It’s snack-size excusable, passes the portion regulator “fits the palm of my hand” test and just looks nutritious. So it’s healthy, right? Possibly, unless 450+ calories are packed in it masked by the unassuming name of BANANA.
While a splurge is a rewarding treat every now and then, you definitely want it to be a consciously-accepted choice. These seemingly normal goodies not only are deceivingly somewhat healthy-looking, but also boast high calorie and fat counts that definitely won’t tide you over until the next meal time!
1. Starbucks Banana Nut Loaf. Peering into the glass-domed Starbucks display, passing up the obvious doughnut and anything chocolate for something quick and mindfully healthy, the combination of bananas and nuts seems like the the ultimate 5-second health decision win. Quite the contrary; with 490 calories and 19 grams of fat, this is not how you want to start your morning, or any part of the day, for that matter. Try an actual banana and a small handful of walnuts or almonds, instead.
2. Campbell’s Condensed soup. On average, a cup of this homestead favorite has 850 mg of sodium. That’s half a day’s worth of your daily sodium intake! This is assuming you eat only one of the 2.5 servings that the label says the can makes. Look for lower sodium lines in the 100s to 300s by organic brands like Amy’s, Imagine Foods, Pacific Natural Foods and Tabatchnick.
3. Starbucks Zucchini Walnut Muffin. This muffin also masquerades as seeming healthier than it actually is. Just one muffin has 490 calories, 28 grams of fat and a whopping 28 grams of sugar. Just don’t do it.
4. Jamba Juice Berry Topper Smoothie. Just an average 16-oz. cup has 490 calories and 10 grams fat—that’s almost a sundae’s worth! “Smoothies are often packed with added sugar and whole milk to give them thickness and flavor,” says nutritionist Carrie Latt Wiatt. And beware of high-calorie toppings like granola and whipped cream.
5. Starbucks Fruit, Nut & Cheese Artisan Snack Plate. Comprised of sliced apples, dried sweetened cranberries and almonds, with Brie, Gouda and white Cheddar cheese and a whole-wheat sesame cracker, what can go wrong here? Well, with 460 calories, 29 grams of fat – 11 of which are saturated – a lot, because this is almost half of your fat for the day.
6. Veggie Chips. A simple serving has approximately 150 calories and 9 grams fat. Don’t let the term veggie fool you; even though the chips are made from vegetables, most are still fried like a potato chip,” says Wiatt. For further convincing (or last hope-deflating), it doesn’t matter if the bag is branded “Trader Joe’s” or “Whole Foods,” either.
Next time when you’re on the go, don’t let first impressions of these unhealthy foods fool you. There’s a whole lot more that goes into a “banana” nowadays, after all…
