It's all about the marketing to sell products...There are some Healthy food myth busters I feel we need to address. "Knowledge is power" as I always tried to teach my son. So let's look at some marketing "Ideas" that are not always as they seem.
First, let's look at smoothies: Full of fruits and veggies, a smoothie can be a dieter's delight — sometimes. The main problem is the BIG containers. A 32-ounce Aloha Pineapple smoothie from Jamba Juice maxes out at 570 calories per serving; the same size Cherry Picker smoothie from Smoothie King comes in at 660 calories. Foodies have posted about healthy smoothies they make (many sound so delicious) When you stop for a smoothie, check the nutritional information (located at every chain).
Muffins: Even if they're "whole grain" or "full of bran," many muffins are super-sized, sugary messes. A simple blueberry muffin from Dunkin Donuts has more than 500 calories, 16 grams of fat and 51 grams of sugar! Low-fat ones aren't always better — a blueberry-apricot one from Starbuck's has almost 400 calories and 47 grams of sugar. If you need a grab-and-go breakfast, opt for an English muffin or even half a bagel with a light spread.
Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter: Think you're saving calories by using this in your PB&J? It's actually higher in sugar than the regular version and still contains hydrogenated oils(bad for your waistline and your heart.) Peanuts may be fatty, but they're full of healthy fats. Stick to 1-tablespoon serving, everything in moderation.
If the label says "All Natural", it must be healthy. Unless it's on meat or poultry (indicating no artificial flavorings, colorings or irradiation), the term "natural" holds no meaning—it's unregulated and undefined.
Dark bread is always better than white: A darker loaf of bread does not necessarily mean it's made with whole grains—it could simply just contain caramel coloring or a little extra whole wheat and be no healthier than white bread. This is a very competitive line of food, so watch the label with all bread. Just because is says "100 percent whole wheat" or "whole grain" or "9 grain" doesn't mean it is better. Some bread can be like Granola, depends what is in it.
Eggs with brown shells are more nutritious than white ones: The only thing the color of an eggshell indicates is the color of the feathers of the bird from which it came! The color does not affect nutrition. White eggs are laid by white hens and brown eggs are laid by red hens. Since brown eggs often cost a bit more than white eggs, save your money without sacrificing nutrition.
Bottom line....READ THE LABEL! I will be blogging more on this topic...stay tuned!
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