Foods that Sound Healthier than they Are

It’s getting harder to know which foods to buy. There are loads of new products in the supermarket with added fiber, flax, vitamins and more. Buyer beware: these foods usually look healthier than they really are.

A friend recently told me about Snapeas, which are snap peas baked in corn oil. It sounds good, until you look closer at the label. A one ounce portion is 150 calories, 8 ounces of fat (mostly inflammatory omega-6 fats) and one gram of saturated fat. The same size serving of fresh snap peas is only 31 calories and contains zero fat. The snack food version has 5 times more calories – if you can stop at one serving.

It’s ironic – all this food marketing only works because we are so conscientious about wanting to make healthy food choices. Adding a healthy ingredient makes the food sound healthy, but in most cases it is not a significant addition. A good rule of thumb is to only buy foods that you would buy anyway. Think of the things like added fiber, flax, or vitamins as extras: don’t buy a product because of them.

Vegetable chips: Snack food made with snap peas, sweet potatoes or other vegetables have the same calorie and fat content as regular chips. If you are going to eat chips anyway, then choosing one made out of veggies, flax or whole grains make it slightly healthier – just don’t get fooled into thinking you can eat more because it’s “healthy.”

Fiber: Amazingly, you can buy high fiber foods that have wheat flour as the first ingredient (remember its only whole wheat if it says whole wheat.) Bran can be a good addition, but make sure it’s added to whole grains and not to a refined product. For example, Wheat Thins crackers are advertised as whole grain but the first ingredient is wheat (ie white) flour. Even the new 100% whole wheat version is made from whole wheat flour (and high fructose corn syrup) – as opposed to Triscuits which are made with the intact whole grain.

Flax and Omega-3 fats: Omega-3 fats are good for us, and while flax seeds contain alpha linolenic acid, the less active form of omega-3, they are still good for us. But there’s a catch. In its whole form, flax seeds are primarily a source of fiber – they pass through digestion without being absorbed. They need to be ground to make the omega-3 fats available; yet once ground they go rancid quickly. You are better off adding your own freshly ground flax seeds. Fish and fish oil are good sources of the active form of omega-3s, but you still need to read labels carefully. When buying supplements, look for around 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA combined (not just 1,000 mg of fish oil!) Eggs advertised as being high in omega-3 fats really are; the chickens are fed foods high in omega-3s.

Vitamins: Water enhanced with vitamins and flavor seems like such a great deal, but it comes at a cost: a 20 oz bottle of Smart water has 125 calories. Drink plain water, you’ll save money, calories, and keep a plastic bottle out of the landfill. It can be risky getting added vitamins from too many places – some are toxic in larger quantities and it can add up.  Keep in mind that added vitamins or supplements can never replace the nutritional value of real food.

Gluten-free and organic foods: Gluten-free is important label information for people who can’t tolerate gluten, but being gluten-free doesn’t automatically make a food healthy. Gluten-free foods can still be refined and highly processed. Same with organic: while organic foods are often the optimal choice, you can get organic products like cookies and cakes that are still high in sugar and fat.

An easy way to avoid slick advertising is to buy primarily whole foods from farmers markets, farm stands and the perimeter of the grocery store. When you do buy foods with labels, read the fine print and don’t be fooled by foods that sound better than they really are.

Kathy Nichols is the Healthy Habits Coach. Kathy blends her background as a registered dietitian with life coaching to help you create healthy and sustainable habits. Contact Kathy at 707 431-7524, Kathy@HealthyHabitsCoach.com or www.HealthyHabitsCoach.com. Blog: www.HealthyHabitsCoach.wordpress.com