In a world where the focus has shifted to conscious eating, several fitness enthusiasts and wellness advocates have been swapping their usual comfort foods for healthier alternatives. Normal chips are discarded for brown chips, sugar-free biscuits have become the norm every morning, and sugar is replaced by ‘zero-calorie sweeteners’ or jaggery. But are these foods really as healthy as the packaging claims them to be, or is it just a marketing gimmick? Recently, Mumbai nutritionist Sanya Wadhera has shared her two cents on the topic.

Sanya Wadhera’s X-post highlights an important aspect of diet-friendly foods, which may be doing you more harm than good. As per the nutritionist, Indian households often remain under the false belief that they have decoded healthy eating by replacing sugar with jaggery in tea or coffee, using olive oil in every dish, eating digestive biscuits with hot beverages, having a bowl of oats for breakfast and protein cookies for snacks. But the reality is quite different.

Sugar

As per Sanya Wadhera, swapping sugar for jaggery may feel like a healthier option, but nutritionally, the difference is minimal when it comes to calories. The body processes both ingredients similarly and their impact on weight and blood sugar levels remains largely unchanged.

Olive oil

Olive oil is often regarded as a ‘healthy fat,’ but its benefits decrease when you pour three to four tablespoons for cooking every day. Unregulated use of olive oil can add hundreds of excess calories each day. Even the healthiest oils, when consumed in excess, can be detrimental to your overall wellness

Digestive biscuits

Digestive biscuits are typically paired with tea, with many assuming that they are nutritious. But a glance at the ingredient list at the back of the packaging often reveals that the biscuits are loaded with sugar, refined flour, and palm oil. The branding may suggest health benefits, but the nutritional profile tells a different story.

Oats

A simple bowl of oats may seem like the perfect start to the morning, but it is infused with too many carbohydrates. Without protein, oats fail to keep your hunger at bay for long. This is why many people find themselves reaching for tea and snacks by mid-morning to satiate their sudden cravings.

Protein cookies

Protein cookies come with nothing but a small amount of protein and a high calorie count, with several processed ingredients. They offer more marketing than nutrition. What appears to be a fitness-friendly choice is, in reality, more like a dessert in disguise.

In conclusion, Sanya Wadhera warns against swapping products and instead suggests paying attention to what you put on your plate. She recommends not adding or eating anything in excess, be it sugar or oil, as the problem lies in quantity.