When you are trying to eat better as part of a healthy lifestyle, there is nothing more frustrating than all of the confusing labels at the grocery store! While purchasing fruits and vegetables is straightforward, it seems like every other product has a label proclaiming that it is good for your health! While some items may seem like a safe bet because of their ingredients or trendy name, you might be surprised to learn about the following 5 products that are marketed as health foods but really aren’t healthy for you:
1. Veggie Chips
If you just can’t pass up the snack aisle, you might reach for the veggie chips as a healthy alternative to potato chips. However, the truth is that the actual pieces of vegetables in veggie chips are so tiny and processed that most of the nutrition from the vegetable is gone! While these snacks are still better than potato chips, some of the better options include baked corn chips, popcorn, whole grain pretzels or crackers made with seeds and nuts. In order to avoid overeating these snacks, it is recommended that you pack them up into sensible portions ahead of time.
2. Nutrition Bars
The name of nutrition bars is quite a misnomer as they really aren’t nutritious for you at all! Many of these so-called nutrition bars are made with cheap ingredients and hide a huge amount of sugar and additives. In fact, some of these bars contain so much sugar that you might as well just be eating a candy bar! As a result, these nutrition bars can cause digestive distress and prevent the absorption of important nutrients. If you still enjoy eating these bars, try to select those that are low in sugar and made primarily of seeds, nuts, fruits and whole grains.
3. Trail Mix
Another product that is commonly marketed as a health food is trail mix. While most trail mixes may contain some nutritional value, many versions include fatty components such as salty nuts, chocolate and peanuts that are covered in yogurt. Therefore, you should be careful to select those trail mixes that are primarily comprised of dried fruits, nuts and seeds. You should also keep the portion size in mind as just a small handful of this high calorie snack is usually enough to satisfy a craving.
4. Sports Drinks and Enhanced Waters
Most folks tend to think of sports drinks as a healthy product because so many advertisements feature famous athletes drinking them. The truth is that these drinks contain a huge amount of empty calories that can contribute to unhealthy weight gain. This also applies to those waters that have been enhanced with vitamins and minerals because they normally contain artificial flavors and sweeteners. As you might guess, the best way to stay hydrated is simply with plain water.
Now that you are familiar with the products marketed as health foods that really aren’t healthy, we hope that you have become a more savvy consumer! At Mac’s Pharmacy, we are dedicated to improving your health and well-being, so learn more about how we can assist you with all of your pharmaceutical needs!
