They say healthy eating is easyyou just have to know how.
And, if you follow the basic rules, it certainly can be.
What are those rules?
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Well, eat a diverse mix of colorful whole foods.
Be sure tobalance macronutrientslike fiber, carbohydrates, and fats.
Always choose foods that provide the body with a variety of essential nutrients.
As simple as all this may sound, that last point is where things often get tricky.
Fruity yogurts, brown breads, and gluten-free crackers are classic culprits.
Unfortunately, excessive consumption of some of these foods can have a negative impact on our bodies.
To get a sense of what to look out for, we chatted withDr.
Jessica Hinteregger-Mannel, a specialist in general medicine, naturopathy, and nutritional medicine in Meerbusch, Germany.
Here, she shares seven secretly unhealthy foods that have not earned their reputations for being healthy.
Read on to find out what they are.
Rice cakes
Rice cakes with smoked salmon and cheese; rice cakes slathered in almond butter.
Sounds like a delicious, uncomplicated, and healthy way tosnack between meals, right?
After all, the puffed rice base seems pretty light.
Worse, the puffing process also produces acrylamide, a chemical thatstudies have showncan have a carcinogenic effect.
Vegan cheese
Eliminating meat and dairy productsfrom your diet can definitely be a healthy lifestyle change.
However, not everything that is vegan is good for youespecially if they are processed.
At the same time, the vegan version contains more binding and thickening agents, flavorings and more salt.
However, its important to note that most granola bars contain a ton of sugar.
Dried fruit
Speaking of fructose, heres another villain.
Sugar alternatives
When it comes tosugar and sugar substitutes, we all get a little confused.
Heres the truth: Unfortunately, the bodycant really differentiatebetween different types of sugar.
Other sweeteners may seem like a slightly better option, but have other problems as well.
Thats what makes granola so addictively good!
Frosted cornflakes from the supermarket contain up to 35 grams of sugar; a standard ready-made granola 20 grams.
Whole oatswith fruit, natural yogurt, and cocoa nibs, suggests Hinteregger-Mannel.
Smoothies
In theory, a smoothie should be healthy.
Its full of vitamins from whole, blended up fruit, right?
Another thing to keep in mind?
The nutrient stability of pre-made products.
The vitamin content of these kinds of products from the supermarket shelf tends to be low, notes Hinteregger-Mannel.
