Studies have shown that foods that we usually think are "healthy" are not always healthy. What actually turns these foods unhealthy depends mainly on the amount and the mode of consumption of these foods. Below are some common examples of foods which may be healthy but which are calorie-dense and are likely to turn unhealthy if not consumed properly.
Dried fruit:
What could be healthier than fruit? Well, not dried fruit. The problem with dried fruit is that there's no water to fill you up; you'll quickly lose track of how many pieces of fruit you're actually eating. Each handful can contain upto 100 calories.
Nuts:
Nuts are available in different varieties on the market, out of which the grease-and-salt variety of mixed nuts are quite popular. But even dry-roasted and unsalted nuts pack a lot of calories. While scoring on copper, magnesium and other essential minerals, one can consume nearly 900 calories from a cup of mixed nuts.
Pumpkin seeds:
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of magnesium, along with good ol' manganese and phosphorus. But seeds tend to be more calorie dense than nuts, with a cup of store-bought roasted squash or pumpkin seed kernels weighing in at nearly 1,200 calories.
Orange juice:
It is a common practice to take orange juice at breakfast to meet the daily requirement of vitamin C. However, orange juices which are available on the market are not always pure orange juice. In fact, they are loaded with sugar and other colouring agents which may outweigh the benefits of orange. One cup of such orange juice may contain about 120 calories, more calories ounce for ounce than the 23 varieties of Coke or Pepsi colas!
The lesson here is that healthy foods are supposed to be a substitute in your diet, not a complement. Folks pour on the olive oil because it contains healthy fats, but they don't eliminate the unhealthy fats from red meats. Similarly, some people sprinkle ground flaxseed on just about everything because of the healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids. But fat has twice as many calories than protein or carbohydrates, so the carefree sprinkling can add up.
We wonder why we are gaining weight even though we are eating healthy foods. The answer lies in the calories, which don't lie. After all, a calorie is a calorie.
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