There are some everyday foods that you’re buying at the supermarket that may be doing you more harm that good. Sure, the label may say it’s healthy, but in reality, they’re packing loads of extra sugars, unnecessary fillers, and artificial ingredients. So, if you are trying to maintain a well-rounded diet, registered dietitians say that these seemingly healthy store-bought foods might derail your good intentions:
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Most purportedly low-calorie breads have water as their first ingredient, meaning the nutrient content comes up short. They are also often lower in fiber than regular bread, which negates the point of buying wholesome bread in the first place.
Sorry dried fruit lovers. You thought you were eating healthily but it turns out you were wrong. Some dried fruit brands add extra sugar to their concoctions so make sure to check food labels so you are buying the right kind.
Frozen meals are quick and easy to prepare. Some even claim to be healthier for you because of reduced sodium levels. Don’t give in to the hype as it’s hard to get a frozen meal that doesn’t contain unnecessary additives and good quality components.
(Read more: Here Are 5 Ways To Read Food Labels For Effective Weight Loss)
If you flip your box of granola bars around and look at the ingredient list, you’ll notice that sugar (disguised as brown rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, corn syrup, and more) is often the second ingredient behind oats, which means you’re eating more than neccessary.
Oatmeal is a great breakfast option but the instant, flavoured kind is full of unhealthy added sugars. Instead of buying these packets, why not try adding fresh fruit or spices like cinnamon to naturally sweeten your oatmeal at home?
Don’t be fooled! Reduced fat variations of spreads like peanut butter often add something else in place of the fat that has been removed. These can include anything from extra sugar or other sweeteners like molasses.
(Read more: How To Break Your Sugar Addiction And Protect Your Waistline)
Almost all store-bought salad dressings are higher in sodium and preservatives than usual but light versions are especially unhealthy because they have added sugars to make up the difference in taste from the lack of fat.
Whenever something is labelled as low-fat, we immediately think it’s better for us but this isn’t the case with yogurt. Many low-fat versions are packed with so much sugar that they defeat the purpose of trying to be healthy.
Reduced sugar doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily good for us. Remember, kaya spread is still made up primarily of these raw ingredients: egg and sugar. So, reducing the amount of sugar doesn’t make up for the fact that your cholesterol levels may be shooting through the roof.
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Instant beverages come in lots of different flavour variations (think teh tarik, teh halia and red dates for example) but they’re full of additives and added sugar even when they’re labelled otherwise. So beware the next time you want to choose convenience over your health.