After some deep thought, while watching the Tour de France, I decided it’s about time I start posting more informational tidbits on the blog instead of always posting about myself.

This blog is devoted to living a healthy and active lifestyle… correct? So let’s start talking more about what that means!

The best place to start is to learn and inform oneself about healthy food options and misconceptions. So here we go… I want to tackle a few food misconceptions! These are all things I keep in mind when choosing what to eat.

Chicken/Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Having a name with “salad” in it can often be misleading. You may think this is the perfect, healthy lunch option — please think again! These bad boys have mega amounts of calories and fat in them because they are mostly all mayonnaise. The Chicken Salad Sandwich from Arby’s contains a whopping 860 calories, 1,270 mg of sodium and 44 g of fat. Tuna salad sandwiches can be even worse because tuna is so fine there is a heck of a lot more surface area for the mayonnaise to fill…. so beware!

Healthier alternatives: Make your own at home using yogurt or avocado in place of mayo…. or if you must, go light on the mayo.

‘Americanized’ Sushi

Watch out for  sushi rolls and those with loads of cream cheese. Thanks to the Americanization of Japanese sushi it is a good idea to think before you order.  Stick with sashimi, miso soup, salads and rolls that aren’t stuffed with cream cheese or fried. The term “tempura” instantly tells you your dish will be fried. Tuna sashimi, for example, has about 35 calories and 1 gram of fat per ounce. But a tempura roll has 320 calories and 17 grams of fat.

Organic Labels Do Not Always Mean Healthy

Organic labels can be misleading because it can be stamped on a variety of foods besides fruits and vegetables. It is important to remember that organic foods still have calories! That bag of organic potato chips or sack of organic oreos still has the same amount of calories as conventional ones. This can  often be very misleading on many products.

Fat-Free, Sugar-Free Muffins/Snacks

Watch out for these! A simple muffin from the grocery store can contain up to 600 calories… even if it is fat and sugar free! Not only that, but what are they using to replace the sugar? Most likely it is an artificial sweetener. It is important to avoid chemical substitutes – as many have been linked to cancers. In my personal opinion, why eat something that your body does not recognize? Your body definitely won’t understand artificial sweeteners.

Lastly, fat-free products typically have ingredient lists a mile long with words you can’t even sound out. Do you ever think twice about what those fake ingredients are doing in your body? Opt for a healthier breakfast or snack by choosing whole foods, those less processed or make your own at home.

In the end it is always important to choose whole, unprocessed foods for most meals/snacks. I hope this was helpful and more misconceptions/helpful insights will be posted in the future.

Happy Monday!