Salad – A salad made with spinach, light tuna, veggies, feta and yogurt dressing can make for a low-calorie, nutrient-rich lunch. But when your salad contains crispy chicken, bacon, cheddar and ranch dressing, you’d be better off eating a burger.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Peanut butter – If you are vegetarian, peanut butter can be a convenient way to add protein and heart-healthy fats to your diet. Just steer clear of flavored peanut butters with sugar and cocoa butter, which can quickly turn your passion for peanut butter into consumption of calorie-rich chocolate.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Dried fruits – Dried fruits, including prunes, dried apricots and dried cranberries, can provide a tasty nutrient-rich snack, especially when they’re not coated with sugar and portions are kept in check. But if you are sensitive to sulfites or have asthma, dried fruit can be problematic unless you choose organic brands, which don’t contain the preservative sulfur dioxide.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Granola – Granola contains healthy ingredients such as oats, nuts and dried fruit, and it can serve as a tasty topping to yogurt or cereal. But since it can pack up to 600 calories per cup (thanks to sugar and other ingredient treats), it’s important to sprinkle, not pour.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Veggie chips – Veggie chips can deliver a generous amount of fiber and vitamin A, especially when they are in their purest form (not blended). But not all veggie chips are created equal. Depending on the amounts of oil, salt and sugar, calories can add up quickly.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Cereal – Ready-to-eat breakfast cereal can make for a convenient and healthy breakfast, especially if it’s made with whole grains, is low in sugar and is served with fresh fruit and low-fat milk. But sugary cereals that lack fiber and protein can cause a blood sugar spike and crash before lunchtime.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Sushi – Order a California roll, and you’ll get heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from avocado and zinc from crab, all for 255 calories. But a crunchy shrimp tempura roll, which is battered and fried and often drizzled with spicy mayo, has about 200 more calories and three times the amount of fat.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Popcorn – Air-popped popcorn is a healthy, whole-grain, antioxidant-rich snack that’s low in calories. But movie theater popcorn, which is popped in coconut oil, is a diet disaster, contributing 1,200 calories and about three days worth of saturated fat for a medium bucket — and that’s without the buttery topping.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Yogurt – A Greek yogurt with no added sugar makes for a filling protein- and calcium-rich snack. But sweetened yogurts with flavorings or fruit purees have less protein and are more like dessert, with up to 8 teaspoons of sugar.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Energy bars – Energy bars can be a wise choice for a snack or mini meal if they offer a healthy dose of protein and fiber, and are low in sugars and saturated fat. But when they contain chocolate coatings or sugary syrups, they can pass for protein-fortified candy bars.
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Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Salad – A salad made with spinach, light tuna, veggies, feta and yogurt dressing can make for a low-calorie, nutrient-rich lunch. But when your salad contains crispy chicken, bacon, cheddar and ranch dressing, you’d be better off eating a burger.
Hide Caption
6 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Peanut butter – If you are vegetarian, peanut butter can be a convenient way to add protein and heart-healthy fats to your diet. Just steer clear of flavored peanut butters with sugar and cocoa butter, which can quickly turn your passion for peanut butter into consumption of calorie-rich chocolate.
Hide Caption
7 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Dried fruits – Dried fruits, including prunes, dried apricots and dried cranberries, can provide a tasty nutrient-rich snack, especially when they’re not coated with sugar and portions are kept in check. But if you are sensitive to sulfites or have asthma, dried fruit can be problematic unless you choose organic brands, which don’t contain the preservative sulfur dioxide.
Hide Caption
8 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Granola – Granola contains healthy ingredients such as oats, nuts and dried fruit, and it can serve as a tasty topping to yogurt or cereal. But since it can pack up to 600 calories per cup (thanks to sugar and other ingredient treats), it’s important to sprinkle, not pour.
Hide Caption
9 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Veggie chips – Veggie chips can deliver a generous amount of fiber and vitamin A, especially when they are in their purest form (not blended). But not all veggie chips are created equal. Depending on the amounts of oil, salt and sugar, calories can add up quickly.
