Beware! 5 food items that are touted 'healthy', but are NOT!

The food that we have been consuming in the last couple of decades, has undergone a massive transformation, from our ancestors to us. Today, fresh, local produce is increasingly becoming scarce and expensive, and what we manage to get is often laden with preservatives. In such times, 'health food' has suddenly emerged as the new rage, and the market is flooded with food items that are 'free of preservatives". However, are these foods really healthy? Not quite. We list 5 of such food items that are touted 'healthy', but are NOT!

Rating high on the convenience factor, breakfast cereals, extremely popular in the West, have now made their way to the table of our homes as well. All you need to do is to pour some in a bowl, add milk and yes, breakfast is sorted. However, these cereals are usually full of refined sugar (the reason kids love them), and are made up of refined wheat flour. Some better options with ragi, oats etc do exist, but most of them are deep fried as well. While it is best to avoid them altogether, they can be reserved for a one off day when things are too rushed.

Brown is simply a color that is added to the bread to make it appear healthier, but in reality, it is as bad as the white, refined flour version. On the other hand, even the 'wheat bread' contains only 10-20% of wheat, and the rest is a refined version. If you really want to enjoy bread, pick something that says 100% wheat, and lists it as the first ingredient. In essence, any bread, like a sourdough one, that has a shelf life of only 2-3 days should be okay.

Love snacking on diet namkeen, murmura, or chips? Don't. Most of these snacks, even if not deep fried, are high on preservatives and salt (how else do you think they last so long?) This apart, they are also excessively high in fats, and are made in refined oil. To satisfy your salty cravings, stock up on home roasted murmura, chana, and foxnuts (makhana), that are not only tasty, but also good for your health.

Jaggery is touted as an healthier alternative to sugar with a host of health benefits. However, this is not completely true. While unprocessed jaggery does indeed offer a host of health benefits, such as being high in iron, good for cold and cough etc, it is only slightly lower than sugar in the calorie index. Hence, if you are trying to cut down sugar, then jaggery, or even honey, is not your best bet. While it is still preferred over sugar, use it sparingly.

Touted as power houses of energy, these bars are a quick alternative to mid-meal snacks, and are quite popular with health conscious people who often use it as a post workout snack. However, they are often loaded with sugar, oil, and almost negligible protein. A better option would be to consume a bowl of fruits after your exercise, which will give you nutrition, minus the refined sugar.