I tell people who are interested in healthy eating to stick to whole foods as much as possible. If they want to buy something pre-made at the market, I advise them to try to find foods that have 5 or fewer ingredients…all of which they should recognize and be able to pronounce.
Reading the labels is important. Many companies market themselves as producers of healthy alternatives to commonly consumed foods and beverages. The other day I looked at an Odwalla drink label.
On the front, it said “no added sugar.” That seemed like a good thing but when I looked at the back I realized that the one little bottle of liquid contained a whopping 43 grams of sugar. Oh my!
To compare, a can of coke has about 39 grams of sugar!
Both the Odwalla “healthy drink” and the can of Coke contain much more sugar than I want to ingest at one sitting.
Just because a particular drink or food is marketed as healthy doesn’t mean you don’t need to check into the contents. Always make sure to read and analyze ingredient labels or you’re likely to make mistakes when picking out what to consume.
Life In The Gym 
We share a similar passion about exercise, health and the well being of others. I am a retired 56 year old doctor and help place exercise, health, disease, nutrition, lifestyle, etc… in perspectives that people can relate to helping motivate thought and change in behavior. A fellow blogger shared your link on my site because of our similarities. Please feel free to evaluate my site and add your expertise to my articles. I am always looking for anyone who can help motivate people to live better quality lives. My site can be found at: https://AllAboutHealthyChoices.wordpress.com
I don’t have to tell you to keep up the good work. Our lifestyles are in our blood. This is who we are. My mentor, (Jack LaLanne) said, “if all you can move is your little finger, move it!” Motion is an important component for life. He was way ahead of his time.
Wishing you the best life has to offer.
Jonathan
Hi! So glad you stopped by. I’d love to come see what you’ve got going on on your site. I’ll stop by soon and check it out. I’m always happy to discover other people who have a passion for fitness/health/self improvement.
Ah…Jack LaLanne! I loved watching him when I was a little girl. His wife and dog occasionally showed up on his show. I didn’t do a single exercise but I was captivated by him. Perhaps that’s where my enthusiasm for fitness developed. He was an amazing, inspiring man!
These sneaky “healthy” foods/drinks. Reading labels is a must.
Yes it is! There are a lot of surprising things you find if you actually study the labels.
I read an article last week that warned people about a scam that is going on with the government’s permission. Manufacturers do not have to label a trans fat if the trans fat is less than .500 grams. So if the trans fat is .499 grams of fat, manufacturers are allowed to say that the product contains no trans fats. The article went on to say that you can tell when a product contains a trans fat; look for the ingredient hydrogenized (anything). There’s your clue to avoid that product.
I agree with eating whole. I feel guilty when I have to cook something packaged in order to get my kids to the game or his practice. Sigh. I love the summer so much, and one of the reasons is that I grow a lot of our fruits and veggies in my garden with no chemicals.