Many people want to make positive changes to their diet and eat healthier. However, it is easy to be misled by certain products that are marketed as healthy, when in reality they are doing more harm than good. These sort of mistakes are fairly common, but they can be avoided when you know what to look out for, making healthy eating much easier.
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Not all wholegrain items are actually wholegrain
Whole grain foods are often chosen as a healthier alternative to those that are more refined. But wholegrain labels can misinform consumers. If a product says, “made with whole-grains”, that could mean that a small percentage is wholegrain whilst the rest are processed grains that have little nutritional value. In future, look for ingredients that are described as “whole[grain]” at the top of the ingredient list.
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Low-fat doesn’t always mean healthy
Products often have a low-fat version that promises to be much healthier than the full-fat counterpart. The problem with low-fat products is that extracting fat often makes the taste less desirable, therefore the missing ingredients are replaced with sugar to make it more palatable. A small amount of extra fat is better for most of us compared to extra sugar and other artificial ingredients. You should remain weary when including low-fat options in your healthy eating regime.
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Milk made from nuts isn’t a healthy alternative to cow’s milk
The variety of non-dairy milk alternatives has been extremely positive for people who have cut out dairy from their diets. Although these dairy-free options might be healthier for the environment and better for those with dairy intolerance, they aren’t always better for you. Nut milks contain added sugar, oil and various other ingredients like stabilisers, thickeners and emulsifiers to create the milky texture. It’s better to aim for non-dairy milks that have a small list of ingredients, or maybe try making your own.
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Only eating egg whites
A recent trend started that shunned egg yolks, so people started only eating the egg whites. A general fear of cholesterol and calories led to such actions that not only add to the issue of food waste, but also denies the body of some important nutrients. Although egg yolks contain a fair share of calories, they also contain essential minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. This includes lutein which supports eye health. Healthy eating can include egg yolks so be happy!
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Not eating the right yogurt
Eating yogurt is very good for overall health, but it has to be the right form. Like many other foods, yoghurt has junk food versions that contain alarmingly high levels of sugar and artificial colours and flavours. Some don’t even contain live cultures, which is what makes yoghurt good for you in the first place. When choosing yoghurt, always look for a low sugar content, ingredients that you can recognise and live cultures.
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Becoming vegan but eating too much processed food
Over the past few years, the popularity of plant-based diets has grown significantly. Although eliminating animal products from your diet can have significant health and environmental benefits, that doesn’t mean that everything that is vegan is healthy.
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Salad isn’t always the best choice
Indeed, salads can be very healthy, but the health benefits are lost when salads include fried components and excessive amounts of cheese or creamy dressings. Salads can still contain lean protein, carbohydrates and other things that make them satisfying and healthy. However, when choosing a salad option paying close attention to the ingredients can help you avoid a surprisingly unhealthy meal.
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Drinking too much fruit juice
Drinking juices simply isn’t the same as eating whole fruit. The process of juicing strips away the insoluble fibre that helps limit the rapid absorption of glucose in the small intestine. Furthermore, juicing also fails to use much of the fruit flesh, which ultimately contributes to food waste.
