additives that your body does not need, but they are also filled with sugar, which can increase your appetite, as well as heighten the risk for stroke and depression.
5. Margarine And Fake Butters
We often tend to replace butter with margarine, saying that it is actually healthier, when the truth is that neither butter, nor margarine or other butter alternatives are good for your health, simply because they are extremely high in fat (especially trans fats, which are particularly dangerous). Consuming margarine on a regular basis can significantly increase the risk of death due to heart attack, given the high contents of artificial ingredients.
6. Cereals
Most of us are accustomed to eating a big bowl of cereals for breakfast: delicious, nutritious and full of fiber, cereals are great and very easy to prepare. However, the type of cereal you opt for can determine how healthy your breakfast turns out to be, as some versions of commercial cereals contain nothing but synthetic minerals and vitamins, with little to no fiber in them. Besides this, most cereals these days also contain generous amounts of added sugar, and the devastating side effects of this ingredient are very well-known.
7. Muesli
Muesli are somewhat related to cereals, although they are widely regarded as a “different kind of cereals”, mainly because of the added dried fruits. Muesli is particularly bad for you if you are on a weight loss diet, given the fact that one serving of muesli can sum up to 500 calories – besides this, these cereals are also very high in fat and they can wreak havoc on your weight when combined with high-fat milk or worse, chocolate milk.
8. Commercial Salads
Salads are extremely healthy, when prepared at home, with fruits and vegetables from your own back yard. However, the problem is with commercial salads, the ones that are already prepared for you and sold in supermarkets. Although they are more time-effective, these salads are often drowned in unnecessary calories and extra fats due to the salad dressing they come with. Most of the salad dressings these days are mayonnaise-based, which is known to be high in both fat and calories.
9. Peanuts
All types of nuts are healthy when consumed in moderate amounts, as not only are they rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, but also in omega 3 fatty acids, which protect your heart and arteries. However, the reason why consuming too many peanuts can have a devastating impact on your health is because the canned ones usually contain high amounts of salt – considerably more than they should.
10. Whole Wheat
Most nutritionists would agree on the fact that whole wheat is healthier than refined wheat, and that is the truth. However, regardless of the type of wheat you consume, it can actually impact your health as recent studies have revealed a strong correlation between an increased wheat consumption and Vitamin D deficiency, the latter being associated with a high risk for certain types of cancer. Besides this, consuming high amount of wheat (whole or not) can also increase the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) which, in turn, increases the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Conclusion
To conclude, these are the top 10 foods that you did not know were bad. No matter if you are trying to shed some pounds or you have adopted a healthier lifestyle, it is extremely important to carefully read the label of every product that you purchase, and to pay extra attention to the total amount of fat, the amount of saturated fat and trans fats, the overall amount of salt and sugar and not least, the total number of calories.