1. Low-Fat Sweetened Breakfast Cereal
In some ways, breakfast cereal appears to be a healthy way to start your day.For example, it’s low in fat and fortified with vitamins and minerals. The packaging also lists health claims such as “contains whole grains.”However, most cereals are loaded with sugar. In the ingredients section, sugar is usually the second or third item listed, meaning it’s present in large amounts.In fact, a 2014 report by the Environmental Working Group found that the average cold breakfast cereal contains nearly 25% sugar by weight.
2. Low-Fat Flavored Coffee Drinks
Coffee is one of the healthiest beverages you can drink.It contains antioxidants that protect heart health and is associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.Coffee also contains caffeine, which can improve mental and physical performance while increasing metabolic rate.On the other hand, the high sugar content of flavored low-fat coffee drinks can negatively affect health.For example, a 16-oz (450-gram) nonfat mocha drink has only 2 grams of fat but a whopping 33 grams of sugar. That’s 57% of total calories .
3. Low-Fat Flavored Yogurt
Yogurt has a long-standing reputation as a healthy food.Studies show that plain yogurt may help with weight loss and improve body composition, in part by increasing levels of the fullness hormones GLP-1 and PYY.However, low-fat, sugar-sweetened yogurt contains too much sugar to qualify as a nutritious choice.In fact, many types of low-fat and nonfat yogurt are as high in sugar as desserts.For example, 8 ounces (240 grams) of fruit-flavored, nonfat yogurt contains 47 grams of sugar, which is nearly 12 teaspoons. In comparison, an equivalent serving of chocolate pudding has 38 grams of sugar
4. Low-Fat Salad Dressing
Salad dressing enhances the flavor of raw vegetables and may improve a salad’s nutritional value.Traditional salad dressings are high in fat, which helps your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.In addition, fat helps you absorb antioxidants from foods such as leafy greens, carrots and tomatoes。In contrast, low-fat and fat-free salad dressings don’t contribute any health benefits to your meal. Most of them also contain sugar and preservatives.
5. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a delicious and popular food.Studies suggest that peanuts and peanut butter may have benefits for appetite control, body weight, blood sugar and heart health.It’s high in monounsaturated fat, including oleic acid, which may be responsible for many of the benefits.However, note that natural peanut butter contains only peanuts and perhaps salt.By contrast, reduced-fat peanut butter contains sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.
6. Low-Fat Muffins
Low-fat muffins may seem like a healthier option than other baked goods, but they’re really not any better.A small, 71-gram, low-fat blueberry muffin contains 19 grams of sugar. This is 42% of the calorie content
7. Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt
Low-fat or nonfat frozen yogurt is considered a healthier choice than ice cream because it’s much lower in fat.However, it contains just as much sugar as ice cream, if not more.100 grams (3.5 oz) of nonfat frozen yogurt contains 24 grams of sugar, while that amount of ice cream contains 21 grams
8. Low-Fat Cookies
Low-fat cookies aren’t any healthier than other cookies. They’re also not as tasty.Like most low-fat foods, the sugar content of these cookies is high. A fat-free oatmeal raisin cookie has 15 grams of sugar, which is 55% of its total calorie content.In addition, low-fat cookies are typically made with refined flour, which is unhealthy.
9. Low-Fat Cereal Bars
Low-fat cereal bars are marketed as a healthy on-the-go snack for busy people.In reality, they’re loaded with sugar and contain very little protein, a nutrient that promotes fullness.One popular low-fat, strawberry-flavored cereal bar contains 13 grams of sugar but only 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein
10. Low-Fat Sandwich Spreads
Low-fat spreads such as margarine aren’t a smart choice.Even though they have less fat than original spreads such as butter, they still contain highly processed vegetable oils that can be harmful to health.What’s more, some of the light spreads specifically marketed as being “heart-healthy” actually contain small amounts of trans fats, which have been linked to inflammation, heart disease and obesity