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If something has the word “vegetable” in its name, it’s a healthy option, right? Wrong! A lot of seemingly harmless vegetable-labeled dishes are packed with sugar and calories. Next time you’re reaching for a healthy snack, be sure to check the label and avoid these six secret saboteurs.
1. Ketchup:
Even though ketchup is seemingly harmless, it’s packed with high fructose corn syrup and sugar. Next time you’re looking for something to dip into, opt for salsa, spices, or nothing.
2. Corn:
Corn actually isn’t a vegetable. It’s a grain. While corn does have its fair share of B and C vitamins, it’s also loaded with sugar. An average-sized ear can have up to 15 grams of sugar. As with most grains, corn is best enjoyed in moderation.
3. Vegetable Juice:
When trying to reach the five-a-day fruit and veggie requirements, it’s easy to reach for a can of veggie juice. When fruits and veggies are juiced, the majority of their nutrients and fiber are compromised. Veggie juice boasts a whopping two servings of veggies per serving, however, those veggies are smothered with sugar-enhanced fruit juices. As delicious and tempting as store-bought juice might be, check the label before ingesting.
4. Veggie Chips:
If you’re addicted to the crunch of potato chips but avoid ’em because of the grease and carbs, veggie chips would seem like a logical options. Unsurprisingly, most veggie chips are deep-fried and primarily made with corn and potatoes. Those rich red and green hues come from food coloring, not bell peppers and zucchini.
5. Canned Vegetable Soup:
Canned veggie soup seems like a healthy, low-cal meal option, right? Not always. They’re often laden with excessive amounts of sugar and sodium. While soup is a great option, stick to the homemade variety.
6. Vegetable Tempura:
While it seems like common sense that any veggie that’s thrown in the deep fryer should not be included in any diet regimen, many people think tempura is ok because tempura is touted as a light batter. Wrong. Tempura is loaded with sugar, oil, and cornstarch, a sure-fire way to sabotage your diet.
Edited by Jody Smith
Add a Comment56 Comments
must be an american columnist.. the plastic nation..
the article header is "Six "Vegetables" That Shouldn't Be in Your Diet"
but none of the above mentioned are even vegetables...
ketchup .. lets go pull some ketchup's outta the ground..
veggie chips ? are you shitting me ?
vegetable tempura? enough said..
who ever wrote this article is a fucken joker..
well done...
September 11, 2011 - 11:45pmThis Comment
As a chef, I have to correct your assertion that tempura is "loaded with sugar and cornstarch." The amount of cornstarch you'd ingest from a 1 1/2 cup portion of vegetable tempura is approximately 3 tablespoons, and yes, a cornstarch-based batter IS typically thinner and lighter than a flour-based batter, meaning you ingest less batter (and therefore less oil). There is no added sugar in tempura batter; if your "high sugar" claims refer to the dipping sauces that come with tempura, you could suggest options lower in sugar - like low-sodium soy sauce, or equal parts soy sauce and rice wine vinegar - instead of obtusely dismissing the whole dish. Vegetable tempura is not health food, but if you're going to eat tempura, it's an option higher in fiber and antioxidants and lower in calories than a meat option.
And anyway, thinking of food in terms of "a diet regimen" or "sabotaging your diet" is just wrong. Moderation is key. And moderation cancels the need for stupid "DON'T TOUCH" lists like this one.
September 10, 2011 - 12:26amThis Comment
What kind of veggie chips did the author eat that they were made from dyed potatoes and corn? The only ones I've had (and I've had several brands) were made from other vegetables such as squash, sweet potato, taro root etc. and any coloring came from the veggies themselves. Nothing else in them other than oil and salt. Other root vegetables often have the advantage of much more fiber than potatoes in the chips (3 times as much in the ones I've eaten). Many brands have a lot less oil also, although some don't. I've even had kale chips, generally made with high-nutrition seeds and such. - jwoolman
September 9, 2011 - 12:26amThis Comment
Horrible Article!
September 7, 2011 - 11:47pmThis Comment
What a silly list. What's wrong with eating whole foods? Your list is nothing but processed food which has little or nothing to do with real vegetables or real food.
September 6, 2011 - 10:05pmThis Comment
This article is made to elicit a response and is poorly researched. I clicked on the link to this article, curious to learn what vegetables are not actually vegetables and that I should completely avoid them from my diet. I came away with a bad feeling, that this article will be toted as a health article with good intentions, when I would argue, it is not.
September 5, 2011 - 10:50pmThis Comment
shayla bohat smart hai
September 4, 2011 - 1:26amThis Comment
None of the 6 are vegitables... would be nice to write with a little bit of research. Ketchup at the top of the list!! Get real!!
September 2, 2011 - 1:38amThis Comment
Oh the HORRORS! An ear of corn contains almost 5% of your daily allowance of sugar! Someone PLEASE think of the children!
Give me a break.
September 2, 2011 - 12:34amThis Comment
Tempura does not contain sugar, it contains rice flour, ice water and egg as a binder, with a spoonful of wheat flour sometimes being added, but not much or the batter gets too heavy.
August 31, 2011 - 1:16amI believe this article was written to elicit a response, aka "trolling" because the author gets paid by the number of hits it gets. It is not accurate,nor was it really intended to be. As long as you came here to read it, it doesn't need to be accurate- you came to the site, she wins. The use of quotation marks was intentional as was the misleading title.
JoAnn in VA, who reads labels constantly before purchasing anything.
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