These 5 Foods Are Marketed To You As ‘Healthy’ But They Could Be The Reason You’re Putting On Weight
A few years ago, I was on a spree to lose weight. My trainer back then had told me to lose weight I needed to focus – 70% of my weight loss was diet and the rest 30% was exercise. And thus, began the “diet” phase of my life. I was forced to eat so much “healthy” stuff that I completely swore of salads after that. Though, once I was off the diet (I cheated my way through), I started feeling bloated, something that never happened before. By then I had stopped eating fried, junk, desserts anything with sugar (basically all the food that actually tastes good) and switched to fruits, juices, skimmed milk, you know the drill. So why was I feeling bloated and barely losing any weight? I did some research and the results shocked me. Did you know, there are a few things we eat that are marketed as super healthy but are actually terrible for your body? And I don’t mean the usual fatty foods, I mean things that we eat thinking they are healthy, but they so aren’t. Take a look and prepare to be shocked too!
1.Multi-grain bread
Ever since people have understood how bad gluten is for them, I mean the people who actually know what gluten is (if you don’t, gluten is wheat fat) they have started looking for alternative options and more often than not, multi-grain bread is where it’s at. But, did you know that is equally bad if not worse? Yes, because “multi-grain” is just a label it actually contains refined grains that spike up your blood sugar levels like crazy. Not to mention lead to sugar cravings. What you should be looking for in bread is whole grain, which is actually very healthy. *carefully reads ingredient label*
2.Packaged juices
Juicing is a very ‘in’ concept right now, but you should know the difference between fresh juices and packaged juices. Actually, let’s begin with why juices, in general, aren’t as good as you think they are. Fruits are heavily nutritious everyone knows that, but their nutrition is only optimised when you eat the fruit as a whole. That’s because all the pulp that we tend to throw away once you juice them is where all the ‘health’ of the fruit actually lies. So, if you aren’t a fruit-loving person (it is cool, a lot of us aren’t) juice it at home but ensure you drink it there and then. If you let it sit then all the bad bacteria start reacting and the nutrition value reduces drastically. Coming back to the point, packaged juices contain more sugar than a whole cupcake. Just because it contains kale, doesn’t make it healthy. So, guys what have we learned? Eat your fruits, don’t drink them!
3. Artificial Sweeteners
This is a fascinating point because when we hear the word sugar, we know it leads directly to weight gain. Instead, we opt for artificial sweeteners which are way worse. It not only contains more sugar, only that sugar isn’t even natural sucrose. So, stay away! If you want alternatives to sugar you might want to try honey or jaggery, both of which get the job done.
4.Alcohol
When I went on the diet I was talking about earlier, I was told to lay off alcohol. We all know it affects the body and brain. Beer leads to a potbelly but it’s not like other alcohol especially gin, vodka, and red wine is better. These can also lead to major weight gain. It may put a dampener on your Saturday nights but trust me alcohol weight is extremely difficult to get rid of. It directly hits your ass and face, and no one wants that. Another upside to avoiding alcohol? No hangovers! *Waiter, one virgin mojito, please!*
5.Dried fruits and nuts
Surprise surprise! Dry fruits and nuts are powerhouses of nutrients, yes. But it’s also extremely difficult to keep a track of the portion you are eating. Also, the serving you need in your diet is so much lesser than you think. Nothing in excess is good, least of all dry fruits and nuts. Dry fruits have serious sugar content so maybe try one date, one dried fig a day and 2 almonds a day. And nuts may be the go-to snack to curb a hunger craving, but they contain a large number of calories that aren’t needed by the body. Try switching to black chickpeas (chana) instead. They are rich in protein and will keep you full too.
6.Flavoured instant oatmeal
Oats are a great breakfast option, right? Top them with a little honey, some milk with fruits and a little dry fruit and it’s delicious and healthy. Right? Nope. Most people don’t like the way unsweetened oats taste or look, so they opt for packed more flavourful options. What they don’t realise is even though packaged oats taste better and are quicker to make, they contain more sodium and sugar than we need. So, we should probably stick to plain, unsweetened oats.
7.Protein bars
Protein bars are a product of some kick-ass marketing. Yes, they are a source of instant energy but they are also laced with sugar, sodium, carbs and so many calories. They do not help in losing weight and they aren’t a substitute to a meal. Actually we should cut protein bars out completely. If you want a healthy, handy snack and can’t think of anything else, please check the ingredients before buying them. Or if you have excess time on your hands you can try making your own protein bars using nuts, seeds, coconuts and honey. This way at least you can control the intake.
