This story has been updated since it was originally posted on 3/21/23 to include another item and more expert insight
There are a lot of products out there that appear to be—and may even claim to be—healthy. These days, marketing is everything; you can easily be lured in by it, thinking that you’re investing in supplements, beverages, and foods that can keep your health in check. In reality, though, they may actually be taking a toll on your body (just take a look at these possibly harmful supplements). That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to nutrition labels while shopping. As it turns out, there are a few grocery items experts say you should stay away from, even if they seem like a good option.
To discover some of the worst healthy-seeming culprits out there, we spoke to dietitian Laurie Thenedy, CEO of Nutrition Renewed and Heather Hanks, nutritionist at Medical Solutions Barcelona. They told us that flavored instant oatmeal, many types of granola, granola bars, and plantain chips are often not as healthy as they seem. Learn more about the health effects of each of these products below!
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1. Flavored instant oatmeal
There's no denying that oatmeal can make for an ultra-healthy, tasty breakfast when you whip it up yourself. This whole grain, fiber-packed food allows you to fill it with tons of nutritious ingredients and can even promote weight loss by keeping you fuller longer. However, Thenedy warns against the pre-packaged, flavored variety. Unfortunately, eating this regularly can be detrimental to your health.
"While oats are a whole grain, the flavored oats often are packed with added sugars which isn't heart-healthy or good for weight management," she says. Instead, she recommends cooking up some "plain rolled or instant oats with fresh or frozen fruit added for a boost in fiber and no added sugar." Perfect!
2. Sugary granola
Granola is another food that sounds healthy in theory, but could be loading your breakfast with way too much sugar in reality. The key is to pay attention to the nutrition label. "Don't be deceived by the healthy-looking packaging," Thenedy stresses. "Some brands of granola have anywhere from 10-16g of added sugars which is 40-64% of the recommended daily allowance." Yikes! That's definitely not a healthy way to start your day.
She recommends Muesli as a healthier alternative. Additionally, you can keep an eye out for brands that have less than 6g of added sugars per serving. Add this to your yogurt, smoothie bowls, or oats, and you'll be in good shape.
3. Granola bars
Similar to oatmeal and granola, you may see granola bars as a quick, healthy breakfast or snack to eat while you're on the go. Unfortunately, though, just as with many of the other items on this list, the popular granola bars you buy at the store are typically loaded with sugar and low in nutrients, which could be damaging to your health. In fact, Hanks considers them the worst "healthy food" out there.
"Granola bars are the worst 'healthy' food for weight loss because they are full of inflammatory ingredients that prevent weight loss, including refined sugars and grains," she says. "Many food manufacturers claim that their granola bars are healthy because they contain oats."
Oats are certainly a healthy addition to your diet when you consume them with the right ingredients—but unfortunately, granola bars add a lot of harmful additives to the mix. "The added ingredients in granola bars are what make them so unhealthy," Hanks explains, noting that added sugars, carbs, and calories can impact your metabolism and lead to weight gain and inflammation. Yikes!
4. Plantain Chips
You may consider plantain chips a healthy alternative to fattening, processed snacks like potato chips. After all, they are made from vegetables! However, Thenedy tells us that they're not much better than the alternative when it comes to your overall health. "Even though these are a vegetable, they are fried and often have added sugar added to them," she says, noting that "Foods high in added sugars or that are fried are not heart-healthy or good for weight loss."
Luckily, there are plenty of actually healthy snacks to choose from. Thenedy suggests kale chips, roasted chickpeas, nuts, and air-popped popcorn, just to name a few. All of these have more protein and fiber, which "will make your snack more satisfying and keep you fuller longer." Perfect!
