12 ‘Healthy’ Snacks that Aren’t Really Healthy

Rebecca Lewis September 17, 2013

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Diet drinks, salads, blueberry muffins, sugar-free snacks – they really sound healthy right? Not always. Check out these 12 ‘healthy’ snacks that are not that healthy at all.

Low-Fat Nut Butter

The ‘low-fat’ peanut butter available in groceries today is not really a healthier version of the regular peanut butter. Try checking out their labels and you will find that these two have nearly the same amount of calories, but the low-fat variety has more sugar. If you want super-healthy nut butter, better make your own. It’s as simple as putting the nuts in a food processor.

Energy Bars

Do you always reach for a protein bar prior a workout? Well, you should know that most snack bars contain high fructose corn syrup that promotes inflammation, as well as saturated fats that cause clogged arteries. If you’re looking for a great pre-workout meal, consider eating fresh produce like fruits and vegetables, plus lean meat, beans or legumes. These foods are high in protein but are low in calories, unlike a regular protein bar that has around 350 calories!

Premade Smoothies

In many restaurants and coffee bars, smoothies seem to be the healthiest choice. It’s true that fruits are healthy. But adding sugar, cream, high-fat milk and a scoop of ice cream overthrows the health benefits of smoothie drinks. Worse, some restaurants don’t really use fresh fruits, but only fruit concentrates or purees.

Fat-free Snacks

Fat-free doesn’t always mean calorie-free. Yes there are many fat-free treats that are healthy but make sure to read the label first. Look for ingredients that make the food less nutritious, such as added sugar, sodium, etc.

Restaurant-baked Potatoes

The best way to cook potatoes is to bake them. Potatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fibre. But restaurants love adding lots of fatty, calorie-dense toppings on their ‘special baked potatoes’ – such as cheese, meat strips, bacon bits, etc.

Energy Drinks

Whilst energy drinks contain healthy ingredients like electrolytes and potassium, most of them contain high amount of sugar and other additives that are not good for your body. Recent studies are linking high sugar levels with cardiovascular problems, inflammation and other chronic illnesses. If you’re going to the gym or planning to engage in a strenuous physical activity, choose natural energy boosters instead, such as whole grains, green tea, banana, and green leafy veggies.

Prepared Salads

Salads usually served in restaurants are high in fats and calories because of the unhealthy dressings used, such as mayonnaise. If you’re ordering out, choose salad versions that make use of vinaigrette, olive oil, and other healthy dressings. Skip the croutons (better, replace it with nuts), bacon bits and cheese.

Frozen Entrées

They may be low in calories, but they are also low in nutrients. Another thing, frozen meals are loaded with sodium, sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. Nothing beats the homemade dish, really.

Bran Muffins

Bran muffins sound much better than sugary doughnuts right? Well, not really. Most commercially sold bran muffins contain 800 calories of sugar and fats and that’s way higher than the calories in traditional doughnuts!

Frozen Yoghurt

Want a cold snack that doesn’t make you feel guilty? If you think frozen yoghurt is a better choice than ice cream, think again. Whilst they are generally lower in saturated fats, frozen yoghurts have similar amounts of sugar and calories as ice creams. Nothing beats plain Greek yoghurt. For more flavour and texture, you can just add fresh (or dried) fruits, seeds or nuts.

Tea Drinks

We’re talking about the bottled ones. These drinks are not the same with traditional brewed tea leaves. Many bottled varieties contain less brewed tea and more sugar. Some of them were just made from ‘essences’ or ‘concentrates’ and likely lack the touted benefits of natural tea.

Trail Mix

A handful of trail mix might sound a great, healthy idea for a ‘to-go’ snack. But most commercially sold trail mixes are loaded with chocolates, sweets, deep-fried banana crisps, and the like. If you love this kind of snack, make your own version. This way, you can carefully choose the foods you want to include.

Food labels can really be deceiving at times so make sure to carefully scrutinise their nutritional information. This way, you can ensure that you are picking a snack that’s not just good for your waistline but also for your overall health.