With Halloween right round the corner, even foods are starting to play dress up it seems. By now we’re all too familiar with the wave of eating healthy and #eatclean trends, so naturally a few common food items tend to stand out as healthier food options. But are they really? The foodpanda team has decided to unveil these misconceptions and undress these naughty foods out of their ‘healthy’ costumes.
1 | Granola/Muesli Bars
They’re seen as a form of healthy snack to munch on in between meals, or even to replace meals entirely sometimes. Yes, there’s a bunch of good things in there like oats and protein. But they’re also filled with high fructose corn syrup, honey, added sugar, and saturated fat. This is especially for the store-bought kind, so don’t fret. There are plenty of homemade Granola recipes that you can try for a much more nutritious version of these.
2 | Yogurt
Often referred to as the healthier alternative to ice-cream, yogurt is a popular choice for smoothies and desserts. But you’ve got to be really careful when choosing the yoghurt because more often than not, low-fat could still mean a very high sugar content. To be safe, always opt for Greek Yogurt with zero fat and zero sugar.
3 | Turkey Ham
It’s a usual substitute for actual ham or bacon because it’s seen as the healthier version. While technically yes, it still does have a fair amount of calories and fat.
4 | Sushi
It’s not cooked, so there’s no oil or fat or grease. What could possibly be unhealthy about raw fish? The rice. Sushi can be low in fat, low in calories and high in nutrients but the rice has a substantial amount of carbohydrates. Everything in moderation, even raw food.
5 | Fruit Juice
The problem isn’t the fruit, but the crazy amount of sugar they put into it for taste. Always opt for freshly squeezed fruit juice and ask to hold back on the sugar water. Another issue is that with fruit juice, the fibres are blended away so the nutritional value cuts by almost half. Perhaps it’s time to eat fruit off a plate than to drink them.
