Jelly Belly Be Gone

You diligently read health reports and you honestly and tenaciously try to eat healthy, keep up with the latest diet trends, and make the smartest choices to lose weight–but are they as healthy as you think? Here’s a reality check:

You reach for multigrain bread or cereal

Foods labeled 7-grain or multigrain may seem like the healthiest choices–especially with new findings showing that a diet rich in whole grains protects against heart disease, cancer, and other ills.

To be sure you’re getting the grains you want, check the ingredients panel. Whole grains should be the first or second ingredient listed. Luckily, finding whole grain products is easier now that manufacturers supplying at least 16 g of whole grains per serving – what’s considered an excellent source – are stamping their packaging with the Whole Grains Council’s logo.

You buy bottled water laced with vitamins

It’s a measure of how health conscious we’ve become that water is now fortified with nutrients and even medicinal herbs. But when it comes to so-called enhanced water, I suggest you save your money.

A smarter move is to drink plain, refreshing, calorie-free water when you’re thirsty and take a multivitamin daily to make sure you get balanced levels of the essential vitamins and minerals.

You choose veggie chips over potato chips

Dozens of munchies are made from carrots, spinach, kale, and even exotic tropical vegetables. Many of these seemingly healthful snacks are still loaded with calories: A 4-ounce bag of Hain Carrot Chips contains 600 calories, just as much as Lay’s Classic potato chips.

When you simply must have chips, look for brands with vegetables at the top of the ingredients list. A tip-off to a snack’s healthfulness is its fiber content. If you’re counting calories, baked potato chips – at 110 calories per serving – are a better choice. An even healthier alternative? A handful of nuts, loaded with fiber, healthy oils, and vitamins and minerals.

Check back tomorrow for some more tips.