1. Chia Seed Pudding
One of today's trendiest health foods is chia seed pudding, a thick and creamy breakfast option or snack made from chia seeds that have been allowed to thicken in milk or yogurt in order to create a 'pudding' base for various toppings. Although chia seeds have many health and weight loss benefits, people should be wary of buying store-bought chia seed puddings, which could contain more added sugar than they think.
"In theory, these are great for a blood sugar stabilizing meal, but a lot of chia pudding recipes or store-bought chia puddings add in sugar from honey, agave, coconut sugar, or regular old cane sugar," says Bates. "Instead, you need to buy or make a chia pudding recipe that is balanced with protein and fat from sources like Greek yogurt, whole milk, unsweetened almond milk, and a zero-sugar vanilla protein powder. This is a great recipe example that's loaded with protein, has a natural hint of sweetness, and zero added sugar."
2. Flavored Yogurt
Yogurt is another food often associated with weight loss, as it's high in healthy probiotics and can be a fantastic, protein-rich addition to various meals or snacks throughout the day. While plain yogurt isn't always the most pleasant, flavored yogurts can be dangerous territory due to their unexpectedly high sugar content.
"Yogurts can be a great source of protein if they are Greek-style or Icelandic Skyr, but other yogurts, especially flavored or those marketed as low-fat, can have more than 2 tsps added sugar per cup," explains Shepheard-Walwyn.
3. Protein Bars
Protein bars can be a lifesaver, with their high levels of protein that make them a convenient snack or post-workout treat. However, like many of these foods, it's essential to make sure you read the nutrition label on the back of your protein bar of choice, as some brands like to add lots of refined sugar to them in order to make them more enticing or flavorful.
"These are marketed as 'healthy' while often having the same (or similar) ingredients to a candy bar," explains Bates. "Even 'better for you' options that use natural sweeteners like dates are still high in sugar and can massively spike blood sugar. A better protein bar option would be meat sticks or meat bars, such as Epic, Chomps, or Paleovalley."