Healthy food fakes

Walk down any isle of the supermarket and you will find “healthy” snack options, but how healthy are they?

We take a look at how healthy some of these foods really are.

Fat-free salad dressing

The issue with many of the “fat-free” foods is that when an ingredient is removed, something else has to replace it. Fat-free salad dressings often have the fat removed to have sugar and chemical fillers added in to make up for the change in flavour/texture.

Instead of picking up the – what appears to be healthy – option, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over your salad with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Alternatively, you could make a dressing by mixing olive oil, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice.

Vegetable crisps

On first glance, this crunchy snack appears a healthy alternative for regular potato crisps. But in fact, while many brands use whole vegetables, they are often deep-fried and heavily salted.

We all love a crunch so instead of crisps, chop up some carrots or cucumber and scoop into a homemade houmous or Greek yoghurt-based dip. If you are really craving a salty snack, bake your own kale crisps.

Pre-made yoghurt/granola pots

Entering your local coffee shop, you eye up the cake but choose the yoghurt and granola. However, many of these are just as bad, if not worse than the croissant or cake you really wanted. Many yoghurts and granola have added sugar – some containing up to 53g per pot!

Save your money and simply make these at home – opt for Greek yoghurt and add a handful of nuts, oats and fresh berries. Drizzle some honey on top if you really need a sweet treat.

Sushi

While sushi is generally good for you, being made with fresh fish and vegetables, consider how much you can eat in one sitting. A typical roll of sushi can sometimes contain the carbohydrate-equivalent of up to four slices of white bread.

If possible, ask the restaurant to go easy on the rice. Hand rolls and nigiri tend to have less rice than the cut rolls, or skip the rice completely by ordering a selection of sashimi and a cup of warming miso soup.