Here is the article that I recently wrote for my college newspaper. Some parts obviously don't apply to those who don't attend the school or college in general, but I wanted to share with you some "healthy" foods that aren't actually so healthy.
I just copy and pasted the original copy of the article. Hope this is enlightening:-)
Only three weeks into the spring semester and everyone is already thinking about one thing: Spring Break. While our minds may be thinking of beaches, board shorts, and bikinis, most of our bodies are still recovering from the winter break.
The holidays brought home cooked meals, candy canes, and lazy days. We basked in the gluttonous habits associated with having no real responsibilities for a few weeks and now many of us are paying the price.
Over the next month and a half, diet pills will be swallowed, treadmills will be bombarded, and flavorless food consumed. However, as the scale becomes our obvious enemy, another villain hides in the dark.
Many are guilty of reaching for the foods that read “fat free,” “low sodium,” and “no trans fat.” As we stuff these alleged healthy foods in our mouths, does anyone ever take the time to consider that maybe what we consider “healthy” isn’t so healthy after all.
Recently, lists containing healthy foods that actually cause you to gain weight have been published in Cosmopolitan and on Heheli.com. The foods range from salads to granola bars.
Here’s why these healthy foods aren’t so healthy:
Salad- The simple concept of salads is in itself healthy. Basically a plate of naked vegatables are considered good, not the extras you have piled on your plate in the Hopper salad line. Adding the shredded cheese, croutons, and multiple scoops of dressing can have your salad calorie count as high as a dish of pasta. Even vinaigrettes aren’t that healthy. While they aren’t as fattening as ranch, their calorie count can be just as high.
Bottled Teas-Tthe store bough brands are loaded with sugar and honey, which are loaded with calories. Also, often one bottle contains two servings placing the calories level as high as a bottle of soda.
Dried Fruits- It may taste as healthy as fresh fruit, but it is nowhere close. According to diet consultant Anne Collins (annecollins.com), it takes more dried fruit to feel full because the fruit is dehydrated of its natural water and that means more calories. In addition, many dried fruits are covered in added sugar. One fistful of raisins contains as many calories as a whole pound of fresh grapes and five dried pear halves hold 229 calories, according to dietbites.com.
Diet Microwave Meals- The underseasoned meals seem as though they would be healthy. However, the lack of fat in the meals causes the manufacturers to rely on salt for taste. So while you are devouring your meal, you are retaining water, especially in your arms and legs. Now won’t that look sexy in a bathing suit?
Sushi Rolls- Grabbing a thing of sushi from the Palms Retail Center seems easy and healthy. If you assumed this, you would be wrong about the healthy part. Veggie and seaweed wrap sushi is low cal, but the most popular rolls (and the ones served on campus) are slathered in fattening substances such as cream cheese and mayo. The seafood inside of these rolls are often tempura-battered. So your healthy meal just turned into a 500 to 600 calorie set back to your beach body. Also, soy is loaded with sodium, it won’t make you gain weight but you will retain water.
Granola- While the nuts and oats are good for you, it is the oils for crisping and sugar for extra flavor that makes them so harmful. One bowl of granola cereal can rack up to 500 calories.
I just copy and pasted the original copy of the article. Hope this is enlightening:-)
Only three weeks into the spring semester and everyone is already thinking about one thing: Spring Break. While our minds may be thinking of beaches, board shorts, and bikinis, most of our bodies are still recovering from the winter break.
The holidays brought home cooked meals, candy canes, and lazy days. We basked in the gluttonous habits associated with having no real responsibilities for a few weeks and now many of us are paying the price.
Over the next month and a half, diet pills will be swallowed, treadmills will be bombarded, and flavorless food consumed. However, as the scale becomes our obvious enemy, another villain hides in the dark.
Many are guilty of reaching for the foods that read “fat free,” “low sodium,” and “no trans fat.” As we stuff these alleged healthy foods in our mouths, does anyone ever take the time to consider that maybe what we consider “healthy” isn’t so healthy after all.
Recently, lists containing healthy foods that actually cause you to gain weight have been published in Cosmopolitan and on Heheli.com. The foods range from salads to granola bars.
Here’s why these healthy foods aren’t so healthy:
Salad- The simple concept of salads is in itself healthy. Basically a plate of naked vegatables are considered good, not the extras you have piled on your plate in the Hopper salad line. Adding the shredded cheese, croutons, and multiple scoops of dressing can have your salad calorie count as high as a dish of pasta. Even vinaigrettes aren’t that healthy. While they aren’t as fattening as ranch, their calorie count can be just as high.
Bottled Teas-Tthe store bough brands are loaded with sugar and honey, which are loaded with calories. Also, often one bottle contains two servings placing the calories level as high as a bottle of soda.
Dried Fruits- It may taste as healthy as fresh fruit, but it is nowhere close. According to diet consultant Anne Collins (annecollins.com), it takes more dried fruit to feel full because the fruit is dehydrated of its natural water and that means more calories. In addition, many dried fruits are covered in added sugar. One fistful of raisins contains as many calories as a whole pound of fresh grapes and five dried pear halves hold 229 calories, according to dietbites.com.
Diet Microwave Meals- The underseasoned meals seem as though they would be healthy. However, the lack of fat in the meals causes the manufacturers to rely on salt for taste. So while you are devouring your meal, you are retaining water, especially in your arms and legs. Now won’t that look sexy in a bathing suit?
Sushi Rolls- Grabbing a thing of sushi from the Palms Retail Center seems easy and healthy. If you assumed this, you would be wrong about the healthy part. Veggie and seaweed wrap sushi is low cal, but the most popular rolls (and the ones served on campus) are slathered in fattening substances such as cream cheese and mayo. The seafood inside of these rolls are often tempura-battered. So your healthy meal just turned into a 500 to 600 calorie set back to your beach body. Also, soy is loaded with sodium, it won’t make you gain weight but you will retain water.
Granola- While the nuts and oats are good for you, it is the oils for crisping and sugar for extra flavor that makes them so harmful. One bowl of granola cereal can rack up to 500 calories.
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