Three common health foods that aren’t quite as healthy as you might think. Diet Traps surrounding Guacamole, Sushi, and Orange Juice.
Diet Trap 1: Guacamole. Healthy or Harmful?
The first food we are going to talk about is guacamole. Most people are aware about the healthy fats and various health benefits associated with avocado. But most people aren’t aware how much in terms of volume constitutes a serving size. So per serving it is going to best to aim for 2 tablespoons worth. That is about 60 calories and 5-7 grams of fat. If you compare this to the typical serving side found in a restaurant. For example, Chipotle, which more around a half cup. A half cup is 8 table spoons. So that is worth 240 calories and over 20 grams of fat. Even though these are healthy fats like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats — they still are highly caloric and certainly will not be helpful in a diet geared towards weight loss. So the bottom line is if you’d like to keep guacamole in your diet, it’s always going to be best to prepare it and portion it yourself.
Diet Trap 2: Sushi. Healthy or Harmful?
The second food we are going to discuss is sushi. Most people are aware that fish is generally healthy for you. Unless you are eating sashimi, with sushi, but without the rice. You are loading up on a ton of unnecessary carbohydrates. Sushi rice is made up mostly of processed white rice, and serves actually very little nutritional purpose other than to spike your insulin.
Diet Trap 3: Orange Juice. Healthy or Harmful?
The last food myth we are going to dismiss is orange juice. A big Diet Trap here for all just processed fruit juices in general. While many are becoming aware of just of sugar in these juices contain, there is this persistent idea that 100% juice, natural, organic, when not from concentrate, is somehow healthier. It is not. Even the juices not from concentrate, tend to be stored in large vats for long periods of time until the contents deteriorate and effectively just become sugar water. Prior to packaging vendors will typically then renutrify the fructose water with citrus flavoring, vitamins, and other additions. Nutritionally speaking, it’s roughly the same effect as if you were just going to drink a cola, and a vitamin C pill. Because both per serving typically 12 ounces contain about the same amount of sugar. It’s best to just juice the fruit yourself… or better yet eat the whole fruit to gain the benefit of the fiber and vitamins that mother nature intended.
Thank you all for reading. Stay healthy and if you want to learn more about nutrition, make sure to stop by Sand & Steel blog, and give us a shoutout on social media @sandandsteelfitness.
A shoutout to Mark for his assistance in performing the voiceover and associated research on these diet busting foods.