Good health

Why healthy snacks aren’t always better for you than junk foods

May 27, 2018

Some healthy snacks contain just as much fat and sugar as junk food. Picture source: Pexels

These days, people are constantly being told to eat healthier and to choose foods that contain less sugar. While junk foods can be more affordable and easier to prepare, they have been known to impact health and cause problems for people all across the country when not eaten in moderation.

Countries such as the United Kingdom are enforcing stricter rules around sugars and fats in an attempt to help citizens make better diet choices, but anyone who has ever walked through a supermarket knows how daunting it can be to find snacks that are nutritious, tasty, filling, as well as being good for your health.

Many people fall into a trap of purchasing items they think are healthy for them, only to discover they’re either loaded with sugar or saturated fats. As such, Starts at 60 has investigated the sugar and fat content of some of the most popular healthy snacks in the country. This isn’t about telling people what they should and shouldn’t eat, but simply informing readers with information relating to popular healthy snacks they may opt for. For fairness, each snack’s saturated fat and sugar content is based per 100g serve.

When it comes to a drink, many people think they’re doing the right thing when opting for a fruit juice over a soft drink. Depending on the brand you pick, you can often be consuming more sugar from a fruit juice than you would from a soft drink. While the popular Just Juice Apple Juice contains no saturated fat, it does contain 10.1g of sugar. In comparison, the same amount of Coke contains 10.6g of sugar.

When it comes to lunch, many people opt for crackers and crispbreads as an alternative to bread. Orgran Quinoa Crispbread is one of the healthiest options available. A 100g serve contains just 0.2g of saturated fat and 1.1g of sugar. Of course, most people would add meat, salad or a spread to their crispbread, so it’s important to factor those fats and sugars if you are counting your calorie intake.

For a sweeter treat, muesli bars are popular for many Aussie homes. Uncle Tobys Muesli Bars Yoghurt & Honeycomb contain 1.5g of saturated fat per 100g and 5.2g of sugar. In comparison, the same amount of Cadbury chocolate contains 18.7g of saturated fat and 57.4g of sugar.

If you’re a movie lover, chances are you’ve snuck some Macro Air Popped Popcorn Salted & Sweet into the theatre to avoid the high cost of candy bar snacks. You’d be consuming 1g or saturated fat and 5.8g of sugar per serve.

Fruit is often considered a healthy snack, but just how healthy is canned fruit? Goulburn Valley Two Fruits contains less than 0.1g of saturated fat, but 8.7g of sugar. It’s roughly the same in a fresh fruit platter from Woolworths. One of those contains around a gram of saturated fat and 8.8g of sugar.

Meanwhile, Turmeric is considered a super food and many opt for turmeric-flavoured chips as a snack. Vege Deli Crisps Turmeric & Cheese contain 2.0g of saturated fat, but 10.7g of sugar. It’s also important to note that low fat yoghurt can sometimes contain higher levels of sugar. Vaalia Low Fat Luscious Berries Yoghurt contains just 0.9g of saturated fat, but 13.3g of sugar per serve.

Next on the list is All Natural Bakery Bars Slice Oat Banana. Some people opt for this snack for morning tea as an alternative to cake, but it may not be as healthy as it seems. It contains 11.4g of saturated fats and 20.1g of sugar.

Surprisingly, the snack with the highest level of sugar on the list is pitted prunes. The variety on offer my Marco Fruit is low in saturated fat, containing just 0.2g, but is filled with 30.5g of sugar.