Knowledge Is Power

Alright folks, today I'm going to break some news to you and you are not going to like it. We are being lied to! Foods are claiming to be healthy, but when in reality they are not. The good news is, I'm going to tell you what those foods are so you can make a smarter choice when grocery shopping or eating out.

I have done my research on multiple websites and they all agree that these foods are NOT the healthy options we thought they were.

1. Granola

• Unfortunately, granola is packed with sugar & carbohydrates without giving you any real nutritional value. If you are a granola lover like my husband try to make it at home so you can control what's in it.

2. Dried Fruit

• When fruit gets dehydrated, some fruits are giving added sugars & nitrites which turns this healthy food into a not-so-healthy food. Plus, if you're munching on dried apricots, you're eating MANY apricots, not just one so it can leave you running for the bathroom. The real thing will not only supply you with the necessary nutrients, but you'll get some water with it too!

3. Fruit Flavored Yogurt

• When grabbing yogurt, reach for the plain Greek yogurt which is a great source of protein. The flavored yogurts, even Greek, is packed with sugar and those artificial flavors may contain carcinogenic properties.

4. Acai Bowls

• These all-the-rage Acai bowls appear to be healthy, but are far from it. The calories in one Acai bowl are around 600, not to mention they also contain loads of sugar.

5. Popcorn

• Even the low calorie versions have TONS of sodium and contain trans-fat, which will take any healthy day and turn it into a splurge day. If you are a popcorn junkie choose the air-popped or stove-top versions. You get to control the amount of oil and don't have to worry about the added trans-fat.

6. Sushi

• While some sushi can be healthy, most specialty rolls are not. They are put together with cream cheese & spicy mayo which packs on tons of fat. Plus, a Rainbow Roll or Specialty California Roll have over 500 calories each. If you are a sushi lover like me, try to stick to the basics (Fish on brown rice or Sashimi).

7. Instant Oatmeal

• At this point you may start to see a pattern here! Instant Oatmeal, like the yogurt, contains a lot more sugar than regular overnight oats. You want to stay away from all the additives because that's what turns healthy oatmeal into something you want to stay away from. Try sticking to overnight oats!

8. Ready-Made Tea

• If you are making tea at home, good for you! You are saving yourself money and calories. Store-bought bottled tea turns a zero-calorie beverage into a high-calorie beverage with a lot of unnecessary sugars.

9. Diet Soda

• Diet Pop, as I like to call it, is basically chemicals in a can. There are no nutritional benefits in soda and these artificial sugars can be really bad for you. My mom actually got internal bleeding from drinking one can of diet soda per day. No fun!

10. Veggie Burgers

• Veggie Burgers can be healthy if they are made of mostly veggies. A lot of Veggie Burger manufacturers make them using a lot of rice, minimal veggies, and use gobs of oil to hold the burger together. Make sure you look at the ingredients before you eat one.

I hope I didn't ruin too many days here. Just keep in mind, all of these items listed can be healthy, you just want the version that's going to nourish your body.