11 Healthy Foods That Can Make You GAIN WEIGHT _ Joanna Soh

I only eat healthy food .

I only eat real unprocessed food .

I cook almost all my meals .

But why can't I lose weight ?

I hear your frustrations when you eat healthy and you seem to be doing everything right .

But the weight isn't budging and you may gain even more weight .

It can be extremely frustrating and you don't even know what you're doing wrong .

So let's talk about the sneaky diet .

Sabato and how these healthy foods are causing you to gain weight mix or granola is a mixture of nuts , seeds , dried fruits and oats , which are extremely nutritious and convenient , but they are very calorie dense .

What makes matters worse is when they are dressed with ingredients like honey maple syrup or chocolate , which increases the calories even more .

One serving should only be a quarter cup and this has about 140 to 170 calories .

The issue arises when we don't portion out our snacks and just consume as much as we want because hey , it's healthy .

Yes , it is nutritious .

Yes , you should add them into your diet but be sure to portion them out .

Next .

Fruit juice juicing is a big business and it is a big trend nowadays , it is so easily available at every coffee shop , every supermarket and everybody seems to be going on the juice cleanse diet .

But is it really all that healthy if you were to consume it every day ?

So let's take a look at the breakdown for a 12 ounce portion of Cola versus apple juice .

And orange juice .

Cola contains 140 calories and 40 g of sugar , which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar .

Apple juice contains 165 calories and 39 g of sugar which measures 29.8 teaspoons of sugar and orange juice contains 33 g of sugar which measures to eight teaspoons of sugar .

So the harsh truth is that even with no added sugar , fruit juices has almost the same amount of sugar as cola .

So whether it's 100% fruit juice or cola , if you were to consume them regularly , it is not a good thing .

Fruit juice has almost zero fiber , but it is loaded with sugar .

So it is a sneaky liquid calorie drink that will not even make you full .

So a much healthier option would be to consume the whole fruit which is packed with fiber .

It is low in sugar and it will keep you satisfied .

For instance , a cup of apple juice has 0.2 g of fiber .

While a whole apple contains 3.3 g , one cup of orange juice has 0.5 g of fiber .

While a whole cup of freshly sliced orange has 4.3 g or opt for green vegetable juice , which is way lower in sugar and it's more alkaline in nature in comparison to fruit juices , which helps to balance the peas , patient levels in your body .

Third salad dressings , many people think that by ordering a huge bowl of salad , they are eating healthy .

Yes , they are .

Absolutely right .

A huge bowl of greens is low in calories .

It's packed with fiber vitamins and minerals .

Plus it is very satisfying and it is hard to overeat .

But what you choose to dress it with can be a killer .

It can turn a really healthy salad into a calorie bomb .

So let's take a look at some of the salad dressings and the nutrients 10 in it .

Caesar salad , one tablespoon of Caesar salad has 78 calories and 8.5 g of fat ranch dressing packs 73 calories and 7.7 g of fat .

French dressing has 73 calories and 7.2 g of fat .

And 1000 Island has 59 calories and 5.6 g of fat in each tablespoon .

Chances are you won't just be having one tablespoon but more like 3 to 4 tables spoons .

And that can add up to almost 300 calories .

So the tip is to avoid cream based dressings if you really like your dressings then ask to serve it on the side .

At least you can control the portion .

A better alternative is to go for light vinaigrette based dressings , which has half the amount of calories .

The next is my favorite superfood avocado .

Avocados are nutritious and packed with healthy fats .

It is the superfood used in almost everything from making healthier ice creams to cheesecakes , dips , smoothies and even margaritas .

Basically anything you can think of .

Just know this avocado is one of the most fattening foods .

And yes , if you overeat , it can lead to some serious weight gain .

One standard avocado has between 250 to 280 calories and 22 g of fat .

I'm not saying that you shouldn't consume avocados .

But if you're watching your weight , then assume in small quantities just have half an avocado and pack your meals with more free foods such as green leafy vegetables .

Now let's talk about coconut milk .

Coconut milk has been used in Asian cooking for centuries and it used to get a really bad rap due to its high saturated fat levels .

Nowadays , it is regarded as the superfood and we are all switching to coconut milk .

Hey , plus it's also dairy free .

So the fatty acids in coconut milk can improve heart health .

It gives you healthy skin and hair and it can also eat with weight loss only if you consume in moderation , full fat .

Coconut milk is very high in calories .

One cup packs a whopping 552 calories and 51 g of saturated fat , which is way over the amount recommended a day .

So the tip here is to avoid coconut lattes or coconut smoothies that will not do your waistline any good .

So , consume small amounts , instead consume a quarter cup to half cup serving and only use it as add on to your recipes instead of having it as the main ingredient , natural sweeteners such as honey and maple syrups are great substitutes to refined sugars .

But if consumed in large quantities , they can have the same negative effects just like refined sugars .

