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Just how healthy are 'health foods'?
Fruit juices/fruit yoghurt
Fruit juice drinks tend to be full of sugar to preserve them. They can actually be as rich in sugar as fizzy drinks. Don't be fooled by the 'concentrated fruit juice' label - there can be less than 10 per cent real fruit juice, the rest is sugar, water and flavourings.
Look out for '100 per cent fruit juice' on the label. This means it contains no added sugar, but you should still be aware of the natural sugars found in fruit, so don't go overboard.
Parton advises: 'Fruit juice can have added sugar, so always go for the sugar-free variety and look for the words "pure fruit" rather than "drink", which tends to mean that it has added sugar. You need to be careful if you're diabetic (one glass a day only).'
'Fruit smoothies are a good way of getting people who dislike fruit used to the flavours. These haven't had the pulp - a rich source of fibre - removed, which juice has.'
In the same way, fruit yoghurts contain little in the way of real fruit pieces.
Parton says: 'There is such an array of yoghurts around and many are made with full-fat milk. Greek yoghurt is like eating single cream.'
Canned soups
Canned soups are packed full of salt and are high in fat, especially the creamy and cheesy varieties.
Just one cup of soup can contain a third of your recommended daily salt allowance. Even supposedly low-salt canned soup contains a substantial amount of salt.
Parton says: 'Be careful with salt content. Homemade soups are so easy to make. The trick is equal quantities of vegetables. Add celeriac root and cauliflower mix to make a vegetable soup really creamy. Just liquidise and enjoy!'
Healthy foods are on the up
It's not all doom and gloom though. Ranges like The Food Doctor have created healthy sandwiches (available in Boots stores), salads (available in Boots stores) and ready meals (available in Waitrose stories) which are low in fat and salt.
There are also Food Doctor yoghurts available, which have none of the sugar or preservatives of regular yoghurts and are also packed full of Omega-3. Another good range to look out for is Fresh! Naturally Organic.
A number of supermarket chains, like Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer, are now listening to customer demand and moving towards providing healthier foods by removing hydrogenated vegetable oils and lowering salt levels in their own brand ranges. The message seems to be 'it pays to read the packaging'.
Anna Parton is a BSc RD (HPC Registered) Specialist Dietician. You can find Anna and other registered dieticians in your area at www.dietitiansunlimited.co.uk
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