Food Frauds
There are several foods in restaurants and throughout our daily lives that you may think are healthy, but in reality are not. Here are a few “food frauds” that you can try to steer clear of while eating out, or may reconsider when planning your menu.
Caesar Salad
Usually this standard salad is served in almost every sit down neighborhood restaurant. It is an easy go-to when you are in the mood for something (that you think) is healthy, but this sneaky salad is in fact not so healthy at all. On average, (these averages taken from 3 local restaurants) a bowl of Caesar salad has around 800 calories and about 45 grams of fat. Not such a healthy choice anymore, is it?
Healthy Tip: Split the salad or order only half the salad to cut the calories in half! Most of the calories and fat come from the dressing, so order it without the dressing. Try substituting the Caesar dressing for some fresh squeezed lemon, or simple oil and vinegar if you don’t want to eat the salad dry.
Chicken Burrito
A chicken burrito, the perfect mixture of carbs and protein, right? That’s what they want you to think! Try a perfect mixture of over 1,000 calories and tons of saturated fat (the bad kind of fat). When the serving size of this burrito is almost the size of your arm, there might be a problem!
Healthy Tip: Try splitting the burrito in half or getting it in a “bowl” (no tortilla) with no extra add-ons (cheese, sour cream).
Breakfast Muffins
Disguised as a better choice than a sugary donut for breakfast, these muffins are actually little cakes full of sugar and refined flour. A single muffin can have up to 500 calories and 11 teaspoons of sugar!
Healthy Tip: Go more for the smaller muffins that will have less calories and sugar. Or simply skip the muffin all together and go for a healthier breakfast like oatmeal! (It will be more filling with less sugar)
Bottled Tea Drinks
This popular drink boasts about its “antioxidants” but doesn’t tell you about all of the added sugar. Too much of this added sugar can be a health hazard! A standard store-bought bottle of iced tea can have more than 200 calories and 40+ grams of sugar.
Healthy Tip: Skip the sweetened iced tea and go for the unsweetened. Add a slice of lemon for some zest without the calories or sugar! Or, just make your own. It’s cheaper and healthier
Ice Berg Lettuce
This is a very popular lettuce when it comes to crunch in your salad but has no nutritional value or flavor. Its boring taste is what leads people to put way too much dressing on a salad that adds more fat and calories!
Healthy Tip: Go for color! The more color in your salad, the richer the nutrients and stronger the flavors, and it’s more appetizing. Choose spinach, arugula or baby greens for your salad. While eating out, choose a salad with added fruit or nuts, which add flavor without compromising nutrition.
