It’s challenging to make the right food selections. The media plays up certain foods as being good for you, but not all “healthy” foods are as virtuous as they seem to be. Here are five foods that don’t live up to their health claims.
Turkey Burger
Do you feel virtuous when you choose a turkey burger over a beef one? Some people automatically assume the turkey burger is the healthier choice. Not always. Many of the turkey burgers you order in restaurants are made of mostly dark meat. Dark meat is higher in fat and calories. Surprisingly, some turkey burgers contain more saturated fat than lean beef. Many turkey burgers also contain added bread crumbs and binders that increase their carb content. The best way to enjoy a turkey burger is to buy 99% fat-free ground turkey, and enjoy it on a whole-grain bun with lots of veggies.
Caesar Salad
When people hear the word “salad,” they assume they’re eating something healthy. That’s not true when the salad is covered with a layer of Parmesan cheese and croutons and topped off with a high-fat dressing. An example? A grilled chicken Caesar salad at Friendly’s restaurant has 1080 calories and 84 grams of fat, and this isn’t unusual. Eating a few of those will quickly land you in your cardiologist’s office. Choose an entrée salad with grilled salmon, shrimp or chicken, and top it off with a vinaigrette dressing. Tell them to hold the cheese and croutons.
Vitamin Water
Sounds like a good combination – vitamins and water. What’s wrong with that? Many vitamin waters are simply sugar water with artificial coloring and flavoring along with added vitamins. Some contain as much sugar as a can of soft drink. Ones that don’t contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup are sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Don’t let the added vitamins fool you. They’re not a substitute for a healthy diet. Get your vitamins from eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and leave the vitamin water on the shelf.
Protein Bars
Some protein bars contain as much sugar as a candy bar, and they don’t taste as good. Sure, many contain 20 to 30 grams of protein, but you can get that by eating two servings of cottage cheese without all the added calories and sugar. If you must eat a protein bar, read the label carefully, and choose one with the least amount of sugar.
Dried Fruit
Sure, fruit is healthy, but you get the most benefits when you eat the whole fruit. To make dried fruit, all of the moisture is removed. This shrinks it down to a small size, but it still contains all of the sugar and calories of the original fruit. Most people are satisfied with a single piece of fresh fruit, but in its dried form you end up eating a lot more before you’re satisfied due to the lack of volume. In addition, dried fruit is pre-treated with sulfur dioxide. This can destroy some of the vitamins. Enjoy fresh fruit in its natural form.
The Bottom Line?
Read labels, be informed and choose your meals and snacks wisely. So-called healthy foods can be surprisingly unhealthy.
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