10 Foods You Think Are Good For You, But May Not Be All What They Seem | Nutrition & Dieting slideshows | Well Being center

Keep Your Eyes Open

All that glitters is not gold – Not every food that looks nice and healthy gives you good health. You must be aware that what you might think of as healthy, might just be quite the opposite. Today there is a large variety of foods available in supermarkets that is not as healthy as you think. Remember one thing: Almost all sorts of drinks and foods can provide you with good health when you enjoy them within certain limits and responsibly of course. Before taking a bite, take a look at the label and make sure you are not being fooled.

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Photo courtesy of Walmart by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/walmartcorporate/5371969481/
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/slideshow.asp?show=28&page=5

Vitamin Water – A Master Of Disguise

Vitamin water is water fortified with essential minerals and vitamins. A regular 20 oz bottle of vitamin water carries all the essential vitamins that we require every day. Surely this must be the perfect drink, right? No doubt, vitamin water is fortified with all the essential minerals and vitamins. Moreover this beverage is a perfect replacement for a soda. But has it ever crossed your mind how many calories you ingest with one regular bottle of vitamin water? A 20 oz bottle contains about 125 calories. This also includes the crystalline fructose and natural sweeteners which make you crave for more sweet foods and drinks. So next time before grabbing that bottle of vitamin water, take these facts into account.

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Photo courtesy of Andrew Perreault by Picasa : picasaweb.google.com/lh/view?q=vitamin+water&uname=109008901828086469253&psc=G&filter=1#5170034240438008386
voices.yahoo.com/should-drink-vitamin-water-examining-pros-1628103.html
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=should_you_be_drinking_vitamin_enhanced_water

Granola Bars Aren't Healthy After All

Granola – a breakfast cereal that typically consists of brown sugar, honey, nuts and dried fruits. Today's granola bars are chock full of chocolate morsels, nuts and extra sugar to enhance their snack value with a very little nutrition in return. You see manufacturers promoting them as a healthy food. “It is a convenient option for on-the-go eating or when you don’t have time to prepare food.” they say. Analysis revealed that granola bar has very low nutritional value. Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, are used in granola bars. Some cheap brands use hydrogenated oil that is a source of unhealthy fat. Whole grain oats are good but many commercial brands are using rice instead, which adds extra calories to the granola bar and makes it unhealthy.

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Photo courtesy of megan.chromik by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/17796522@N08/3775887575/
voices.yahoo.com/the-unhealthy-side-granola-bars-cereal-578318.html?cat=51

Yogurt-Covered Raisins

Undoubtedly yogurt is healthy. Raisins are healthy too. But what about yogurt-covered raisins? Do you think they are healthy? No, they are not. They are actually far away from healthy. This is because the white covering is NOT actually yogurt. That white cover is made from yogurt powder, sugar, hydrogenated oil, corn syrup, soy lecithin, vanilla, dextrin, nonfat milk powder, confectioners glaze, maltodextrin, titanium dioxide and whey. In a single serving of these little white guys you will find: - 5 grams fat, - 4 grams saturated fat, - 19 grams sugar It sounds like a candy, and not a healthy snack option. For a true healthy snack, sprinkle two table spoons raisins into 6 oz yogurt. Now this is truly healthy yogurt covered with raisins serving.

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Photo courtesy of Cameron Yee by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/ygx/4508028891/
eating-made-easy.com/2012/09/11/think-yogurt-covered-raisins-are-healthy-think-again/

Spinach Pasta Is Not The Healthiest Option

Pasta made with spinach – spinach pasta – may seem healthier than wheat or white pasta but it‘s not. The color of pasta may be green but the quantity of the spinach in there is so little that it can’t be considered healthy and it doesn't give much benefit. Spinach is added for due to color and not the nutrition itself. Moreover the flour used to make this pasta is not whole-grain, therefore spinach pasta cannot be considered healthy. If you want to have healthy spinach pasta, add some fresh spinach leaves to your pasta before serving. If you are a pasta lover, always remember to use whole-grain pastas - be it spinach pasta or some other variety - whole grain pasta will give you fiber, iron, calcium and vitamin B boost.

