Could "health" food be unhealthy?
The foods we eat have big effects on our health and quality of life. From disease risk to brain function and physical performance, a healthy diet is vital for every aspect of life.
Although eating healthy can be fairly simple, the rise in popular "diets" and dieting trends has caused confusion. Often if we are trying to eat well, 'low-fat products' might sound very attractive, however, these foods aren't always as healthy as we might think.
What health foods are bad for you?
From clever marketing ploys, to the positioning of ingredients in the supermarket, there are several reasons why certain foods may be considered healthy options, despite the fact that their ingredient list suggests otherwise. Some products that fall into this group include:
Cereal bars
Fruit juices
Low-fat items
Muesli and granola
Meat-free 'meat'.
Find out bellow why these options may not be as healthy as them seem.
1. Cereal bars
Advertising foods as 'healthy' is one way in which to stand out in this crowded market and this may explain why cereal bars are often portrayed in a positive light.
However, a study by consumer group Which? analysed 30 popular cereal bars and found that all but one was considered high in sugar. More than half of those analysed for the study also contained over 30%, sugar and one particular product had more sugar than a can of Coca-Cola! Which? also found that cereal bars were high in saturated fat.
What's the alternative?
Making your own cereal bars is a good way to control how much sugar and fat they contain. Part of the appeal of cereal bars is that they are convenient, though, so you may be thinking this benefit is somewhat lost if you have to go through the process of buying ingredients to make your own. However, cereal bars are actually super simple to make. Here’s a recipe:
Easy No-bake Orange Oat Bars (Vegan & GF)
Ingredients:
240g of gluten-free oats
200g of dates (de-stoned)
3 tbsp of orange juice from concentrate
Zest and segments from 4 small oranges (clementines or tangerines)
Pinch of salt
How to make it:
1.Line a square baking tray with grease proof paper.
2. De-stone the dates and place them into a food processor along with the orange juice, zest and orange segments. Whizz up until combined and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine oats and salt.
4. Place the date/orange mixture into the mixing bowl and mix until fully combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and press down until it is compact. Pop into the freezer to set. This will take around 30 minutes or an hour in the fridge.
6. Once the orange slab has set, carefully cut them into bars and place onto a serving plate along with a sprinkling of icing sugar or ground oats, desiccated coconut and a slice of fresh, juicy orange.
Store in a sealed container.
So, next time you are doing your weekly shop, simply add these ingredients to your list. Make a batch on a Sunday evening to have available to snack on throughout the week.
2. Fruit juices
Often advertised as one of your 5-a-day, fruit juice is largely seen as a healthy option. Whilst a small glass can be a good source of nutrients, including vitamin C, several glasses contains lots of sugar. You can see from the table below that there isn't a lot of difference between the quantity of sugar in fizzy juice and fruit juice, though we must bear in mind that fizzy juice does contain sweeteners in addition to sugar, plus the sugars in fruit juice are largely natural.
Another problem with fruit juice is that the act of blending can remove its fibre. Not only is this nutrient essential for our health, it also helps slow the absorption of the fruit's sugar content. The absence of fibre also means that juice can only ever count as one portion of your five a day, regardless of how much you drink.
Bottled smoothies are similarly high in sugar so these are another drink to be wary of. A 250ml smoothie bottle can contain as much as 30g of sugar, for example, which is worrying given that guidelines suggest we consume no more than 30g of sugar a day. Technically, though, smoothies should also contain a higher fibre content, especially if whole fruits are used to make them, so they can in some cases be preferable to juice.
What's the alternative?
Whilst one glass of fruit juice a day is generally seen as ok, we don't want to consume more than this so it is sensible to look for an alternative. Also, look for juices that are not from concentrate as these are generally lower in sugar and better overall quality.
Also consider opting for smoothies as an alternative to juices on some days and, even better, why not try making your own smoothies from fresh fruit and vegetables? If you want to give this one a go, here’s a link to some lovely smoothies on our website!
3. Low-fat items
From skinny lattes, to low-fat ready meals and crisps, the variety of low-fat foods now on offer is huge. Whether it's to lose weight or just to eat a healthier diet, I am sure we have all tried these foods from time to time, but just how healthy are they?
One problem with these products is that, when producers cut out fat, they must then add extra ingredients to make the meal or snack palatable. Most often, sweeteners and salt are used to do this which can result in a food that's high in both these components.
