23 “healthy” foods that aren’t as harmless as they seem

Your favorite “healthy” foods may be deceiving you, especially if you look closely at the nutrition facts label. So when these three Redditors asked people to share foods that aren’t as “healthy” as they seem, nutritionists, health experts, and other users blamed everything from the industry’s shoddy practices to the marketing doing most of the heavy lifting. Here are the snacks, drinks and meals people are side-eyeing right now.

1. Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: “The whole ‘part of a balanced breakfast’ marketing angle has done some serious heavy lifting. If the rest of your meal is healthy and you use just a small amount, it technically fits into one, but otherwise it’s basically a chocolate sandwich pretending to be responsible.”

2. Veggie Straws: “Veggie sticks and veggie straws are basically potato chips with a few other vegetables added for color. The word ‘veggie’ does most of the heavy lifting for you.”

3. Detox drinks: “Detox shakes don’t magically rid your body of toxins. Often they just give you diarrhea and trick you into thinking something healthy is happening. Your body already has its own detox processes in place. Don’t wait for fancy drinks.”

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4. Restaurant Salads: “Some chain salads can have more than 1,000 calories when you add in fried toppings, cheese, creamy dressings, and everything else. It’s not that salads are bad, it’s that the word ‘salad’ can cause you to ignore everything piled on top of them.”

5. Fruit juice: “Fruit juice is supposed to be drunk in small portions, like a small glass at a hotel breakfast. The problem is that people treat it like water and pour it into giant glasses, even though it can contain a lot of sugar.”

6. Muffins: “Many people still think of muffins as a healthier breakfast option, but some grocery store muffins can contain around 650 calories and 50 to 60 grams of sugar. At that point, they’re basically cupcakes without the frosting.”

7. Protein bars: “Chocolate protein bars and other flavored bars are about as healthy as your average candy bar, just with added protein. They make sense if you really need some quick calories or fuel for a workout, but they don’t automatically make them healthy foods.”

8. Acai bowls: “Acai bowls are delicious, but some are loaded with sugar and can pack in 700 to 900 calories. Acai bowls look like wellness in a bowl, but some are more like desserts.”

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9. Sports Drinks: “Sports drinks are designed for real athletes, people who run around, sweat, and move their bodies. They’re not really for people who sit down and play a game while enjoying the guise of hydration.”

10. Cereals: “I thought I would be healthy by choosing bran cereals, but it turns out they contain more sugar per serving than many decidedly sweeter cereals. For some reason I was playing with them, even though I wasn’t even eating the fun-flavored cereals.”

11. Coconut oil: “Coconut oil is treated like a miracle healthy fat simply because it’s plant-based, but it can contain more saturated fat than butter or lard. Use it for flavor or texture, if you like. Just don’t pretend it’s magic.”

12. Dried fruit: “Dried fruit may seem like a healthy snack, but because it’s so high in sugar and because it’s dried, the serving size is much smaller than people think. Some varieties even have added sugar, which is wild because fruit is naturally sweet.”

13. Yogurt: “Flavored yogurt with ‘fruit’ in it may sound healthy, but many of them are loaded with sweeteners, coloring, and small amounts of actual fruit. Just buy plain yogurt and chop up the real fruit yourself.”

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14. Raw milk: “I worked as a hygiene advisor in a dairy factory, and even pasteurized milk is already difficult to keep safe. Using raw milk on a commercial scale is a bad idea and can cause serious illness to people.”

15. Vegan food: “A friend of mine worked at a vegan bakery, and a lot of people would buy their pastries, thinking that being vegan automatically meant something healthy. But many of those desserts were full of fat, sugar, and calories. And the pastries they made were far worse for you than those made with eggs or dairy.”

16. Coffee Beverages: “Bulk frozen coffee drinks can contain over 500 calories, which is more than some people consume in a meal. People treat coffee like a casual drink, but in reality, it’s more like a caffeinated dessert.”

17. Granola: “Granola is basically oatmeal with added sugar and toppings, somehow making it bland and high in calories. You’re probably better off making regular oatmeal with fresh fruit and nuts.”

18. Smoothies: “Smoothies from chain smoothie shops may sound like an obviously healthy option, but many of them are essentially sugary drinks branded with fruit. That may be fine depending on your goals, but don’t assume that all smoothies are automatically healthy just because they have fruit in them.”

19. Bubble Tea: “Some people treat boba tea as a healthy alternative to coffee, but that’s because their idea of ​​’coffee’ is a sugary blended drink. Some drinks are more like milkshakes than healthy teas.”

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20. Honey, agave, and maple syrup: “People replace sugar with things like honey, agave, or ‘natural sugar’ because they automatically sound healthier. But at the end of the day, they’re still sugars and can affect blood sugar levels and weight loss in the same way.”

twenty one. Trail mix and nuts: “Nuts contain fiber and nutrients, but they’re also very high in calories. Even just a few handfuls can add up quickly. The real scary part is checking the bag and finding out how many servings you’ve actually eaten.”

twenty two. Coconut milk: “People spend a lot of money on coconut milk drinks thinking they’re doing something super healthy for themselves. But many of those drinks have limited health benefits and are high in saturated fat. In other words, it’s dessert in a bottle.”

twenty three. Finally, regarding organic and “all-natural” foods: “When people hear ‘organic’ or ‘all-natural,’ they assume it means something completely pure or untouched. But many of those labels still have rules, loopholes, marketing tricks, and even steep price increases.”

BRB, I’m leering at every muffin within a 10-mile radius… If you’re a nutritionist or health fanatic and have another “healthy” food that has changed the way you look at nutrition labels, please share it in the comments or fill out the anonymous form below. Your answer may be featured in a future BuzzFeed Community post.

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

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