1. Acai berries
This “miracle” fruit, promoted for its antioxidant content, is so uncommon you’re more likely to find it as a juice or supplement.
However, it’s on a list of foods you should kick to the curb for not living up to the nutrition buzz, according to ACE.
Yes, the berries are high in beneficial plant substances, but so are other fruits you can eat fresh.
“You can buy whole blueberries; whole raspberries, that are just as good for you,” Dr. Muth says.
2. Greek yogurt
“Greek yogurt is great, but if it’s heavily flavored it could have a lot of sugar,” Blatner says.
And what about buying plain Greek yogurt and sweetening it with honey? Not an improvement.You’re still getting excess calories.
3. Veggie burgers
“Just because it’s a vegetarian dish, doesn’t mean it’s healthful,” Blatner says.
A restaurant veggie burger may contain 1,200 milligrams of sodium or more.Americans in general should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium in an entire day, reduced to 1,500 milligrams or less if you’re 51 or older, or are African American or have a chronic health condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
4. Grains
Don’t be swayed by the terms “multigrain” or “made with whole grains”. Instead, look for whole grains [such as whole wheat] in the ingredient list, Dr. Muth says.
You may be surprised that even bran comes up short.“When someone is bragging about eating bran, they’re getting fiber, but not a whole grain. Eat the whole grain,” Blatner says.
5. Egg white omelets
“People feel so good about an egg white omelet,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietitian, Chicago.
But there’s a downside to the whites-only option. Egg yolks contain nutrients, including choline. If you skip the yolk, you’re missing out, she says.
“Don’t demonize whole eggs,” says Blatner, author of “The Flexitarian Diet” (McGraw Hill, 2009).
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