Watch Out! Food Frauds That Can Wreck Your Diet

Food Fraud: Caesar Salad

Some foods that we think are healthy can be sneaky little diet wreckers. University of Pittsburgh nutritionist Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, shares a few of these "food frauds," starting with Caesar salad. Just a small bowl has 300-400 calories and 30 grams of fat, thanks to loads of dressing.

Fresh Smoothies

That "healthy" berry blend at a smoothie shop can have a whopping 80 grams of sugar, 350 calories or more, little protein, and often no fresh fruit. Fruit "concentrates" are often used instead of fresh fruit. And sorbet, ice cream, and sweeteners can make these no better than a milkshake.

Food Fraud: Energy Bars

Many of these are simply enhanced candy bars with more calories (up to 500) and a higher price tag. Their compact size also leaves many people unsatisfied. "Three bites and it's gone," says Bonci, who advises hungry athletes and dancers.

Food Fraud: Chicken Burrito

With healthy beans and no red meat, what's the problem? About 1,000 calories and plenty of saturated fat -- cheese, sour cream, and the fat in the jumbo flour tortilla all contribute. And when the burrito is as big as your forearm, the serving is just too big.

Food Fraud? A Sugar-Free Dilemma

Sugar-free foods sound like a no-brainer for weight loss. But a problem arises when we choose an artificially sweetened food or drink, then feel that we deserve a large order of fries or a jumbo dessert.  Upsizing the fries adds nearly 300 calories to your meal. If your calorie intake exceeds what you burn off, you'll still gain weight -- and you can't blame the sugar-free foods.

Food Fraud: Enhanced Water

Vitamins are commonly added to bottled water and advertised on the front label. But some brands also add sugar, taking water from zero calories to as much as 125. "Often the vitamins don't contribute much," Bonci says, "but the calories can contribute a lot."

Food Fraud: 2% Milk

Two percent milk sounds healthier than "whole" milk. But it still has more than half the saturated fat of whole milk. Here's what's in a cup of milk:

Whole Milk (3.25%) = 150 cal., 8g fat, 5g sat. fat
Reduced-fat (2%) = 130 cal., 5g fat, 3g sat. fat
Skim (nonfat) = 80 cal., 0g fat, 0g sat. fat

Food Fraud: 2% Milk Latte

It's tempting to choose "reduced-fat" milk in a latte and reward yourself with whipped cream on top. Sadly, this trade-off still adds up to 580 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat in a 20 ounce white chocolate mocha. That's worse than a quarter-pound burger with cheese.

Food Fraud: Breakfast Muffins

Muffins masquerade as a healthy choice for breakfast. They beat doughnuts, they're still mainly sugary little cakes of refined flour. One store-bought muffin can hit 500 calories with 11 teaspoons of sugar.

Food Fraud: Low-Fat Granola

The low-fat version of this crunchy cereal has only 10% fewer calories and is still full of sugar. Plus, the low-fat label can easily lead you to overeat. A study at Cornell University found that people ate 49% more granola when they thought it was low fat -- easily blowing past the measly 10% calorie savings.

Food Fraud: Low-Fat Yogurt

Too often this nutritional superstar — rich in protein and calcium — contains shocking amounts of added sugar. Some brands add 30 or more grams of fructose, sucrose, or other sweeteners. Compare plain to fruited yogurts to see the difference between naturally-occurring milk sugar and added sugar listed on the nutrition facts panel.

Food Fraud: Light Olive Oil

Anything labeled "light" is enticing when you're watching your weight. But often the food is not what you expect. Light olive oil, for instance, has the same calorie and fat content as other types -- it's just lighter in color and taste.

Food Fraud: Added Omega-3

Some yogurt, milk, eggs, cereal, and other foods boast of added omega-3. But most don't contain the kinds of omega-3 best known to help your heart -- EPA and DHA. Or there's only a smidgen -- about as much as in one bite of salmon. Instead, they contain ALA from vegetable sources. Vegetable sources of  omega-3 from ALA are not as potent or beneficial as DHA/EPA.

Food Fraud: Iced Tea

The antioxidants in iced tea don't make it a health food. Too much added sugar can turn a tall glass into a health hazard. A 20-ounce bottle can have more than 200 calories and 59 grams of sugar.

Food Fraud: Iceberg Lettuce

This popular lettuce is big on crunch but a big "zero" when it comes to vitamins and flavor. And its boring taste leads many people to overdo it on the dressing and toppings.

Food Fraud: Banana Chips

Deep-fried bananas are probably not what the doctor envisioned when she told you to eat more fruits and veggies. These don't look greasy, but just one ounce has 145 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 8 grams of saturated fat -- about the same as a fast food hamburger.