7. Breakfast bars
If ever there was a food that’s been more marketed as a healthy option when actually it’s not, then we’d be hard pushed to find one over breakfast bars. Often sold as options for athletes and those who exercise regularly and don’t have time to make a bowl of granola or muesli, breakfast bars need to be treated with caution.
This is because they’re often far from the substitute for a healthy cereal that they claim to be. So our advice is definitely to read the label. Like many of the cereals we mentioned above, cereal bars often have high levels of added sugar, most commonly from the sugar syrups and honey used to stick everything together into a bar shape.
Plus, because they’re not consumed in a bowl with cow’s milk or a non-dairy alternative such as soya or almond milk, they lack protein too. Protein keeps us fuller for longer, so consuming one of these bars as your breakfast will probably mean that your belly rumbles a short time later.
So opt for those that have lower sugar levels, no added sugars and have an added protein source such as peanut butter. Or consume a healthier version of them with a glass of milk.