Healthy Foods That Get Overhyped

Some foods, as I mentioned last week, have a rough reputation. Others get treated like they’re on a pedestal.

This week let’s cover some foods that get a little too much glory.

Before anyone clutches their green smoothie and sends me a not-so-nice email, I’m not saying these foods are “bad.” Many of them can absolutely fit into a healthy way of eating. But somewhere along the way, certain foods picked up a wellness halo so bright that people started treating them like they were automatically healthy no matter what.

And that is where things can get a little fuzzy.

Take smoothies, for example. A smoothie can be a great breakfast or snack. I enjoy them several times a week. But not all smoothies are created equal. Some are loaded with fruit juice, sweetened yogurt, syrups, and enough calories and sugar to count as dessert in a cup. Just because it is sippable and colorful does not mean it is a nutritional superstar. 

The same goes for bottled green juices. They sound so virtuous, don’t they? Drink this and suddenly you feel like the kind of person whose picture is on the cover of Health magazine. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But many bottled juices are low in protein and fiber and surprisingly high in sugar. You may get some vitamins, but you may also be hungry again an hour later.

Protein bars can be another example. Some are convenient and helpful, especially on busy days. Others are basically candy bars with better marketing. A long ingredient list, lots of added sugars, and a fancy wrapper do not automatically make something a smart everyday choice.

Then there is yogurt. Yogurt may be a helpful addition to your diet. It can provide protein, calcium, and beneficial bacteria. Beware: some flavored yogurts have so much added sugar that they are giving donuts a run for their money. The better option is plain Greek yogurt with fruit added at home and maybe a drizzle of honey. Not as glamorous as those cute little fruit filled individual servings, but certainly more pedestal worthy. Oh, and more economical. Make your individual servings in those cute little containers that keep falling out of your cabinet.

And let’s not forget gluten-free packaged foods. If you need to avoid gluten these products can be very helpful. But gluten-free does not automatically mean healthier. Cookies are still cookies, crackers are still crackers, and chips wearing a gluten-free label are not suddenly health food.

Even salads can get overhyped. A salad sounds like the poster child for healthy eating, but once it is buried under crispy toppings, sweetened dried fruit, cheese, and heavy dressing, it may not be the light and balanced meal you’ve been led (or misled) to believe. Again, not wrong. Just not always the nutritional angel it pretends to be. 

I’m not here to put the kibosh on your favorite foods. I simply want you to be aware that foods aren’t always what they are marketed to be.

A truly healthy way of eating usually looks a lot less flashy than social media would have you believe. In the real world it means simple meals made from real food. Protein. Fiber. Color. Enough to satisfy you. Foods you enjoy. Meals you can easily make that work for your body and in your life. Not perfect, just a little bit better.

Some foods deserve more credit. Some deserve a little less hype. And most of them are probably somewhere in the middle.

Much love,
Health Coach Carol

“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”—Michael Pollan