The Top 8 Unhealthy Foods You Buy From Health Food Stores

10-11-2017   |   Posted By: Chhavi   |   2543 View(s)

So, you have heard the amazing benefits of apple cider vinegar, yoghurt and milk; and hence you go to the store to buy healthy foods. You start consuming these foods on a regular basis, but you do not see any benefits of these foods on your health. Well, the reason behind this is that everything available at a health food store is not totally safe and good for you. There are many products that are labelled “natural” and “organic”, but in reality, they can be harmful to your health. Let’s take a look at the unhealthy foods people buy from health stores.

List of Unhealthy Foods People Buy from Health Stores

1. Flavored Yoghurt

There is no doubt that yoghurt is a healthy food, but it will keep your body healthy only if you choose the right one. Yoghurt is rich in proteins, calcium, magnesium, potassium and other nutrients that are good for your health. Yoghurt aids digestion boosts metabolism, strengthens your immune system and keeps your bones healthy.

But, eating flavoured yoghurt can do more harm than good to your body. Flavored yoghurt contains a lot of sugar and calories, which makes it an unhealthy snack. Also, it usually has artificial flavours and colours which are not healthy. Excessive sugar consumption is not good for your health as it can lead to Diabetes, Obesity, Tooth Decay, Heart Disease and Stress. So, when you buy yoghurt, make sure that it is unflavored. Also, look for low-fat and plain yoghurt because it does not contains too many calories and has low sugar content. Moreover, when buying yoghurt, read the ingredient label on the yoghurt and buy one that is high in vitamin D, protein and calcium.

2. Herbal Supplements

Be it any health problem; herbal supplements are available for all. And the most exciting part is that people have blind faith in these supplements just because the label reads ‘Herbal.’ A fact that is not known to many people is that there are several botanicals used in these herbal supplements that can have drug-like effects. Also, if you are already on medication, then these supplements can interact with other drugs, and turn out to be dangerous.

There is no doubt that there are many health benefits of using herbal supplements, but it is always recommended to consult a physician before taking any such supplements.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar has a lot of health benefits. Apple Cider Vinegar is full of vitamins and nutrients that are good for our health. It is rich in magnesium, phosphorous, calcium, copper, iron and other essential minerals.

But, buying the right kind of apple cider vinegar is important. When buying apple cider vinegar, you should look for raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar. This type of vinegar has a cloudy appearance and is known as the “mother of vinegar.”

Non-organic and filtered vinegar usually goes through a pasteurisation process, which takes away all the good nutrients from the vinegar. So, you should choose raw and unfiltered vinegar over non-organic and filtered one.

4. Packaged Fruit Juice

When it comes to the list of unhealthy foods people buy, packaged fruit juice is on the top of the list. We all love to consume fruit juices, don’t we? Well, there is no denying the fact that fruit juices are good for our health as they offer a lot of nutritional value to the body. But, buying packages fruit juices is not a healthy option. Even if the label reads 100 percent quality fruit juice, avoid buying it because there are high chances that it has unhealthy additives.

It is also true that packaged fruit juices typically contain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and chemicals which increase your sugar cravings. So, if you think that you are consuming something healthy when you drink packaged fruit juice, you are wrong. In reality, packaged fruit juice is nothing but just fruit-flavoured sugar water. And you already know that consuming too much sugar can lead to many health problems including Obesity and Diabetes.

So, why to consume packaged fruit juices when they have no nutritional value? Instead, you should eat fresh fruits or make fresh fruit juice at home for yourself, because that is a better thing to do health-wise.

5. Energy Drinks

Sports or energy drinks usually contain sugar and electrolytes (salt), which may prove to be beneficial for athletes because they sweat a lot. Moreover, sports and energy drinks are actually manufactured keeping in mind the requirements of athletes.

But these days, consuming energy drinks has become a trend. Nowadays, it is very easy to come across someone who drinks a can of energy drink on a daily basis to stay energised. But, many people are not aware of the fact that if you are not involved in rigorous athletic activities, then sports or energy drinks are of no use. That is because energy drinks contain salt and sugar which can be harmful to your body. Also, these drinks contain other additives like caffeine, which will do more harm than good.

So, if you are not an athlete and do not indulge in intense physical activities, then you should avoid energy or sports drink. Instead, you should stick to plain water, coconut water or flavoured water, fresh fruit juice to keep your body well-hydrated and energised.

6. Salad Dressings

It is really healthy to add salads to your diet. Salads are high in nutrition and prevent weight gain. That is because salads contain raw fruits and vegetables that are packed with antioxidants, fibre and other nutrients.

We all love to use salad dressings to give a final touch to our salad palate. But, if you use salad dressings that are available at a health food store, then you are making a mistake.

And that is because salad dressings often contain harmful ingredients like high-fat mayonnaise, high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil. On the top of that, it contains preservatives which harm the body.

The best thing to do is to prepare salad dressings at home with healthy ingredients like lemon juice, pepper, herbs and olive oil.

7. Raw Milk

Raw milk is one of the unhealthy foods that many people buy. Many people believe that raw milk is healthy. But, the fact is that raw milk is harmful to your health. Raw milk has a rich, creamy texture which is liked by many people. But what makes it dangerous for health is that it does not go through the pasteurisation process. Pasteurisation is the process that kills bacteria found in milk, especially, E. coli which is responsible mainly for causing numerous food-borne diseases.

It is true that when milk goes through the pasteurisation process, it loses its nutritional value, but it is still much healthier than raw milk.

So, choose pasteurised milk over raw milk. And if you have to use raw milk, then make sure to boil it for some time, allow it to cool and then drink it.

8. Artificial Sweeteners

Many people buy sugar alternatives like agave nectar, thinking that it will not harm their health. But, they are wrong! Artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes can actually increase your sugar cravings in the long run and also affects your metabolism. So, in reality, artificial sweeteners are even worse than plain sugar. You can use raw honey as a sugar substitute because it contains less fructose and is enriched with antioxidants that are good for your health. So, stay away from artificial sweeteners as it is one of the most unhealthy foods available at health food stores.

These are some of the unhealthy foods people buy often. So, make healthy food swaps to provide proper nutrition to your body. ‘Eat healthy, stay healthy.’