1. Wraps

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Do you think wraps are healthy? Of course they would be with all those veggies and meats packed into flat bread that makes for a delicious as well as healthy meal on the go. However, the flat bread alone packs in 300 calories. Add cold cuts, cheese, some sauce and you have a monstrous 700-calories making its way to your stomach! What’s more – although wraps are heavy on the calories, they don’t keep you feeling full for too long. I don’t know about you, but I call that cheating!

2. Energy Bars

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They may come in a tiny little packet but there is nothing tiny about the amount of calories they bring to the table. Besides, energy bars are no storehouse of essential minerals and vitamins either. They lack adequate fiber and have too much saturated fat content. Sure you want to nibble on that energy bar even now?

3. Smoothies

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Smoothies are loaded with fruits- they can’t be bad at all! Or so we think. Well, the fact remains that smoothies are generally made of fruit juice – giving you the taste you love but none of the fiber that is so important for your body. And, if your smoothie guy is adding in frozen yoghurt or sherbet to up the taste quotient, you end up with a drink that’s high on sugar content and calories but dismally low on nutrition. This is one “smooth”-ie operator we’ll all be happy without.

4. Granola

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Do you start your day with a bowl of granola? Well, I will have you know that this breakfast cereal is probably the unhealthiest thing you can eat at the beginning of the day. Or well, at any other part of the day, for that matter! It has too much sugar, packs in about 600 calories per serving, and has no fiber content either. And you call that breakfast? Phooey! You’d probably get more nutrition chewing on the cardboard it comes packed in.

5. Fat-Free Snacks & Foods

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Most fat-free snacks or food items are generally quite high in either sodium or sugar, which is used to compensate for the lack of taste. In addition, most people tend to go overboard in the amount of these foods they eat since the fat-free label frees them of any guilt normally associated with binging. So, be really careful of tucking into these beguiling foods. As they say, every calorie counts.

6. Sports Drinks

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Chew on this – your average vitamin drink or, as they are fancily called, sports drinks are loaded with 20-30 tsp of sugar – in each bottle! Do you know how many empty calories that is – 450+ at least. And, I am talking about that regular 20-ounce bottle you are holding. I’d say you should put it down. Better still, chuck it into the trash can.

7. Salads

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Oh, don’t fret – I am not taking away your last hope for healthy eating. Greens are good, greens are healthy and they will remain that way till the end of time. However, a typical salad also has add-ons like cheese, creamy dressings, croutons, and bacon bits. All that sends the calorie value of your otherwise friendly bowl of salad skyrocketing. So, stick to wholesome vegetables but go easy on the other stuff you put in.

Wow...that’s quite a list! Can you think of other health-food traps that we would all be better off avoiding?

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