Let’s talk about health food for a moment. This will be a short article. Did you know that just because the package says “healthy” does not necessarily mean it is? There are a lot of questions to be asked when it comes to health food. With all the claims out there, it’s hard to tell what is truth and fiction. You need to remember that processed food is still processed food, regardless of what the package says. Processed “Low-Fat” and “Fat-Free” foods are part of the problem we face today because so many are lulled into a false sense of wise decision-making but end up hurting their health even more.

The best advice I could give on this topic would be as follows: if it says “low-fat” or “fat-free” on a package, you should simply stay away. This is because it is more than likely highly processed and loaded with sugar – which is not good for you. Why would it have sugar? Many of these “health foods” are stripped of certain fats. These fats would have made the meal taste good. So to ensure these foods are palatable, they add sugar.

Imagine buying something that tasted bad; would you buy it again? Probably not. So the food manufacturers decided to make their foods taste good so you might buy them again. They stripped the fat out and replaced it with sugar. Unfortunately, that sugar will likely make you fatter than if you had just consumed the original fat. Define irony. Of course, it will also put your body in a state of inflammation.

The same could be said for quite a bit of the fruit juices on the market. They are loaded with sugar and lack the necessary fiber. Sure, some have the fruit’s pulp, which helps, but it is not NEAR as beneficial as consuming the real fruit. Furthermore, if you were to grab a bottle of your favorite fruit juice and compare it to a soda, you might be surprised to find similar sugar levels between the two.

And what about these “health bars”? Have you ever looked at the ingredients? Can you recognize anything that even resembles actual food? These are usually highly processed bars filled with chemicals and highly refined ingredients. Even though it says “health,” “protein,” or “diet,” it does not necessarily mean it is good for you.

Have you seen “Gluten-Free” products in your supermarket? I have, too, and I walk right on by and would urge you to do the same. This is because these foods are also highly processed, extremely low in nutrients and are often made with refined starches (which are carbohydrates) and can lead to very rapid spikes in blood sugar. This is bad news because high blood sugar can sometimes lead to ketoacidosis. You may have heard this referred to as a “diabetic coma.”

We should probably discuss breakfast cereals as well. These, too, are usually processed and full of sugar and grain. Some even say “low fat” or “whole grain.” But you should look at the ingredients on these as well. If you do, you might see a long list of enriched nutrients, refined grains, sugars, and, shockingly enough, artificial chemicals.

When it comes to healthy food, this is as simple as it gets. Real healthy foods do not come with claims or a list of ingredients you may have difficulty reading. By the way, if you cannot read it, you probably should not eat it. Real healthy foods are single-ingredient foods in their whole form. The simpler you can make your diet, the healthier you will be.

Did you enjoy this short article? You might also like another short article titled: Three Simple Things You Can Do For Better Health

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This article was originally published as a chapter in the book Natural Health Made Easy: The Briobiotic Protocol (2016)

Dr. Robertson is a health researcher and educator, not a physician. The information provided here is not medical advice, a professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or service to you or any other individual. The information provided is for educational and anecdotal purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, call consultation, or the advice of your physician or other healthcare providers. Dr. Robertson is not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or additional information, services, or product you obtain or utilize. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CALL 911 OR YOUR PHYSICIAN.