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7 Unhealthy Diet Foods

By Reader's Digest Editors | July 14 2011
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Diet soda

Though it has fewer calories and less sugar than regular soda, diet soda may actually keep you from losing weight. New research suggests that dieters who choose to drink diet soda may actually add weight instead of losing it.

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Smoothies

Although they can be packed with powerful nutritional benefits, smoothies can also carry loads of calories, fat, and sugar. Make sure your smoothie is filled with whole fruits and vegetables and low fat milk or milk alternatives. Skip smoothies laden with peanut butter, chocolate, or fruit syrups. Try these delicious and healthy smoothie recipes.

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Artificial sweeteners

Research is still being conducted on the safety of artificial sweeteners, but some research to date has shown that they can actually make you hungrier than natural sugar. Look for foods that contain natural sugar, or little or no sugar at all, for dieting success.

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Light salad dressings

Though they carry less fat and calories than full-fat dressings, light dressings are often high in sugar or high fructose corn syrup, which are added for flavor. Look for natural dressings that don’t list sugar as the first ingredient. Or make your own healthy salad dressings easily with these recipes.

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Processed diet foods and snacks

Switching to a frozen diet meal from the freezer seems like a good choice when trying to lose weight, but often these foods are high in sodium and sugar. Check the nutrition labels on the foods that you purchase. Look for a short ingredient list that relies on whole foods, rather than ingredients you don't recognize.

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Flavored yogurt

Yogurt is filled with calcium and protein that’s great for keeping your diet in check, but flavored yogurt can also carry loads of extra sugar and calories that sabotage your healthy eating. Try plain yogurt and adding in a small teaspoon of honey for sweetness.

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Baked chips

Although these are a good alternative to saturated fat-laden chips, baked chips usually have tons of sodium, sugar, and empty calories. If you’re in the mood for something crunchy, try snacking on a bag of fresh, raw veggies or plain rice cakes.

Plus: 11 Healthy Ways to De-Stress With Food

Sources: LiveStrong.com, Consumer Reports, SELF, WebMD

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Your Comments

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  • Zeke

    Really getting tired of this slide show type for your articles.  It’s truly a pain and too time consuming
    having to click, wait for loading, adjust view of screen, only to have to repeat for all the ‘items’.
    Can anyone give a good reason to have the print in grey, which is harder to read and only used
    by companies that DON’T want you to really read it, such as policies, penalties, etc????

  • Niecey

    Zeke, I am so with you on the slide show.  I just gave up!

  • marilyn

    Be warned, you weight watchers!

  • waiting to read one sentence

    Why do we always have to click on the blue arrow in the right of the window and then WAIT for rd to make the next one show up? ? ? This has got to be the slowest website in the world. Don’t you people have technicians that know computers? Sometimes, I delete it before I even open this site, if the subject line doesn’t interest me, because it takes SOOOO LOOONNNG to read an article. As far as the joke section; I used to go there first when I read r.d. Online? Are you crazy? There’s NO WAY I’m spending an hour to read seven jokes. How ironic. . .  the ad to the right of me says “The world’s dumbest criminals”. . Well; I’m trying to read the world’s dumbest website designer’s work Here’s a thought. . . . HEY R.D. FIRE YOUR WEB DESIGNER !.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Maria-Raquel-Ramos/100001581504720 Maria Raquel Ramos

    now we should avoid dringking soda…

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  • Dalia Hornstein

    it also gives you the option of watching the slide show on one single page ;)

  • Dalia Hornstein

    mmmm…. ya, i’ll take crunchy veggies and crispy rice cakes over a nice bag of potato chips any day…. NOT!!!

  • Christopher di Spirito

    I really think I am addicted to Diet 7-Up. Is such a thing possible? I don’t drink booze, I don’t smoke and I take no recreational drugs. But, I think I am addicted to Diet 7-Up. Is that weird?

  • http://twitter.com/that1dudeFromOC Alex

    Below the numbers it states “View slideshow on a single page” .. but i know what you mean.. some websites do that exact thing and don’t give you the option. I don’t know if it’s the web designer though, i think maybe they are just looking for more page views.