Hide Caption
10 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Cereal – Ready-to-eat breakfast cereal can make for a convenient and healthy breakfast, especially if it’s made with whole grains, is low in sugar and is served with fresh fruit and low-fat milk. But sugary cereals that lack fiber and protein can cause a blood sugar spike and crash before lunchtime.
Hide Caption
1 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Sushi – Order a California roll, and you’ll get heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from avocado and zinc from crab, all for 255 calories. But a crunchy shrimp tempura roll, which is battered and fried and often drizzled with spicy mayo, has about 200 more calories and three times the amount of fat.
Hide Caption
2 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Popcorn – Air-popped popcorn is a healthy, whole-grain, antioxidant-rich snack that’s low in calories. But movie theater popcorn, which is popped in coconut oil, is a diet disaster, contributing 1,200 calories and about three days worth of saturated fat for a medium bucket — and that’s without the buttery topping.
Hide Caption
3 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Yogurt – A Greek yogurt with no added sugar makes for a filling protein- and calcium-rich snack. But sweetened yogurts with flavorings or fruit purees have less protein and are more like dessert, with up to 8 teaspoons of sugar.
Hide Caption
4 of 10
Photos: 10 foods that are healthy, except when they aren’t
Energy bars – Energy bars can be a wise choice for a snack or mini meal if they offer a healthy dose of protein and fiber, and are low in sugars and saturated fat. But when they contain chocolate coatings or sugary syrups, they can pass for protein-fortified candy bars.
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Story highlights
- If you prefer juice over fresh fruit, at least go with 100% juice
- Fresh fruit has a lot less sugar and fewer calories per serving than juice
(CNN)Fruit juice is not as nutritious as fresh fruit, but it can be a healthy part of your diet, if it’s consumed in small portions.
A glass of fresh orange or grapefruit juice with breakfast isn’t just refreshing. It also delivers a healthy dose of vitamin C and potassium, which can be especially helpful if you tend to forgo fruit. Some store-bought juices are fortified with bone-building calcium, too.
But even when it contains only naturally occurring fructose from whole fruit and no added sugars to boost sweetness, fruit juice is still a concentrated source of sugar and calories, which can be problematic for those watching their weight or blood sugar.
For example, one 8-ounce cup of fresh orange juice has 21 grams of sugar and 112 calories. By comparison, one medium orange has 12 grams of sugar and only 62 calories.
Similarly, a cup of cranberry juice has 28 grams of sugar and 110 calories, but a cup of whole cranberries has only 4 grams of sugar and 46 calories. The counts for grape juice are even higher, with 36 grams of sugar and 140 calories per 8-ounce cup.
Fruit juice also lacks the fiber found in whole fruit, which means we not only miss getting the health benefits of fiber — which include its ability to lower cholesterol and help us feel full — we experience a more rapid rise in blood sugar after consuming juice, since fiber slows the entry of sugar into the bloodstream.
When purchasing juice, look for brands containing 100% fruit juice with no sugar added. According to US dietary guidelines, juices may be partially fruit juice, but only the proportion that is 100% fruit juice counts toward your daily fruit intake. (For example, 1 cup of juice that is 50% juice counts as ½ cup of fruit juice.)
Technically, only 100% juice can be called “juice.” Juice “drinks” may be a lower-calorie version of juice and contain artificial sweeteners. For example, Mott’s light apple juice drink contains only 42% juice, but it also has less than half the calories and sugar as the brand’s 100% apple juice. You can opt for the pure juice version and consume a 4-ounce serving for almost the same nutritional value.
According to the guidelines, sweetened juice products that are primarily composed of water with added sugars fall under the category of sugar-sweetened beverages.
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One important note: If you consume grapefruit juice, keep in mind that it can negatively interact with some medications, such as statin drugs. If you have any concerns, check with your doctor to see whether you can safely consume the juice.
Bottom line? If you enjoy juice, go for the real thing, and limit yourself to one 8-ounce glass per day — or 4 ounces if you’re limiting calories or sugars.
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