5 Popular Healthy Foods That Are Not Really Healthy

Food is the fuel that powers our body. From sweet and sour to savoury and spicy, we all have our tastes and preferences. Even though each of us knows the importance of eating a balanced meal, many of us substitute essential components of our meal with foods that are recommended by our friends and family. But while opting for the popular and trendy food items, we often forget to concentrate on the nutritious aspect of food.

With the internet being an open source for anyone to post what they may like, it is hard to discern the truth from fiction, i.e. what foods are actually healthy. Most of us may know the basic dos and don’ts of healthy eating – avoiding oily and fatty foods, eating green leafy vegetables, etc. However, there are 5 popular food items that are deemed healthy by a majority of the population, when actually they’re quite the opposite! So, let’s discuss these 5 food items and how in reality they are not really healthy.

1. Low-Calorie Frozen Foods

Although it may seem like a low-calorie frozen meal is the best option to lose weight, in reality, it is extremely harmful for our body. Such meals slow down our metabolism, making it harder for us to lose weight. For a healthy and active lifestyle, it is imperative that you opt for a balanced and fresh meal instead.

It’s understandable that you may not be able to make a home-cooked meal for yourself every day. However, opting for the convenience of a frozen meal over a fresh, balanced meal may have adverse effects on your health. If you have no other option but to opt for frozen food, choose a meal that has lots of vegetables and whole grains instead of looking at the calories. This will ensure that you at least get some substantial nutrition to keep your body running.

2. Low-Fat Or Fat-Free Foods

You may have heard that to lose weight, it is essential to cut down on fatty foods or switch to a low-fat or fat-free diet. Although this is a popular belief, nothing could be further from the truth! Even though these food items may be fat-free, to make up for the lack in taste, manufacturers tend to add several other items including artificial sweeteners, flour, etc. (1). Such items add extra calories to your meal, making it harder for you to lose weight. If you must opt for a fat-free product, make sure to thoroughly read the label and ensure that the product does not have any added artificial sweeteners, etc. or more calories than the original meal.

3. Low-Carb Diets

It is a popular belief that low-carb diets aid in weight loss. Even though this may be true to an extent (depending on your body type), recent studies have shown that completely eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may impair your memory (2). Carbs are an essential part of a balanced diet and critical to ensuring perfect brain health. If you find it essential to follow a low-carb diet, it is important to make sure that it stays as a ‘low-carb’ diet and doesn’t deteriorate to a ‘no-carb’ diet.

4. Eating Processed Meat Instead Of Fresh Meat

For many of us, eating processed meat is a part of everyday life. After all, it’s easy to buy, store, and cook. However, although it may seem like the more convenient option, according to the World Health Organization, processed meats increase your risk of cancer (3). Studies have been conclusive enough to classify processed meat as a carcinogen that can increase the risk of colon cancer by 18%. Hence, protect your health by choosing a balanced meal with fresh meat and vegetables over processed meats.

5. Opting For Frozen Or Dried Fruits Over Fresh Ones

As convenient as it may seem to buy frozen or dried fruits and stock them up in the house, they may not be as healthy as you think. Frozen or dried fruits are usually packaged with unnecessary preservatives to ensure that they last longer. These preservatives can increase your calorie intake without you knowing it. Hence, it is always important to check the labels of any frozen or dried fruits before purchasing them to ensure that no or minimal preservatives are present. Choosing fresh fruits is always the healthiest option!

To make the most of our day-to-day life, it is imperative that we are in perfect health. One cannot enjoy the intricacies of life while suffering from health problems that could have been easily avoided by following a proper diet. Your physical and mental health is far more valuable than any commodity that you can own.

We aim to ensure that you have all the facts required to make an informed decision about what you consume. So, live a healthy and active life by keeping an eye out for more of our articles.
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Chandrama Deshmukh

   

Creativity has no limits. And words have no barriers. Together they can create magic, bridge all gaps.I work with words. Words that sound great, words that make sense, words that sell and words that tell..

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