Healthy foods that are unhealthy
Some unhealthy foods creep into your ‘healthy’ diet unknowingly. Be careful of these. Foods like the Breakfast cereals, Fat-free foods, Energy bars, Salads, Smoothies, etc. have been able to give an impression that they are ‘healthy’; although they are not so always.
Breakfast cereals: Some cereals contain a lot of sugar and fats. Avoid cereals that are sugar-coated. Remember to read the contents and calories provided per serving before buying it for yourself as a health food.
Fat-free foods: Beware of this phrase as fat-free does not mean it is calorie-free. Fat is usually replaced with sugar and salt, both of which could be unnecessary for you. Extra sugar gets converted to fat in the body and is stored like any other fats until it is burned off during energy requirments.
Energy bars: A new fad is to have energy bars for health reasons. Make sure they do not contain white flour (maida) and sugar. There are some which contain a lot of harmful fats (saturated fats) and little or no fiber. Read the label carefully.
Salads: If you are having salads as health food, avoid those that contain oil, butter, cheese, mayonnaise, nuts and cream as these ingredients are high in calorie. It is best to have the plain green salad in large amounts and a bit of those containing high-calorie ingredients as listed above.
Smoothies: Last but not the least of health foods that can be unhealthy are the smoothies. The main ingredient in a smoothie is the fruit juice and that lacks the fiber found in the whole fruit. Smoothies can also contain yogurt and sugar. Instead, go for the whole fruit, be in apple, banana, grapes, oranges or any other.
Dr. Ajay Sati.
