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Navigating the grocery aisle in search of easy to grab foods that are waistline-friendly is harder than ever. There are many items that are labeled fat free, low-fat, or diet-friendly that, in truth, are worse for you than the full-calorie versions. If you are looking to drop weight, you should steer clear from these popular food items.
Agave
Agave has gain popularity along with coconut sugar and date sugar as a “healthy” alternative to white sugar. Unfortunately, it’s still sugar. Agave does rank relatively low on both the glycemic index and glycemic load scales, which is why it’s popular as a sugar substitute. However, it’s extremely high in fructose. Consuming large amounts of added fructose can weaken your metabolic health. And, it contains 60 calories per tablespoon versus 48 calories for table sugar. If you are looking for a healthier sugar replacement option, stick with stevia.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is healthy for you because they contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals, right? Perhaps if you were just to eat a small serving on occasion, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Dried fruit is smaller and contains condensed sugar, which is why it’s so much sweeter than fresh fruit. Because of that, there’s a tendency to overeat dried fruit. Although dried fruit is convenient, fresh fruit is a much healthier choice.
Low Fat Yogurt
Most low-fat yogurts are filled with added sugar. That’s because when you remove the fat, the yogurt is bitter. To compensate for the lack of flavor, many yogurt manufacturers add artificial flavors and sweeteners. When it comes to yogurt, full-fat is a much healthier choice. Fat is a filling nutrient that keeps you fuller longer, and you won’t miss the sugar.
Flavored Coffees
Coffee is a known mild appetite suppressant and the caffeine in it can raise your metabolism. This is true is you are drinking black coffee. Flavored coffees including lattes, frappes, and iced coffee are often loaded in calories and sugar. The benefit you get from the caffeine is lost when you are drinking your calories.
