You're in line at your local coffee shop and in desperate need of a snack. Instead of grabbing the nearest muffin, you select a granola-topped yogurt parfait. Healthy choice, right?
It turns out that many yogurt parfaits can have just as much sugar as a pastry. A fruit and yogurt parfait at one popular fast food chain has a whopping 22 grams of sugar. When it's loaded with honey, sweetened granola, and sweetened fruit, a parfait can quickly become a sugar bomb.
2. That veggie burrito could be destroying your diet.
Think you're being healthy by skipping the fast food burger joint and sitting down to a big, vegetable-packed burrito?
Loading your vegetable burrito up with things like guacamole, cheese, beans, and sour cream can quickly elevate the calorie count.
Of course, calories aren't the only measure of health. It's also important to make sure you're getting essential vitamins and nutrients, but consuming too many calories for your needs can lead to health problems.
3. Veggie burgers can actually have some questionable ingredients.
"If low-calorie, fiber-rich and nutrient-dense is what you're after, you're not going to get it in a veggie burger," said registered dietitian and nutritionist McKell Hill on Nutrition Stripped.
Make your own vegetable patties at home out of fresh, simple plant-based ingredients to be sure you're getting a healthy meal.
4. Your post-workout smoothie could be adding a ton of calories to your day.
Refueling with a homemade smoothie after a workout might be delicious, but you could be eating back all the calories you just burned and then some.
Ingredients like peanut butter, bananas, cashews, and hemp seeds pack a ton of protein, but they also are calorie-dense and can be high in sugar.
The USDA reports that two tablespoons of peanut butter has 180 calories and one large banana offers 121 calories. Add in a half cup of cashews for 360 calories and a couple cups of almond milk for 182 calories, and your protein smoothie is suddenly an 800-calorie treat.
5. Granola bars are basically dessert.
They often have added sugars.HandmadePictures/Shutterstock
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a packaged granola bar? Many of the items crammed into those bars would be right at home on an ice cream sundae. Additions like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, butterscotch, candy pieces, and sweetened yogurt glaze can really add up.
One popular brand of granola bar has 14 grams of sugar in one bar, according to the USDA. You might also find unwelcome ingredients like artificial colors and flavorings listed on the label.
Though plenty of the ingredients in these snacks have valuable nutrients and healthy fats, do you really want to max out your sugar budget for the day on a granola bar?
6. Plant-based hot dogs aren't a healthy swap for the real thing.
It's still processed.Flickr/diversey
Imitation hot dogs might sate your craving for something savory and salty, but they aren't the healthiest choice.
"These hot dogs are made with artificial ingredients, including processed soy, sugar, and artificial flavors," nutritionist Shannon Kadlovski told HuffPost.
Skip the fake meat and load your plate with unprocessed foods if you're looking to eat a healthy plant-based diet.
7. High-fiber cereals and oatmeal can be a sneaky source of sugar.
Especially if you add honey.Daniella Segura / Flickr
When you're skipping the sausage and bacon, fixing yourself a big bowl or high-fiber "natural" cereal or oatmeal might seem like a healthy choice. However, you need to pay attention to the nutrition labels.
If you're eating pre-packaged instant oatmeal or cereal, chances are that you're taking in a lot more sugar than you intended. One serving of a popular oatmeal comes in at 12 grams of sugar per packet, according to the USDA. A serving of different classic all-bran dry cereal packs a startling 14 grams of sugar per serving. That's almost like eating a cupcake for breakfast.
8. Veggie chips can be just as bad for you as regular old potato chips.
It may be heartbreaking, but those sweet potato, carrot, and kale chips you've been munching are most likely fried and covered in salt. Just like their white potato brethren. That means they can contain a ton of sodium and fat.
Michalczyk told Men's Health that consumers should look for chips that are air-fried and don't contain any extra sugar or seasonings. Making your own veggie chips at home can also help you control what goes into your snack.
9. Vegan desserts might be dairy-free, but they should still be consumed in moderation.
It's still dessert.Supri Supri/Reuters
If you think commercial vegan foods are more natural than their dairy counterparts, think again.
"When manufacturers take out butter and eggs, they often put instarches, gums, and pectins to achieve a similar consistency and texture," registered dietitian Maggie Michalczyk told Men's Health.
Be sure to check the ingredients of any vegan dessert you decide to indulge in so you don't end up eating additives you'd rather avoid.
10. Vegan macaroni and cheese may be tasty, but it's not a health food.
It's still a bit processed.Marie C Fields/Shutterstock
Just because a food doesn't contain animal protein doesn't mean it's the most natural option on the menu.
Boxed vegan macaroni and cheese can contain artificial flavoring and coloring that you might not want to be consuming. Even if you make your vegan mac at home with dairy-free cheese, you're still eating a processed product.
"The building blocks of processed cheese are anything that the [maker] wants to put in it," cheese expert Tia Keenan told HuffPost. "Soy cheese can only be made in a factory. It's a more industrial product … not something made from someone's hands."
