15 Healthy Foods That Aren T

We hereby authorize liberal use of air quotes when discussing these “healthy” foods—items that come plastered with health-related packaging claims but consistently fall short in the nutritional department. Here’s the unfortunate truth about 15 “healthy” products, plus suggestions for what to buy instead. (Lose up to 15 pounds WITHOUT dieting with Eat Clean to Get Lean, our 21-day clean-eating meal plan.) [block:bean=mkt-course-eatcleanstaylean] Twig & Flake Cereals   Just because a cereal is organic, made with whole grains, high in fiber, or studded with flax seeds doesn’t mean it’s automatically good for you. Organic sugar is still sugar—and a lot of organic cereals pack just as much of the sweet stuff as conventional brands. Don’t be fooled by high-fiber cereals, either: They’re frequently supplemented with added fiber (read: not as absorbable) to make up for the fact that they’re full of over-processed, refined grains.What’s better: Look for cereals that have less than 6 grams of sugar per serving—these 10 picks are a good place to start—and short ingredients lists. Go for whole grains, freeze-dried fruits, and unprocessed nuts, not artificial sweeteners or added fibers.  Veggie Chips Most packaged chips that claim to be chockfull of vegetables are made mostly of potato starch or corn flour. Usually, the only “veggie” you’re getting is a weak tint of color from vegetable powders.What’s better: Try making your own chips with real veggies with these 5 simple recipes. Or look for chips where kale, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts are first on the ingredient list. These “chips” are easy to spot because they look more like veggies and less like potato chips. Parfaits Photo by Michael Maes/Getty Images In the coffee-shop sea of oversized croissants, muffins, and bagels, a fruit-and-yogurt parfait may seem like the best option. Many are rich in protein and calcium—and ridiculously high in sugar. Most have at least 30 grams of sugar, while some even surpass the 50-gram mark. Compare that to the to the 4 grams of sugar in a Starbucks croissant.What’s better: Head to the refrigerated section at your coffee shop and look for single cups of plain yogurt and some fresh fruit. Mix the fruit into the yogurt and add a touch of stevia or honey and voilà: your own fruit-and-yogurt parfait with way less sugar than premade cups.   Fiber-Fortified Granola Bars  Many high-fiber granola bars pack more than a third of your daily fiber needs in just 140 calories. But these bars aren’t getting their roughage from oats or nuts: Most are fortified with extract of the chicory root, a tasteless plant that’s high in fiber. The real problem is in the rest of the ingredients list: Many bars are littered with added sugars, refined oils, artificial colors and flavors, and preservatives. What’s better: If you’re going to eat granola bars, make sure the ingredient list is short and replete with naturally high-fiber ingredients like nuts and whole grains. We like PaleoKrunch Original Grainless Granola, which has 7 grams of fiber and only 6 grams of sugar per bar.  Bottled Green Juices While it’s nice to think you’re getting all the benefits of spinach in a green refrigerated drink, you’re likely getting more sugar than anything else. Some of these smoothie-like juices pack upwards of 50 grams of sugar per bottle, mostly from fruit. And although that’s a natural source, it will still hit your bloodstream like a bag of Skittles. What’s better: Try a zero-calorie sparkling water or stevia-sweetened drink like Bai5, and eat your veggies (or juice them at home) instead, like with these 10 amazing green juice recipes. Quinoa Pasta & Chips You’d hope a product with the word “quinoa” in its name would be made of mostly quinoa. But four different natural brands peddle quinoa pastas that are made with more corn, rice, or wheat flour than the high-fiber and high-protein grain. What’s better: If a product, whether pasta or chips, touts quinoa on the outside, check the ingredients list to make sure the claim is substantiated on the inside. Simply 7 Quinoa Chips and Pereg Quinoa Pasta both list quinoa flour as the first ingredient in their products.  