In this post, we take a look at the top 18 worst "health" foods and why they're not actually a healthy choice. We'll also cover much better options to choose instead of these unhealthy health foods.
Healthy living can seem hard. To be honest, it used to be a struggle for me, too.
However, one of the ways I was able to make my clean-eating lifestyle work was to focus on eating wholesome, fresh foods.
You see, when a food is called healthy but contains tons of additives and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce, then it is not healthy at all.
Added sugars, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, and artificial colors - these are all things that are included in the makeup of your favorite foods. You know, foods that are marketed as good for you.
Replacing these everyday grocery items with nutritious, additive-free choices is the way to lose weight (if that’s your goal), eat clean, and feel great.
Read on to learn about the top 18 WORST fake healthy foods and see what you can do for food choices instead. And then, you will see that healthy living isn’t so tough after all!
MARKETING TO AVOID WHEN EATING HEALTHY
One of the top marketing ploys that make you think you are making a nutritional choice when you are not, is found in the fake healthy food category. It’s easy to be led astray. After all, we’re all looking to eat better and live a healthy lifestyle.
Here are a few tricksters:
- Flavorings are often chemicals combined to produce “flavors”, they are not actual flavoring of food.
- 99% fat-free typically means the food item is now higher in sugar.
- Trans fat-free food contains hydrogenated fat, so be aware of the replacement.
- Cholesterol-free is often a marketing ploy because, chances are, the food does not contain cholesterol anyway.
- No added sugar may tempt you into a purchase, but pay attention because there may already be a lot of naturally occurring sugar.
THE TOP 18 WORST FAKE HEALTHY FOODS
Alright, let's dive into the top 18 foods I think are the biggest culprits of being erroneously labeled as "health foods." Many of these are foods I've thought were healthy in the past, and are even marketed to look healthy.
1. YOGURT FLAVORED RAISINS
This one is a real trickster. I mean, raisins are good for you and so is yogurt. So, who wouldn’t think that yogurt covered raisins aren’t one of the healthy sweet treats we can enjoy? However, the label states that these yummy tidbits are covered in a yogurt flavored coating. And, this coating consists of sugar, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and more!
Instead, take raisins, toss them in Greek yogurt and freeze. These are the best yogurt covered raisins ever - guaranteed.
2. VEGGIE CHIPS
Chips made from vegetables. Sounds healthy, right? Veggie Stix, as an example, are thought of as a good-for-you replacement for chips. They are made from vegetables after all, right? When we think vegetables, we expect fiber and all kinds of good stuff. Take a look at the label on a bag of Veggie Stix. You won’t find any fiber there at all. What you will find is a ton of sodium and an awful lot of starch and oil.
As a nutritious and much tastier alternative, make baked pita chips or have fresh and crunchy carrot and celery sticks. Add a dollop of homemade hummus to the plate, and you are all set!
3. GLUTEN-FREE MUFFINS
Often, we buy muffins at the store, thinking that they are a wholesome way to start the day. In fact, they are one of the top fake healthy foods on the grocery store shelf. Described as whole wheat, reduced-fat, or gluten-free, these muffins are not the hearty and wholesome food we may think. Gluten-free muffins, for example, can be prepared with refined flour and tons of butter. Sometimes, the first ingredient on the label is sugar, folks! Yes, sugar!
Don’t buy packaged muffins. Make your muffins at home, and then you can be reassured that only the best ingredients go in them.
4. TRAIL MIX
Perfect as a take-along snack for a hike or just to enjoy on the go, trail mix is a popular combination of nuts, dried fruit and wait… candy? Yep, you may not realize it, but often the number one ingredient in trail mix is sugar-coated chocolate pieces. Artificial colors also make the list since that is what is coating the candy.
Look for healthier versions or throw together a batch at home by using raw nuts, high-quality dark cacao chunks, and dried fruit without added sugar.
