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We all know that the journey to fitness is a combination of exercise and eating right. Healthy food has become a recent trend, with the surge of superfoods, low-fat or sugar-free foods hitting the shelves of our local supermarkets. With all the options out there, it can be difficult to tell which foods are truly healthy for your body. Here are six food products that are not as healthy as they seem, and what you should eat instead:
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Fruit juice
Fruit juice may possibly be the most misleading healthy food in our refrigerators right now. The benefits of fruits are aplenty, including being good sources of vitamins and dietary fibre. However, juicing actually leaves out the fibre in our fruits. On top of that, fruit juices add more sugar content into our blood than regular fruit.
Imagine drinking a glass of apple juice in five minutes. That’s equivalent to having three to four apples’ worth of sugar rushing through your blood in that short period of time. Compare this to the time it will take you to eat four whole apples. You will find that eating whole fruits will take your body a longer time to digest and absorb the sugar content, instead of absorbing high volumes of fructose sugar in such a concentrated time. Additionally, without fibre, your body absorbs sugar faster, which will make you hungrier even quicker!
What to eat/drink instead: Whole fruits
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Vitamin-enhanced water
The health benefits of water cannot be overstated: it promotes weight loss, boosts immunity, improves skin complexion, just to name a few. With the promise of added vitamins and minerals to an already-beneficial drink, it is of no surprise why vitamin-enhanced waters would be appealing to many.
Vitamin-enhanced waters may seem like the perfect choice of drink to quench your thirst under the hot sun or during an intense workout session. However, most vitamin-enhanced waters do not contain enough electrolytes to adequately replenish the sweat lost. Some vitamin-enhanced waters are also artificially sweetened, thus containing added sugars that are bad for your health when consumed in excess.
What to eat/drink instead: Plain water, sports drinks (after exercise)
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Flavoured yogurt
Yogurt contains a lot of probiotics which are good for your digestive system. Similar to pre-packed yogurt with fruits in them, flavoured yogurt is loaded with sugar, which is used to counter the natural tartness of yogurt.
What to eat/drink instead: Greek yogurt with fresh fruits or honey
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Fat-free/ Low-fat milk
According to The American Journal of Nutrition, research conducted on over 18,000 women saw that those who drank more full-fat milk were eight per cent less likely to be overweight or obese as compared to those who consumed skim milk. One reason being that fat-free or low-fat dairy alternatives contain more added sugar, which increases the risk of weight gain, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Another reason is that more carbohydrates, which will be converted into sugar, will be consumed to compensate for the lack of fat, hence contributing to weight gain.
What to eat/drink instead: Organic milk, coconut milk
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Protein bars
Protein helps to build and strengthen our muscles. At home, we can get our daily source of protein in meat, eggs, and beans. However, when we are hitting the gym or on the go, some people find it easier to munch on a protein bar instead. However, some protein bars are heavy in calories, sugar, and preservatives. Additionally, our bodies might not require the huge amounts of protein that is packed in many of the protein bars found in the market. An adequate amount would be those between 300-400 calories.
What to eat/drink instead: Chocolate milk
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Fast food salads
Imagine this: Your friends wish to dine at McDonald’s tonight despite your wishes of “eating clean”, so you opt for a McDonald’s salad instead of a burger. Contrary to popular belief, fast food salads are not the healthier option most of the time. The high amounts of sodium and fat in fast food salads are often attributed to the ingredients paired with the salad. Hence, with fast food salads, you might be consuming less protein and more calories!
What to eat/drink instead: Fresh side salad with a light dressing
Healthy eating is all about eating a balanced meal and avoid overeating. If your stomach is feeling unwell in any way, seek a doctor immediately. You can find one with GetDoc today.
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by waiyee
Film junkie. Matcha drinker. Dog lady. Will write for food. View all articles by waiyee.
