1. Granola Bars

These ‘healthy’ on-the-go snacks are so popular that you will find them in every supermarket. Many now opt for granola bars for a quick bit of nourishment in place of snacks such as crisps or biscuits, perceiving it as a healthier option. However, granola bars may sound like they’re good for you but nutritionalists frequently agree that most of these bars have far too much sugar and are mostly low in fibre to do your body much good. Even though the packaging may insist on details like 0 trans fat, it’s just marketing lingo as they very often contain a huge amount of sugar and artificial flavours to make them tasty. And it’s not just the obvious ones with chocolate and marshmallow either. Read a little deeper into the nutritional information and you’ll see everything you need to know that these are very much a treat, not a healthful snack.

2. Bottled Juices

(Photo credit: Rob Bertholf)

There is a growing trend for drinking healthy juices, and if you make one at home, like the one pictured above, you’ll be doing your body good. But, if you’re opting for a supermarket bottle, you may be injecting a lot more than just fruit or veg into your diet. Many bottled juices or smoothies that are longer lasting than 3-4 days will be pasteurised to kill bad microorganisms, but this process will also destroy the good ones too and reduce antioxidant activity and most proteins as a result. Most of them are also full of added sugar despite the labels saying it’s ‘100% natural’.

3. Gluten-Free Snacks

The gluten-free diet is yet another trend that has taken the world by storm. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, oats, rye etc. Many equate gluten-free with healthy, but this is not always the case and you still need to look a little deeper into what you’re eating, whether or not you are gluten intolerant. In many cases, the gluten substitutes like tapioca starch and potato flour can be as bad as the gluten products. You can think of it like the food version of diet soda in many cases, and you need to know your body and how it reacts to ingredients rather than rely on trendy wording to keep yourself feeling good.

4. Skim or Low-fat Milk

(Photo credit: Pezibear)

For many years, we have been told that full-fat milk is fattening and we should be drinking skim or low-fat milk instead. However, it is not actually a high-fat food and only has around 3.7% – 5% fat per 100ml compared to double cream which has 47%. Only food that has a fat content of over 20% are regarded as high-fat foods. Recent studies led by Dr. Mozaffarian also show that drinking full-fat milk may in fact reduce the risk of diabetes. So it may well be time to restock your fridge with full-fat, which, let’s face it, just tastes better.

5. Instant Oatmeal

(Photo credit: seriouseats)

Oatmeal has a number of health benefits – oats are a great source of fibre which regulates blood sugar levels. Oats are also a source of vitamins, mineral, antioxidants, protein and complex carbohydrates. It is also said that eating oatmeal can help lower cholesterol levels and in turn reduce risk of heart related problems. However, this is only the case for traditional oatmeal. Don’t be fooled by the instant oatmeal packages that are pre-cooked and highly processed with added sweet flavourings.

Kiehl’s Natural Mix Market

For a healthy offering here in Hong Kong, plant-based skincare brand Kiehl’s is launching a new pop up market offering do-it-yourself smoothies to highlight the ingredients in their range.

Known for their scientifically formulated skin care series, Kiehl’s began as a pharmacy curing what ails from the inside out before moving on to nourish the outside with their unique brand of creams and serums. Now they are aiming to go back to their roots and continue in their original vein by returning to the insides with nourishing foods that will do a body good.

Their Natural Mix Market is a pop up event that will fuse fresh foods from Hong Kong local farms available for purchase and for combining into your own luscious blended beverage to enjoy at the smoothie bar or take home to highlight the ingredients of their plant-based skin care range. With weekly changing fruit and vegetable choices and smoothie recipes, you can choose your ingredients, personalise your own recipe and then blend it up.

The Natural Mix Market will be open from August 3rd to September 1st from 11am-9pm from Sunday to Thursday with extended hours of 10am-10pm Friday to Saturday.

Kiehl’s

Shop 11A, G/F, 11-19 Great George Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay

Telephone: 2328 9399

Healthy or Not Healthy?