Five unhealthy ‘healthy’ snacks
From The Chicago Defender
What are some unhealthy “healthy” snacks that you probably eat every day?
Experts say that snacking is very important. They also say that many of us are NOT snacking on the right foods.
Which snacks that we think are healthy to experts say we should be avoiding?
1. Frozen Yogurt
Yes, frozen yogurt typically has less fat than ice cream. However, it has almost the same amount of calories and sugar, particularly at self-serve yogurt shops, where the servings tend to be larger and the toppings consist of high-calorie and high-fat cookies, candy and other snacks.
2. Protein Bars
These types of snacks were designed to help athletes better fuel their intense workouts. But these bars have now morphed into virtual candy bars. If you must eat a protein or energy bar, eat one that’s 200 calories or under, and that contains no more the 20 grams of sugar.
3. Peanut Butter
Specifically, reduced-fat pea-nut butter. The problem? When fat is removed, some other ingredient is used to replace it, namely sugar. Also, since the monounsaturated fat in peanuts is good for you, there’s really no need to reduce the fat content. The truly healthy move is to use natural peanut butter to better avoid the unnecessary sugar.
4. Smoothies
Seriously, just eat a piece of fruit. Some smoothies can contain more than 1000 calories thanks to sugar overkill. Or, if you want a smoothie, try making one at home, where you can better control the serving size and sugar content.
5. Trail Mix
Trail mix can be very high in fat and calories. One handful alone can contain 300 calories or more. Additionally…very few people actually eat just a handful.
