What Are The 5 Healthy Foods That Are Actually Worse Than Candy? Here Are What You Should Know

Other foods find ways to reduce the amount of calories, salt, sugar, and fat they contain, providing a healthier alternative to classic recipes. Some of these items that are advertised as “healthy” may surprise you by being more unhealthy than candy.

It’s crucial to comprehend why candy is unhealthy in the first place before determining which foods are less nutritious for our bodies than sweets.

According to Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, of Balance One Supplements, “Eating candy is generally considered harmful because it is heavy in sugar and calories and typically does not give much nutritious value.” A variety of health issues, such as weight gain, dental decay, and an elevated risk of developing certain chronic conditions, such type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can be brought on by consuming too much sugar.

Candy is frequently referred to as a “empty calorie” food, meaning that it has few critical nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber yet is high in energy (i.e. calories). A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of nutritious meals and restricts the use of high-sugar foods like sweets is crucial.

eat this instead of that determined which foods that are generally marketed as “healthy” may actually do more harm than you think by consulting a few extra specialists. Given how much sugar these choices contain, they may occasionally be worse for your health than candy. Others succeed in going beyond just empty calories or excessive sweets by adding additional fats or salts that you might not find in an ordinary chocolate bar or lollipops.

In light of all of this, here are seven “healthy” foods that nutritionists claim can be worse for your health than sweets, as well as other advice on healthy eating to assist you in making better dietary choices.

 

You might not have thought that fruit could be more harmful to your health than candy. However, compared to something like a hard fruit treat, dried fruit has a number of disadvantages.

“Fruit is often seen as a healthy food, although dried fruit is frequently high in calories and sugar. Additionally, because they are often smaller in size, it is simple to consume more of them than you would with fresh fruit, which can lead to weight gain “Best explains. Choose whole fruit that is just as convenient as dried fruit, such as apples, bananas, and [raisins], rather than turning to it in a pinch.

You don’t have to give up dried fruit entirely.

 

Granola probably comes to mind when you think of cereals that are good for you. Many forms of granola employ different oils to bind the grains together, which are then sweetened with sugar, despite the fact that many firms encourage you to think of this item as a healthy alternative to other sugary breakfast cereal.

Granola is frequently promoted as a healthy food choice, but Best points out that it can also be high in sugar and bad fats. It’s crucial to check the label and pick granola that is prepared with whole grains and healthy fats and has less sugar.

 

Energy bars have become popular with consumers who are health-conscious, in part because of their advertising campaigns that feature pictures of rock climbers and sports. Although many people think that energy bars and healthy lives go hand in hand, this item has a dubious nutritional history. You might be surprised to see shockingly high amounts of carbs and fat when you flip the bar over and read the nutrition facts.

Despite the fact that many variations of energy bars are heavy in sugar and calories, they are frequently marketed as a convenient, healthful snack. It’s crucial to pick energy bars that are created with nutritious grains and contain less sugar.

Not all energy bars are more nutritionally deficient than a chocolate bar.

 

For good reason, cereal has a negative reputation in terms of nutrition; many varieties of this breakfast staple are loaded with sugar. Even though other whole grain cereals may not have the same negative nutritional effects, you rarely find them in cereal bars. Some of the top cereals have made it into individually wrapped bars and are marketed as nutritious on-the-go breakfasts. Don’t be deceived by these cereal bars’ appealingly healthful marketing.

Many of them, according to Yelena Wheeler MPH, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist with MIDSS, “contain more sugar than a candy bar and frequently [have] just as little fiber.”

 

If you were to choose between candy and frozen yogurt as a healthy dessert, frozen yogurt would seem like the logical choice. Despite the substantial amounts of sugar and fat present in each serving, the marketing for this confection gives the impression that it is a healthier alternative to other dessert options.

The author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and a member of our Medical Expert Board, Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., RDN, claims that many varieties of frozen yogurt contain a lot of sugar—often more than sweets and conventional [ice] cream. And because they believe they are “yogurt,” consumers frequently eat a larger piece.

The excessive sugar in this dessert leads to future health issues.