ShopSmartMag.org
A new report in the April 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, unveils some foods that may seem good for you but aren’t necessarily—and advice on truly healthful foods to choose instead.
Vegetable chips: Their colors may be mesmerizing, but they’re usually high in calories and fat and they don’t count as a serving of vegetables.
Try this instead! Have some air-popped popcorn or dried veggies. Try the Just Tomatoes brand of dried vegetables because they have no added fat, salt, or anything else.
Granola Cereal: It’s usually high in sugar, fat, and calories and relatively low in vitamins and minerals. There are about 400 calories in a cup.
Try this instead! Have a bowl of an airy, oat-based cereal, like Cheerios, which topped ShopSmart’s last tests of kid-friendly cereals. For extra crunch and sweetness, add just a sprinkling of granola on top.
Turkey Hot Dogs: A lot of turkey hot dogs are surprisingly high in fat, and some are even higher in fat than regular hot dogs. They also might contain loads of sodium and nitrates. Click here to read about another disgusting reason to avoid hot dogs.
Try this instead! A turkey breast sandwich is a better choice. But if you’re really craving that hot dog, read packages and go for the turkey version with the least fat.
Vitamin Infused Waters: While vitamin infused waters do have some added nutrients, they’re often loaded with sugar and sometimes caffeine.
Try this instead! Have plain old H2O with a squeeze from a lemon, lime or orange slices.
Wrap Sandwiches: They’re usually huge— enough for two people sometimes—and high in calories and sometimes fat. White flour tortillas often have 300 to 400 calories alone, and offer little nutritional value.
Try this instead! Have a sandwich on whole-grain or whole-wheat bread. When shopping for bread, make sure whole grain is first on the ingredient list.
Couscous: Just like white pasta, regular couscous is a processed, refined grain with little nutritional value.
Try this instead! Buy whole-wheat couscous or opt for a whole grain like quinoa or brown rice.
