Are These Foods Healthy?
Five Foods That Are Not As Healthy As You May Think They Are
With so many foods in the market and people wanting to make healthier choices, I need to call out some foods.
Almond Milk and Other Plant-Based Milk
I wrote extensively on this topic in the article “So Many Milks, Are they Healthy” and covered it in episode 6 of the Real World Nutrition podcast.
Now people have various reasons for not choosing cow’s milk from dairy allergies, a more plant-based vegetarian diet, and lactose intolerance. I know why people don’t choose cow’s milk but want to ensure they get the nutrients that cow’s milk provides.
Today there are seemingly dozens of dairy alternatives to choose from, including almond, cashew, coconut, oat, hemp, “milk” made from pea protein, and soymilk.
If you do a side-by-side comparison of the Nutrition Facts AND the ingredients list, it becomes clear that the protein content isn’t equal. Not even close.
Cow’s milk, soy milk, and milk made from pea protein have similar protein profiles. However, the fat content varies depending on why type you choose, and the added sugars will also vary by style.
But in looking at the other plant milk, there is virtually no protein, and the added sugars can add up. I won’t repeat the details here; you can go to the previous article.
And, if you choose one of these alternatives, that is fine. For example, I like chocolate almond milk as a base for my smoothies. But don’t be fooled into thinking it is a nutritional equivalent to dairy or soy milk. And, the ingredients list can be extensive on the dairy alternatives.
Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter
This one gets me. I have written about peanut butter being the perfect food (in my opinion). But people are misled into thinking that reduced-fat peanut butter is a better choice for them.
Regular peanut butter has 16 grams of fat in two tablespoons (one serving) and reduced-fat 12 grams of fat per serving.
But like with many “reduced fat” options, the calories are often similar; added sugar goes up, and sodium goes up. In addition, the trifecta of flavors is fat, sugar, and salt, so if one goes down, the other two often go up.
In reduced-fat peanut butter, the calories are as “regular” peanut butter, because of ADDED sugar, even more than regular peanut butter with added sugar.
As stated in my prior post, reduced-fat peanut butter has 15 grams of carbs and 4 grams of sugar (3 grams as added sugar), while “regular” peanut butter has 8 grams of carbs and 3 grams of sugar (2 grams as added sugar). There is also 190 mg of sodium in the reduced-fat version than the 140 mg in regular peanut butter.
Not healthier, just different.
Veggie “Straws” or Chips
Oh, this one is so clever. The package is green, color on the packaging implies healthy food. It has a picture of a tomato and spinach in front of a potato. The straws are tri-colored: yellow, orange, and green. Healthier (than chips), right?
Nope.
First, potatoes are a vegetable. So aren’t potato chips vegetable chips?
When reviewing the ingredients list for veggie straws, the first ingredient is potato starch. The second? Potato flour. Then oil. The fourth is spinach powder, and the fifth is tomato paste. There is also turmeric and beetroot powder later in the list, for color.
Now Lay’s potato chips (I just chose this for comparison, nothing more) have three ingredients: potatoes, oil, and salt.
The potato chips (Lay’s) have 160 calories per 1 oz serving, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams saturated, 170 mg of sodium, and 15 grams of carbohydrates.
The veggie straws have 130 calories per 1 oz serving, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated, 220 mg sodium, and 17 grams of carbohydrates.
Slight differences. Still snack chips. Still mostly potatoes.
Nutella
For some who read this, you will have a big “duh” coming out of your mouth. But for others, it may be a shock. For example, someone recently asked me about Nutella being a protein food (like peanut butter) just in the past month (as of this writing).
Nutella goes with honey, jam/jelly, and other condiments that give flavor but are not a food group.
With just “seven selected ingredients,” it sounds exceptional. But those ingredients, in order, are sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, skim milk powder, reduced-fat cocoa, lecithins, and vanillin. Real special.
And it is 80 calories per serving (1 tablespoon), almost 5 grams of fat, the carbohydrates are nearly all added sugars (see the first ingredient), and the protein is less than 1 gram.
Not healthy food. It also resulted in a class-action suit against Nutella makers for misleading customers into thinking it was healthy. So they changed their tune and have a $3 million kitty set aside for those who fell for their implications.
Fast Food Salads
While there is a joke in my house that no one goes to McDonald’s to order a salad, this is an option at many quick-serve (aka fast-food venues).
However, these salad options can add more than the usual sandwich and fries from the same restaurant, depending on the order.
For example, at Chick-fil-A, the Cobb Salad is 850 calories while the Grilled Chicken Club sandwich is 520 calories. Then, add a small waffle fry (320 calories), still “only” 840 calories.
At Wendy’s, the Apple Pecan Salad is 550 calories with the Dave’s Single (with cheese) is 590 calories. The calories are similar but note that the healthier salad isn’t a much lower calorie option.
With salads, the dressing and added toppings can be what adds up. But then also choosing a fried or crispy chicken option will make a difference compared to a grilled chicken option.
Now, order a salad if you want a salad. I do like the Apple Pecan Salad. But don’t go in assuming that is a lower calorie option. Choose wisely. And if you want a burger or chicken sandwich, it is also an option.
What foods are you curious about and wondering if it is as healthy as you think? Let me know.
