Six commonly thought healthy foods revealed as sneaky traps
Illustrative photo (Photo: Freepik)
Everyone tries to find a balance between eating right and a lack of time. However, there are sneaky products that can deceive you, and you might not even realize it, according to the Huffpost website.
Which products are not as healthy as everyone thinks?
Dietitian Sherie Nelson explained that some products may not contain as many nutrients as you expected, or they may be filled with ingredients you've never heard of.
Some packaged products that you may consider healthy can be classified as ultra-processed, meaning they contain preservatives, additives, and artificial ingredients that can be harmful to your health.
The problem is that there is no sign on the packaging indicating that something has undergone ultra-processing.
Some "healthy" products may contain a large amount of hidden unhealthy fats, sugar, and sodium, which can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.
Granola bars
These bars can be considered healthy snacks because of their combination with whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits.
However, many of them contain a high amount of sugar, refined grains, hydrogenated oils, as well as artificial flavorings and colorings. Additionally, they sometimes contain a lot of calories but have low protein and fiber content, which provides longer satiety.
Flavored yogurt
Flavored yogurts contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, and artificial flavorings.
The American Heart Association recommends that men consume 36 grams (9 teaspoons) or less of added sugar, and women consume no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons).
Coconut oil
Coconut oil can be great for your hair and skin. Coconut oil contains a lot of saturated fats, which can increase cholesterol levels, leading to plaque buildup in the arteries and increasing the risk of heart disease.
Olive oil is a healthier choice as it is mainly made from unsaturated fats. If you want to use coconut oil for cooking, use it in moderation.
Juices
Store-bought fruit juice often contains added sugar and other additives, so it's always better to eat the whole piece of fruit, which contains fiber.
One cup of orange juice can contain about 8 grams of sugar, while apple juice can contain about 10 grams.
Salad dressing
This addition to a light dish is very sneaky, as light in appearance, heavy in composition, rich dressings can contain hidden portions of sugar and salt, which can affect heart health.
Low-fat products promote weight loss, although in reality, they are often as harmful, if not worse, than their full-fat counterparts.
Processed cheese
Such a product is not cheese at all. It is milk with cheese mass and a bunch of chemical additives. Moreover, such a snack contains a lot of sodium: just a piece of the product covers 2/3 of the daily norm of this element.
We also wrote about tips on how to increase fiber in your diet.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
