By Amy Lewis
Sure, you consider yourself to be a healthy person, but do you really have healthy food in your kitchen? Here are the 7 worst items you may have in your kitchen:
1. Breakfast cereal
It’s delicious, easy to prepare, and sometimes gives you enough energy to get to lunch. Unfortunately, breakfast cereal is often packed with extra sugars that will do more to drag you down than build you up. The flavorless kinds often don’t provide enough good calories to fill you up for long, i.e., hungry sooner. Still hungry for a bowl of cereal? Consider this: they’re one of the most processed foods on the market.
2. Flavored yogurt
Yes, flavored yogurt tastes much better than its plain peers, but going with a pre-flavored yogurt will instantly double the amount of sugar you consume. Consider adding fresh fruit and enjoy!
3. Frozen entrees
If you’re a frozen believer, it’s time to put your health before convenience. On top of frequently lacking all the vitamins and minerals you need for optimal health, frozen dinners often ooze with trans-fats and sodium. This means that while your palate may be pleased, your waist, arteries, and heart will not.
4. Diet soda
One of the most dangerous items ever invented was the diet soda. By trimming certain things from the ingredients list, soda manufacturers guaranteed a giant market share, consisting largely of people who are attempting to be health conscious. Unfortunately, diet soda messes with your body’s ability to recognize and manage sugar properly. And while diet drinks may be calorie-free, those who drink them are at a much greater risk for weight gain than those who do not.
5. Popcorn
No, all popcorn is not to be avoided at all costs. Here’s a good way to determine if your popcorn is at war with your good health: Is it in a prepackaged bag that simply has to be tossed in the microwave to be cooked? Stay away! Prepackaged popcorn, whether lightly buttered, drowning in butter, or candied, offer no benefit. If you’re going to do popcorn, pop it the old-fashioned way, preferably via air popping.
6. “Skinny” desserts
The word “skinny” is alluring. Marketers know it’s what you want to achieve. Unfortunately, marketers are doing whatever it takes to sell more of their product. A great way to do that is to toss the word “skinny” on your favorite dessert item. You’ll buy it, thinking you’ve saved yourself valuable calories, but all you’ve probably done is buy a smaller portion of the same stuff, without natural sugar and flavor. It’s all artificial.
7. Granola bars
Enjoyed by healthy hikers, granola bars are the most unexpected bad choice. This one may have you confused when you consider that your favorite is crammed with fruits and nuts. Read the ingredient label and see that there is probably more sugar—make that high-fructose corn syrup—than goodness your body can use.
