Pretzels

Don’t tell the street vendors in New York City, but their sought-after midtown snack is actually pretty terrible for the tourists. Registered dietitian Cara Walsh explains: “Pretzels are basically made out of sugar—simple carbs. The refined-carbohydrate product contains no nutrients that are beneficial for health plus they aren’t satisfying, which is why so many people tend to overeat them.” Here are some other unhealthy foods you’ve been tricked into thinking aren’t so bad.

Rice cakes





Once a supposed diet hero, these carb bombs are finally getting the shade they deserve. “Rice cakes are made from a specific carbohydrate that skyrockets your blood sugar,” says Walsh. They still hold a fascination for the calorie conscious, but Walsh is begging everyone to reconsider. Find out about some more foods that are bad for your belly.

Fruit canned in syrup




You could swap a slice of cake for fruit cocktail and your body wouldn’t know the difference. “Fruit is naturally sweet enough on its own,” explains registered dietitian and nutritionist Amy Gorin, MS. The amount of sugar in the fruit plus the syrup could put most desserts to shame. “If you’re shopping for canned fruit, you can absolutely find fruit that doesn’t contain added sugar, such as varieties canned in water or juice.”

Boxed cereals

Easier than whipping up an omelette and faster than brewing a cup of coffee, cereal is a breakfast favorite. But when it comes to offering the vitamins and minerals your body craves to start the day right, registered dietitian and nutritionist, Gisela Bouvier, RDN, advises stepping away from the box. “Dry cereals were created to be easy breakfast foods targeted to kids. However, cereals are very high in carbohydrates and offer very little, if any, protein and heart healthy fats. Most also have a lot of added sugars and lack fiber,” she explains. “As a dietitian, I never recommend dry cereals to clients. Instead, I recommend nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates, such as slow-cooked oatmeal or whole-grain toast.”

Regular peanut butter

Forget the uptick in peanut allergies in recent years, or the fact that some folks report increased acne breakouts after eating some PB, there’s even more of a reason to pass on this nut butter, according to Bouvier. Or at the very least, be a lot more selective about what you buy.

“While it does contain heart-healthy fats and is a quality plant-based protein, it is important to know that not all peanut butters are created equal. Most commercial peanut butters contain added sugar and oils, particularly partially hydrogenated oils. Partially hydrogenated oils are another name for trans fat, which have been linked to cardiovascular disease and other diseases. Unfortunately, when there is less than 0.5 grams of partially hydrogenated oils per serving in a food item, manufacturers are not required to put trans fat on their food labels,” she explains. “As a dietitian, I recommend to read the list of ingredients when purchasing peanut butter or any nut butters in general. When possible, simply look for ‘peanuts’ in the ingredient list or ‘peanuts, salt.’” Make sure you know whether your packaged foods might have hidden saturated fats.

Frozen diet dinners


It’s tempting—especially when you get home late and the kids still need a baths—to defrost a frozen-food meal. The convenience isn’t the question, but the nutritional value definitely is. “Many frozen diet dinners claim to be low calorie and healthy. However, most are loaded with sodium and artificial ingredients, and they are also light on the nutrients,” Bouvier says.

Cheese-flavored snacks
If you find yourself drawn to cheese-flavored anything, you’d be better off reaching for the real deal instead. Cheese-flavored snacks are full of chemicals, says registered dietitian and nutritionist, Ashvini Mashru. “While you can find plain potato chips cooked in sunflower oil, cheese-flavored snacks are packed with fat, MSG, and artificial flavors and colors. The ingredient list itself explains why a plain potato chip cooked in sunflower oil is many times better than any extruded cheese snack,” she says.

High fiber bars





When you’re traveling and trying to keep to your diet (trying to resist that pack of cookies offered to you 10,000 feet), maybe you reach for that high fiber bar you packed to bolster your will power. While Mashru understands the appeal, it’s actually not a good idea to let a bar take the place of a well-balanced snack that offers protein and healthy fats. Mashru says that really, these popular are “actually candy bars in disguise.” Instead, snack on these healthy foods you can find in an airport.

Food dyes


These mysterious ingredients aren’t really linked to weight gain, but nutritionist Julie Pech warns that anything not natural can be tricky for your body to digest. About eight years ago, Pech discovered she was allergic to food dyes. Anytime she would eat or drink something that contained a food dye, she’d become depressed within 24 hours. “I know when I’ve messed up because my mood will change for no reason. Usually everything is back to normal in a day, once my body has a chance to get rid of it. Many people are allergic to food dyes, and I’m a big advocate for clean-eating,” she says

Wheat

Though there is a trend toward cutting out gluten to shed a few pounds or to feel healthier and thinner, many people suffer from gluten-intolerance or even worse, Celiac disease. For Pech, her son’s allergy to wheat is what prompted her to cut out this ingredient from her diet. “I stopped eating wheat with him because he was only 8 and was convinced his life would end if he couldn’t have pizza (that was before gluten-free pizza),” she explains. “I told him we’d do it together to make it easier for him. Once I stopped, I noticed my mind was much clearer and I had more energy, so I kept going with the wheat-free diet and I love it.” Make sure you know the potential dangers of a gluten-free diet.

