Food's That Lie

Many nutritious sounding or looking menu items are actually not healthy at all! They are packed with calories, fat, sugar, and sodium. Don't fall for these fast-food's that lie!

1) McDonald's Oatmeal - Packed with sugar, and chemicals that I couldn't even pronounce. It has 290 calories and 32 grams of sugar. Opt for your own healthy instant oatmeal that you can buy at the grocery store, and add fruit and nuts instead of brown sugar.

2) Starbucks Yogurt - Yogurt can actually be a very healthy snack. But the trick is to stash your store bought yogurt for when you feel a little peckish.  Starbucks Strawberry & Blueberry Yogurt Parfait contains 300 calories, 60 grams of carbs,and 39 grams of sugar. That's like eating a huge bagel!!!

3) Jugo Juice Smoothies - Beware the smoothie chain stores! They're out to ruin your insulin levels, and your waistline! Did you know a regular strawberry smoothie at Jugo Juice can contain up to 500 calories?!??! (That's almost as much as a Big Mac) Why do you think they taste so darn good? ADDED SUGAR! Just make your own smoothies at home with natural ingredients, or try the health food store. 

4) Wendy's Baked Potato - Boasting plenty of vitamin C, folate and other B vitamins, fiber, iron, and potassium, a plain-old baked potato is a pretty healthy side dish. But at Wendy’s, the Broccoli and Cheese Potato contains 330 calories and 470 milligrams of sodium. To blame: the “cheese” sauce, which is actually a blend of more than 20 ingredients, including food starch, sugar, fillers, and colors.

5) Coffee - A cup of black coffee — linked to a ton of health perks, including a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s — contains a mere five to 10 calories. But Starbucks Frappucinos can pack major calories - 450 or more, even a simple Iced Flavored Latte with two percent milk has 250 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 34 grams of sugar.

Order smarter: Watch your order size (the jumbo sizes can double the calories and fat over a small cup), ask for skim milk, and avoid options with sugary syrups.

6) Salads - Salads are the wholy grail of health foods. But beware of crispy add-ons and fatty dressings, which can quickly turn a healthy meal into a waistline train wreck. Burger King’s Tendercrisp

Order smarter: Choose an option with dark greens, such as spinach, lots of raw, vibrant vegetables, grilled protein (avoid words like “crispy”, because that means fried in oil), and a vinegar-based dressing on the side — no fried tidbits or cheese.