You're in line at your local coffee shop and in desperate need of a snack. Instead of grabbing the nearest muffin, you select a granola-topped yogurt parfait. Healthy choice, right?
It turns out that many yogurt parfaits can have just as much sugar as a pastry. A fruit and yogurt parfait at one popular fast food chain has a whopping 22 grams of sugar. When it's loaded with honey, sweetened granola, and sweetened fruit, a parfait can quickly become a sugar bomb.
2. That veggie burrito could be destroying your diet.
Think you're being healthy by skipping the fast food burger joint and sitting down to a big, vegetable-packed burrito?
Loading your vegetable burrito up with things like guacamole, cheese, beans, and sour cream can quickly elevate the calorie count.
Of course, calories aren't the only measure of health. It's also important to make sure you're getting essential vitamins and nutrients, but consuming too many calories for your needs can lead to health problems.
3. Veggie burgers can actually have some questionable ingredients.
"If low-calorie, fiber-rich and nutrient-dense is what you're after, you're not going to get it in a veggie burger," said registered dietitian and nutritionist McKell Hill on Nutrition Stripped.
Make your own vegetable patties at home out of fresh, simple plant-based ingredients to be sure you're getting a healthy meal.
4. Your post-workout smoothie could be adding a ton of calories to your day.
Refueling with a homemade smoothie after a workout might be delicious, but you could be eating back all the calories you just burned and then some.
Ingredients like peanut butter, bananas, cashews, and hemp seeds pack a ton of protein, but they also are calorie-dense and can be high in sugar.
The USDA reports that two tablespoons of peanut butter has 180 calories and one large banana offers 121 calories. Add in a half cup of cashews for 360 calories and a couple cups of almond milk for 182 calories, and your protein smoothie is suddenly an 800-calorie treat.
5. Granola bars are basically dessert.
They often have added sugars.HandmadePictures/Shutterstock
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a packaged granola bar? Many of the items crammed into those bars would be right at home on an ice cream sundae. Additions like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, butterscotch, candy pieces, and sweetened yogurt glaze can really add up.
One popular brand of granola bar has 14 grams of sugar in one bar, according to the USDA. You might also find unwelcome ingredients like artificial colors and flavorings listed on the label.
Though plenty of the ingredients in these snacks have valuable nutrients and healthy fats, do you really want to max out your sugar budget for the day on a granola bar?
6. Plant-based hot dogs aren't a healthy swap for the real thing.
It's still processed.Flickr/diversey
Imitation hot dogs might sate your craving for something savory and salty, but they aren't the healthiest choice.
"These hot dogs are made with artificial ingredients, including processed soy, sugar, and artificial flavors," nutritionist Shannon Kadlovski told HuffPost.
Skip the fake meat and load your plate with unprocessed foods if you're looking to eat a healthy plant-based diet.
7. High-fiber cereals and oatmeal can be a sneaky source of sugar.
Especially if you add honey.Daniella Segura / Flickr
When you're skipping the sausage and bacon, fixing yourself a big bowl or high-fiber "natural" cereal or oatmeal might seem like a healthy choice. However, you need to pay attention to the nutrition labels.
If you're eating pre-packaged instant oatmeal or cereal, chances are that you're taking in a lot more sugar than you intended. One serving of a popular oatmeal comes in at 12 grams of sugar per packet, according to the USDA. A serving of different classic all-bran dry cereal packs a startling 14 grams of sugar per serving. That's almost like eating a cupcake for breakfast.
8. Veggie chips can be just as bad for you as regular old potato chips.
It may be heartbreaking, but those sweet potato, carrot, and kale chips you've been munching are most likely fried and covered in salt. Just like their white potato brethren. That means they can contain a ton of sodium and fat.
Michalczyk told Men's Health that consumers should look for chips that are air-fried and don't contain any extra sugar or seasonings. Making your own veggie chips at home can also help you control what goes into your snack.
9. Vegan desserts might be dairy-free, but they should still be consumed in moderation.
It's still dessert.Supri Supri/Reuters
If you think commercial vegan foods are more natural than their dairy counterparts, think again.
"When manufacturers take out butter and eggs, they often put instarches, gums, and pectins to achieve a similar consistency and texture," registered dietitian Maggie Michalczyk told Men's Health.
Be sure to check the ingredients of any vegan dessert you decide to indulge in so you don't end up eating additives you'd rather avoid.
10. Vegan macaroni and cheese may be tasty, but it's not a health food.
It's still a bit processed.Marie C Fields/Shutterstock
Just because a food doesn't contain animal protein doesn't mean it's the most natural option on the menu.
Boxed vegan macaroni and cheese can contain artificial flavoring and coloring that you might not want to be consuming. Even if you make your vegan mac at home with dairy-free cheese, you're still eating a processed product.
"The building blocks of processed cheese are anything that the [maker] wants to put in it," cheese expert Tia Keenan told HuffPost. "Soy cheese can only be made in a factory. It's a more industrial product … not something made from someone's hands."
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