6 Foods That Seem Healthy…but are not

6 Foods That Seem Healthy…but are not

Georgia Gay, Assistant Editor 

Walking through the double doors into a grocery store, items can be seen on the shelves. Flashy advertisements entice consumers and convince them that their products need to be taken home. A savvy advertiser will persuade consumers into believing anything about their goods, even that they are healthy. Little do consumers know that many products they believe to be healthy and a smart purchase are actually the exact opposite. Below are six foods that will have you second guessing your grocery shopping list. 

1.     Sushi

This commonly known food has made quite the impression and its age wraps many secrets. One of those secrets includes fried items along with cream cheese and mayonnaise. Wrapping everything up into a convenient bite of heaven does not make it healthy for you. There is also the fact that consuming too much mercury is not good for you. As an alternative, try finding sushi that does not contain fried items, but remember, it may contain fish with high levels of mercury.

2.     Salads

Salads are hip and in right now, correct? WRONG. After calculating the calories from the croutons, salad dressing and nuts, the point to the salad is essentially well, pointless. Lettuce itself is mostly water, so not much can come from the sad wilted rabbit food. When going for the option of a salad, try using kale or spinach as the base and load it with fruits or vegetables. Limit the amount of cheeses, dressings and toppings used.

3.     Dried Fruit

If the name does not say enough about this food, then maybe the fact that it isn’t good for you will deter you from indulging. Companies that make these snacks, add high amounts of sugar and sulfur so that it will last longer on shelves. Instead of tacking on to the amount of calories, try eating fresh fruit instead. This will leave you full and with less calories consumed.

4.     Microwave Popcorn

Anything that comes out of a microwave is usually debatable. When it comes to popcorn, there are many options to choose from. Some popcorns offer “healthy” varieties, but slyly add high amounts of sodium and diacetyl, a chemical compound that has an intense buttery flavor. This snack is definitely not popping when it comes to health, so an alternative would be to pop your own popcorn with kernels and reducing the salt and butter added.

5.     Pretzels

These twisty, fun snacks are pleasing to the eye but not to the body. They contain high levels of sodium and have no nutritional value. “White flavor” is added to pretzels, which is then converted to sugar in your bloodstream. This spikes your blood sugar and makes you want to eat more. Ditch these contorted wannabe chips and try enjoying other snacks low in sodium and high in fiber and protein.

6.     Diet Soda

Granted, this is not a food. However, people like to believe that if the word diet is included in the title, it is healthy. When it comes to diet beverages, this could not be more wrong. It is made with artificial ingredients and flavoring, classifying it as unnatural. Those who consume diet drinks are more likely to eat in larger quantities after ingesting this. The body is tricked into believing that it is consuming real food and causes a spike in insulin. It is best to avoid this drink and could be considered worse than just regular sodas. How ironic.