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5 “Healthy” Snacks That Actually Cause Weight Gain And Bloat

June 25, 2020 by SheFinds Health

 
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If you are trying to lose weight, adjusting your diet to include more healthy foods–including healthy snack choices–is the best place to start. However, making these dietary changes can be difficult when many snacks that are labeled “healthy” are actually full of sugar and calories.

With that in mind, keep reading for the 5 “healthy” snacks you should avoid for weight loss!

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit will not hurt your diet too much if you keep it in moderation, but it's important to note that it contains more calories than fresh fruit. Livestrong explains, "For example, while a grape and a raisin contain comparable calories, a cup of raisins has more pieces of fruit than a cup of grapes, so it contains more calories -- about 400, compared to 100 calories in a cup of grapes. Dried apples and apricots are also more calorie-dense than their fresh counterparts, providing about 4 times as many calories per 1-cup serving."

Plus, many brands add sugar to dried fruit as well, which can also contribute to weight gain.

Low-Fat Flavored Yogurt

Avoiding low-fat flavored yogurt is a good idea if you want to lose weight. According to Healthline, "When fat is removed to reduce the calorie content of certain products, sugar is usually added to heighten flavor. Many low-fat yogurts are loaded with added sugars, which isn’t good for weight loss or overall health."

If you are trying to incorporate yogurt into a weight loss friendly diet, stick to unflavored Greek yogurt and add in some honey and fruit for flavor.

Granola

Despite appearing healthy, store bought granola is often full of calories and sugar, which can prevent weight loss. With that in mind, if you are buying granola as a healthy snack, it's a good idea to reconsider.

Instead, making your own granola at home is a smart way to know exactly what you are eating.

Wheat Bread

If you are trying to switch over to whole wheat bread, it might be easy to purchase a wheat bread instead. However, they're not the same.

According to Forbes, "You can add wheat to literally any carbohydrate and label it as a wheat product... If it isn't 100% whole wheat, bread can contain enriched flour, which gives you a sugar spike and crash without any nutritional value. Basically, enriched flour means nutrients are stripped from the bread."

Protein Bars

Protein bars are a popular snack choice, and they're often seen as a healthy, convenient option.

However, you should be careful when reading the labels of protein bars--not all brands are good for you. Often, they are full or artificial ingredients and sugar, both of which are bad for weight loss.

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