Are Healthy Foods Ruining Your Diet?

Sometimes we get so caught up trying to get all the good foods into our diet that we lose sight of the overall calorie consumption which can give us devastating effects on our weight loss efforts.

Here are a few of the more common traps…

NUTS: Remember just 10-14 is a serve, and contains an average of 90-100 calories

AVOCADO: sure avocado is high in monounsaturated fats, but you only need 1/4 avocado to get more than enough good fat for the day.

OLIVE OIL: It’s nice to spice up the salads, but always measure your serving. don’t just drizzle. 1 Tablespoon has around 159 calories. Try Balsamic Vinegar instead.

DAIRY/CHEESE: Yep, we need the calcium and the protein, but not the saturated fat. Look for the low-fat option and don’t overdo it. 20g (1 slice) regular cheddar = 80cal.

FRUIT: Yes fruit is packed with essential vitamins but overdo it and you could be overdoing the sugar too – especially the Fructose. Remember just 2 serves/day.

DRIED FRUIT: Has double the sugar of fresh fruit.

FRUIT JUICE: Even your own freshly squeezed juice is high in sugar, but also without the fibre, which helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood. If you like fruit drinks, make a smoothie with the whole fruit, keeping the fibre. Try to avoid DRINKING calories – it’s too easy to overdo it.

PEANUT BUTTER: Often mentioned in the list of Healthy Foods due to the monounsaturated fats, but again fat is fat and is heavy on the calories, whether healthy or not. 1 tablespoon (20g) averages 120 cal.

SALMON: a great source of Essential Omega 3s – a great essential nutrient, but these oily fish are heavier on the calories than their white species. Just watch the portions and enjoy in moderation.

BREAKFAST CEREALS: Some are claimed as healthy, but many are overly processed and full of sugar. Choose wholegrain cereals with less than 10g/100 (10%) sugar. e.g. Weebix, Plain Oats, Shredded Wheat – AND WATCH PORTION SIZE!

LOW-FAT ANYTHING: Just because it’s low fat, doesn’t mean it’s healthy or low calorie. One of the biggest problems with low fat is that it is often higher in sugar. Watch terms like “lite” which can mean lite on colour, lite of flavour or lit on quality.

View our selection of Healthy Recipes here