Oatmeal, salad, granola… they all seem healthy but don’t let them fool you! These 5 foods can be loaded with extra calories without you even realizing it.
Have you ever gone out with your friends and they say, “Oh, I’m getting a salad! I’m on a diet.”? Well, not so fast! Don’t let what could be a healthy salad fool you. Read up on these 5 foods that you may want to take a closer look at next time you eat out (or even when you make them yourself!).
5 FOODS THAT SEEM HEALTHY BUT AREN’T
1. OATMEAL
We love oatmeal – right? It’s a staple in our diet and hopefully is in yours as well. However, when you go out and eat oatmeal you may not be getting exactly what you think. I recently ordered a bowl of oatmeal at a restaurant only to have an epiphany as it was coming to our table that it may be made with milk (something that many people can’t have). After it came out, I found out that it was actually made with half and half.
It’s also important to pay attention to the toppings that restaurants include with your oatmeal. They typically top oatmeal with dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc), and many times these items contain added sugars. If you consume these with the brown sugar or sweetener they provide you, you will probably be consuming much more sugar than you expect. Other toppings restaurants might provide could include sliced almonds, granola (more sugar!), and maple syrup (more sugar!). If you aren’t careful that bowl of healthy oatmeal can turn into calorie city!
Try to stick with plain oats (we love these quick oats!) with real fresh fruit for your topping and limit the amount of added sugar or try one of our most popular oat recipes:
2. GRANOLA
Granola – It’s perfect in your Greek yogurt as your breakfast or midday snack, but have you looked at your granola lately? You may be shocked to find out just how much sugar they add-in to make it sweet and “lightly toasted” for you to enjoy. With granola, it’s also imperative to pay attention to the serving size. You could easily consume 2-3 servings when you really only think you are consuming one. (this is one of the reasons we recommend having a food scale!).
Consider making your own:
If you are looking for better store-bought options try one of the following but still pay close attention to the serving size!
3. WRAP SANDWICHES
Ever ordered a wrap because you forgot your clean lunch at home or didn’t have time to prepare it thinking that the “whole wheat” version will be okay for today? You are not alone! Think again though – those wraps are often 1.5-2 times the amount of bread you would consume in a normal sandwich and much is hidden as the sandwich is wrapped up.
4. SALADS AND LOW-FAT DRESSING
This is a big one that gets a lot of people! We think that salads: lettuce, vegetables, and grilled meats are healthy for us… well, they are! Until you add in the dressing! Most on a “diet” will reach for the low-fat version of the dressing. BAD IDEA! The fat is masked by sugar – and lots of it! Some salads have more calories than a cheeseburger! Opt for oil and vinegar or red wine vinegar and skip any fried flair in your salad.
Try one of the following as your salad dressing:
5. FROZEN YOGURT
Frozen yogurt just might be one of my weaknesses! Its creamy texture and chilling temperature make it the perfect treat. However, have you ever thought about how they cut the fat from the yogurt? By adding in sugar, thus extra calories. If you are going for a treat, consider making your own. We have a ton of clean eating treats to choose from!
What foods should we add to this list that may have fooled you?
ALSO, CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES:
- Getting Started with Clean Eating
- 8 Things You Should Know When You Start Eating Clean
- Step-by-Step Guide to Meal Prep
- How to Help Your Spouse Eat Healthier
- 3 Simple Eating Habits that Changed Our Life
- 3 Simple Fitness Habits that Changed Our Life
- 6 Tips to Stay on Track Over the Weekend
Ashley says
This is the kind of article that confuses people that are trying to work on their weight and feel that they are doing great eating these things and then they read this crap….I’d say if your making these choices in a restaurant (or at home for that matter) as opposed to a burger and fries or a pancake, your doing pretty dang good.
Meredith says
Most yogurts are extremely high in sugar. It’s much better to get plain yogurt and add fruit to it.
Juices are also very high in sugar. Again, it’s better to dilute them a bit, or drink iced tea or water and eat fruit. Or if you juice at home, be sure to add veggies which will cut back on the amount of sugar.
You are so right about salads. It’s the percentage of fat in a meal that counts and the green salad itself has very few calories, so almost 98% of the calories in a salad comes from the dressing which is generally very fatty. The best idea is to always ask for dressing on the side or to ask for oil and vinegar and make you own dressing.