10 Foods That Secretly Aren’t Healthy At All

There are a lot of different fads that go around telling you the hottest new superfood, or the best diet to follow to be healthy and it can be confusing to know what you should actually be putting in your body. Don't fret, I have debunked 10 so-called health foods that are actually foods that are bad for you.

Trying to be healthy when you’re misinformed is like trying to fit a camel through the eye of a needle (thanks for the Theology classes Providence College). There are a lot of different fads that go around telling you the hottest new superfood, or the best diet to follow to be healthy and it can be confusing to know what you should actually be putting in your body. Don’t fret, I have debunked 10 so-called health foods that are actually foods that are bad for you.

1. Granola

It is really easy to use multiple servings of granola on your yogurt without even knowing it. The serving size for granola is generally ½ of a cup, making it dangerously easy to overdo it. The granola I have in my cabinet right now has 200 calories, 6g of fat, 35g carbs, and 10g of sugar per serving. Going into my kitchen to get that information made me hungry and now I’m eating it with yogurt… being healthy is hard. These foods that are bad for you are so delicious.

2. Dried fruit

Okay, the first thing to address here is the issue of concentration. When fruit is dried it shrinks, therefore you aren’t able to eat as much as you would be able to if it were fresh. So, you are consuming more calories and sugar per serving when you eat your fruit dried.

3. Trail Mix

Let’s be real, the only trail mix that tastes good is loaded with some combination of salted nuts, M&M’s, chocolate chips, or dried fruits. Maybe all of the above. Nuts are full of healthy fats, but they are high in calories and super high in sodium unless they are unsalted. This should go without saying, but, candy is not healthy at all. If you want your trail mix to be healthy, get unsalted almonds, cashews, peanuts, and a little bit of dried fruit.

4. Flavored Yogurt

Flavored yogurt is problematic because of the sugars added to it for flavor. Yogurt can be incredibly healthy due to the live cultures and probiotics that are good for your digestive system. If you are eating Greek yogurt, there is a good chance there is a fair amount of protein. However, you have to be smart about what yogurt you’re getting if health is your goal. Your best bet is to stick to plain Greek yogurt to avoid the sugar and artificial flavors.

5. Sushi

Soul shattering, I know. Again, this is not to say there isn’t healthy sushi, however, you do have to be careful. Anything that is tempura or smothered with spicy mayo is loaded with empty carbs. In a lot of rolls, there is very little protein, which is why you have to eat a lot more to feel satiated. The upside is that there are things that you can do to make sushi healthier, for example, order brown rice instead of white, choose raw salmon or tuna, and avoid spicy mayo and soy sauce.

6. Peanut Butter

Another sad one, most peanut butter brands are not natural and are loaded with sugar. If you are trying to be healthy and want more pure food there are brands of peanut butter that are natural sans a lot of additives.

7. Health Drinks/Store Bought Smoothies

If you aren’t making your own drinks and ensuring that healthy ingredients are going into it, my advice is to skip it. Sugar is the culprit here yet again and you could end up consuming more than five times your daily recommended dose of sugar in one sitting.

8. Nutrition Bars, Protein Bars, and Granola Bars

Don’t make me say it again. Sugar! Many of these types of bars are simply glorified candy bars. Yes, they may contain protein that a candy bar would not, but if you are looking for a quick breakfast or a pick me up at 3 pm these types of bars are not your best bet. Sugar is addictive and makes you crave more sugar. You won’t be satiated and you will be more likely to reach for sugary food for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, a lot of easy snacks end up being the foods that are bad for you.

9. Sugar-Free Anything

I know that I’ve really been complaining about sugar but even worse for you (if you can imagine) are sugar-free foods and drinks. Unfortunately, in the absence of sugar, there are lots of artificial non-saccharide sweeteners like aspartame that are impossible for your body to break down. A good rule for health food is if you can’t pronounce it you probably shouldn’t be putting it into your body, and I don’t know about you, but I can’t pronounce phenylalanine dipeptide.

10. Fat-Free Food

Fat is not the enemy as long as it is consumed in moderation and it is healthy fats (like omega 3). Trans fat and saturated fats are something to be avoided. When you cut fat you are cutting flavor, therefore, in order to make something taste good other things needed to be added. In this case, sugar and artificial flavors are generally added.