Hey there, viewers!
It’s a new year and you need to change your diet.
Not completely.
We’re not that demanding of you.
Just make a few tweeks.
You’ll feel much better both physically and mentally.
Often times, we think that we’re eating healthy, when really our food choices are
anything but.
Let’s take a look at 8 Foods That Aren’t As Healthy As You Think.
From dried fruit, to granola, to canned fruit and vegetables?
There is a wide range of deceiving meals out there!
Granola
We’re kicking off our list with one that will surprise many of you.
Granola has long been considered a breakfast staple.
And while it’s fiber content can fill you up, it is often packed with calories and sugar.
Several of the oils and butters added to granola in order bind the ingredients and create flavour
only end up increasing its level of sugar.
Just a half cup of Kellogs Low-Fat Granola can contain 14 grams.
Keep in mind, you are suggested to have no more than 50 grams of sugar per day.
Eating this much in the morning is not a good start to any day.
Not to mention this brand of granola holds over 40 grams of carbohydrates.
Yes, granola can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol all while cleaning your gut.
But eating it on the regular can cause you to gain weight.
It can also aid the development of Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease.
Fruit Juice
How many of you remember opening up your lunch bag in kindergarten and downing a cool, refreshing
juice box.
The memories, right?
Well I hate to break it to you, but fruit juice isn’t as good for you as you think
it is.
When health is on your mind, any product with the word “fruit” in it sounds pleasant.
You shouldn’t fall for this.
Fruit juice is a massive source of sugar.
If your brand says 100% fruit juice on the container, chances are that’s not accurate.
A 12 ounce glass of orange juice contains around 30 grams of sugar.
Apple juice…
35.
There’s a reason your kindergarten teacher couldn’t get you to sit down after lunch
time.
A study from 2019 revealed that many of your favourite fruit juice brands contain elevated
levels of lead.
Over time, children that are exposed to this can develop neurological disorders.
Children under a year of age are already recommended not to drink fruit juice.
Dried Fruits
I hope we’re not spoiling fruit in general for you.
Many people love dried fruits for their micronutrients, antioxidants and fiber.
That and they’re just plain delicious.
Apricots, pineapple, papaya, raisins…The choices are endless.
But there’s certain things you need to know about this snack.
Not only are they a source for high calories and sugar, certain dried fruits are also contaminated.
Let’s talk for a second about sulfites.
This is a compound containing sulfite ion.
The salts found in sulfite are used frequently in various products.
With dried fruits, it helps preservation and stops discolouration.
This is especially the case with apricots and raisins.
The problem is that if you are allergic to sulfites, eating dried fruit can invite rashes,
asthma attacks and stomach aches.
If you want to avoid sulfites, but still want to experience the tasty greatness of dried
fruits, it is best to choose ones that carry a grayish tint.
You must also be careful of how you are storing your dried fruits, as some may become contaminated
with toxins and fungi.
In 2015, a study was conducted where researchers bought 50 dried fruit samples to test them
for fungal contamination.
The highest amount of which was discovered on raisins.
Cereal
Similar to our fruit discussion, we are not trying to destroy your favourite breakfast
items here.
While some mindlessly eat cereal in order to fill themselves up for the day, others
only eat certain types for benefits like high fiber and protein.
The truth is, cereal in general is loaded with sugar.
If you begin your day with a bowl, your insulin and blood sugar levels can skyrocket.
As the day moves on, your blood sugar level will gradually dip, leaving your brain in
an uncomfortable state.
As a result, your body will crave more sugar.
If you’re not careful, this can lead to weight gain.
Studies have indicated that a high cereal diet may contribute to cardiovascular issues
and other chronic diseases.
Are you learning from this list so far?
Let’s move on to a pick that may break your heart.
But before we continue, are you concerned about the overall state of your health?
Perhaps you’d like our new video discussing what eating an apple everyday does to your
body!
Are you looking to get in shape?
Click on our clip on Ways To Lose Weight With The Fruit and Protein Diet.
Now let’s continue our list of 8 Foods That Aren’t As Healthy As You Think.
Hummus
Listen up hipsters!
The next time you throw a party, keep this in mind.
Hummus isn’t the friend you think it is.
I mean, it does contain a boat load of nutrients, aiding in weight loss and helping fight inflammation
as well as bad gut bacteria.
But hummus does have some downsides.
You need to be careful with where you are buying it, and ask the right questions.
If purchased from the wrong store, hummus can contain plenty of salt and fat.
A single cup of hummus contains an average of 932 grams of sodium.
This is around 38% of your daily intake.
An experiment done in 2016 showed that certain containers of hummus carried more salt than
four bags of chips all together.
The lesson here is to watch the sodium.
Yogurt
Many of us go to yogurt when we are on a diet.
The truth is that yogurt often disguises itself as healthy, when it is really hurting our
bodies.
Some yogurts carry plenty of nutrients, aiding in bone and gut health as well as digestion.
Others have an increased level of sugar and unnatural sweeteners.
In a British study from 2017, researchers went to supermarkets where they examined the
sugar content of various yogurt brands.
They found that some organic brands contained the highest amount of sugar out of yogurts
sold.
55% percent of “low-fat” products contained between 10 and 20 grams of sugar.
When buying yogurt, try and purchase a brand that contains less than 15 g.
You also need to watch for artificial flavouring and modified starch.
When picking out the right yogurt at the grocery store, it’s suggested you search for one
low in sugar and high in protein.
Diet Drinks
“Don’t drink that diet-coke!
It’s worse than regular”.
While this debate has raged on for many years, one thing is for sure…
Diet drinks are not all they’re cracked up to be.
If you are looking to cut down on calories and shed some weight, you may have resorted
to a diet drink from time to time.
But the reality is that diet drinks just aren’t nutritious.
Diet Coke contains no calories and 40 mg of sodium.
There is also zero protein, fat or carbs.
Diet soda has also been linked to diabetes and heart disease, and this is due to the
artificial sweetener.
Several studies have revealed that drinking a single artificially sweetened drink per
day can increase your risk of Type-2 diabetes by 8 - 13%.
On the heart disease front, a 2016 study showed that one artificially sweetened beverage per
day could up your blood pressure by 9%.
Another linked it to a possible stroke.
Diet soda’s phosphorus content may also do damage to the kidneys.
Some research has suggested that the phosphorus dumps too much acid into the kidney region,
which can lead to chronic kidney disease.
Starched Vegetables
Is this one really that much of a surprise?
This group of vegetables includes potatoes, lentils, beans, chickpeas and butternut squash.
Starched vegetables are just as rich in nutrients as regular veggies.
But they are much higher in calories and carbohydrates.
I mean starch…Would you expect anything more?
Starchy vegetables contain around 3 - 6 times more calories than the regular kinds.
They average 60 - 140 calories per half cup.
As for carbs, every half cup of starchy vegetables contains around 11-23 grams.
If you suffer from diabetes, avoid eating this kind of veggie.
So be cautious the next time you are cooking potatoes.
If you’re that desperate for chickpeas, go for a healthier kind of hummus...
Are you eating any of these foods?
Would you consider cutting down on any after watching this video?
Let us know in the comment below.
We would love to hear from you!