10 surprising foods that pack on the pounds

10 surprising foods that pack on the pounds

Granola: This is often masked as healthy, but a 1/2 - 3/4 cup of most types of cereal is equal to only 1/4 cup of granola in calorie count.

Glaceau Vitamin Water: This calorie drink can have as many calories as a can of soda and is enhanced with sugar.

Gluten-free foods: Gluten-free foods are not necessarily healthier and still have a lot of calories — you're not saving in sugar or fat.

Frozen yogurt: Unlike regular yogurt, frozen yogurt doesn't have live cultures, and it can have even more calories than ice cream.

Energy bars: This grab-and-go snack should be limited to 200 calories per bar, unless you're using it as a meal substitute.

Dried Fruit: This common snack can be highly caloric. When fruit is dried, there is less water so sugar becomes more dense — like grapes dried into raisins. Portions should be limited to a quarter of a cup

Avocado: These are packed with "good" fats, but when you consume avocados in dip form — yes, we mean guacamole — you can mindlessly consume hundreds of calories. Keep your avocado portions small, like slices on a sandwich.

Smoothies: Smoothies may seem healthy because of the nutritious ingredients like milk, berries, and banana, but they often have many calories and are loaded with 4 times the daily limit of sugar.

Peas and Corn: These vegetables are considered to be a starch because they have a high carbohydrate count. Consider them as bread-carb portions.

Ground turkey burgers: This common beef substitute often has skin ground up in the meat, so make sure the turkey you're buying is lean and low in fat.


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