You’re well aware of the benefits of eating well: maintaining a healthy weight, disease prevention, looking and feeling better (not to mention younger), and more. But there can actually be bad junk food behind those “low-fat” labels, including snacks and meals loaded with salt, sugar and carbs (which you still have to burn off if you want to slim that waistline).
We’ve tracked down the common culprits:
1. FLAVORED YOGHURTS
Many low-fat diet plans suggest healthy snacks–including yoghurt–and rightfully so. Plain varieties are low in sugar and are packed with probiotics, which aid in digestion. Other perks: A cup of yoghurt also provides calcium, potassium and vitamin D. So this one’s a no-brainer, righth Well, that depends. Fruit-flavored yoghurts or kids’ brands often contain high fructose corn syrup–which is about the equivalent of dipping a banana in chocolate and calling it a diet-friendly food. Another warning: Don’t load up plain yogurt (the healthiest choice) with sugary granola mixes. Instead, toss in a few blueberries, or, if you’re craving some crunch, shredded wheat.
2. PROTEIN BARS
Let’s face it: It can be confusing when fattening foods are sold right at the gym. But protein bars are really only necessary if you’re not getting enough protein from your natural diet (think along the lines of beans, tofu, egg whites, fish, lean meats, poultry, etc.). Many protein bars are also loaded with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup, not to mention 840 plus kilojoules… that won’t fill you up.
3. FROZEN MEALS
When you’re trying to avoid unhealthy foods, frozen meals can seem like the best thing on earth; you don’t have to think about what you’re eating as much as check the back label and pop that sucker in the microwave. The catcht Many frozen diet meals contain bad foods for you thanks to a high sodium content (not to mention, in some cases, preservatives and an overload of carbs). You’re better off preparing your own “pre-made” meals using fresh ingredients, then packaging them in Tupperware to heat up during the week.
4. FRUIT JUICE
A glass of orange juice in the morning is fine, but throwing back more O.J., cranberry juice, grape juice and the like during the day can pack some serious kilojoules (as in, 630 per serving), not to mention some serious sugar (as much as 20 grams per serving). Your best bet: Make your own fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice to lose weight.
5. FAT-FREE MUFFINS
We bet you wouldn’t eat cake for breakfast–not even if it were fat free. Sound about righti Well, a “fat-free” muffin can actually have more kilojoules than a piece of regular cake (about 2520) and contain more sugar than a fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie. Unhealthy foods like this is not the way to start your morning, and it won’t even have you feeling full until lunch.
6. SNACK PACKS
Okay, so you knew that a bag full of lowfat cookies or crackers wasn’t exactly a healthy snack, but it didn’t seem that bad either, righti Wrong. Chowing down on empty kilojoules–even if it’s just 420–is only going to make you crave food more, especially considering that most of what you’re getting from these snacks is sugar, salt and carbs. Instead, make your own “snack packs” of dried fruits and unsalted nuts so you’re prepared when a craving strikes.
Totally believe it. I started making myself smoothies with fat free yoghurt and fruit of choice. If I want it sweet I add a little honey, not to much – just a little to give it a little sweetness. And at work I snack on unsalted nuts and fruit.