Think These are Good Diet Snacks? Think Again!

Whenever someone embarks on a diet, inevitably they go to the store and stock up on what they consider to be low-fat, healthy foods and snacks. Here is a brief list of some of the more common "mistake" foods we buy and consume:

1. Yogurt. Yes it is good for you and tastes great, maybe even fat-free. But check out the sugar content. Not good at all. As an alternative try plain non-fat yogurt with some fresh fruit added. You will still be getting some sugar, but sugars from fruit are much better than processed sugars.

2. Granola. Again, the grains and nuts are good. Excellent in fact. But they are sweetened with loads of honey and other "natural" sweeteners and can contain five or more grams of fat. Instead, buy plain, unsweetened granola and drizzle some honey on it. You'll be surprised at how good it tastes.

3.  Frozen "Lean" Entrees. The fat content is good. But they are usually chock full of sodium and preservatives with little in the way of nutrition. Anything that is frozen and conveniently ready to cook probably is not a good choice.

4. Rice Cakes. Perfect snackage, right? Nope. Made of puffed rice, they are considered a high glycemic index carbohydrate, meaning they will cause a rise in your insulin. This in turn can cause your body to store the carb as fat rather than use it as energy. Stay away from rice cakes unless you are craving one after an intense work out. Instead, pop plain popcorn, spray lightly with a margarine spray such as I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and sprinkle with cinnamon.

This isn't the whole list of bad diet snackage, but hopefully it will get you thinking the next time you head to the grocery store with the purchase of healthy foods in mind. Remember: fresh, whole food is always the best choice. Veggies, fruits and raw nuts and seeds are the most nutritious and low-fat snacks you can get, all courtesy of Mother Nature!