If you want to make sure that you are being as healthy as possible then you are not alone.
Many people have the drive to make better choices for themselves, and this is great, but many foods that may appear healthy on the surface have hidden extras that may be doing more harm than good.
Granola and Granola Bars
People have been championing granola bars for quite some time now. Even though a lot of the granola bars out there can be quite nutritious, it is important to know that a lot of them are packed with added sugar and they may even be very high in calories.
If you want to make the best decision, try and avoid buying your granola at the store. and try and make it yourself.
This is a particularly good recipe and the best thing is, you can add the nuts and fruits that you like best making a completely bespoke breakfast.
Need some extra help? Why not have a chat with a local nutritionist.
Flavoured Yoghurts
Yoghurt is a great choice if you want to take care of yourself but if possible, you need to try and seek out yoghurt that has not been sweetened.
Flavoured yoghurt and yoghurts with fruit on the bottom can contain a huge amount of sugar for a simple serving and those that are corner-style or yoghurts that have a sweet topping contain even more sugar; even the low fat ones come with a word of warning.
My yogurt of choice is unsweetened Greek yogurt with some added fruit; flax seeds and a sprinkle of granola.
Protein Drinks
The more protein that is in a drink, the healthier it is?
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Often these products which state the amount of protein don’t contain anything extra and they are often highly processed. The best way to get your protein is to eat plenty of fish (this is one of my favourite fishy recipes), meat, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds or beans.
Animal-based foods dairy foods) tend to be good sources of complete protein, while plant-based ones often lack one or more essential amino acid.
Vegans need to ensure that they eat a variety of protein-containing plant foods each day in order to get all the amino acids needed to make new protein – they also need to choose to incorporate complete plant proteins like quinoa and chia seeds.
If you’re looking for a post exercise protein boost why not make your own smoothie using greek yogurt, milk (plant works well), fruit, oats and maybe some seeds (I often add Flaxseeds) – cheaper, tastier and healthier than shop bought ones.