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Broccoli & Cheddar Soup Shouldn't Be Your Soup Of Choice

Broccoli & Cheddar Soup is extremely low in sugar, therefore eating it can help you lose weight. Sounds fascinating, doesn't it? Let’s take a look at the nutritional value of this soup. A simple home-made broccoli & cheddar soup has 190 calories per serving with 2 grams of fats, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein and zero sugar. That sounds like a very healthy choice. But it is not. Why? Here is the explanation: A single serving of this soup has 1,020 mg sodium. According to health guidelines, we shouldn't consume more than 2,300 mg. If you are hypertensive, your daily sodium consumption should not be more than 1,500 mg. That means that one cup of soup gives you 45% sodium of your daily requirement. Consequently that rest of the day you have to be really careful with your salt intake. besides, broccoli and cheddar soup shouldn't be your soup of choice if you are on a lactose-free, dairy-free, gluten free or vegan diet.

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Photo courtesy of Laura Taylor by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/bookgrl/369470748/
www.sparkpeople.com/calories-in.asp?food=broccoli+cheddar+soup

Veggie Chips Post A Hazard To Patients With Renal (Kidney) Disorders And Hypertension

Veggie chips are healthier than potato chips, no doubt. But they are neither low in calories nor low in fat. Keep in mind, they are still deep fried. 1 oz of veggie chips contains 130 calories while 1 oz of potato chips has 152 calories. There is surely a little difference in calories but the amount of sodium is too high in veggie chips as compared to potato chips. This makes them harmful for patients with renal (kidney) disorders and hypertension. Always check labels. Don’t be fooled by the pack saying “low calories” and “low fats”. Also, always take a look at the label telling whether the veggie chips are fried or baked. Baked veggie chips do have fewer calories and less fat, and this is a great advantage, so always opt for them. O the downside - baked veggie chips contain Acrylamides – a substance which causes cancer in animals.

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Photo courtesy of fling93 by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/fling93/65424156/
abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/consumer&id=8971533

Muffins are good for you. Right? Wrong!

By now everybody knows muffins are better choice comparing to doughnuts because the first have lower amount of calories per serving. Therefore, muffins are good for you. Right? Wrong! Any type of muffin you eat is sending away everything good in it with a spoonful of fat and sugar. A chocolate doughnut contains 128 calories (1 oz) while a doughnut with sugar has 121 calories. You will be surprised to know that 1 oz of muffin contains 107 calories. A medium-sized muffin has the same calories as McDonald’s sausage McMuffin that is the same size. So don't think that muffin is a replacement for doughnut. The difference in their nutritional values is negligible.

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Photo courtesy of Elisa Triolo by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/elisa_atene/8494807082/
www.cracked.com/article_18549_8-health-foods-that-are-bad-your-health.html

Say No To Pretzels

Pretzels are not for you if you really want to be healthy. A soft, medium pretzel has 389 calories, and a 1 oz serving of crunchy, whole-wheat pretzels contains 103 calories. A soft pretzel stands for 24% of you daily caloric intake if you are on a 1600-calorie diet, while one serving of whole-wheat pretzel is just 6%. Count the number of crunchy pretzels you eat at a time. Do you still think they are healthy? Pretzels have high amounts of carbohydrates, calories and sodium. They are low or totally lacking in terms of nutrients. Their nutritional value is zero because they have no vitamins and essential nutrients. The conclusion is that you basically eat pretzels just for the purpose of taste. Before you take a bite, you have to weigh whether you want to let those unhealthy sodium, carbohydrates and calories into your body just for a bit of snack.

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Photo courtesy of Bob Harwig by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/harwig/3211467482/
www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/things-to-consider-if-you-eat-pretzels-as-a-snack.html#b

Zero-Calorie Soda Is Not A Smart Choice

You think zero-calorie diet soda over the regular soda with sugar is much smarter choice? Probably not. A recent study revealed that regular diet soda drinkers have greater waistlines than non-drinkers. Diet soda has zero calories. Then what makes diet soda drinkers have extra fat on their bellies? The answer to this question is “Artificial Sweeteners”. Artificial sweeteners disrupt the ability of the body to properly regulate calorie intake. That is why people who consume diet foods are more likely to overeat. Diet sodas contain mold inhibitors – potassium benzoate or sodium benzoate. These are the preservatives found in nearly all diet sodas. They cause severe damage to DNA. These preservatives are also linked to asthma and other allergic conditions. Besides, diet sodas can cause reproductive issues and serious tooth decay.