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10 Good Foods Gone Bad

by Sally Symonds, Healthy Life Mentor and author of “50 Steps to Lose 50kg . . . And Keep It Off” & “50+ Recipes to Lose 50kg . . . And Keep It Off”

Every time we go to the supermarket, we’re bombarded with an array of foods that promise a range of health benefits: full of antioxidants, organic, a great source of protein, a sweet treat without the fat or the calories. But just how much are these health claims exaggerated?

Unfortunately, many of the supposedly healthy foods that you might be regularly filling your trolley with could do you more harm than good. Here are ten common culprits to avoid:

1. Tinned Tuna

There’s an overwhelming variety of tinned tuna available these days, but be wary of what’s sharing tin space with the fish. Tuna tinned in oil may be high in fat, and some types of flavoured tuna are high in sodium. Most worryingly, tinned tuna has been shown to contain high levels of mercury; this toxic substance can have serious health consequences .

2. Turkey

One of the leanest meats available, pre-packaged turkey slices are a quick and easy sandwich filling. But if it’s pre-sliced and pre-packed, it’s a processed meat, which means it’s full of chemical additives that are harmful to your health . A single serve of some varieties contains up to 700 mg of sodium , which is almost half the maximum recommended daily intake.

3. Pre-prepared salad

Just because it’s a salad doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Many pre-made salads available in fast food chains and supermarkets contain almost your entire recommended daily fat intake ! UK research shows that the salad leaves are often washed in chlorine, which destroys vitamins and minerals . I’d rather swim in chlorine than eat it...

4. Flavoured nuts

It’s true that nuts are healthy, but they’re at their healthiest when eaten raw—as soon as food manufacturers start tampering with them, nuts can quickly become the enemy of your waistline. If they’re roasted or coated in sweet substances such as honey or chocolate, they’ll be high in fat, sugar, and calories: just 30 g of honey roasted cashews contains 1.9 g of saturated fat .

5. Fruit bars

Fruit bars are marketed as the ideal lunchbox snack, but if you’ve ever taken the time to read the ingredients, you’ll think again about eating these. Not only are they loaded with sugar, they’re also full of dubious additives. Consumer watchdog Choice found that a major brand of fruit roll-ups not only has a form of starch as its major ingredient, but also includes hydrogenated canola oil —real fruit doesn’t contain trans fats!

6. Organic

Think it’s good for you just because it’s organic? Think again. Organic food can still be processed , and a recent UK study revealed that nutrition differences between organic and non-organic food were pretty insignificant . It’s also worth remembering that just because a product claims to be organic doesn’t mean it actually is—use of the word ‘organic’ isn’t regulated in Australia, so make sure you buy products that are certified organic.

7. Carob

This may appear to be the perfect solution for chocoholics who want to curb their cocoa bean consumption, but, unfortunately, carob isn’t a healthy alternative. It generally has similar levels of fat and calories as regular chocolate does; worse, it’s often made with palm or coconut oils, which can raise cholesterol .

8. Soy products

Soy milk (and soy-based cheeses and yoghurts) is regarded as a healthy alternative to dairy, but there are some concerns about its effects on your health. Modern procedures for extracting milk from soy beans destroy vitamins and minerals, and soy products often feature added sweeteners, flavour enhancers, and stabilisers.

9. Packet miso soup

Although miso soup is a renowned health food, avoid the instant varieties that are available from supermarkets or health food shops—it has extremely high sodium levels.

10. Artificial sweetener

This hidden culprit lurks in all kinds of diet foods and drinks, usually in the form of Aspartame. Although officially declared safe by the World Health Organisation, there are still some concerns that Aspartame may be carcinogenic . The general consensus is to avoid consuming it in large quantities; if you want to cut down on your sugar intake, natural sugar alternatives are the safest option .

At this point, you may be asking yourself whether there’s anything that you can eat without looking at the nutritional panel first.

The short answer? No. Even if you think a food is healthy, it’s always best to check the label.

We’re faced with so many processed products these days that it’s become almost impossible to know what is and isn’t OK to eat regularly.

Do I eat anything without reading the label? Yes—if it doesn’t have a label! Fresh fruit and veggies, fresh fish, fresh meat (not processed or pre-prepared in any way)—basically, anything that I can buy as close to its natural state as possible.

Food labels are a bit like statistics—you can read them however you want to. The best approach is to be as skeptical about the claims on food labels as you are of politicians’ claims at election time!

For more information on weight loss and healthy living visit www.sallysymonds.com.au