A handful of almonds, fruit smoothies or date-molasses laddus. Everything looks healthy. But can you eat as much as you want if you have a 'healthy' or 'healthy' label? The answer is no. These healthy foods can add up to your daily calorie count if you don't watch the quantity.
Trying to lose weight or stay healthy? So maybe opting for granola instead of biscuits, almonds instead of chips, fruit smoothies instead of sweets or date-molasses laddus instead of sugary sweets. The decision is not bad at all. But problems can start when you overeat these 'healthy' foods.
According to nutritionists, if the ingredients of the food are healthy, then it will be low in calories, not so. Rather, what it's made of, how much you eat, and how often you eat it, all three are important. If there is a food in the daily diet, its quantity cannot be excluded. So there is no need to cut out healthy food, but rather be aware of the extra calories hidden behind the word 'healthy'.
1. granola
Granola is considered a healthy breakfast because it contains ingredients like oats, nuts, and seeds. But many granolas on the market contain added sugar, honey, or some sort of syrup-like substance. The result may look healthier but may not be low in calories. Another issue is quantity. We often end up with more granola bowls than what is called a serving on the packet.
So it is not right to make a decision just by looking at the 'healthy', 'natural' or 'no junk' claims on the front of the packet. It is important to look at the ingredients list and nutritional information. That will understand how much sugar and calories can enter the body.
2. Almonds and peanut butter
Nuts are a good source of healthy fats, protein and fiber. So almonds or peanut butter will have a place in the list of healthy foods. But the problem is, both almonds and peanut butter are quite calorie-dense. A small amount contains a lot of calories. As a result, you don't even notice when you are eating a little bit by bit.
It's difficult to keep track of quantities, especially when you're in the habit of spooning peanut butter from a large packet of nuts or spoonfuls from a jar. No need to omit nuts. Quantity control is essential.
3. the smoothie
Smoothies have grown in popularity as an easy and delicious way to eat fruit. But it is wrong to think that smoothies will be low calorie only if there is fruit. If milk, yogurt, dates, honey, peanut butter are added together with fruit in the smoothie, the amount of calories increases a lot. While each ingredient is healthy individually, all of them may not be necessary together.
According to nutritionists, there is no need to add three-four fruits, dates, honey and peanut butter together in a smoothie. Keep it simple. Choose the ingredients according to the needs of the meal.
4. Dry fruit
Dry fruits like raisins, dates, apricots are nutritious. But removing the watery part from fruits increases their natural sugars and calories relatively. The problem is, dried fruits look small. As a result, it is easy to eat a lot at once, even if it seems like you are eating little. A small bowl of dried fruit can therefore enter the body with many more calories than expected.
So don't eat dry fruits, not like that. Just remember, this is not a 'light' meal, even if it is small in size. It is better to measure the amount.
5. Homemade 'Healthy' Laddoos
Laddoos made with dates, jaggery, ghee, almonds or any seeds are a healthier alternative to regular sweets for many. But homemade or made with healthy ingredients does not make laddoos calorie free.
Dates and jaggery also contain sugars. Apart from this, enough calories are added from nuts, seeds and ghee. As a result, this laddoo cannot be eaten as much as you want because it does not contain refined sugar.
'Healthy' doesn't always mean happy
There is no reason to fear healthy foods or exclude them from the diet. Rather, these foods can be an important part of a balanced diet. Just remember, even healthy foods have calories. So more important than the word 'healthy' written on the packet is the food ingredients, preparation method and most of all, the quantity consumed.
Choosing healthy foods is a good habit. But if you eat too much of that food unknowingly, instead of meeting the goal, the daily calorie count may increase.