The Head of Nutrition at Healthspan, Rob Hobson, is educating people on food items that they thought were healthy but were not.

Unhealthy food items

According to Hobson, high-fiber breakfast cereals usually contain a lot of sugar and refined carbs, which can cause various diseases. Taking these types of cereal in the morning will raise insulin and blood sugar. However, after a few hours, the sugar goes very low, making the body crave more. Consuming too much sugar is unhealthy as it could lead to cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Another food item that could contain too much sugar is a smoothie. The amount of sugar in packaged smoothies could reach up to 500ml. However, the daily amount of sugar one should consume in a day is 150 ml. He adds that it is essential to check the label to know how manufacturers made the smoothies. Most people make smoothies from juices and purees instead of whole fruit, which is healthier.

There are no studies to back up the claims that coconut oil is healthy. The oil appears to be less beneficial than olive oil as it contains 90% of saturated fat. In comparison, butter has 64% of saturated fat. Experts warn that consuming high amounts of saturated fat increases cholesterol levels, thus making one more likely to get heart disease.

Although honey is a natural sweetener, it is not much healthier than other sweeteners. Hobson points out that people should still watch how much they consume in a day as too much sugar is bad for their health.

Surprisingly healthy food items

For a long time, people have believed that eating eggs can dangerously raise their cholesterol. However, this is, in fact, not true. Moreover, the egg yolk, which many people avoid, is an excellent source of omega-3, lutein, and choline.

Contrary to widespread beliefs, potatoes have many health benefits. They have many nutrients such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium. Moreover, a recent study has shown that the potassium present in potatoes can reduce the chances of getting high blood pressure.

Dark chocolate is another healthy snack. It is an antioxidant with minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Furthermore, studies have shown that dark chocolate can lower cholesterol.