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You are here: Home » Health & Nutrition » Healthy Junk Food, or Junky Health Food?

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Healthy Junk Food, or Junky Health Food?

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Learning to read an ingredients list is important. You can’t always trust the marketing claims on the packaging! Although there is not usually an obvious discrepancy between the claims and the ingredients, remember that just because something is “all natural” doesn’t mean it’s something you should eat often! | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

As I continue on my journey of eating whole, real, nutrient-dense foods, the hardest part of the transition for me is in the area of snacks. The obvious junk foods, like cheese curls and Tasty-cakes, were easy to give up. But I’m no stranger to an attack of the munchies, and while I love fruit, veggie sticks, and the like, there are times when I just really want some crackers or chips or… something!

So I started paying careful attention and reading the labels on all those brands of snack foods on the market that claim to be healthy, to be good for you, to be all natural, to have no preservatives, and to have no artificial flavors or colors — surely there must be one acceptable brand in all of that!

There’s not. Really, there’s not!

I scanned the natural, organic snacks section of my local grocery store, which has a pretty good selection, and could not find one brand that I felt comfortable recommending to the point where I could say “everything this company makes is 100% safe and contains no questionable ingredients.” Granted, there may be some products that are a-okay, but there are other products by that same company that contain at least one questionable ingredient.

Some of the brands I looked at were not the common ones associated with organic and natural foods, but knew how to make good use of the “buzzwords” of the industry. Others were well-known natural brands. Both “sides” share many problem ingredients.

Claims vs. Reality — examining marketing claims and ingredient lists

I hope that the following photos explain why learning to read an ingredients list is important. Simply put, you can’t always trust the marketing claims on the packaging! Although there is not usually an obvious discrepancy between the claims and the ingredients, remember that just because something is “all natural” doesn’t mean it’s something you should eat!

For example:

Learning to read an ingredients list is important. You can’t always trust the marketing claims on the packaging! Although there is not usually an obvious discrepancy between the claims and the ingredients, remember that just because something is “all natural” doesn’t mean it’s something you should eat often! | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

Can you spot the troublesome ingredient (photo above)? Canola Oil! Although canola oil is touted as a better alternative to vegetable oil, it’s not! According to the Non-GMO project, 90% of canola in the United States is made from Genetically Modified rapeseed. And as this post explains, canola oil is heavily refined and oxidized, which destroys any benefits and causes the oil to go rancid, which in turn created free radicals in your body. Canola oil is bad news, folks!

Learning to read an ingredients list is important. You can’t always trust the marketing claims on the packaging! Although there is not usually an obvious discrepancy between the claims and the ingredients, remember that just because something is “all natural” doesn’t mean it’s something you should eat often! | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

The first photo at the top of this post was also taken from this same bag of cheddar-flavored popped potato chips (photo above). They claim to be healthy and wholesome, with no artificial flavors or colors (no orange fingers!) and no preservatives. Again, oils are a problem here. We’ve just gone over why canola oil is bad news, and while the other two oils listed are not genetically modified, sunflower oil and safflower oil are both high in polyunsaturated fatty acids with little to no omega-3’s to balance them out — not healthy in great quantities!

The next ingredient with which I take issue is Maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener that is often derived from corn. Since most of the corn in the US today is genetically engineered, that’s no good! Also, Maltodextrin can be used as a way to hide MSG in a product because small quantities of MSG are often added to Maltodextrin. Yuck!

Then we have Disodium Phosphate and Xanthan Gum, which are some of those “not quite sure if they’re harmless or dangerous” additives that I try to avoid since I like to err on the side of caution. 🙂

Learning to read an ingredients list is important. You can’t always trust the marketing claims on the packaging! Although there is not usually an obvious discrepancy between the claims and the ingredients, remember that just because something is “all natural” doesn’t mean it’s something you should eat often! | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

For this bag of Jalapeno-flavored corn chips (photo above), I like that the ingredients themselves are simple and straightforward. I could probably make a more healthful version of these chips at home. However, the two corn products — stone ground corn and corn bran — are worrisome ingredients here, since it is most likely genetically modified, as I personally assume all non-organic, corn-derived ingredients are, unless verified by the Non-GMO Project. And there are the no-good oils again!

Learning to read an ingredients list is important. You can’t always trust the marketing claims on the packaging! Although there is not usually an obvious discrepancy between the claims and the ingredients, remember that just because something is “all natural” doesn’t mean it’s something you should eat often! | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

And then there’s… this candy bar. I was so excited when I found a brand of candy that didn’t contain corn syrup! But then I was saddened to find that, like many, many other chocolate candies, their products contain soy lecithin.

In this post, Katie from Girl Meets Nourishment calls soy lecithin “sludge” and rightly so! After reading how it’s produced, I don’t really want to eat it! (In a nutshell: among other things, it’s derived from gm-soy and extracted using harsh chemical solvents.)

So… what can we munch and crunch?

First, I am going to be completely honest here. Sometimes, I do indulge in a handful of store-bought organic wheat crackers, bad oils and all. Or, maybe I’ll eat a peanut butter cup made by one of the “better” candy companies. But when I do so, it’s not because I’m being duped by marketing claims or deceived into thinking it’s actually good for me, because I’ve done the research.

It’s because, even after knowing all that I do, sometimes this girl just wants a peanut butter cup, and she’s going to have one!

