Want to eat healthy? So who doesn’t want… After all, we are all fascinated by new trends and we like to try new products. Healthy foods are no exception – their popularity is constantly growing and everyone is striving for them. This is the reason why marketers do their best to present their company’s products as useful. There are already so many “organic”, “organic” and “healthy” products on the market that it’s normal to go wrong – starting with supposedly healthy cookies with vitamins and fiber, go through omega-3 added margarines and get to drinks that will help you lose weight…
Well, I’m not surprised if I tell you that many of these foods that you find useful aren’t. And in some cases, they are not just not so healthy, they are even harmful! Fortunately, you are in the right place to look beyond false claims. The list I will share with you shatters the myths about 9 foods that you think are useful, but are not. I recommend that you cross out these foods from your menu… The list looks like this:
Fresh fruit
Believe me, a glass of fresh can contain even more calories than a glass of soda. It is much more useful to eat a whole fruit than to drink only its juice. But why is this so? The most important reason is that fresh fruit does not contain fiber unlike the whole fruit. Fiber helps in the slower absorption of sugar, which does not dramatically increase insulin levels. With the absence of these fibers, you are prone to high sugar levels as well as to weight gain. Unless you drink fresh juices for fun, I see no reason to keep doing it. Next time, just buy a pound of fresh fruit.
Energy (protein) bars
Almost all manufacturers of energy or protein bars advertise huge health benefits, but often these products have a nutritional profile closer to cheap desserts than to healthy foods. Literally! Some bars contain as much sugar as a Snickers. This does not mean that you should stop consuming them forever, but consider the amount of sugar, calories and ingredients written on the package.
Troubled by the store network
You may feel at ease and confident buying store-bought smoothies because they are supposed to contain natural ingredients and nutrients that your body needs. But this is a very fascinating misconception and it is not desirable to overdo it with them. The smoothies you buy and think are so healthy are actually quite high in calories and high in sugar. A smoothie purchased from a health food stand can contain 600 to 1000 calories due to the large amounts of fruits, milk, seeds, nuts and often added simple sugars and syrups in its composition. If you want to enjoy a really healthy smoothie, then buy the raw ingredients from the store and prepare it at home. Add in the blender: 1 or 2 fruits to give a slightly sweet taste (but do not overdo it) – banana, apple, etc. Vegetables – spinach, arugula, parsley, carrots, beets, etc. Nuts or seeds – almonds, cashews, chia, hemp seeds, etc. Yogurt (optional) – let the milk have at least 1.5-2% fat; avoid completely skimmed milk (0.1% fat).
Commercial cereals / muesli
When you hear the expression “breakfast cereal”, I guess you think of products like Nestle Fitness, Nesquik and all their derivatives. Maybe you hear on TV that these foods are the best way to start your day…? We can hardly be further from the truth! There is nothing “healthy” about these foods because they are high in sugar and stabilizers, and on top of that they are low in protein and fiber, which stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels. Think again when you reach for this type of product. Note: By cereals I do not mean natural oatmeal without added sugar – there is nothing wrong with eating them for breakfast.
Gluten-free foods
Gluten-free foods are gaining popularity, but let me quickly explain what exactly gluten is: Gluten is a hard-to-digest protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats, as well as in foods that contain these ingredients – cakes, cupcakes, bread, pasta and much more. This protein is harmful to some people (those with gluten enteropathy and gluten intolerance) and that is why gluten-free foods have become so popular lately.
Gluten-free food manufacturers use highly processed flours, which are extremely poor in nutrients, just to replace gluten. In this way, you spend more money, and in return you often get a less healthy product than the one that contains gluten. Of course, there are quality gluten-free products, but you should carefully read the label with
trays. If you want to replace gluten in a natural way, just exclude foods that contain it and eat more fruits, vegetables and legumes.
And this is interesting: Autumn depression brings us increased appetite – read on the most useful health site zdrave.to.
Sports (isotonic) drinks
Athletes consume isotonic drinks mainly because of their high content of electrolytes. Electrolytes are ions that are present in the body and have very important functions – such as maintaining heart rate, contracting and relaxing muscles, and regulating body fluids. Their name comes from the fact that they literally have an electric charge – positive or negative. The main electrolytes in the human body are the ions of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Electrolytes are ingested through food and fluids and are lost during physical activity, sweating and after going to the toilet. The point is, you don’t lose as much electrolyte as sports drink manufacturers want… In the beginning, sports drinks were designed for elite athletes, but today those boundaries have been blurred and many fitness enthusiasts use them. The problem is that these drinks contain a large amount of sugar. Just like with fresh fruit – sugar in liquid form and in large quantities is not the best thing for you. Remember that!
Dried fruits
Dried fruits are an innocent addition to your breakfast… After all, they are just fruits, right? Do not rush to conclusions… According to a BNT investigation, producers treat dried fruits with sulfur dioxide (E220) to preserve their freshness, and add sugar, sweeteners and synthetic colors to improve their taste and commercial appearance. For this reason, dried fruits are categorized as candy rather than fruit! Although you can get vitamins, minerals and fiber from them, they remain too rich in sugars and easy to overeat – which is far from the perfect combination.
Sushi
Until recently, I thought sushi was healthy. However, it contains only rice, fish, vegetables and seaweed… How could this not be useful? Taken separately, these ingredients are really healthy, but combined together they turn into a real calorie bomb. A roll of sushi can contain between 200 and 500 calories, because in most cases heavy sauces are added, which are basically made of sugar and trans fats! And now multiply these calories by 6, as many sushi rolls there are in a medium-sized set… And the calories start to pile up imperceptibly! Another risk of sushi consumption should not be overlooked – raw seafood can be a carrier of dangerous parasites, viruses and bacteria.
Commercial fruit milks
The next time you reach for fruit milks in the store, take the trouble to look at the information on the back of the label. I’m sure you will see many ingredients that should not be there – added sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, saccharin and others… And yes, somewhere there are creeping fruits (in minimal quantities)! Stop wasting your money, deluding yourself that you are contributing to your health. Instead of buying ready-made fruit milk, usually buy one and add the fruit at home.
