Diet disasters!

In the quest to lose weight and fit into that perfect outfit, a lot of people tend to get carried away. Some take their diet plan to an extreme and restrict their intake of food.

While others indulge themselves every now and then in some sweet treats. Very often, we tend to think certain foods are healthy, when actually they could be killing your diet plan. From salty foods like popcorn to muffins, smoothies, sauces etc you need to be careful of some items.

Salad mix:
Every time you choose a salad instead of a meal, take a closer look at what’s going inside. While fresh vegetables are great sources of vitamins and minerals, the salad dressing could be doing you harm. Mayonnaise, thousand island dressing are loaded with sugar, preservatives and lots of salt which contains harmful sodium. Instead, why not opt for a light dressing of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

Fruity drinks:
Before choosing a fruit smoothie, keep in mind that it could contain upto 80 grams of sugar and often fruit pulp instead of fresh fruit. Sorbets have a similar problem. We usually tend to opt for these foods thinking they have health benefits but actually they don’t.

Muffins:
Muffins may seem like a healthy choice. The whole-wheat ones may be a safer bet but otherwise they’re loaded with sugar and refined flour. Each muffin has a good 500 calories hidden in it. So before you pick one up, think twice.

Grain effect:
Most of us think that when something is multigrained or contains cereals, it’s a healthier choice. Check your bread or pasta packet for its label. Most of the food items merely contain refined grains such as white flour. Unless it says its whole grain, you won’t be getting many benefits.

Cheesy affair:
While cheese is made of milk which contains much required protein and calcium, it’s also full of fat. Most cheeses have added salt and artificial flavouring, hence it’s best to go slow on your intake. Choose cheeses such as Feta or Parmesan over processed ones like cheddar which are healthier choices.

Movie snacks:
Popcorn is an all-time favourite snack and while corn is healthy for you and if it’s microwaved you’d think even more, it contains a fair amount of unhealthy fat. Popcorn that is loaded with butter and salt or even caramel, is obviously not a good choice. Most movie theaters don't use real butter but an artificial one that contains trans fat. Try and restrict your intake of popcorn or make it yourself at home without any added butter or oil.

Salty foods:
Anything loaded with salt is bad for you. This includes stuffed olives, salted nuts and even wafers. The best way to curb your sodium intake (which can lead to blood pressure problems) is to avoid processed and canned foods. Say no to tinned tuna or luncheon meats as well. Instead choose healthier, fresh food options like fresh poultry and seafood.