"Healthy" Foods that Aren't Really Good for You

Hi guys! So, I decided to start a blog so that I could share lots of tips and other important information I have learned on my journey to a healthier lifestyle. I will also be using it to post fun teaching ideas that I try or come across, so it will be a cornucopia of ideas for teachers and people wanting to get healthy alike! 

The first topic I wanted to blog about was something that shocked and scared me the first time I really started researching it. Foods on the market that claim to be "healthy" or diet foods are really doing more harm than good for our bodies. Say what?! You mean to tell me that 100 calorie packs aren't good for me? Well, maybe that one wasn't a huge surprise, but lots of others on the list shocked me. Knowing what I know now, I have been slowly transitioning to eating whole foods and less foods that come from a can, box, or package. You might as well just throw any processed food you have out the window and let the birds gobble it up (I doubt they would even want to) because they are just empty calories that do nothing for your body. 

Let me break down the list of the ones that shocked me the most and I will try to explain why they aren't as good for you as you may think they are...

1. Multi-Grain and Wheat Breads


I know what you're probably thinking..."but aren't those better than white breads?" Well, yes I suppose but they really aren't doing much more for your body. Many times these multi-grain and wheat breads are made with refined grains, so you're not getting the nutritional benefit of the whole grain. Make sure you read nutrition labels carefully and if the first flour in the ingredient is refined (it will say "bleached" or "unbleached enriched wheat flour", you are not getting a 100% whole wheat bread. Refined gains have been shown to cause weight gain and give an increased risk of insulin resistance. 

Healthier Alternative: Make sure it says 100% Whole Grain!! That word WHOLE is huge! Whole grain keeps all of the nutrients nature intended which makes it more filling and satisfying than other breads. It also causes less of a sugar spike than refined breads.Whole grains have also been shown to lower your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes (Adult Onset Diabetes).  Look for the stamp of approval on the breads you buy! 


2. Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter is a huge part of my daily diet, and this really all depends on the type of peanut butter you buy. A lot of peanut butters on the market are loaded with sugar or high-fructose corn-syrup, which to be are completely unnecessary because peanuts by themselves are totally delicious. Make sure you read the label to see what is in your peanut butter because the sugary ones will definitely not help your waistline! Also, please don't get reduced-fat peanut butter...they just add more sugar to make it taste decent. 

Healthier Alternative: 

Read the label. Real peanut butter has one, maybe 2 ingredients max- it really shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Look for an "all natural" peanut butter like Smuckers or visit a health food store where they grind and make their own. 


3. "Fat Free" Salad Dressing

Dressing by definition is supposed to be fatty. If you just use a little of it, you get a healthy hit of the fats you need for a balanced diet. Unfortunately, people like to drown their salad in dressing and feel that if they get a fat-free version, it gives them free reign to do so. Nothing is free. All they do is replace the fat in the dressing with carbs and salt, so instrad of pouring a little healthy fat on your salad, you've basically drowned it in sugar. 

Healthier Alternative: 

Make your own salad dressing! It's super easy. One part vinegar and one part olive oil with a blob of Dijon mustard makes an awesome vinaigrette. It's also helpful to put your salad with a little dressing in a seal-able container and shake it up so that it coats everything more evenly without using a ton of dressing. 



4. Flavored Yogurt

Yogurt starts out as looking healthy. It has a ton of calcium and protein as well as probiotics which helps make it easier to digest. Unfortunately, the taste of plain yogurt is bitter so manufacturers load it up with sugar. Take a look at some flavored yogurt labels. The second ingredient is probably sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. 

Healthier Alternative:

Buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself. A little honey and some real fruit can go a long way in covering up the bitterness.

5. Granola/Energy Bars

Lots of times we think if a granola bar contains fruit or fiber, it's good for us. This is not the case. No matter what the granola bar, it is usually very high in sugar (usually high-fructose corn syrup) and low in nutrients. 


Healthier Alternative: 

If you want a quick snack on the go, grab an apple and some almonds. It has about the same calories, but your body can actually use the nutrients! 


I hope this helps! I know it definitely helped me change some habits that I thought were healthy to ones that are much healthier!