25 Overrated Eats

Ditch the sanctimonious superfads and eat the stuff you really want instead. These health imposters simply aren’t worth the hype

01/ Low-Fat Yoghurt

Where creamy dairy and sugars are removed, they must be replaced. Many times, that sub-in is sucralose, which a recent University of Southern California study linked to an increase in appetite – worth noting if supposedly diet-friendly snacks leave you reaching for something less than salubrious minutes later.

02/ Agave Syrup

‘Although it has a lower glycaemic index [a measure of how quickly a food affects blood glucose] than table sugar, it still contains a lot of fructose,’ says Brooks. Too much can overwhelm the liver. ‘In the long-term, this raises the risk of fatty liver disease.’ In other words, don’t give yourself carte blanche with this golden syrup.

03/ Vitamin Gummies

There’s nothing wrong with employing a little nutritional back-up – but you can get too much of a good thing. With gummies now available to boost everything from immunity to focus to sleep, make sure you know what you’re chewing. ‘They can also contain a lot of sugar and artificial colourings,’ says Brooks. Once you’ve popped, make sure you stop.

04/ Paleo Brownies

Though it’s popular on Instagram, Chowdhury likens the paleo baking trend to ‘a three-wheeled car in a drag race’: it doesn’t matter how good the engine is. With zero gluten and dairy, but plenty of coconut sugar, they’re nothing but expensive cakes. Your stoneage ancestors did without the recipe, anyway.

05/ Soy Jerky

The latest in imitation processed meats that most vegans never asked for. As Brooks puts it: ‘It may be quite high in protein, but many varieties can be high in sugar, too, which can cause bloodsugar imbalances and lead to cravings.’ Fill up on stir-fried, seasoned tofu instead.

06/ Corn Cakes

The now commonly spotted chocolate-coated biscuit alternative appears, at first glance, to be the healthy option. But gram-for-gram, they contain the same number of calories as a chocolate digestive (and don’t taste as good dunked in a cuppa). Plus, they’re not very satiating, says Brooks.

07/ Salad Dressing

The downfall of many a well-intentioned light lunch: ‘Lots of supermarket varieties are full of sugars, saturated fats, salt, additives and preservatives,’ says Linford. In which case, you may as well have a side of chips with your greens (by all means, do). ‘All you really need is olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic or apple cider vinegar,’ she says.

08/ Shirataki Noodles

AKA ‘miracle noodles’ (is that a red flag I see?), these are fat-free, gluten-free and all but calorie-free. ‘Some things really are too good to be believed,’ says Linford. ‘Made from a fibre called glucomannan, they can cause bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea.’ What was wrong with ramen anyway?

09/ Root Juice

Ginger, turmeric, beetroot and co might be concentrated sources of health-promoting, inflammation-fighting nutrients – but be mindful of other ingredients if you’re swerving sugar. Most roots, juiced on their own, don’t taste great, so are bulked out with sweet fruits.

10/ Coconut

The superfood du jour is celebrated for its metabolism-boosting benefits. It’s true that replacing less-healthy fats with coco can support weight management – but its effects are fairly minimal. With 150 calories in 100ml of milk and 300 in an 80g snack pack, you might be better off shying away.

11/ Pasteurised Kombucha

Not all ’booch is made equal. At its best, it’s a fermented tea, ‘teeming with good bacteria’, says Linford. But some brands pasteurise their drinks, killing off probiotics, or add unnecessary extra sugar after fermentation. For best results, go raw with less than 5g of sugar per 100ml.

12/ Butter Coffee

‘I get it. It’s a quick, low-carb breakfast alternative that gives you an energy boost,’ says Linford. ‘But omitting breakfast means missing an opportunity to stock up on nutrients.’ Plus, scrambled eggs beat butter for essential vitamins – and satisfaction.

13/ Oat Granola

Ever felt bloated after a big bowl of cereal? ‘Shop-bought granola can be hard to digest for some,’ Mandikate says – not to mention the sugar content. ‘Traditionally, grains such as oats were soaked or fermented before cooking to increase nutrient bioavailability and digestibility. Try overnight oats with nuts, grains and fruit, instead.’

14/ Tinned Soup

According to Chowdhury, ‘up to 26% of the vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids in chicken are lost during tinning’. Water-soluble nutrients – notably vitamins B and C – are first to be drained, while many soups are high in salt to compensate for a lack in flavour. Stock it as a back-up – just don’t lean on it for your micro targets.

15/ Natural Protein Bars

‘Natural’ is a relative term; many plant-based bars are packed with syrups, coconut sugar and concentrated fruit juice. Check the ratio of protein to sugar, suggests Chowdhury. If there are considerably more grams of the latter, what you’re eating is an energy bar – useful in its own right, but not much of a protein top-up.

16/ Guarana

With more caffeine than coffee, this seed is often used in energy drinks as a ‘natural’ energy source. But sup sensibly: there’s limited evidence of its efficacy as a weight-loss aid or athletic-enhancer compared with dependable joe. Too much can cause anxiety, insomnia and palpitations.

17/ Protein Bread

A slice of good old wholemeal contains a helpful 4g to 5g of protein; splicing your grains with protein powder, however, adds more to the price than it does to its nutritional cred. If you’re going to spend extra, Mandikate favours sourdough: the fermentation process improves absorption of calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium, he says.

18/ Flaxseed Oil

This is often pushed as a plant-based source of omega-3. It’s a rich source of alphalinolenic acid (ALA) – but this is considerably less useful to your heart and brain than the DHA and EPA found in fish. Get your fix from an algaebased supp instead and you’ll do swimmingly.

19/ Farmed Salmon

Not only is intensive fish farming bad news for marine life, farmed salmon is more likely to contain harmful chemicals such as PCBs and dioxins, says Mandikate. Go organic or Aquaculture Stewardship Council-certified for your eggs royale.

20/ CBD Edibles

From gummy bears to truffles to lattes, CBD-infused foods are in high demand. But the not-so-dope bit? Almost all studies demonstrating their anxiety- or stress-relieving potential look at doses of 300mg or more. Nothing close to the tiny dash in your green-hued snacks.

21/ Raw Carrots

A bag of batons might suffice as a portable snack, but crunching on raw carrots is an inferior way to score nutrients. Cooking helps to break down the veg’s thick cell walls, making it far easier to absorb beta-carotene: a nutrient linked to better vision, skin health and immunity.

22/ ‘Breakfast’ Muffins

See also: breakfast bars, biscuits and bakes. ‘You’re setting yourself up for a morning sugar crash, fatigue and cravings for more sweets,’ says Linford. Instead, try filling a muffin tray with beaten egg, finely chopped veg, Gruyère and pepper for an alternative, equally portable, breakfast.

23/ Jackfruit

This tropical fruit grown in South America, Africa and Asia has become a regular on the meat-substitute aisle. When cooked with barbecue seasoning, it mimics the taste and texture of pulled pork – but at just 1.5g of protein per 90 calories, it’s all carbs and no muscle.

24/ White Chocolate

Multiple studies have found that chocolate contains handy flavanols, which benefit your heart, brain and skin. However, that doesn’t extend to the pale stuff. ‘White chocolate doesn’t actually contain any cacao solids,’ says Mandikate – the bit that does you good.

25/ Moringa

Purported to do everything from help manage diabetes to treat asthma symptoms, powdered moringa leaf now sells for £8 per 100g. Like most leafy greens, it is a source of vitamins and minerals, but that’s about it.