Eating healthy is already hard enough, but what if I told you that some “healthy” foods you might be eating aren’t actually as good for you as you thought? Collegiettes, beware! You might be shocked at some of the foods that make this list! Here are a few:
Spinach Wraps
Don’t let the color and the name fool you! The true amount of spinach in these wraps is so small, and they are in no way a good source of the vitamins, fiber and iron found in real spinach. Wraps, in general, tend to be higher in calories as well (300 calories for one wrap, as opposed to 160 calories for 2 slices of whole wheat bread). Next time you hit the sandwich station at the Pit or Benson, try getting your sandwich made with whole wheat bread. For a truly nutritious meal, ask them to top it off with real spinach!
Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
The phrase “reduced fat” can be a particularly deceiving one. I mean…there’s less fat. That’s good, right? Wrong! If you take peanut better as an example, and look at the nutrition labels closely, you’ll see that the “reduced fat” version and the regular version actually have roughly the same amount of calories. The main difference is that the “reduced fat” peanut butter adds more sugar and fillers (ew!) to substitute for the lack of fat. Regular peanut butter, however, is a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats. Want something even healthier? Try another form of nut butter such as almond butter for less fat, calories, and sugar.
Flavored Instant Oatmeal
Oatmeal is definitely a smart, healthy food option for breakfast as it contains whole grains and fiber. Where people tend to go wrong, however, is with flavored oatmeal, which tends to contain less fiber as well as added sugar and sodium. You are much better off making plain oatmeal and adding your own fruit or cinnamon to spice it up!
*Cover image from Get Your Fit Together