5. FRUIT SMOOTHIES
A delicious drink of fruit blended into a smoothie sounds so tempting, doesn’t it? Refreshing and full of nutrients, right? Well, if you are purchasing a pre-made bottled smoothie from the grocery store, then no. These fruity mixes are typically loaded with sugar, to the tune of over 50 grams per serving. Yes, you read that right! On top of that, there is no fiber to be found.
If you are craving the sweet taste of fruit, have an orange or a bowl of strawberries. If it’s a smoothie you are looking for, whip one up with fruit and almond milk at home using your blender.
6. DRIED FRUIT
I love dried fruit. It’s sweet and full of goodness. But, if you are buying your dried fruit from the grocery store shelf, be careful. What you may be buying is a fake healthy food - packaged fruit loaded with added sugars. Over 40 grams per serving in a package of commercially prepared dried fruit is not unheard of!
Fresh fruit is the obvious better choice, but to be fair, dried fruit provides lots of fiber. Just be careful about the quantities and choose “no-added-sugar” varieties or dry your own in the oven.
7. FAT-FREE COOKIES & SNACKS
I think Fig Newton’s made the list of snacks considered a health food because they contain figs! Let’s get real though, friends. Packaged cookies of any kind are far from nutritional. But let’s take a look anyway at fat-free Fig Newtons. Some people will be fooled into thinking that fat-free is the best option when shopping for this cookie, when in fact, it’s really not. The fat is replaced with sugar and just so much of it! Nine grams of the 13g of sugar are added sugars.
Instead, choose to eat a fig on its own. They contain potassium, calcium, iron, and vitamins. If you are craving a cookie, grab a quick fix like my chocolate chip peanut butter edible cookie dough bites!
8. APPLESAUCE
We all think of applesauce as one of the healthiest alternatives out there for a sweet snack because it’s fruit, right? For a fact, applesauce can be one of the top fake healthy foods in your cupboard if you are not careful. I mean, apples are already sweet enough, but many packaged applesauce brands are full of added sugars like high fructose corn syrup. That’s right - read the label and you will see that listed right after apples is sugar, and a high quantity at that.
As an alternative to packaged applesauce, make your own, without the need for additional sweetening. You can also find packaged applesauce that has no added ingredients other than apples.
9. ENERGY BARS
When we choose to eat an energy or protein bar, it’s because we are looking for a quick boost. You can get that when you take a nutritional break to enjoy a bar made with unrefined flours and sweeteners like raw honey. But when you eat a fake healthy food like a store-bought energy bar, the only things you are consuming are super sweet and processed brown rice syrup, cane syrup, cane sugar, and a fair amount of carbs.
As always, homemade is ideal. Make a bar that suits your clean-eating lifestyle. Choose a recipe without refined ingredients like these energy balls that give you a boost without an energy crash an hour later.
10. PEANUT BUTTER
Peanut butter, and all nut butters actually, are a great item to include in your daily diet. However, it’s essential to buy peanut butter that is just that - peanuts. There is no need for unnecessary ingredients like palm oil, sugar, or molasses. You may think that throwing peanut butter in your grocery cart is a good thing, and it can be if you check the label.
For wholesome, creamy goodness, buy peanut butter that has no added ingredients. A clean and pure nut butter is the way to go.
11. INSTANT OATMEAL
Oatmeal is delicious, I’ll admit. There are so many ways to enjoy it, and I love adding nutritious toppings as an extra way to boost the goodness. But, instant oatmeal is a different story. If you look at the flavored varieties, the first ingredient is oats and the second, sugar. Right off, that tells you that it’s a fake healthy food. Blueberry flavored pieces doesn’t sound quite right either, does it?
A homemade oatmeal breakfast is a much better option. And if you are often in a rush in the mornings, start the day off right with breakfast that’s ready to enjoy. I’m talking about overnight oats, quick to make, just a few healthy ingredients.
12. FRUIT SNACKS
Fruit snacks are marketed as a way of giving your kids (or yourself!) a serving of fruit when in a pinch or on the go. Considered convenient, easy to transport and good for you, fruit snacks are just another fake healthy food and really not much better than candy. They contain corn syrup and sugar as top ingredients, not to mention the food coloring that goes into making them pretty and attractive to kids.
