Nutrition
10 Foods that sabotage weight loss | Possible
Mar
Thanks to confusing labels and unearned reputations, it’s difficult to really know what is good for you and what isn’t for weight loss.
Items which bear a health ‘halo’ or labels like “low-fat”, “low sodium” are actually the ones you need to watch out for.
The fact of the matter is that no manufacturer wants to compromise on flavor,
So even healthy-sounding products can contain appalling levels of sugar, salt, and bad fats.
The Following 10 Foods were found to promote weight gain.
1. Mayonnaise:
Oil content in mayo is about 40% and a spoonful of it is as good as one tablespoon of oil.
But, full-fat mayo is comparatively better than low-fat mayo as the latter is filled with corn syrup and corn starch.
Instead of mayonnaise, a good substitute for salads is yogurt or mustard.
2. Diet drinks, diet sweets, and chocolates:
Treats like soda, ice cream and cookies are loaded with the sweet stuff and could very well derail your diet plan.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, the low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) are low in calories but have a high intensity of sweetness per gram than natural sweeteners [1].
The excess sugar present in these high-calorie junk food items increases your weight and also increase the risk of heart diseases.
As per the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was seen that the consumption of LCS in form of beverages and fruit juices even increased the risk of type 2 diabetes [2].
3. Coffee:
Coffee drinks come close to sodas in the weight gain offenders list. These beverages are loaded with milk, sugar, syrups and whipped cream.
A regular cup of latte contains 400 calories, 64 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of fat and 60 grams of sugar.
Avoid cappuccinos and stick to plain black coffee or a tea instead. That is a healthier alternate owing to a high content of antioxidants.
4. Packaged soups:
Soups are generally loaded with corn starch, corn flour, and cream which add extra kilos around the belly.
Also, they are high in additives like flavoring agents and preservatives causing inflammation, increasing the number of free radicals. This, in turn, cause inflammation-induced obesity.
You can opt for a homemade soup either vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
5. Processed foods:
If you ever read a processed food label closely, you will be surprised by the number of chemicals, preservatives, and stabilizers present in them. This is the reason why processed foods stack up calories.
Apart from this, artificial colors and preservatives can cause much damage to your overall health. Studies have suggested that these additives cause harms ranging from a mild headache to reduced fertility and even, cancer [3].
Instead, eat freshly cooked food.
6. White Bread:
A slice of white bread contains 134 calories and 24 grams of carbohydrates and offer little nutritional value.
White bread lacks fibers as it is made of refined flour. Instead of that have whole wheat bread.
In fact, the brown bread that sounds healthy might not be that healthy due to a mixture of refined, bleached grains along with whole grains.
This is why it is suggested not to go for color but trust only after reading the food label.
7. Biscuits:
High in refined sugars, biscuits must be avoided as much as possible. Munch on some nuts if you are looking for a snack.
8. Chewing Gum:
It is filled with sugar which gets converted to fat very quickly and thus sabotages your weight loss process. Chew on cardamom instead if you want to chew on something.
9. Supari (Betel nut):
These contain high calories and are unhealthy. Cut down on it if you are a frequent paan eater.
All of these foodstuffs sabotage your plans on losing weight.
Our experts at Possible can help you create a personalized meal plan by cutting these fatty foods from your diet and helping you switch to healthier substitutes.
10. Low-fat flavored yogurt:
Fat is a nutrient which imparts characteristic flavor amplifying the taste.
It is seen that when fat is removed from yogurt, sugar is added in a good amount for improving the palatability. This sugar load is responsible for weight increment.
We generally opt for expensive, market available yogurts brand under the impression of ‘healthy’.
Considering the availability of fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients, it is advisable to go for plain yogurt rather than fat-free version.
Read more: High-fiber foods help weight loss
