Organic makes everything sound healthier, doesn’t it? Just having “organic” on a food label can make us feel better about our food choices. Sugar-free, low-fat, non-GMO…there are lots of labels that can make food sound healthy when in fact it’s not. Let’s take a look at these 5 common health food mistakes that many of us make because of misleading labels…

“Health Food” Mistakes

1. Organic equals healthy. Just because those fruit snacks are organic doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Are they better than non-organic fruit snacks? Maybe. But they’re still sugary little bits of goodness that are closer to candy than fruit. Organic cookies are still cookies. If we’re talking organic meat, dairy, or produce I’d agree with the healthy part. But organic candy and cookies are still processed foods. They are probably loaded with sugar and should be treated as treats. Just like the non-organic version.
2. Sugar-free and low-fat are better for you. Sugar free, low fat, lite, reduced calorie…any time you see words like this chances are good the product is loaded with chemicals and highly processed. When manufacturers take out sugar and fat they add in things to compensate for the loss of flavor. And usually, those things are artificial.
3. Artificial sweeteners are better for weight loss than sugar. This one ties in with the last one. Think chemicals and side effects. Artificial sweeteners are bad for you for lots of reasons. Studies have also shown that they can make you crave more sweet food, ambushing any weight loss efforts.
4. “Natural” comes from nature, so it must be wholesome. “Natural flavorings” can be misleading. This vague labeling encompasses lots of sometimes nasty ingredients. Ingredients that maybe come somewhere along the line from nature but which we would never find ourselves eating if we were living in nature. Think beaver anal glands. For more about natural (and artificial) flavorings in foods check out this post on foodbabe.com. Prepare to be alarmed.
5. Healthy sugar isn’t as bad for you as sugar. There are lots of sugar alternatives out there and many of them are healthier than good old-fashioned white sugar. But even the ones that are less processed are still sugar. They’ll still spike your blood sugar and all that good stuff. So, while honey and maple syrup are certainly better for you than high fructose corn syrup you still want to be careful with how much you consume.

It’s a tricky food-world we navigate these days. Certain words fool us into thinking we’re eating healthier foods. As always, food without a label is best. But I know very well that in our busy world, packaged food is a convenience we don’t want to give up. Just read those labels and know what you’re getting. Look at ingredient lists before calories. Don’t let buzz words fool you. Be a smart consumer.

You can check out this post on Clean Eating Basics for more about clean eating.

Has tricky wording fooled you? Have you bought a “health food” only to find out it’s not so healthy? I’d love to hear from you!

 

 

 

 

 

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