Always being on the run and constantly looking for ways to eat healthy or losing weight is our biggest concern. This aspect has become so popular that for example, more than 41% of the post-millennials, (also knows as Generation Z) are willing to invest in the way they eat while 26% of the X Generation will definitely pay more money for healthier foods. The number of people that are investing more money in the food they eat is significantly increasing.

If we are able to spend more money on healthy food, how do we actually know what is healthy and how do we recognize a healthy product? Take a look at this list of foods that you thought were healthy.

Flavored Drinks

The drinking products competition is so high that you basically do not know what to choose. However, bear in mind that every drink which contains more than two ingredients is more likely to contain sugar. If it has no calories, that drink contains for sure some sweeteners that will have something to say when it comes to losing weight and get that waist in shape.

To-go/ Prepared Smoothies

That smoothie which looks so healthy might, in fact, have more calories than a Happy Meal. And yes, this is possible! The calories a smoothie can have can vary from 600 to 1500. These calories are usually added because of the large amount of syrups, sugar, simple sugar and a variety of sweet ingredients.

Energy Bars

Plenty of energy bars are almost close to a candy bar. If you want fiber or protein, why not grab an apple or some string cheese? Energy bars are full of added-in nutrients while we are just looking for some proteins.

Fat-free sweets

Fat-free does not mean calorie-free. Most of us tend to confuse these two terms. Moreover, the fat replacements will end up in having a huge number of calories as well.

Gluten free foods

Although some people need to avoid gluten for medical reasons, many others cut it out because they think "gluten-free" means healthy. It doesn't. Many gluten-free foods, especially sweet stuff like cookies, have the same number of calories as their gluten-containing equivalents, if not more.

Foods with added antioxidants or vitamins

Doctors tell us to load up on antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, so manufacturers add stuff like "with antioxidants" or "with added vitamins and minerals" on processed food labels. Oftentimes, these foods are not even close to nutritious and the added vitamins aren't coming from real fruits and veggies.

Fat-free salad dressing

Even though fat-free dressing has fewer calories than its fatty filled counterpart, you're not getting the results you target by eating vegetables with skinny dressings. Non-fat dressings often contain more salt to compensate for flavor and will include dozens of artificial ingredients.

Yogurt or Frozen Yogurt

Low-fat yogurt is a popular lifesaver for health-nerds: it's low in calories, high in probiotics, calcium and has a fulfilling, creamy taste. But recent studies are starting to question whether yogurt is a food you should be eating. Greek yogurt is low in sugar and high in protein, but what about your everyday brand yogurts with added flavors and preservatives? Did you ever imagine that the sugar content of regular yogurt can be as much as a can of soda?!

Frozen Yogurt instead sounds healthy and you would rather choose it over an ice-cream. Adding some sweet variations of toppings will make that yogurt look like an ice-cream which is not suitable and does not fit into your diet either.

There are plenty of options on the market. Every day we wake up with new revolutionary products, fruits or even vegetables. This is why is sometimes very hard to choose. Here are some tips that will make you choose healthier products next time you go to the grocery store:


- Buy whole natural foods
- Choose foods that are grown locally
- Try to read the labels
- Choose whole grains with at least 2 grams of fiber/ serving instead of white flour goods with less than 1 gram
- Avoid hydrogenated foods and also the ones that are high in sodium/ artificial ingredients

Think twice next time you go shopping! Don’t believe everything you read about ‘healthy’ versions of foods. The food industry is ever-growing and with it, so does the need for sales and profit. The best way to ensure your diet is a healthy one is to opt for the natural products like fruits and vegetables.

Eat healthy, cook your own food, buy from your trusty local farmers and read the labels when you go to the supermarket. You will be living a healthier and longer life if you follow the diet that nature graced us with and not the one provided by mixing and matching chemicals. What tastes good, doesn’t necessarily feel good later.