Healthy Foods That Are Actually A Lie

By Gretchen Kernbach on November 2, 2015

We hear it from our mothers: “eat healthy … avoid junk food …etc.”

Obesity is a major problem in America; therefore, stores are filled with alternate food choices: those that are supposedly the “healthy” version of another snack; reduced fat options, multigrain versions, or juices with 100 percent fruit.

Although these substitutes may be a healthier choice compared to what else is on the market, they alone are not too beneficial.

Margarine

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Back in the day, butter got a bad reputation for its high fat contents. Margarine seemed to be the next best alternative, but that is where we went wrong. To start off, it isn’t even real. It is manufactured from the start.

The vegetable-oil based substitute is exposed to chemicals, hydrogenation, bleaches, emulsifiers, and additives during its creation. What is hydrogenation?

“Partial hydrogenation changes liquid vegetable oil into a semi-solid form by forcing the oil to produce saturated fats. Partial hydrogenation produces trans-fats. Margarine is high in trans-fat.” Further details about margarine can be found on therealfoodguide.com.  

Since this fake butter is very fatty, it comes with risks. Eating this puts you at increased risk of heart disease. Margarine can even decrease fertility and immune response. The fact is, real butter is the safer option here.

Fruit Juice

Growing up, we were told to limit our soda intake. Do not drink too much Coke, Sprite, Root Beer, etc. The best drink to have is water, of course. However, juice seems to be the more popular step down from soda. If you love soda, chances are you will want a drink just as sugary. Most fruit juices are loaded with sugar, usually high-fructose corn syrup. In addition to that, juice is just a bottle of empty calories.

Authoritynutrition.com made a comparison between Coca Cola and apple juice. The 12-ounce portion of soda contained 140 calories and 40 grams of sugar.  The 12-ounce portion of apple juice contained 165 calories and 39 grams of sugar. The juice contained more calories and was one gram short of equaling the amount of sugar.  So is fruit juice really the healthiest drink out there? Don’t let the word “fruit” fool you.

Trail Mix

In all truths, trail mix is a better option than chowing down on fattening potato chips, or messy Cheetos. But when you isolate the snack itself, it isn’t too good for you. Most trail mix assortments contain the three basic ingredients: dried fruits, granola, and nuts. In today’s food world, manufacturers throw in extra salty nuts, sugar-packed fruits  and chocolate. Yet again, like the fruit juice, you read the word “fruit” and immediately think it’s good for your health. Wrong. These fruit pieces are usually deep fried.

In addition, prepackaged trail mix also includes candy pieces and yogurt chunks. A snack that is known for heart health ends up doing the opposite. Prepackaged trail mix is loaded with calories, carbs, sugar, and trans fat. Consider making your own to ensure a healthy snack.

Muffins

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A common mistake among people is thinking that a blueberry muffin has as much nutrition as the fruit by itself. These miniature, singular cakes are commonly made with fruit, but they are not commonly healthy. According to mnn.com, “Winchell’s” cranberry nut muffin has almost the same amount of fat as three hot dogs. Furthermore, there is about 670 calories in one serving. “Kirkland” blueberry muffins are not much better. A single serving has 609 calories and 32 grams of fat. This bread-like snack is nothing but a mound of calories, fats, and sugars.

Multigrain 

The more the merrier, right? A frequent grocery store misconception is that multigrain bread is healthier than whole wheat. Not the case. Elaine Wilkes, PhD, NC, MA, LEED, author of “Nature’s Secret Messages: Hidden in Plain Sight,” called multigrain bread “dead bread.”

She explained on totalbeauty.com that flour becomes chemically bleached after refining grains. After this process, the flour is then loaded with synthetic nutrients. If you are looking for a healthier version of bread, aim for whole wheat.

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