Not So "Healthy" Health Foods!

Hey everyone! Today I want to talk about foods that may seem healthy, but are really not! One of the best things I ever started doing was paying closer attention to the labels of foods I was about to buy and consume- I  never realized the possible dangers of some of the foods I was eating, that were claiming to be "healthy!" (i.e. granola bars full of processed sugars and hydrogenated oils)

Before the list of "not so healthy 'health' foods," here are guidelines I always try to go by when grocery shoppnig:

1) READ THE INGREDIENTS! If the list of ingredients is longer than the intro to the novel you're reading, it's probably not a product that should be stored in your pantry. The rule of thumb is that the shorter the list of ingredients, the better. Or, if the list is fairly long, but they are all whole food ingredients that you recognize, then that's good too!

2) SHOP THE PERIMETER OF THE STORE! One of my challengers started the 21 Day Fix with me a couple of days ago. She messaged me so excited saying, "I just had a HUGE realization! Most of the foods we need to be eating are all around the outside walls of the store, and barely on the aisles in the center." I was ecstatic, because that is exactly right! There are very few items that should be consumed throughout the center aisles.

The staples I get to store my pantry usually only involve: long grain brown rice, whole wheat bread/tortillas/English muffins, plain oatmeal, plain yogurt, herbs and spices, natural peanut butter, honey, and all fruit jam, and the occasional frozen veggies (fresh are ALWAYS better, but frozen is better than nothing). Most everything else you need should be around the perimeter of the store: fresh lean meats, fresh raw veggies, eggs, fresh fruits, lean cheeses, deli sliced sandwich meats, almond/skim milk... you get the picture! :)

3) DON'T LET THE LABELS FOOL YOU! So many fast food chains and labeled grocery store items claim to be "sugar free," "fat free," "whole grain," etcetera etcetera. It can be infuriating to think that we are making the healthiest choices possible, when really these marketers are totally FOOLING us into buying their seemingly healthy product, that is really cheaply made and full of unwanted chemicals that are not made to be ingested into our bodies. This isn't to say that I don't sometimes choose the options that are lower in fat, as long as that doesn't mean ingredients in the product are being replaced by even worse unnatural ingredients, or that the low fat content isn't being made up for by loads of sugar and carbs.

Not So Healthy "Health" Foods to Avoid

(and safer alternatives)

• Yogurt: I already try to stay away from dairy as it is, but yogurt does have some really great health benefits. However, most commercially made yogurts are full of sugar! The ones that claim to be "sugar free" are then full of other unhealthy processed sugars. Try to stick with unsweetened yogurts and sweeten them yourselves with  honey, a little stevia, and some berries. I love Fage plain yogurt!
• Dried Fruit: I used to think I was making a healthy alternative by chomping on some dried pineapple and mango, but it was amazingly and sickly sweet for a reason. Again, this option is loaded with sugars, as well as oil and sulfur. Not to mention that they stack on the calories SO easily. It's crazy how many calories such a small amount consists of! There are some healthier options, though- I enjoy the unsweetened, unsulfured craisin options!
• Granola: like mentioned above, a lot of companies throw "gluten free," "low fat," and "organic" on a box to make us think we are making great choices with their products. However, low fat can mean being loaded with unnatural and harmful oils, sugar, and lots a' calories. I really enjoy making recipes like Tony Horton's Sticky Bars instead!
• Frozen Dinners/Canned Soups: I wanted to group both of these together because they are both so loved for the same thing- convenience, but both not good choices because of the same thing: SODIUM. Loads and loads of sodium! Even the "low sodium" soups typically have 400mg or more of sodium. I highly suggest steaming your own veggies and cooking your lean ground turkey for soups and chilis, and trying meal prepping for the week if time for cooking is not on your side!
• Wheat/Whole Grain Bread (AND crackers): I used to group "whole wheat" and "whole grain" breads all into the same category. I figured the darker the bread, and the more seeds and grainy looking they looked, the healthier. But then I found out that they are NOT all created equal AT ALL! In fact, no matter what that bread looks like, unless it says "100% Whole Wheat," I repeat.... 100%!!!! Then it is faux branding! Any other bread is hardly any better than white bread, which immediately turns into sugar=fat in your body. Check these choices for hydrogenated oil, as well!
• Fruit Cocktail/Fruit Juices: No matter how many "real fruits" it's made out of, it's still LOADED with sugars. Stick with water as much as you can, and eat real fruits as much as possible.
• Protein/Meal Bars: I still consume these all the time, don't get me wrong, but they are definitely NOT all made equally! Make sure you really read the labels on these- some claiming to be "protein bars" have 5g of protein and 13g of sugar. Ummm negative. Keep on eye on those ingredient lists, and try to keep it below 200-220 calories and less than 8-9g of sugar. Rule of thumb: protein bars should NEVER have more sugar than protein!
• Sushi: Again, I love the stuff and eat it regularly. However, so many people (including me in the past) think eating sushi is automatically healthy. Unfortunately, that's not the case. A "Crispy Shrimp Roll" laid out is literally a heap of white rice, fried shrimp with even more fried toppings, and usually a bunch of mayonnaise and fat based sauces. Those rolls are also easily 800+ calories! Opt for the basic California Roll, or those rolls that have fresh or raw seafood, brown rice, and a higher content of veggies and avocado.
• Cereal: One unfortunate thing I've noticed over time is that some of the cereals claiming to be the healthiest, have even more sugar than Reese's Puffs! It's ridiculous when you really check the labels. If you just can't give up that yummy cereal, try for those that have lower than 200 calories and 12g of sugar a serving- Kashi Go Lean is a great choice!

These are the guidelines I try my best to follow each time I head to the store and shop for Stephen and I. I hoped I helped someone else reading this, too! :)

With love,