Beware of those so-called “health-conscious” food products you’re buying – they may be disguised as low-calorie, but these culprits could put a dent in your diet goals. Just when you think you’re getting a low-fat muffin, you’re snacking on tons of extra calories. And the ones that seem to be obviously good for you, well, that isn’t always the case! Soups: certain soups can be packed full of calories and fat, especially favorites like New England clam chowder or cream of broccoli.
Sugar-Free Cookies: It's not uncommon for a fat-free or even sugar-free food to have nearly the same number of calories as its regular counterpart, and taste- wise, there's no comparison to the real deal.
Pork: Depending on the cut, the piece of pork in front of you can be comparable to low-fat, low-calorie chicken, or as high in fat as a hot dog. And adding sauces can de-lean it!
Coffee: Coffee drinks can be astronomically high in calories depending on the ingredients and size of the drink one selects
Salads: Throw on a creamy dressing, cheese, croutons, and bacon bits, and your lunch is starting to look less healthy, more calorie packed, and detrimental to your diet.
Breakfast Bars: Some breakfast bars look healthy and even have healthy looking pictures on the box - look at the actual calories and extra sugars in its ingredients.
Dried Fruits and Granola: Granola sounds great, but it's very rich in fat, so you have to watch how much you eat.
Juice and Soda: You have a juice midmorning, and a soda midafternoon, and next thing you know, you've consumed an extra 400 calories in liquids – they add up.
Low-Fat/Low-Cal Foods: Low calorie does not mean no calorie.
Nuts: Nuts are high in fat so they are only healthy if you can eat just one serving.
Before your diet goes south, consider the effects of the above diet busters. And before you pat yourself on the back for eating soup and salad for lunch, make sure you read the label. Chester is a health nutrition consultant and is the owner of AstroNutrition - a provider of premium health nutrition and sports supplements. Check out our Health and Fitness Blog!
