What is most shocking is that these sickening six may actually be some of the main staples in your diet.
Bottled Salad Dressing
Everyone knows that eating a salad is a healthy alternative to junk meals, right? Perhaps not. One of the worst things you can do to a medley of fresh, nutritious vegetables is drown them in bottled dressing. Even many brands of fat-free or reduced fat dressings are loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors or coloring.
What’s the Alternative?
Skip the bottled dressing and mix your own homemade ranch dressing, or opt for a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil mixed with your favorite fresh or dried herbs to give your salad a healthy punch of flavor that won’t tack on the calories or leave you with unwanted sugar.
Canned Tomato Sauce
When you think about canned tomato sauce, you probably think about the best in savory Italian dishes - from spaghetti and meatballs to pasta alla vodka. What you likely aren’t picturing, however, is the amount of sugar that’s been added to your canned sauce to give it that sweet edge that makes the meal please the palate.
What’s the Alternative?
If you’re buying canned sauce, check your labels. Look for low-sugar, low-sodium sauces or make your own by flash-steaming them and mixing them with a blend of fresh herbs, like oregano and basil, sautéed onions or garlic. Opt to buy pureed tomatoes with no added ingredients to both better manage flavor and avoid hidden ingredients.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are marketed as the ultimate blend of hydration, electrolytes and vitamins that our bodies need to get through a rigorous day. What could be the problem with that? Well, sports drinks were designed by scientists who were looking to address the deficiencies serious athletes face (namely, college football players) after intense physical activity -- including serious dehydration and glycogen depletion. Because of this, sports drinks are loaded with electrolytes and sugar. For example, one bottle of Gatorade contains more than 30 grams of sugar, which is more than the American Heart Association’s recommended daily intake of 25 grams.
What’s the Alternative?
Unless you’ve just spent an hour at the gym, stick to drinking water. If you want to add some flavor and vitamin power, infuse a pitcher of water with slices of lemon, lime or orange for a burst of flavor and vitamin C.
Agave Nectar
Health food brands have touted agave as a healthy, “sugar-free” alternative sweetener. It is often marketed as a better alternative to sugar because of its naturally low glycemic index. However, the health risks associated with high sugar intake have less to do with their glycemic index and more to do with their high levels of fructose, which can lead to problems with fatty liver disease and Type 2 diabetes. While regular sugar contains around 50 percent fructose, agave contains around 90 percent fructose, making it potentially worse for you than refined sugar.
What’s the Alternative?
Ideally, skipping as many processed foods as possible is the best alternative to worrying about whether a processed product has been sweetened with sugar or agave. However, check your ingredient labels to get a sense of what your total sugar intake is, regardless of the sweetener.
Margarine
There has been a debate raging for decades about the benefits of butter vs. margarine. However, the most recent studies have shown that margarine, which is created with highly processed plant-based oils, are still loaded with trans fats (or saturated hydrogenated oils), meaning that they are still putting you at risk for an increase in bad cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.
What’s the Alternative?
Can’t convince yourself that butter is the better spread? Skip the debate and used mashed avocado or spiced extra virgin olive oil as a healthier spread or dip. By blending in your favorite mix of spices, you’re skipping the calories and adding a punch of flavor to any dish.
Gluten-Free Foods
Gluten-free has become a fad phrase among the health-conscious. Almost one-third of the U.S. population claims an interest in cutting back on gluten or going gluten-free. As a result, our favorite food manufacturers have kept up with the times and offered their own line of gluten-free products, branded as “health foods” or “healthy snacks.”
The biggest issue with this marketing is that these “health foods” aren’t healthy at all. Instead of being made with a gluten grain, they are made with other products like potato starch or tapioca, which typically are highly refined and can spike blood sugar in the same way processed wheat can.
What’s the Alternative?
Some foods are naturally gluten-free, like meats and vegetables. However, doing your homework before embarking on a gluten-free diet is key. In most cases, products that are marketed as “gluten-free” on their packaging may be bad for you.