There’s something about starting your day with an oat milk latte or a green juice that just feels virtuous. Or maybe a plant-based chicken sandwich for lunch or gluten-free pasta for dinner seems like a healthier option than the meat- or wheat-based version. Welcome to the land of health halos, a place where clever marketing and science-sounding nutritional claims intersect to make certain foods and drinks seem significantly better for you than they are.
Now I don’t want to say that all trends are nutritional nonsense. “Some of these foods are really healthy, but others are working hard to convince “If they’re healthy,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, RDN, a dietitian in the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine and author of Regenerative Health: Discover Your Metabolic Type and Renew Your Liver for Life. “The more health claims a product makes, the deeper you need to dig into the nutrition facts to confirm it will work for you.” Sure, it’s a fine decision to eat what you like every now and then, but it may not be nutritionally better than the alternative, or even close.
“Just because something is gluten-free, plant-based, or high in a certain nutrient doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to promote better health,” Kirkpatrick says. Take a closer look and you’ll find that many of the foods generating the biggest buzz are loaded with hidden sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, while others are surprisingly low in key nutrients.
Below are some common foods that are often wrongly given health labels.
Oat milk
The Hype: Beloved for the creamy taste of cow’s milk, even though it’s made from plants, oat milk is suddenly everywhere. In 2018, sales in the U.S. were $156 million, and are expected to grow more than 15% per year from 2020 to 2028.
The reality: “Yes, a plant-based diet is generally healthier for us and the planet, but not every plant-based food or drink is a healthy choice,” says Kenlyn Young, RD, a registered dietitian at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, NC. “And it’s not always better for you than the animal product it was intended to replace.”
Nutritionally, oat milk can’t compete with cow’s milk or even soy milk. A recent study found that of 74 oat milk brands analyzed, only 22 met the USDA’s proposed nutritional standards for plant-based milk substitutes. The weakest link was protein, with an average of 3 g per cup in the brands tested, compared to 8 g in cow’s milk and 7 g in soy milk. To further complicate matters, oat milk isn’t subject to the same fortification standards as cow’s milk and soy milk, so its levels of nutrients like calcium and vitamins A and D can be all over the place.
A better choice: If you’re skipping dairy because you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, soy milk is a better option. Pea milk is a close second, but like oat milk, it doesn’t have the complete protein of cow’s milk and soy milk. However, if you really do prefer oat milk, make sure to pair it with another protein source. “For breakfast, try an oat latte with eggs and avocado,” says Young. “Or if you’re adding oat milk to cereal, switch to a cereal that’s high in protein, high in fiber, and low in sugar.”
When shopping, look for brands like Planet Oat and Oatly, which provide at least 20 percent of the daily value (DV) of vitamin D and 20 percent of the DV of calcium. (Oatly also provides 50 percent of the DV of vitamin B12, which is crucial for vegans, since the vitamin is otherwise found primarily in animal products.) To minimize added sugars, opt for unsweetened varieties and skip the cream, which can be high in sugar, says Young.
Plant-based meat
The Hype: Research shows that health is the number one reason people give up meat. Study after study shows that a plant-based diet can prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and more. So you might assume that plant-based burgers and nuggets are a surefire hit.
The reality: Creating a juicy alternative that looks, tastes, and sizzles like meat requires a lot of ingredients and processing — and not all of it is good for you. “Unfortunately, the nutritional profiles of these products can vary wildly,” says Jill Weisenberger, RDN, a Springfield, VA-based nutritionist and the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide.
Think saturated fat, which can raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. A lean beef burger contains about 4g of saturated fat, while a Beyond Burger has just 2g, but an Impossible Burger delivers 6g! Then there’s sodium, which can be as high as 370mg in a plant-based burger, compared to about 75mg in a beef burger. It doesn’t help that research on the subject has been a bit of a Wild West affair, with two separate studies recently American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Studies published conflicting conclusions about the impact of plant-based meats on artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. After volunteers were asked to eat two or more servings of plant-based meats per day for eight weeks, one study reported that participants lowered their LDL, while the other found no significant effect on LDL.
A better choice: “Don’t make assumptions until you’ve carefully read the food label,” Weisenberger says. While some plant-based meats rely on palm oil or coconut oil, both of which are loaded with saturated fat, others, like Beyond Meat, have made changes based on criticism of certain ingredients: They’ve swapped coconut oil for monounsaturated fat-rich avocado oil and added red lentils and fava beans to boost protein and fiber, Weisenberger says. Keep in mind that loading up on fatty toppings can make any burger taste less valuable. “Keep it healthy by adding lots of vegetables,” Weisenberger says. If you like cheese, limit it to 1 ounce (about one slice), or try sliced avocado or salsa for extra flavor.
