Physical Wellness

7 Supposedly Healthy Foods that can Hurt Your Diet

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Oct 06, 2014 02:27 PM EDT

Over the years, some foods have gained a reputation for being healthy based off of one or two ingredients. Even though those ingredients might be healthy, how these foods are prepared can affect the overall nutritional value and content. Here are seven supposedly healthy foods that can hurt your diet:

1. Dried Fruit

When people hear the word fruit, they can be quick to assume that it is healthy. However, not all fruit products are good for you. Dried fruits in particular can lead to overconsumption, since they are smaller and come in bite-sized portions. People should eat dried fruit as if they were real fruit. For example, if you would not eat three apricots in one sitting, you should not eat three pieces of dried apricot even though the pieces are small.

2. Turkey Burgers

Although turkey is a healthier alternative form of meat, turkey burgers are not necessarily better for you. When you eat out at a restaurant, do not assume that the turkey burger option is healthy. Several restaurants will dress up the turkey burger, adding extra calories and fat.

3. Hummus

Hummus, a chickpea spread, is known for being a healthier option when compared to other dips since it is bean-based. Even though it is better for you, eating too much of it can become unhealthy.

4. Marinara Sauce

Prepackaged products tend to contain a lot more ingredients than you might think. One of these products, marina sauce, is made with a lot of unnatural sugars that can be bad for you.

5. Pickles

Pickles are brined cucumbers. Even though they are technically a vegetable, pickles are not as healthy as you believe. Since they are soaked in brine, they tend to be high in sodium as well as added sugars.

6. Wasabi Peas

Wasabi peas are a great and addictive snack for people who like that extra kick. However, even though this snack is veggie-based, it packs a lot of calories because the peas are fried. On top of that, wasabi peas contain a lot of sodium.

7. Granola

Granola, which is made from oatmeal, is often perceived as a healthy breakfast meal. Even though granola can be healthy, the portion-size for one serving tends to be very small. For some brands of granola, the serving size is only one-third of a cup. If you eat more than that everyday, you end up consuming a lot of calories, sugar and carbohydrates.

Many of the foods mentioned above can be healthy if you prepare them. By making your own versions of these foods, you can control what ingredients go in.

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