20 ‘Healthy’ Foods That Can Actually Make You Fat

Salads are normally a go-to diet food, and for good reason: all those veggies are great for filling you up and keeping you healthy without a bunch of extra calories. But that's only if you do salads the right way. Too many add-ons, like meat, cheese, sour cream, and fatty or sugary dressings, can end up making your "healthy" lunch more fattening than a cheeseburger!

Whole wheat bread is good for you, and when consumed in moderation, it can help you drop pounds. The problem is that many kinds of whole wheat bread you pull off the shelves aren't made with 100 percent whole wheat, instead created with processed grains and caramel coloring. Make sure your bread is made from 100 percent whole grains, which are good for your heart, full of nutrients, and can help keep you full.

Although yogurt is full of calcium and protein, its benefits are often negated by the amount of sugar that gets put into it. Buy your yogurt unsweetened and mix honey into it to get the best out of your dairy snack without tipping the scales.

Fish? Healthy. Vegetables? Also healthy. Mayonnaise and cream cheese and lots and lots of rice? Not so healthy. Simple sushi rolls are pretty good for you in moderation, but when you have your order tempura'd and filled with lots of fattening add-ons, they stop being good for you.

Avocados are full of healthy fats and plenty of nutrients. But a whole fruit can have up to 300 calories! Don't eat too much if you want to reap the benefits of your guacamole without all the setbacks.

If your go-to breakfast is instant oatmeal, you might be starting your day off on the wrong foot. Many of the varieties of oatmeal that come pre-packaged in little paper bags are sugar bombs and will cause you to pack on the pounds. Steel-cut oats are the best option for anyone hoping to lower their cholesterol and their weight through healthy breakfast choices.

Homemade smoothie with fresh fruit, vegetables, honey, and unsweetened yogurt? Good. Ultra-sweet store-bought smoothie with who-knows-what inside? Bad. Smoothies can either be a super source of nutrients or a super source of sugar and fat, so make sure you choose your breakfast drink wisely.

Like its colder, sweeter cousin the smoothie, soup is a tasty way to get your vitamins and minerals in liquid form. If you prefer to buy your soup ready-made, though, take care; many varieties that come in a can are laden with sodium and saturated fat, which do your body more harm than good. Read the ingredient label carefully (or better yet, make your own soup at home), and avoid anything with a cream base if you want to lose weight.

When you stick with the basics, omelettes can be a great way to start the day. The trouble comes in when you start adding fatty meats, cheeses, and sauces to your meal. Stick with eggs, veggies, and a little bit of cheese to have an eggcellent morning.

Wraps have been hailed as a healthy alternative to sandwiches, but don't let them fool you: that tortilla can pack a lot of calories. If you absolutely can't forgo your flour tortilla, skip the fatty condiments and meats to save your waistline.

Seeds and nuts are frequently touted as a healthy, filling snack, and rightfully so. However, they also contain lots of calories and fat, which can add up over time and wreak havoc on your diet. One handful a day is enough to get the benefits without all the detriments.

The fact that these are marketed as health foods is, quite frankly, a disgrace. Many granola bars are packed with just as much sugar, fat, and calories as your average candy bar. If you love these too much to give them up entirely, read the ingredient labels and buy only those that are low in sugar.

Like many of the entries on this list, veggie burgers can be healthy if they're made the right way. The problem, of course, is that many of them aren't. They're often fried in oil and smothered in condiments that are loaded with sugar and fat. Preparing your own veggie burgers is the easiest way to ensure that they're made as healthy as possible.

Sorry, fellow juice lovers, that cup of OJ in the morning isn't doing your diet any favors. Most fruit juices you buy at the supermarket have added sugars, and even if they don't, they still pack all the natural sugar of a lot of fruit without all the fiber you get from eating the real thing.

Today's cereals are at least fortified with vitamins and minerals, but that doesn't excuse all the sugar you can also find in them. Children's breakfast cereals are the main culprits, but you should also read the nutrition labels on the "adult" cereals, too.

Yes, you should be eating a few servings of fruit every day. But eating too much can cause your pants to get a little too tight. In addition to lots of nutrients, fruit also contains (yep, you guessed it) lots of sugar. It's far from the worst thing you can snack on, but veggies are a better choice if you're trying to keep pounds off.

It's made from apples, so how bad can it be, right? The answer: pretty darn bad. Most commercial apple sauces have lots of extra sugar added in, without all the nutritional benefits you get from eating the skin of the apple. If you can't live without this snack, make your own from fresh apples and taste the difference.

This "miracle oil" has certainly earned its reputation as a superfood, but while you shouldn't feel shy about lathering it all over your skin, hair, and life, you should exercise caution when putting it in your food. This oil is a great substitute for a lot of other, less healthy foods, but it's still extremely high in fat. Too much of it could lead to you loosening your belt by a few notches!

Just like its parent, the peanut, this nut butter is a great source of protein and energy. It's also a great source of fat and calories, though, and many of us eat way too much of it in one sitting. A single tablespoon contains about 200 calories (and possibly a good bit of sugar if it's store-bought), so consume your PB responsibly.

Too much fat (like too much anything) isn't good for you, but a moderate amount can help your food taste better, aid in the absorption of nutrients, and keep you feeling full. When snack food companies take the fat out of their products, they don't taste nearly as good as they did before. To make their foods tastier, they often add more sugar and salt to them, both of which are way worse for your health and your weight loss goals than the amount of fat that was removed. Stick with full-fat versions of your favorite treats when you need to have them, and the scale will thank you.

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