Low-fat yoghurt is just one example where this tends to occurs regularly. 100g of organic natural yoghurt has approximately 5.6g of sugar, for example, whilst a low-fat variety can contain about 7g of sugar, on average. Fruit flavoured yogurts and even Greek yogurt, which we generally think of as being a healthier variety, can also contain a lot of sugar. So, opt for plain, natural yoghurt and, if you like it sweet, add a touch of fruit or honey which can help offer some natural sweetness.
Another problem with low-fat food products is that they are often deliberately low in calories. This means we are likely to get hungry again soon after eating and, as a result, we can end up snacking more (and it may not always be healthy things we go for!). We're much better off opting for meals with sufficient calories, as well as good proportions of protein and healthy fats, to help keep us feeling fuller for longer.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, low-fat ready meals are becoming increasingly popular – we have frozen ones, organic ones and ones to suit every stage of the day. Do bear in mind, however, that regardless of how it is labelled, a processed meal is still a processed option that offers less nutritionally than a fresh, home-cooked meal.
What's the alternative?
Healthy meals incorporating the right kinds of fats can be achieved by cooking yourself at home. See here some super simple recipes to help you get started!
4. Muesli and granola
Two cereal options that are generally considered quite healthy are muesli and granola but, unfortunately, this isn't always the reality.
Some varieties of muesli and granola can have as much sugar as a bowl of frosted flakes which, if you are trying to eat healthily, you will no doubt do your best to avoid. In addition to this, granola can contain a high quantity of saturated fats.
Always double check the labels when choosing these products. We are also often inclined to add things like milk or yoghurt to our cereal which can risk bumping the sugar content up further.
What's the alternative?
Now, I'm not saying you should avoid muesli and granola completely as both these breakfast options can contain nuts and seeds and dried fruit elements which are all super healthy.
If you can make your own muesli, however, that way you know exactly what's gone into it. Try this delicious home-made muesli recipe:
Muesli with a Twist
Ingredients:
4 handfuls of porridge oats
A handful each of mixed seeds - sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, linseed
2 handfuls of nuts, any you like (toasted hazelnuts are good!)
A handful of desiccated coconut (no added sugar - just check the label to be sure)
How to make it:
1.Combine the dry ingredients in an airtight container.
2. The night before you want to have this for breakfast, put a portion of the muesli mix into a bowl and add the grated apple. Cover with your milk of choice and leave overnight in the fridge.
3. Next morning, give it a stir to loosen the mixture before topping with natural yoghurt and some berries for a nutritious and delicious breakfast.
To serve:
1 apple, coarsley grated
Milk, or hazelnut, coconut or almond milk to cover
Natural yoghurt (leave this out if you prefer a vegan/dairy-free breakfast)
A handful of fresh berries - blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
Gluten Advice:
Pure oats are naturally gluten free. However, they are often contaminated with wheat. If you are sensitive to gluten it is best to check that the oats you are buying are certified as ‘pure’ or ‘gluten free’.
Tip...
Make more and store! This recipe is perfect to make in bulk as it will store well in an airtight container, ready to add the apple and milk to when you require.
This recipe is full of goodness, excellent source of manganese, good source of fibre & protein and rich in antioxidants. Oats are among the world’s healthiest grains. They are renowned for being an excellent source of slow release energy, stabilising blood sugar and helping to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Packed with goodness, they have been linked to numerous health benefits including helping to lower cholesterol, improve digestion and boost the immune function.
I would also suggest porridge if you are looking for a healthy breakfast as this is filling and releases energy slowly to help sustain you throughout the morning.
5. Meat-free ‘meat’
The number of vegan products in our supermarkets is growing fast which has numerous benefits for animal welfare and the environment.
When following a vegan diet, however, we may be tempted to include meat substitutes in a bid to help ensure we get enough protein and to make meals more filling. Meat substitutes can be convenient and can also help new vegans adjust to the diet.
So, these are some positives, but what is the downside to meat-free 'meat'? Well, vegan meat-like products are highly processed which, like any processed food, means they can be high in salt and sugar. They are also likely to contain additional flavourings in order to replicate the taste of meat and these aren't always natural.
Vegan meats are also unlikely to contain whole foods. Vegan bacon, for example, can be made up of 'rehydrated textured soya protein' whilst the ingredients listed in vegan chicken include 'soy structure'. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly sure what this means!
We would recommend opting for more natural sources of protein to bulk up meals, including beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds and quinoa.
Stay fit & healthy and let us know if you’d like to suggest your favourite recipes!
See you at our classes!
Source ": avogel.co.uk