When trying to lose weight or go on a diet, typically one of the first things people do is attempt to cut calories. For many, the obvious choice is to eat products that are “low calorie” compared to their counterparts. However, many of these food items sneak in other ingredients that make them anything but healthy. Any nutritionist would recommend you stay away from these products.
Rice Cakes
Many people reach for rice cakes as a low calorie alternative to chips. However, this processed food has an extremely high glycemic index rating of 91 out of 100, meaning it will make your blood sugar instantly spike (and crash). This is both bad for your daily health as well as any attempts you might have at weight loss!
Refortified Grains
Sadly, many of our favorite carbohydrate foods like cereals, pastas and rice come as being “refortified.” While this sounds like a healthy label, what it really means is that the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals were removed from the product in processing, then replaced with synthetic versions. To get the very best version, go for the natural food products!
Fat-Free Salad Dressing
Learn 8 healthy-sounding foods that aren’t, starting with Fat-Free Salad Dressing: http://t.co/rJmTCOoD7h. pic.twitter.com/rzZ0MD9e4U
— Food Network (@FoodNetwork) February 6, 2015
Regular salad dressings typically are a combination of vinegar and plant oils, both of which provide health benefits like antioxidants and fatty acids. However, the fat-free low calorie versions take out these natural oils and include sugar and high fructose corn syrup to add flavor. Some are even full of chemicals and fake ingredients that are hard to digest! In this case, the extra calories are definitely worth it!
High Fiber Bars
In addition to being a processed food (which is best to avoid), high fiber bars are deceptively bad. We need fiber in our diet to have proper digestion, but the amount in a bar actually can cause our stomachs to be upset. If you need to up your fiber intake, it’s best to eat foods naturally rich in fiber, such as oats and avocados periodically throughout the day.
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