Somewhere along the healthy line, a lot of us got confused about what is healthy and what isn’t.  Sadly, there are a lot of foods that have an unwarranted healthy reputation, and if you are trying to stay fit or lose weight, here are some foods that should be avoided.

Rice Cakes

The title alone should be a dead give-away, but for some reason many of us consider rice cakes a healthy snack. Not so. They may crunch and be low calorically, but rice cakes are incredibly high on the glycemic index and have no nutritional value.

Light Salad Dressing

Just because you ask for it on the side, doesn’t make it healthier. Light salad dressings are filled with a ton of preservatives and sugars. You’re better off making your own simple oil and vinegar mix.

Granola

There are so many instances where I ordered or grabbed a yogurt and granola to “be healthy,” but granola is sky high in fat and carbs, and has dessert calorie levels.

Trail Mix

Equally as deceiving.  Nuts are so high in fat—and should only be eaten in moderation.  When you actually look at the label, just a handful can have over 300 calories and over 10g in fat. And if it has M&M’s mixed in…come on.

Couscous

It may look like a grain, but it ain’t so. It’s basically tiny pasta that has the same nutritional value as white pastas. Just because vegetarians like it, doesn’t make it healthy. Opt for quinoa.

Banana Chips & Dried Fruit

Up to their ears with added sugars and high in fat. Step away.

Low Fat Muffins

Avoid the muffin man all together. When a baker takes the fat out of a muffin, they almost always add a ton of sugar to keep it tasting delicious.

 

-Arianna Schioldager