What’s a better way to market a food in the U.S. than calling it “healthy?” For some foods, that may be slapping a “gluten free” label on the box when that food group never contained gluten to begin with. In the case of bread, it can mean calling varieties “multigrain” although that doesn’t mean that any of the grains it contains are whole grain. Or, in the case of desserts and sweets, it means calling a treat “healthy” because it contains “natural” sweeteners.
One of the worst offenders, experts warn, is yogurt parfaits. Because they contain whole foods such as yogurt, fruit and granola, people might reach for them over other desserts. But the truth is that these can be as harmful to your waistline than a controlled portion of the dessert you *really* want (ie., a few bites of chocolate cake). This is due to the high added sugar content, as well as other factors such as high calories and fat content (depending on how it’s prepared).
“Yogurt parfaits are a dessert that tends to get a reputation for being healthy among novice and veteran health enthusiasts,” nutritionist Lisa Richards of the Candida Diet tell us.
Yogurt Parfaits
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Yogurt Parfaits
Yogurt parfaits typically are tall glasses, mason jars or bowls filled with a yogurt base, and layered or topped with fruit and granola. As with any food, the preparation matters.
"In some cases yogurt parfaits can be considered a sweet and healthy dessert, but unfortunately most are made with added sugar, refined carbs, and other high fat or calorie ingredients," Lisa warns.
The worst offenders? Store-bought parfaits or ones prepared in restaurants. "They often use low-quality, high sugar yogurts, candies, and excessive amounts of nuts and granola," she warns.
So--what should you do instead? You can prepare a healthy parfait at home by using a high quality, protein rich, unflavored (plain) yogurt, fresh fruit, a "moderate amount" of honey or other natural sweetener. Additionally, you should always select granola that is void of chocolate and other candies.