But there are other options that I use as well. Making crackers from soaked or sprouted flours and healthy oils and seasonings may take more time than opening a box, but it isn’t that hard. I can fry store-bought organic or homegrown (definitely organically raised!) potato slices in coconut oil and have some perfectly acceptable potato chips. I could probably even make peanut butter cups if I tried! There are plenty of real food “junk” food recipes out there!

If you take away just one thing from this post, here’s what I hope it’ll be — don’t be deceived by the claims on junky “health” food!

Do you have a favorite real-food cracker, chip, or candy recipe to share? I’d love to find some more! Especially one for a good peanut butter cup.

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Posted in: Health & Nutrition

About Lindsey Proctor

Lindsey is a twenty-something foodie. She lives with her parents and sister on Hickory Cove Farm, a small, natural and sustainable farm in South-Central Pennsylvania where they raise Alpine and Nubian dairy goats, a flock of pastured laying hens and a few roosters, and a few beef steer. She views her country life as a great blessing and wants to help others get back to eating simply with fresh and local seasonal foods. Her favorite place is in the pasture with her goats, but she also enjoys spending time in the kitchen, photography, music, a really good cup of coffee, and blogging at The Life Of Linz.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenny says

    September 24, 2013 at 7:08 am

    No recipes to share. 🙁 But I’ll be watching this post to see if anyone else has a few. I’m with you. I eat healthy the majority of the time but every so often there is that craving for salt or chocolate that carrot sticks won’t cure.

    Reply
  2. Celia says

    September 24, 2013 at 7:41 am

    I don’t currently have a recipe but I do like Lara bars. Hopefully I am not being duped but you never know. They are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-gmo, vegan , kosher and the peanut butter cookie bar contains: dates, peanuts and sea salt. Just a thought 🙂

    Reply
  3. adele says

    September 25, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    THESE are the PB cups you want to make! They are MAGIC!

    http://wholenewmomma.com/peanut-butter-cups-nourish/

    Reply
  4. Rochelle says

    September 26, 2013 at 5:53 am

    An easy one is popping corn on the stove in coconut oil. Mmm. Or making tortilla crisps.:)

    Reply
  5. Trish says

    September 28, 2013 at 9:37 am

    I recently found a brand of chips that are made by Way Better. The chips we like are Black Bean Tortilla Chips. They are certified NonGMO, gluten free, 100% whole grain, sprouted. (They have all the little icons on the bag.). Here is the list of ingredients: stone ground corn, high oleic sunflower and/or safflower oil, organic sprouted black beans, organic sprouted flax seed, organic sprouted quinoa, pure sea salt. The only ingredients that would be questionable are the oils (but they are better than most). NOTE: not all of their chips are made equally, so, don’t forget to READ THE LABELS!!!!! I believe they would be okay if eaten in moderation.

    Reply
  6. Amber D'Ann Picota via Facebook says

    October 8, 2013 at 7:16 am

    I read this one too. It’s good, and it’s really really true. I wish somehow I could find a granola from the store that is sweetened with either honey or maple syrup, and they would use olive/coconut oil instead of canola! I love granola, and I know how to make it, but it’s an ordeal that I simply haven’t wanted to deal with here lately. Plus it goes pretty fast since we all love it so much. In fact it’s such a crowd pleaser that I gave some away to our friends in their Christmas baskets we gave out. Of course that solidified my reputation as being the “crunchy lady” for all my friends. LOL. That wasn’t my intention though! It was the one food I knew how to cook that I knew would keep for several days in a jar until I saw them to give it to them. 😉

    Reply
  7. Robby says

    October 10, 2013 at 10:59 am

    Check out Mary’s Gone Crackers they are good for dipping salsa and stuff.

    Reply
  8. Karie says

    October 11, 2013 at 6:02 pm

    I have found these two snacks to be about as “healthy” as a snack food can get. http://www.vitacost.com/suzies-agave-sweetened-spelt-puffed-cakes
    http://www.beanitos.com/
    And the beanitos are super tasty!

    Reply
    • Heather says

      January 6, 2014 at 7:19 am

      agave is not a healthy product (research how it’s formed). I also avoid anything called “puffed” according to Sally Fallon’s explanation in Nourishing Traditions on the process of making “puffed” cereals– it’s not good.

      Reply
  9. Lindsey Proctor says

    October 12, 2013 at 8:30 am

    Thank you all so much for your suggestions!

    Reply
  10. Ashley says

    January 5, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    The only suitable potato chip that I have found is made by Good Health Natural Foods. The only ingredients are potatoes, avocado oil and sea salt. Non GMO and avocado oil has a higher burn point, so you don’t have to worry about oxidized fats. Score!

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      January 6, 2014 at 6:23 pm

      Yes! I didn’t know about them at the time I wrote this, but I’ve since heard about them, as well as the Jackson’s Honest Chips. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Jo Anne says

    January 6, 2014 at 6:49 am

    Theo Chocolate (made in Seattle WA) is chocolate made WITHOUT soy lecithin!

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      January 6, 2014 at 6:24 pm

      You’ve just made my night. Yayness!

      Reply
  12. Joy M says

    January 9, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    I’ve made quite satisfactory, and tasty, Pringle-like potato chips using mashed potatoes seasoned as I’d like and spreading them in the dehydrator until dry and crispy. I especially like them with garlic powder.

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      January 10, 2015 at 7:18 pm

      I’m definitely going to try this – thanks!

      Reply

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