Instead of these sugary, chewy treats, the smartest move is to just enjoy the real thing. Real fruit tastes better and ticks all the nutritional boxes, whereas fruit snacks don’t provide any nutrition.
13. SALAD DRESSING
Salad is heavenly, isn’t it? Crunchy, fresh vegetables, crisp lettuce or flavorful greens like arugula and tasty dressing to top it all off. Talking about it makes me want to go have a salad right now! But what if I tell you that your favorite salad dressing is nothing more than just another fake healthy food? Dressings bought off the grocery store shelf are pretty high in sodium and contain virtually no nutrition. Along with sodium, you’ll find carbs and sugar, and that’s about it.
The best dressing I can recommend comes straight from your kitchen. Homemade Ranch Dressing made with Greek yogurt is one of my favorites.
14. SPORTS DRINKS
Sports + drinks = nutrition in a bottle, right? Nope. Drinks marketed as ways to boost your energy stores for working out or participating in sports contain electrolytes are fine. But what isn't fine is the sugar, sodium, carbs, and artificial dyes they contain.
What to drink instead? Well, water is always the best choice for rehydration. You can also replace energy drinks with coconut water, which contains natural electrolytes.
15. FLAVORED YOGURT
Yogurt is considered one of the best foods for you because of the probiotics it contains and its effects on your digestive system. The gut and intestines do benefit from healthy bacteria for sure, but what about the other ingredients in flavored yogurt? Definitely not the high amounts of sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Instead, indulge in a delicious serving of plain Greek yogurt. If you need a little flavor to get you going, consider cinnamon. Or, mix a serving of fresh pineapple, blueberries, or raspberries in the yogurt for a sweet or tart bonus.
16. PACKAGED COUSCOUS
Couscous does have some nutrients. Comprised of semolina flour or durum wheat, couscous is easy to make and quickly prepared. Couscous is quite high in carbs, and in its pre-packaged, flavored form, you’ll find a lot of sodium.
As healthier alternatives, choose unflavored couscous, quinoa or brown rice. All have fiber and none of the fake flavorings.
17. FRUIT JUICE
Juice, even brands that are fresh-pressed or squeezed, is loaded with tons of sugar and carbs. The all-important fiber is missing, and that’s just a shame! In fact, when processed into juice, a piece of fruit like an orange or an apple changes from something good to eat into a fake healthy food. Did you know, to get the same amount of fiber found in one apple (skin on, of course!), you have to drink 8 cups of juice? Now, that’s a lot of sugar.
Skip the juice altogether and eat a piece of fruit, a nice juicy orange or crisp apple. And pair it up with a glass of water!
18. DIET SOFT DRINKS
Some people will choose diet soda as a healthy alternative to a regular soda. The logic is that diet drinks can help you cut back on sugar, or enable you to lose weight. Unfortunately, there can be a higher chance of gaining weight with diet sodas. Additionally, they may even cause insulin confusion.
Instead, to quench your thirst make a big batch of infused water to keep in your fridge. Then you’ll have a clean-eating alternative ready and waiting at a moment’s notice!
MORE GUIDES TO HEALTHY LIVING
If you want to read more on how to maintain a clean-eating and healthy lifestyle, we've got you covered!
- Does Intermittent Fasting Work For Weight Loss? Beginner's Guide to Intermittent Fasting
- 15 Weight Loss Hacks That Actually Work!
- How to Portion Control for Weight Loss (Without Starving!)
- How to Quit Sugar: The 7 Steps I took to Finally Quit Sugar and How You Can, Too!
This post contains affiliate links for products I regularly use and highly recommend.
Ivana Petrovska
Great article Lacey. Foods like fruit yogurt and fruit juice from the supermarket, herb cheese, margarine, energy bars are actually fake healthy foods you should avoid if you don't want to intake too much calories.