Pita Chips Photo by Stacy Able/Getty Images Since they’re often baked rather than fried, pita chips have earned an undeserved health halo. No matter how they’re prepared, many are made with enriched wheat flour, a refined grain with next to nothing in fiber or the other nutrients found in whole-grain flour.What’s better: They’re not easy to find, but you can get pita chips made with whole-grain flour like Athenos Whole Wheat Pita Chips. Or make your own with this super-simple, four-ingredient recipe. Frozen Veggie Burgers Many commercial veggie patties are made from highly processed soy or “textured vegetable protein,” which is derived from soy and/or wheat—not veggies. In fact, it’s difficult in many conventional supermarkets to find a “veggie” burger that actually contains vegetables. What’s better: Choose veggie burgers that aren’t made from soy but get their protein from whole, unprocessed foods like beans, seeds, and whole grains. Even better: veggie burgers that actually feature veggies. Hilarys’ Eat Well Adzuki Bean Burger hits every mark.  Vegan Baked Goods Giving up animal-derived ingredients like butter certainly seems like a good way to reduce calories in baked goods, but the plant-based margarines often used in vegan versions are just as calorie-dense as butter. And, vegan or not, most baked goods are still filled with refined flours and sugars—a.k.a. empty calories.What’s better: Vegan baked goods are best for those allergic to eggs or dairy or who have ethical concerns about consuming animal products. For anyone else: Eat homemade baked goods in small portions, or try a lightened-up recipe like one from this collection of 7 veggie-infused desserts.  Yogurt-Covered Pretzels Photo by Crystal Cartier/Getty Images We’re not sure how food manufacturers have been able to smother pretzels in shelf-stable icing and pass it off as “yogurt” for so long. Although the coating does contain an ingredient called “yogurt powder,” it’s mostly made up of sugar and palm kernel oil. That explains why some brands pack as much as 18 grams of sugar into just 6 “yogurt”-covered pretzels.What’s better: Get your sweet-salty fix from a different kind of snack. We like low-sugar kettle corn and sea-salted dark chocolate. Rice Cakes Sure, rice cakes are low in fat and calories, but they’re also pretty low on nutrition. Most provide a single gram each of protein and fiber without almost any other micronutrients to speak of. Flavored versions are often rife with artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colors. What’s better: If you’re craving something crunchy, try a whole-grain cracker that has a little staying power. Mary’s Gone Crackers’ Original flavor has 3 grams of protein and fiber in each serving.  Gluten-Free Snacks It’s time, once and for all, to clear up the misconception that gluten-free foods are inherently healthier than wheat-based ones (unless you have celiac disease, of course). Most alternative flours used to make gluten-free crackers, pretzels, baked goods, and other snacks have just as many carbs—or more—than wheat does, while offering little more in the way of nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What’s better: Unless you have celiac disease, stick to products made with 100% whole-wheat flour or other nutritious flours like almond, quinoa, or chickpea flour.  Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt Photo by Dimitri Otis/Getty Images A trip to the fro-yo shop somehow feels indulgent and guiltless at the same time. But even if you pick the plain flavor, chances are you’re getting a bigger sugar rush than you think: Plain froyo has about the same amount of sugar as even the most decadent flavors. Across the board, ½-cup of self-serve froyo has around 25 grams of sugar—and that’s before you add in the Oreos or cheesecake bites.What’s better: Replicate the experience at home by topping plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit, chocolate chips, granola, and/or a drizzle of honey. Or try this tasty recipe for ice cream in your blender.   Sushi High-protein, low-carb sushi certainly wins out over fast-food burgers and fries if you’re looking for a quick dinner, but it’s surprisingly easy to overdo it on mercury if you’re eating sushi often. Fish commonly utilized in sushi rolls, like tuna, sea bass, and swordfish, are among the ocean’s worst for mercury contamination.What’s better: Check out the Natural Resources Defense Council’s guide to choosing low-mercury (and sustainable) sushi fish and order accordingly.  Frozen Diet Meals Fad diets come and go, but there’s one constant we can associate with all of them: deprivation. That’s the name of the game when it comes to hyper-processed frozen “diet” meals that boast paragraph-length lists of ingredients that sound like they belong more in a chemistry class than dinner.What’s better: Just about every dieter would be better off skipping the frozen aisle and heading for the fresh produce, but sometimes life calls for frozen meals. When those times come, we like these 6 surprisingly tasty—and satisfying—frozen meals. MORE: 8 Weird Weight Loss Strategies That Work