It’s one thing to make the decision to maintain a healthy diet for weight loss; it’s another thing to distinguish which foods and beverages are actually good for you and which ones are just labeled as such. As it turns out, there are many options on grocery store shelves that have many people fooled. In addition to healthy-seeming snacks like granola bars, there are also several sneakily sugary beverages that experts recommend steering clear of if you’re trying to lose weight.
To discover a few of the worst options out there that could be unexpectedly holding you back from your weight loss goals, we spoke to nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet, and Dr. Amy Lee, MD. They told us that store-bought smoothies and sports drinks are typically best left on the shelf.
1. Store-bought smoothies
In many cases, smoothies can be a healthy addition to a weight loss-friendly diet, especially if you're making them at home and loading them with fat-blasting ingredients. However, experts warn that buying bottled varieties at the store is a poor choice for your overall health and can even result in weight gain.
This is mainly due to the fact that most store-bought smoothies are packed with added sugar, which we all known can lead to serious health risks. Lee points out that Naked's Green Machine juice, for example, is loaded with a whopping 53 grams of sugar. "This is as bad as taking a can of Coke," she warns, noting that this so-called "healthy" drink offers "absolutely no dietary fiber," unlike whole fruit.
For this reason, she recommends choosing fresh, cold-pressed juices instead—free of added sugars. In fact, for the healthiest option, you can make your own at home and stay in control of exactly what's going into your body.
2. Sports drinks
Sports drinks are another beverage that are generally considered to be a healthy choice. You may find yourself reaching for a Gatorade after completing your fat-burning workout at the gym in order to replenish and rehydrate. However, like bottled smoothies, sports drinks typically contain a shocking amount of sugar and calories.
Richards warns that excessive intake of these beverages "can impede your weight loss goals quickly," noting that "some forms of these sports drinks can reach up to 8 teaspoons of sugar in a bottle." Yikes!
There are some instances where it might be helpful to get those extra electrolytes, but generally, the sugar likely isn't the worth the risk. "Unless you are doing intense exercise where you are losing significant amounts of electrolytes it may be more beneficial to stick with water for hydration," Richards concludes.
The bottom line
It's important to remember that losing weight will require a number of healthy habits, from getting enough exercise to incorporating healthy, whole foods into your diet. It's also important to keep in mind that moderation is always key—which means that if you want to indulge in a sugary smoothie every now and then, you'll likely be just fine, as long as you don't make it a habit. However, you shouldn't let yourself be fooled by seemingly "healthy" beverages like these. Remember to pay attention to nutrition labels in order to steer clear of all those added sugars, and choose healthy alternatives whenever possible.
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