Five "Healthy" Food Substitutions, That Are Not Really That Healthy!

In the grocery store we want our cake and want to eat it too! Diet soda. Diet potato chips. Diet ice cream. But here’s a sneaky little secret of the processed food industry: many of these “diet” foods are no better, or even worse, than their full-fat, full-calorie or full-whatever alternatives.

Low-Fat and Dairy-Free Ice Cream.

Many premium ice cream brands offer low-fat versions. But here’s what they don’t tell you: these “low-fat” versions often contain the same amount, if not more, fat and sugar as their less expensive, regular alternatives! Always read the labels!!

Baked Potato Chips.

When you bake a potato chip instead of frying it, you inevitably lose out flavor. Food manufacturers cover this up by adding tons of unhealthy, but technically calorie-free, salt. So, so, so much salt! Many brands have slightly less calories but more salt! It's still junk food!

Skim Milk.

If you’re trying to skim calories by reaching for lighter milk, think again. Taking out fat actually removes many of the healthiest nutrients in milk — Vitamins A and D — and contains about 13 more grams of sugar than its full-fat alternative.

Fat-Free Salad Dressings.

When food manufacturers remove the fat in salad dressings, they have to replace the flavor somehow. And, all too often, this flavor comes from unhealthy processed ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup or worse! The healthy in olive oil helps your body absorb nutrients!

Fat-free Peanut Butter.

With just marginally fewer grams of fat, the same amount of calories, and loads of bad carbs and artificial sweeteners, fat-free peanut butter is one of the worst alternatives on the market. What’s more, the fat in regular peanut butter is unsaturated, the healthier kind!