Foods that contain refined sugar are among the known culprits for weight gain. They pack food with calories–but very little nutrition. Foods such as granola bars and packaged oatmeal come high in sugar, fail to keep you full, and ultimately lead you to snacking more throughout the day (when craving inevitably rare their ugly heads). Weight loss, which is achieved only through a calorie deficit in your diet, becomes nearly impossible. Here’s what the leading health experts told us about the surprising high-sugar foods to avoid at all costs:
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Processed Health Bars
"The health and wellness industry has been making meal replacement and protein bars for years. While this is beneficial for those needing a quick, nutrient rich meal or snack there are downsides," registered dietitian Trista Best of Balance One warns. Yep, you guessed it: one of those downsides is the high sugar content.
"As the market becomes flooded with these items it is easier to become overwhelmed with lower quality options. Many of these bars are made with refined sugar, an unnecessary amount of sweeteners, and fat." Read closely, she warns: the nutrition labels on some of these health bars resemble candy bars more than a health food. Yikes!
Sugar-Packed Oatmeal
"Oatmeal is a great option for those wanting to replace their high fat and refined sugar breakfast staples. However, the ingredients you use to prepare this dish are important and can change the nutrient makeup of oatmeal quickly," Trista warns.
"Prepackaged and flavored oatmeal packets are often loaded with added sugar and lacking in beneficial nutrients." Say it ain't so!
So--what should you eat instead? "It is best to opt for a plain oatmeal and add in your own nutrient rich ingredients like walnuts, nut butter, bananas, chia seeds, flax, and natural sweeteners to name a few," she suggests.
