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Adding healthy snacks into your regular diet can be a great way to start eating better. By snacking on healthy foods throughout the day, it can be easier to avoid overeating less healthy foods when hungry. However, not all “healthy” snacks are actually good for you.
With that in mind, keep reading for the “healthy snacks” you should throw away asap because they cause stomach fat and bloat.
Granola
Granola seems like a healthy snack option, but it can actually be high in calories and full of added sugar. With that in mind, if you are eating granola regularly, it might do more harm than good.
Check the nutrition labels before picking out a granola (and pay attention to the sugar content) or try making it yourself!
Protein Bars
Protein bars are another seemingly healthy snack that could lead to weight gain. Many are high in calories and are actually lacking in protein.
Brian St. Pierre, R.D., C.S.C.S., director of performance nutrition at Precision Nutrition, tells Women's Health,"Oftentimes, a ‘protein’ bar doesn't actually have that much protein in it. Without sufficient protein, the bar won't satisfy your hunger for long."
Vegetable Chips
Vegetable chips are another "healthy" snack that might be doing you more harm than good, and it really depends on the nutrition label. Before buying any brand of veggie chips, check the sodium, calories, and fat, and do not blindly assume they'll be better than regular potato chips. According to Food Network, "As for calories and fat, they’re pretty much in the same ball park as regular potato chips. Calories range from about 125 to 160, while fat is about 10 to 11 grams per ounce."
Plus, no matter what kind of chips you're eating, keep them in moderation.
Veggie Dip
If you're dipping your vegetables in ranch dressing or another veggie dip, it's a good time to reevaluate, and switch over to a healthier option like hummus or tzatziki. According to Philly Mag, "Full-fat ranch dressing is high calorie and provides little nutrients. Also, an actual serving size of ranch dressing is quite small: two tablespoons, about the size of your thumb."
That's not all. "Consuming just two tablespoons of ranch dressing gives you 12 percent of your daily value for saturated fat (the bad artery clogging kind) and 140 calories, which is equivalent to 1.40 miles of running," the article continues.