Wheat

Though there is a trend toward cutting out gluten to shed a few pounds or to feel healthier and thinner, many people suffer from gluten-intolerance or even worse, Celiac disease. For Pech, her son’s allergy to wheat is what prompted her to cut out this ingredient from her diet. “I stopped eating wheat with him because he was only 8 and was convinced his life would end if he couldn’t have pizza (that was before gluten-free pizza),” she explains. “I told him we’d do it together to make it easier for him. Once I stopped, I noticed my mind was much clearer and I had more energy, so I kept going with the wheat-free diet and I love it.” Make sure you know the potential dangers of a gluten-free

Frozen breakfast sandwiches




We’ve all seen the commercials where an anthropomorphic sun promises tons of energy after wolfing down a breakfast sandwich. Don’t fall for this sandwich scam: “These little buggers can actually raise LDL cholesterol levels—the bad cholesterol—and lower good HDL cholesterol, which increases the risk of the number one cause of death in this country: heart disease,” explains registered dietitian Cassandra Golden MS, RD. “There are absolutely no health benefits of trans fats, and are used by food manufacturers to improve texture, shelf life, and as a less expensive alternative to butter or lard. Trans fats earned the nickname ‘bad fats’ for good reason, with our past president declaring them a threat to public health

Non-fat salad dressings





So you’re faced with a choice: Do you go for the regular dressing on your salad or the non-fat? Actually, you’re better off making your own olive oil-and-red wine version. “The fat, especially something like olive oil, can actually help you better absorb nutrients from the vegetables in your salad,” says registered dietitian Tanya Freirich, MS, RD. “Also, when the food company takes out the fat, they usually add a lot of sugar or man-made ingredients to achieve a similar taste. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts are an important part of a well-balanced diet.” Try these other salad tricks to lose weight.

Sugar-free desserts

The best news to come out of the dietary revolution of the last decade or so? Probably the condemnation of fat-free and sugar-free foods. You have full permission from those who know best to have an honest-to-goodness hunk of cake instead of something silly (not to mention supremely unsatisfying) like a sugar-free pudding. “I’d rather have a small amount of a natural sugar like honey or brown sugar than the processed facsimile of a dessert like a sugar free cookie or sugar free candy,” Freirich says. “The real dessert satisfies my sweet tooth with just a small portion, whereas the sugar-free option never really hits the spot. Eating sugar or fat in moderation can be a part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, and I’d rather eat whole, natural foods than processed ones.” Here are the sneaky sources of added sugar you might be eating without knowing it.

[COLOR="Red"]CAFO beef and chicken

[/COIt stands for concentrated animal feeding operation, and it means just what it says: The animals are crowded together and treated poorly. This is why it’s not just the source of tomato sauce, yogurt, and other packaged goods that need your attention, explains Karen Brennan, MSW, CNC: Meat need watching as well. “Animals need to be eating what is natural to them, and they need to be outdoors with room to roam in a stress-free environment,” she says. “Confined animals contain more omega 6’s, which are inflammatory. Grass-fed animals that are pasture raised have more heart protective omega 3’s,” says the board-certified holistic nutritionist and herbalist. “You are not only what you eat, but what your food eats. So, what did that chicken eat? What did that cow eat? Was it GMO grains? Were they injected with growth hormones and antibiotics? What impact will this have on your body over time after you consume these foods day after day, year after year?LOR]

Pasteurized dairy

Fun fact: humans are the only species that consume dairy post-infancy. While babies might need the enzymes from milk to build their bones and immune system, once you’ve grown, the benefits don’t always outweigh the drawbacks. “The main reasons why I do not consume traditional milk is because of the hormones injected into these cows, the GMO unnatural corn/grain based diet they are fed,the antibiotics these cows are given and because pasteurization destroys good microbes and enzymes that milk would otherwise contain,” Brennan says.

Skim milk

Brennan says skim milk would never be on her breakfast table, no matter what. “The fats in milk build and balance the nervous system. The fat also acts as carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins so that these nutrients get to where they are needed. Personally, I would opt for goat milk instead since it is easier to digest and has fewer problematic proteins than does cow milk found in the United States. Also, it’s a myth that you have to eat dairy in order to meet your calcium needs! Your bones are made up of much more than just calcium and you can meet your calcium needs on a plant-based diet.” Here is what happens to your body when you stop eating dairy.

Canola oil

Yes, canola was a good guy, once upon a time. We fried with it, made cakes, used it in dressings. “Made from rapeseed, most canola oil is genetically modified,” explains functional diagnostic nutritionist Cate Ritter. “Like most vegetable oils, canola is highly processed, refined, bleached and deodorized, which adds toxins and removes nutrients including the omega-3s. The manufacturing process makes it partially hydrogenated

Non-organic corn and products made from corn

What does this include? Ritter says “corn oil, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, cornstarch, dextrose and maltodextrin.” All of these sneaky ingredients are hanging out in many processed foods, and corn is the second-most common GMO that’s dangerous for your health. Check your labels—all of them—before letting food into your shopping cart.

Refined grains





Even if your Thai takeout doesn’t feel complete without rice; neither does Chinese food without noodles. Nonetheless, you’re better off to stick to the chicken and veggies, says Caroline Apovian, MD, director of nutrition and weight management at Boston Medical Center. “There are three parts of a grain: bran, germ, and endosperm. Refined grains remove the bran and germ, while whole grains preserve all three parts. Removing the bran and germ also removes the dietary fiber, B vitamins, and iron from grains. Refined grains include white bread, white rice, and most pastas.” Check out these easy ways to get more fiber in your diet without even
trying