6 things you think are healthy but really aren’t
Low-sugar booze, diet soft drinks, and exercising religiously – it all sounds healthy, but are such habits merely health deceptions?
It’s probably hard to believe, but it seems modern society is making getting – and staying – healthy, harder than ever.
It doesn’t help that littered among the “wellness” products and advice we’re bombarded with are health deceptions.
Between fad diets, superfoods, low-fat and fat-free options, no carbs or plant-based eating plans, intense or light exercise … how do we know what are health deceptions or a healthy choice?
To help you out, here are six things you may think are good for you – but that really aren’t.
1. Low-sugar booze
New research presented at this year’s International Congress on Obesity in Melbourne, and soon to be published in the Alcohol & Alcoholism journal, found that claims on packaging of alcoholic drinks labelled “low sugar” create a “health halo” effect, with consumers wrongly believing these drinks contain less alcohol than regular alcoholic drinks.
Drinkers were less likely to moderate their intake or adjust how much they ate or exercised to compensate for the additional calories, the University of Melbourne research suggests.
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2. Diet soft drinks
Think you’re doing yourself a favour by making the switch from full-sugar soft drinks to the diet variety because “they’re healthier”?
A trial published in the British Medical Journal by scientists at the French National Institute of Health says you shouldn’t assume drinks with artificial sweeteners are a safe swap.
Their 12-year study, involving 103,000 people, found artificial sweeteners were associated with increased risk of life-threatening conditions such as heart attack and stroke.
3. Vaping
You may be tempted to turn to vaping as a way to quit smoking, but both smoking and vaping have side effects and risks.
Vaping involves breathing in an aerosol that contains several chemicals, including nicotine and flavouring, through an e-cigarette or other device.
While scientists don’t fully understand the long-term health effects of vaping yet, research indicates they’re not a safe alternative to smoking.
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4. Low-fat foods
Health deceptions are packaged in many shapes and forms when it comes to low-fat foods.
Choose any aisle in your local supermarket and you’ll see shelves groaning with everything from low-fat breakfast cereals and low-fat salad dressing to low-fat desserts.
Don’t be fooled – these products may seem healthy, but processed low-fat foods are often loaded with added sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.
“People also tend to think they can eat as much as they want because there’s little or no fat,” Perth-based dietitian Rebecca Flavel says.
“For optimal health, you’re best sticking to minimally processed whole foods.”
5. Relentless exercising
In what is quite possibly welcome news, it is possible to overdo working out.
“One of the crazy things about overexercising is that your body can actually perceive exercise as increased stress not stress relief,” physiotherapist and sports science expert Melanie McAuliffe says.
“It can leave you fatigued, and even increase your heart rate when you’re resting.”
According to Melanie, another unwanted side effect of excessive exercise without a recovery period is that it may cause you to retain fat by altering sex hormones and cortisol levels.
She suggests incorporating some deep breathing and relaxation techniques into your routine so that you help, rather than harm, your fitness goals.
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6. Always ‘on’ at work
The truth is, the 24/7 job and always being “plugged in” has become pretty normal (thanks, Covid).
And while we’re all for working hard, according to a World Health Organisation study, working 55 or more hours per week is associated with some nasty health risks – including an estimated 35 per cent higher risk of a stroke and 17 per cent higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease (compared to working 35-40 hours a week).
If you spend too many hours at your job, you will have no time and energy left to take proper care of yourself.
And that is the most important thing of all!
Written by Liz McGrath.
