Meat-flavoured rice

Meat-flavoured rice
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“Boxed rice mixes are super tasty because food manufacturers add tons of salt and flavour enhancers like MSG and caramel colour,” explains Pine. “Some folks with food sensitivities, especially those susceptible to migraines, can react very poorly to MSG. Make your own healthy pilaf with garlic, onion and rice. Choose brown, red, or black rice to make it a whole-grain dish for added fibre and nutrients.”

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Pre-grilled chicken breasts

Pre-grilled chicken breasts
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In short, there’s nothing even remotely redeeming here. “Look at the package when making your grocery store decisions,” says Whiteson. “Pre-cooked chicken is often loaded with lots of bad stuff to make it have a longer shelf life – all the while reducing your life! All that added sodium will bloat you for days!”

Here are more ‘healthy’ foods that really aren’t.

Lunch kits for kids

Lunch kits for kids
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If you’re cringing thinking about how many kiddie lunch kits you’ve eaten in your lifetime, you’re not alone! It’s disheartening that products marketed at children and busy parents can be so insanely unhealthy. “These processed snack packs are filled with sodium and saturated fat, and provide little to no fibre,” says Whiteson. “In fact, many versions of these processed snack products can set you back 600mg of sodium – that’s about 30 percent of your recommended daily amount! Your children are probably begging for these snack packs that their friends have in the playground. No matter how cheap and convenient they may seem, don’t give in. They are not worth it!”

Commercial salad dressings

Commercial salad dressings
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Commercial salad dressings can be packed with sodium, sugar and saturated fat, but the real issue is serving size. “Most dressings use one or two tablespoons, smaller than the usual drizzle, as their serving size,” says Whiteson. So when you glop it on, the amounts of those bad ingredients add up big-time. “These dressings can easily add up to an extra 1250 kilojoules per day if not more!” she says. Instead, Whiteson recommends topping greens with avocado, poached eggs or marinated veggies and skipping the dressing altogether. “They’ll contribute heart-healthy fats without the additives and bloat-inducing salt,” she says.

These are the least favourite foods of professional chefs. 

Sliced peaches in heavy syrup

Sliced peaches in heavy syrup
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There’s no excuse for not eating real fruit – it’s as convenient as it gets! “Little containers of peaches or pears are a nice convenience item to pack in a lunch, but not when they’re drenched in heavy syrup, which is loaded with added, unnecessary sugar,” says Pine. “The ‘lite’ version still has added sugar, and the ‘no sugar added’ variety is usually code for added artificial sweeteners. Emerging research is showing that artificial sweeteners may be harmful to the gut microbiome. If plain fresh or frozen fruits aren’t an option, be sure to choose canned fruit packed in 100 percent juice,” Pine says.

Cereal bars

Cereal bars
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“With a whopping 17g of sugar, there isn’t anything healthy about cereal bars, even the ones that claim to be ‘made with real milk,’” notes Pine. “As a high-carb snack packed with many sources of simple sugars, including high fructose corn syrup, you’ll probably be hungry quickly after eating one. Just because they added these items into the bar doesn’t mean they took out the unhealthier stuff!”

Frozen whipped topping

Frozen whipped topping
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Sorry, but that frozen white stuff isn’t as harmless as it looks – especially the lower fat versions. “Just because something seems to have less fat than the real thing doesn’t make it the better choice,” says Pine. “Whipped toppings are mixtures of hydrogenated vegetable oils, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavours. Just eat real whipped cream to top your treat. Homemade whipped cream is super easy to make and you can control the level of sweetness.”

Expert won’t touch these foods – and you shouldn’t either. 

Probiotic yoghurts

Probiotic yoghurts
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Don’t be fooled by the probiotic branding. “One leading brand of probiotic yoghurt has a whopping 19g of sugar per 125g container of the blueberry flavour,” says Whiteson. “What really creates a sugar rush is what they’re including in commercial yogurts these days. Fruit, especially the syrupy kind mixed into store-bought yogurts, is a common culprit. Candied nuts or sweetened granola toppings quickly bring the yogurt well beyond the sugar content of an entire doughnut.” Instead opt for a high protein, high calcium, low sugar, option to keep both muscles and bones healthy and strong.

Gluten-free pretzels

Gluten-free pretzels
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Unless you’re gluten-intolerant, there’s no good reason to buy gluten-free pretzels. “Gluten-free pretzels have 25 percent of a day’s worth of sodium in only a small handful of pretzels,” says Whiteson. “They contain no fibre – which is a huge issue with gluten-free diets – and plenty of white corn and potato flour and artery-clogging palm oil.” She also notes that it’s important to watch out for gluten-free products in general as they’re often loaded with sugar, salt and saturated fat to improve flavour. “Choose something with 100 percent whole grain as the first ingredient if you can.”

Flavoured instant oats

Flavoured instant oats
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“It’s such a shame that a super healthy and delicious food like oats gets an unhealthy makeover with a deluge of sugary flavours,” says Pine. “Most brands contain multiple sources of sugar, artificial colours and flavours, and even partially hydrogenated oil, which means trans fat.” If you want a healthy breakfast or snack on the go that’s packed with fibre, instant oats can be a good choice, she says, but stick with the plain kind and add your own toppings such as fruit, sliced almonds and a touch of honey.

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