5 "Healthy Foods" That Are Killing Your Diet

Here are five examples of foods that are considered healthy or at least considered good choices for dieting, but that can actually lead to weight gain. The first four options on this list can be part of a healthy, balanced diet, but if you are looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss, you are better off finding alternatives. Losing weight can be easy if you focus on a natural health diet and make lifestyle changes you can stick with. Focus on natural organic foods and avoid processed, ready made foods whenever possible.

Yogurt can be a healthy food in a balanced diet due to it containing probiotics and calcium. However if your goal is weight loss, yogurt may not be the best choice for you. Most store bought yogurt contains high fructose corn syrup and probably somewhere around 20 grams of sugar per serving. Eating two containers of yogurt nearly has the same sugar content as drinking a can of soda. Opt for the light version of yogurt, and you get stuck with artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Tip: Consider the use of a calcium supplement instead of dairy.

Juice is another healthy food that is best used in moderation while trying to lose weight. A 16 oz glass of orange juice has 50+ grams of carbohydrates, the same as 4-5 pieces of bread. Juicing removes the fiber from fruit and you are left with a glass full of fruit sugars. Tip: Try watering down your juice or simply drinking water.

Fat Free Salad Dressing - Salads are a great way to incorporate veggies into your diet. However, fat free salad dressing is not the way to go. Fat is needed by the body to aid in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. Also, while the dressing is low in fat, it usually has replaced that with an increase in carbohydrates and sodium. Tip: Make your own salad dressing with organic olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a dijon mustard.

Granola Bars - Despite some good ingredients and a package full of healthy marketing messages, granola bars are often closer to candy bars then a healthy snack. Granola bars often use a few different kind of sweeteners as well as oil to help them stick together. On top of that they often try to put in chocolate, dried fruits or other ingredients high in sugar. Grab a granola bar for a snack and you might end up consuming 30+ grams of sugar, a few hundred calories and somewhere around 8-15 grams of fat. Tip: Don't eat granola bars as a snack, instead use them as a light lunch or breakfast on the go.

Diet Soda - The can may say zero calories, but there are a few reasons why diet soda drinkers gain weight. People think if they skip their regular soda for a diet soda, they can have additional food, which is often worse than the original soda. Also artificial sweeteners have an incredibly sweet taste and leave your body craving other foods that can match their sweetness.