This include a spike in your blood sugar levels , weight gain and even diabetes , sugar is still sugar .

So really healthy desserts that call for one cup of maple syrup , honey or coconut sugar aren't exactly healthy .

You should still consume them in small quantities .

Next energy bars , energy bars were once marketed to provide you with quick energy during exercises .

But nowadays , they are used as a convenient snack and even consumed as a meal replacement .

Energy bars are great if you're on long endurance training such as running a full marathon , but it's not great if you're just sitting at a desk snacking away , most energy bars are essentially granola mixtures of nuts , seeds and dried fruits .

So what's holding them together ?

Sugar , oil , artificial flavors and preservatives .

So if you're someone who buys lots of granola bars and you rely on them on a daily basis .

It is not doing your diet any good .

You still need to consume real food , consuming whole fruits or even trail mix is amazing .

Much better option without all the fake stuff added into it .

Only go for granola bars if you're on long hikes runs or while you're traveling when it comes to buying energy bars , be sure to flip over and look for a bar that has less than 5 g of fat , 3 to 5 g of fiber , less than 10 g of sugar .

If you're looking to pack on protein , then go for a bar that has at least 10 to 20 g of protein and less than 200 calories .

If it's just a snack , choose a bar with as few ingredients as possible and only made with real food , not those ingredients with some really funky names .

Ok ?

And avoid bars that has sugar listed as the first three ingredients .

Nowadays , big brands are cashing in on the health market by adding gluten free to their products .

Let's face it .

Even if you don't have a wheat allergy , you are more drawn to buy gluten free products just because they sound healthier .

But that is not the case .

Many gluten free products actually have more calories , more sugar , more fat and contains more chemicals in comparison to the non gluten free versions .

That's because they have to replace regular flour and make up for the loss of taste and textures by adding other additives .

If you walk it down the aisles , you'll find lots of gluten free cookies , cupcakes , bread and any other junk .

If you're someone who has switched from eating regular cookies or cupcakes to the gluten free versions , and you're wondering why am I not losing weight ?

And why do I feel crappy ?

That's because junk foods are still junk foods , whether or not they're gluten free .

So if you're not gluten intolerant , then just consume the normal version .

And always remember in moderation , another health food that drives me nuts are vegetable chips .

I really can't stand it when they market it as 100 percent vegetable chips .

Hey , they must be good for you wrong .

A serving of vegetable chips is not even a great substitute for fresh , frozen or even canned vegetables .

They will not contribute to your five a day .

One serving of vegetables contains 25 calories and many vitamins and minerals .

Once the vegetables are processed into vegetable chips , either through deep frying or baked at a very high temperature .

Most of the nutrients and plant chemical are destroyed .

This leaves you with a food that is much higher in calories , sodium fat and with very little nutrients .

So guys consume your vegetables whole , whether it's raw , fermented or slightly cooked .

If you're in the mood for salty snacks , then consume chips of any kind in small moderate one ounce servings , frozen yogurt , I'll have frozen yogurt instead of ice cream because , hey , it's yogurt .

It contains probiotics and it's great for my gut .

Yeah .

Right .

Although frozen yogurt does contain probiotics , majority of them do not survive long enough for you to gain the benefits .

That's because the freezing process used to make frozen yogurt may kill some of the healthy gut bacteria found in regular yogurt .

And what you might not realize is that frozen yogurt contains more sugar than regular ice cream .

So a half cup serving contains roughly 17 grams of sugar .

Whereas ice cream only has about 14 g of sugar .

And when you trick yourself into thinking that fro is low fat and it is healthy .

Therefore , it must be good for me and I can consume more .

That's when the problem starts , you tend to consume more than half cups serving and that can pack up to three or 400 calories worth just like any other desserts enjoy in small quantities .

If you want to have an absolutely healthy frozen dessert , then make your own blend up some frozen bananas with other frozen fruits and make ice cream .

And the final fruit is another of my favorite nut butter .

We all know by now that nuts are extremely calorie dense .

So will consuming nut butter make you fat .

Well , if you were to consume the entire jar , then of course , if you were to portion it out , then in fact , it will add a lot of health benefits to your diet .

One tablespoon contains about 90 calories and 4 g of protein .

So the next time you spread it on your toast or stir into oatmeal , just be really mindful about the calorie content .

And when it comes to buying nut butter , go for 100% nut butter or only with very little added salt , avoid brands that has added sugar , added oil or any other additives .

I'm not saying that you should not be eating all these foods .

In fact , the majority of these foods should be added into your diet , but be aware that they are not free calories .

These calories can still add up causing you to experience a plateau in your weight loss progress or even gain more weight .

So the key to not gain weight on healthy food is to know what you're eating and portion it out .

So start practicing all these tips and be a mindful eater .

I hope you find all these tips to be really useful .

Do like this video , share this video with your friends and let me know what other healthy foods do you enjoy in the comments below .

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