When it comes to fat loss, it’s easy to assume that eating “healthy” foods is always the right move—but not all healthy-looking meals are good for you. In fact, some options that seem healthy on the surface could be secretly sabotaging your progress with hidden sugars, excess calories, or unbalanced macros. Understanding what’s really in your food is key to making choices that support your goals without unknowingly holding you back.
We checked in with Catherine Gervacio, registered dietitian and nutrition writer for Living.Fit, to discover three seemingly healthy foods that can actually “sabotage” your weight loss plans. According to her, granola bars, plant-based burgers, and low-fat salad dressings are the ones to avoid. Read on to learn more.
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1. Granola Bars
Despite being marketed as healthful choices, many granola bars are laden with refined carbohydrates, sugars, and an assortment of additives. These seemingly innocuous snacks often harbor high levels of refined sugars, syrups, and artificial sweeteners to enhance flavor and prolong shelf life.
"They are popularly known as a healthy food option, but many granola bars contain high amounts of refined sugars, syrups, and additives to enhance flavor and shelf life. These can contribute to spikes in blood sugar levels and promote weight gain if consumed regularly. Be careful and always check the nutrient label and the ingredients list for hidden sugars," Gervacio says.
She notes that it's "best to make your own granola bars using whole grains, nuts, seeds, and natural sweeteners like maple syrup. You can also use Stevia or Monk fruit if you want to eliminate added sugar completely from your diet."
2. Plant-based burger
Shockingly, many plant-based burgers are loaded with refined carbohydrates, sugars, and an array of additives. While marketed as healthful options, these burgers often rely on processed plant proteins, fillers, and binders to mimic the taste and texture of meat. Consequently, they may contain high levels of refined grains, starches, and added sugars to improve palatability. Furthermore, the inclusion of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives can compromise their nutritional integrity.
"These burgers can be a healthier alternative to traditional meat burgers, but some commercially available veggie burgers may contain refined grains, added sugars, and preservatives to mimic the taste and texture of meat. These additives can diminish their nutritional value and contribute to inflammation and digestive issues if consumed regularly," she highlights.
Homemade alternatives win again, as Gervacio says to "make your own veggie burgers using whole grains, legumes, vegetables, herbs, and spices for flavor and texture, avoiding refined additives and sugars."
3. Low-fat Salad Dressings
Low-fat salad dressings, often perceived as a guilt-free way to enjoy salads while cutting calories, may conceal a less-than-healthy reality beneath their "light" image. Despite their reduced fat content, many low-fat salad dressings compensate for flavor by incorporating refined carbohydrates, sugars, and an array of additives.
Gervacio elaborates further and notes that "many low-fat salad dressings contain added sugars, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors to compensate for the reduced fat content. These additives can negate the health benefits of consuming salads and contribute to weight gain and inflammation."
Making your own dressing is actually very simple and doesn't need extravagant ingredients. "It's always ideal to make your own meals to ensure natural flavors with no added sugars. Make an easy salad dressing using olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, herbs, and spices for flavor," Gervacio recommends.
