Fat trap in healthy foods (salads, granola bars, and soups)

Often, while dieting to lose weight, people consume healthy low calorie foods. These include salads, soups and granola bars. But many a times, these healthy foods might themselves be a fat trap. Because they have hidden calories and fats in them.

Dieting for weight loss

Obesity is a growing epidemic. It even affects children of all ages. It leads to a number of systemic problems of heart, blood vessels, skin, and bones. It also affects mental states and can cause anxiety and depression.

Overweight and obese individuals are told to diet. They resort to some diet plans. These might be leading to rapid or slow weight loss. And it might be restrictive fad diets or healthy diet plans. In the latter, stress is on eating balanced and wholesome. One can have some unhealthy foods but only occasionally. But focus is on fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and seafoods.

Slimmers start consuming healthy diet foods like soups, salads, granola bars etc. These are commercial ready to consume foods often. But they have a lot of hidden ingredients that might defeat your goal to lose weight. These could actually become a fat trap. Two nutritionists share tips on how to avoid this mistakes.

Fat trap containing healthy foods

Salads are slimming foods. But a lot depends on how they are made. Their ingredients are vital. Many have added contents that can increase the calories. In case of salads, dressings matter a lot. These might have a lot of calories or saturated fats or salt in them. Rob Hobson, who heads Nutrition at the Healthspan Elite warns against creamy Caesar salad dressings that have a lot of fats and calories. Also, he urges dieters to avoid ranch -based dressings.

Rob suggests:

“If your dressing comes on the side, then swerve it and instead add your own.”

“Try a drizzle of olive oil with vinegar or some lemon juice.”

Toast bread or pitta for crunchiness in soups or salads in place of croutons. Because the latter are fried and rich in fats.

Tips for healthy dieting

Healthy foods should have healthy ingredients in them. For instance, in making of salad, choose food items that are high in protein such as beans, cheese, tofu, nuts, chicken. They can have fats but of the healthy type. Olive oil, avocado oil are good. Seafoods and fish have high protein and also healthy fats. Moreover, adding some whole grains in them such as cooked forms of quinoa, brown rice or whole grain pasta are also healthy. Dietitian Sophie Bertrand states:

“I so often see a bowl of leaves and that really isn’t going to energise or satisfy you,”

Sophie also revealed that certain pre-assembled salads have bacon in them and these are fattening. If you still want to take this type of bacon containing salad, do portion control and have it once in a while only.

Similarly, granola bars have oats, honey and dried fruits in them. Hence the sugar content is high. Sophie cautions:

“People often think ingredients such as coconut sugar or maple syrup are ‘healthier’ sugar alternatives.

“But the truth is sugar is sugar and things like honey and maple syrup are metabolised in the same way,”

Instead one can have oats and nuts and eat them with Greek yogurt. Further, Rob adds:

“To make your granola a little more protein packed, try making it with protein powder, or have a small portion alongside a couple of boiled eggs.”

Also, read Greek Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe, Budget, Ingredients

And soups are loaded with salts. Moreover, they may have less protein. Hence have it in moderation and have a side dish of nuts or beans or cheese with the soup. Make your own soup at home and add veggies. For creamy consistency, use pureed potatoes or chick peas.