Green juices
The Hype: What could be easier than drinking a green smoothie from a bottle or getting a juice from a juice bar to get your five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day?
The reality: Don’t let the eco-friendly vibe fool you: “In the food world, green is associated with health benefits like phytochemicals and nutrient density,” Kirkpatrick says. But many of these beverages are loaded with sugar from juice and fruit purees for flavor. Even the natural sugars in juice can be problematic because there’s no fiber to slow their release into the bloodstream, she adds. The result: a sugar high that causes a quick energy spike followed by an inevitable crash.
A better joy: “If you like juice, enjoy it in small doses, but don’t replace whole fruits and vegetables with juice versions,” Kirkpatrick says. Aim for about 80 to 90 percent of your produce to come from whole fruits and vegetables and 10 to 20 percent from juice, she suggests. And while fresh juice may seem like a better choice than pre-packaged juice, be aware that juice bar offerings can be just as sugary. The fix: Look for juices that list greens like spinach, kale, parsley, cucumber, and celery toward the beginning of the ingredient list and one or two fruits toward the end (extra points for lemon juice, which is lower in sugar than most fruit juices). And there Are green juices without sugar, such as Supa Dupa Greens from Juice Generation. It can just take some effort to find them.
Gluten Free Foods
The Hype: Cutting out gluten (the proteins in rye, wheat and barley) can lead to numerous health benefits, including clearer skin, weight loss and better sleep.
The reality: Eliminating gluten is a serious matter for people with celiac disease or a true gluten intolerance. But if you’re among the 20% of healthy people who avoid gluten in hopes of reaping its supposed benefits, you might want to reconsider. Ironically, many gluten-free packaged products are actually lower in nutrients than the foods they’re meant to replace.
Skip the gluten-free bread and pasta: They’re rarely fortified with the iron and B vitamins you need to stay energized and focused, so eating them regularly can easily backfire. And if weight loss is your motivator, think again. “If a food has a healthy-sounding label like ‘gluten-free,’ it can seem like we have permission to eat too much of it,” says Young. “But a brownie is a brownie, regardless of the gluten content.” Many gluten-free foods are actually higher in fat and calories and lower in filling fiber than their gluten-free counterparts.
A better choice: If you’re looking to cut back on gluten, don’t waste your money on inferior packaged gluten-free foods—plenty of naturally gluten-free foods provide plenty of nutrients. Think whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, sorghum, millet, and amaranth for B vitamins and fiber, or legume-based lentil, black bean, or chickpea pasta. And while white bread and pasta have gotten a bad rap, they’re fortified with iron, making them a stealth source for people who don’t eat meat. If you’re gluten-free and also vegetarian or vegan, ask your doctor if an iron supplement is right for you.
Smoothies
The Hype: They have the same rich, creamy texture as milkshakes, but are much healthier and make a delicious breakfast on the go.
The reality: “At their best, smoothies made with healthy ingredients like milk, yogurt, and fresh or frozen produce are very nutritious,” says Weisenberger.
“Unfortunately, smoothies from blenders, bottles, and many smoothie shops can contain added sugars and saturated fats, so they can feel more like dessert than a healthy breakfast or snack.” Then there are iced fruit drinks that call themselves smoothies but are really just blended frozen juice. Even smoothies made with healthy ingredients may not keep you full for long, since drinking them isn’t nearly as satisfying as chewing them, Weisenberger explains. So even if your smoothie has slow-digesting avocado or nut butter, you may find yourself reaching for a snack significantly faster than if you had eaten a slice of avocado toast or a banana with peanut butter.
A better choice: A smoothie is only as good as its ingredients. Stay away from smoothies that have sorbet, frozen yogurt, chocolate, and juice (especially as the first ingredient). Focus on whole-food ingredients like dairy, fruits, vegetables, nut butters, chia seeds, and flax seeds. For a smoothie that will keep you full and nourished, Weisenberger recommends tailoring the ingredients based on whether it’s a meal or a snack. “If it’s for breakfast, make sure it has a good dose of protein from yogurt, cottage cheese, silken tofu, or just plain protein powder for satiety,” she says. “It should also have fiber from fruits, vegetables, or a whole grain like oats or quinoa.” A snack smoothie can be a great way to fit in food groups you might miss at other meals. If lunch is a turkey sandwich, make a smoothie that’s high in vegetables and fiber from yogurt, mandarin orange wedges, pineapple chunks, carrots, chia seeds, and a dash of vanilla extract, she says.
Bookmark these healthy smoothie recipes: