10 Foods That Aren't As Healthy As You Think

Loading...
  • 1/11
    1/11
  • 2/11
    1. Smoothies: Unfortunately when it comes to nutrition smoothies that contain a mix of fruit, yoghurt, ice cream and honey can contain more calories than a meal and as much as 12 teaspoons of sugar. If you do love a fruit based drink, aim for just one piece of fruit, plenty of ice along with milk or yoghurt to keep your calories and sugar intake under control.
    2/11 1. Smoothies: Unfortunately when it comes to nutrition smoothies that contain a mix of fruit, yoghurt, ice cream and honey can contain more calories than a meal and as much as 12 teaspoons of sugar. If you do love a fruit based drink, aim for just one piece of fruit, plenty of ice along with milk or yoghurt to keep your calories and sugar intake under control.
  • 3/11
    2. Low sugar baking: How could a "sugar free cake" not be healthy? Two reasons actually. In more cases than not "low sugar" baking does tend to contain sugar whether this is via dates, brown rice malt syrup or dextrose, or the cakes are exceptionally high in fat and calories courtesy of nut spreads, coconut oil, almond meal or coconut.
    3/11 2. Low sugar baking: How could a "sugar free cake" not be healthy? Two reasons actually. In more cases than not "low sugar" baking does tend to contain sugar whether this is via dates, brown rice malt syrup or dextrose, or the cakes are exceptionally high in fat and calories courtesy of nut spreads, coconut oil, almond meal or coconut.
  • 4/11
    3. Fruit juice: The issue with fruit juice is that it is an extremely concentrated source of calories, calories that come from simple sugars. When you consider that it can take up to 3 or 4 whole pieces of fruit to make a single glass of fruit juice, and that means the sugar and calories of each of those pieces of fruit, it starts to become clearer as to why fruit juice can quickly equate to a calorie overload.
    4/11 3. Fruit juice: The issue with fruit juice is that it is an extremely concentrated source of calories, calories that come from simple sugars. When you consider that it can take up to 3 or 4 whole pieces of fruit to make a single glass of fruit juice, and that means the sugar and calories of each of those pieces of fruit, it starts to become clearer as to why fruit juice can quickly equate to a calorie overload.
  • 5/11
    4. Rice snacks: It doesn't matter if rice has been made into a snack bar, cake, puff or crisp, rice is a dense source of high glycaemic index carbohydrate, which means that blood glucose levels rapidly increase, along with the hormone insulin, the hormone that also promotes fat storage in the body.
    5/11 4. Rice snacks: It doesn't matter if rice has been made into a snack bar, cake, puff or crisp, rice is a dense source of high glycaemic index carbohydrate, which means that blood glucose levels rapidly increase, along with the hormone insulin, the hormone that also promotes fat storage in the body.
  • 6/11
    5. Fruit yoghurt: With the number of yoghurts available in the supermarket it can be hard to weed out the 'healthy options' among the high sugar varieties. Natural or Greek yoghurts tend to be low in sugar, fat and calories but many of the fruit based options can contain as many calories as two slices of bread and up to six teaspoons of sugar.
    6/11 5. Fruit yoghurt: With the number of yoghurts available in the supermarket it can be hard to weed out the 'healthy options' among the high sugar varieties. Natural or Greek yoghurts tend to be low in sugar, fat and calories but many of the fruit based options can contain as many calories as two slices of bread and up to six teaspoons of sugar.
  • 7/11
    6. Diet soft drink: While diet soft drink is a better option than the regular full strength stuff, this is not to say that "diet" soft drinks are a healthy choice. Diet soft drinks may not contain sugar, but are instead sweetened with various types of artificial sweetener.
    7/11 6. Diet soft drink: While diet soft drink is a better option than the regular full strength stuff, this is not to say that "diet" soft drinks are a healthy choice. Diet soft drinks may not contain sugar, but are instead sweetened with various types of artificial sweetener.
  • 8/11
    7. Coconut water: While coconut water is said to be the ultimate health drink for hydration, with 18g of sugars or almost four teaspoons per 250ml serve it is still a high sugar choice of drink. Labelled as beneficial for hydration thanks to its naturally high potassium content, unless you were an elite athlete burning a significant number of calories each day, water is still going to be a much better choice for hydration.
    8/11 7. Coconut water: While coconut water is said to be the ultimate health drink for hydration, with 18g of sugars or almost four teaspoons per 250ml serve it is still a high sugar choice of drink. Labelled as beneficial for hydration thanks to its naturally high potassium content, unless you were an elite athlete burning a significant number of calories each day, water is still going to be a much better choice for hydration.
  • 9/11
    8. Almond milk: Popular on paleo regimes and for those who want to avoid animal milks, unsweetened almond milk contains few calories per serve and literally no sugars but is actually relatively low in almonds with the most common brands containing as little as two per cent resulting in a "milk" that is low in protein and calcium.
    9/11 8. Almond milk: Popular on paleo regimes and for those who want to avoid animal milks, unsweetened almond milk contains few calories per serve and literally no sugars but is actually relatively low in almonds with the most common brands containing as little as two per cent resulting in a "milk" that is low in protein and calcium.
  • 10/11
    9. Gluten free bread: If you have coeliac disease, or a known intolerance to gluten, gluten free bread can be a relatively healthy choice as part of a balanced diet. If you are simply ordering gluten free as you think it is healthier, be careful. Gluten free breads often use rice flour, or other refined gluten free grains in their recipes. This means you end up with a crumbly bread with a higher carb content than regular bread.
    10/11 9. Gluten free bread: If you have coeliac disease, or a known intolerance to gluten, gluten free bread can be a relatively healthy choice as part of a balanced diet. If you are simply ordering gluten free as you think it is healthier, be careful. Gluten free breads often use rice flour, or other refined gluten free grains in their recipes. This means you end up with a crumbly bread with a higher carb content than regular bread.
  • 11/11
    10. Margarine: If you are trying to keep your diet fresh and as unprocessed as possible it makes little sense to add processed vegetable oils back into your diet when you can easily get your good oils via natural sources including olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish.
    11/11 10. Margarine: If you are trying to keep your diet fresh and as unprocessed as possible it makes little sense to add processed vegetable oils back into your diet when you can easily get your good oils via natural sources including olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish.

  • More Galleries

Advertisement

If it looks healthy, sounds healthy and someone tells you it is healthy, then surely it is healthy, right? Maybe not! We take a look at some of your favourite health foods to see just how good they are for you...