For so many years, I thought I was eating a “healthy” diet…
I started the day with a low-fat English muffin, topped with some zero-calorie “butter” spray, and a glass of all-natural orange juice.
When I started to feel hungry in the middle of the morning, I quickly grabbed a low-fat granola bar.
If I went out to eat for lunch, I ordered a salad (because I was trying to watch what I ate). The salad usually came topped with croutons, dried berries, candied pecans, and drizzled with dressing.
For an afternoon snack, I munched on some grapes.
For dinner, I went to my old stand-by…whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce on top.
At the end of the day, I still felt kind of hungry, not quite satisfied, and craving something sweet…but I didn’t understand why. I thought I was eating healthy!
Was I really eating healthy, though?
I’ll be honest, this was a typical day of eating for me several years ago. Even though I was trying to eat healthy, I now realize that my days of “healthy” eating were filled with sugar and high carb meals. I was also missing the protein and fat that would keep me feeling full and satisfied.
It’s no wonder that my energy suffered, I couldn’t think clearly, and I was always craving more sugar!
If you are ready to start feeling better, to increase your energy, and to jumpstart your weight loss, then a great way to start is to ditch these 10 “health” foods that are loaded with sugar and just might be sabotaging your weight loss.
And, if you’d like to discover 10 foods that will actually help you fight your sugar cravings, then I’d also love to send you my FREE guide: The Top 10 Foods that Make It Easier to Lose Weight & Get Rid of Cravings.
10 “Health” Foods that Are High In Sugar
1. Fruit Juice
We often think if we buy juice labeled as “all natural” or “100% juice” that we’re buying something healthy. The reality is, though, that juice is fruit with all of the fiber removed. While fruit is a healthy part of your diet, fruit juice is simply sugar. Without the fiber to slow down absorption of the sugar, your blood sugar quickly spikes. Unfortunately, fruit juice isn’t a whole lot better than drinking a glass of kool-aid.
2. Dried Fruit
When fruit is dried, the sugar content in it becomes concentrated. While some dried fruit in moderation is okay, the reality is that it is way too easy to overeat dried fruit. Once again, dried fruit turns into sugar in your body and can cause problems.
3. Pasta Sauce
Did you know that many pasta sauces contain added sugar? For example, Ragu’s Tomato, Garlic, & Onion sauce has 12 grams of sugar in it! Add to that the sugar in the pasta you’re eating with it, and that is one sugar-laden meal. If you do buy pasta sauce, simply look for one that doesn’t have any added sugar in the ingredients list.
4. Noodles
Both pasta and rice noodles are pure refined carbohydrates, which means they break down into sugar in your body. Because of the way they are processed, these will also quickly spike your blood sugar, wreaking havoc on your health, waistline, and your cravings. Don’t worry, though…you don’t have to give up all noodles! Try using spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles for a healthy alternative! (You can check out my recipe for Zucchinni Pasta here.)
5. Bread
Sorry to say, but the story is the same for bread. This refined carbohydrate will also quickly break down into sugar and cause problems. Add to this the inflammatory effects of gluten, and you’re setting yourself up for a variety of illnesses.
6. Instant Oatmeal
The processing of instant oats once again sets them up to be a problem for your blood sugar. Not only that, but some instant oatmeal will contain as much as 15 g of added sugar. If you’d like to stick with oatmeal for breakfast, then go for the steel-cut oats, which will not spike your blood sugar nearly as much.
7. Smoothies
Smoothies can definitely be a part of a healthy, well-rounded diet. However, most smoothies that you buy at your local coffee shop or Orange Julius are a far cry from a healthy option. These smoothies are filled with sugar. So if you’d like a smoothie, make your own at own! Use a high quality protein powder, healthy fats, and some green veggies (like spinach), and you’ll have a much healthier option.
8. Yogurt
I know…this is tough. How many people eat yogurt because they think it’s healthy. Unfortunately, most yogurts are highly processed, which destroys many of the beneficial nutrients in it. In addition sugar or artificial sweeteners are often added to it to make it taste better. If you want to eat yogurt and tolerate dairy, opt for full fat Greek yogurt that is unsweetened and add some berries to it.
9. Granola
Another food that we’ve been led to believe is healthy, but it once again is loaded with artificial sweeteners, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and lots of other preservatives that we really don’t want to be consuming. In all honesty, eating granola for breakfast is about the same as eating a cookie.
10. Protein Bars
Not all protein bars are created equal. While a few good quality ones are out there, they are rare and hard to find. Most protein bars once again contain sugar or toxic sugar substitutes like aspartame. Be sure to read the labels very closely and see how many grams of sugar you are actually eating.
So What IS Healthy Then?
I know from personal experience that it can be discouraging to find out that what you thought you were eating in order to be healthy are actually foods that are high in sugar.
But, the good news is that once you reduce the amount of sugar you are eating, it becomes so much easier to lose weight and increase your energy!
To help you out, I’d love to send you my free guide, The Top 10 Foods that Make It Easier to Lose Weight & Get Rid of Cravings, so that you know what to eat once you begin avoiding the foods listed in this article. Click here to request that I email you this guide right away!
