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Written by Navneet Kaur, M.Sc. Nutrition & Dietetics
Diet
Not all "healthy-looking" foods are as innocent as they seem. Some are calorie traps in disguise. Let's decode 8 everyday items that could sabotage your diet.
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Packed with oats and nuts? Yes. But often drenched in sugar and oil. A single cup can have over 400 calories, especially store-bought ones.
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They look nutritious, but loaded toppings like nut butter, granola, and sweetened yoghurt can easily push a bowl to 500+ calories.
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Marketed as pre-workout fuel, many bars are candy bars in disguise with 200+ calories and tons of added sugar and syrup.
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Those tiny cups often have hidden sugar. One flavoured serving can pack 150+ calories, plus artificial sweeteners.
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Dressing, croutons, cheese, fried toppings, your "light" salad could be worse than a burger at over 700+ calories.
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Nuts are healthy, but add chocolate chips, dried fruit, and salt, and you've got a calorie-dense snack of over 500 calories per cup.
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Even 100% juice lacks the fibre of whole fruit. A glass of orange juice has 100+ calories and spikes blood sugar fast.
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Baked or fried, these often contain starchy fillers and oils. A small pack can exceed 300 calories, with little fibre.
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The key is balance. Watch portion sizes, check nutrition labels, and focus on whole, unprocessed foods to truly stay light and healthy.
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