# What foods did you once think were healthy, when they actually aren't? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435 "2006-02-07T19:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/41 "2006-02-08T13:54:11Z")
Oh, and gatorade also has sodium in it. Sodium is huge for endurance athletes. I think that they’re recognizing that hyponatremia is as bad a problem – if not worse – than dehydration. hyponatremia arises when you have sweated out a lot of salts and just replaced with water. Your cells end up too diluted, to put it simply. People have died. As a guy who regular does 4 hour bike rides in 90º weather, it’s something I’m acutely aware of. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/42 "2006-02-08T14:07:02Z")
My husband yelled a fun fact to me while I was in the tub this morning. MSNBC had a story about a study that was done on 49,000 women over eight years. They concluded that avoiding fat had little to no bearing on a woman’s long-term health. Some folks fall prey to its evils and others don’t. I have a hard time believing anything I hear about nutrition anymore. I think the biggest factor in any of it is genetics. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/43 "2006-02-08T14:24:03Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Yeah, we used to have a word for those things. We called 'em … CAKE! I was more than a little shocked to look at the label on one of those giganto-muffins. The ingredients were: **vanilla cake mix** , milk, eggs, oil, blueberries. Do not sell me a cupcake and call it a muffin! ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/44 "2006-02-08T14:51:13Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > I was more than a little shocked to look at the label on one of those giganto-muffins. The ingredients were: **vanilla cake mix** , milk, eggs, oil, blueberries. > > Do not sell me a cupcake and call it a muffin! Summadat, people just need to take responsibility for. When you buy a muffin, and it’s moist, and delicious, and sweet, and gooey, and it makes your finger tips shiny, and the wrapper is wet and clear, and it tastes and feels like there’s some magical concoction of butter and sugar and cream holding it together AND it weighs three-quarters of a pound AND it’s the size of a softball. . .well, jesus, of course it’s shitty for you. Those old bland bran muffins, smaller than my fist, that mom used to make. . .well, not so bad for you. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/45 "2006-02-08T14:52:18Z")
Baked potatoes. I used to feel so righteous because I ate my baked potatoes with only a tiny bit of butter. Now we find out they’re about as good for you as the white rice. I can still justify them if I eat the skin, though. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/46 "2006-02-08T15:34:14Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Pizza! > > It’s just bread (healthy), cheese (healthy) and tomato sauce (vegetable). What could be wrong with it? Actually, in moderation, Pizza is pretty good for you. Not when it’s loaded down with fatty meats (yum!), true. **slortar** “And water plus a multivitamin is infinitely better than both.”. No. You need calories from something, and OJ is an excellent way to get those calories as it comes with some nice vitamins & minerals. Plus also stuff you don’t usually get in a vitamin- bioflavinoids & fiber. A large glass of OJ is an excellent way to start your day. White rice or potatoes aren’t bad for you at all. True, they are mostly starches, but both contain a few V&M and a little protein. Again, you need to get calories from somewhere. Now, brown rice or Yukon Gold potatoes are much better, however. A little sugar in PNut butter isn’t harmful either. Sugar isn’t bad for you. Yogurt with sweeteners is still better than many other choices for breakfast- it has scads of calcium and it’s a good source of Probiotics (as long as it says “live culture” on the label.) ---
**Author:** ![hopesperson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@hopesperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hopesperson)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/47 "2006-02-08T15:34:54Z")
Pretty much [everything.](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/health/08fat.html?hp&ex=1139461200&en=94a8756355f69047&ei=5094&partner=homepage) Note: May require NY Times password. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/48 "2006-02-08T15:46:31Z")
My mom raised me on wheat bread (not whole grain) instead of white bread because it was healthier. Turns out, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/49 "2006-02-08T15:51:32Z")
> [@Eleanor of Aquitaine](#): > > Baked potatoes. I used to feel so righteous because I ate my baked potatoes with only a tiny bit of butter. Now we find out they’re about as good for you as the white rice. > > I can still justify them if I eat the skin, though. Actually, the skin isn’t as good for you as your mother said it was. [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_057.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_057.html) ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/50 "2006-02-08T16:08:36Z")
Filet O Fish from Macdonalds. My family use to buy this from Macdonalds as a “Healthy” alternative to the burgers. However, they never thought about the fact that the fish is fried, covered in cheese and smothered in tartar suace. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/51 "2006-02-08T16:17:06Z")
I’ve been on a diet, now, for the past several months. As such, my main meals have been: burritos, bambi chili (with chocolate - thanks, Dopers!), and pizza. (All homemade, of course.) The important thing is to moderate serving size, less than avoiding bad foods like white rice, or whatever the bad food group of the moment might be. BTW, for the one who mentioned that corn chips are better than potato chips, they are. Still not great for you, too much salt, and such, but there are a number of them made with the whole grain. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/52 "2006-02-08T16:35:31Z")
When I was in the second grade, we still used food charts that listed ice cream in the dairy section of a food group square chart. The next year, it was relegated to the top of the food pyramid. D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/53 "2006-02-08T17:24:25Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > , bambi chili (with chocolate - thanks, Dopers > > BTW, for the one who mentioned that corn chips are better than potato chips, they are. Still not great for you, too much salt, and such, but there are a number of them made with the whole grain. “Bambi chili”? 😕 Note that for \*\*MOST \*\* dudes- salt is OK. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/54 "2006-02-08T17:57:54Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “Bambi chili”? 😕 Most likely, chili made with venison (deer meat). I make lots of Bambi chili. It’s quite good. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/55 "2006-02-08T18:59:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No. You need calories from something, and OJ is an excellent way to get those calories Or you could eat real food instead of drinking sugar water. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/56 "2006-02-08T19:07:00Z")
I’m having a heckuva time convincing the Mister that Jamba Juice, while admittedly a semi-liquid, should be regarded more as a high-calorie, sweet meal replacement than a thirst-quencher. And he seems incapable of ordering a small one (where “small”=16 fluid oz.). ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/57 "2006-02-08T19:16:22Z")
> [@YaWanna](#): > > I’m having a heckuva time convincing the Mister that Jamba Juice, while admittedly a semi-liquid, should be regarded more as a high-calorie, sweet meal replacement than a thirst-quencher. And he seems incapable of ordering a small one (where “small”=16 fluid oz.). Actually, snippy nit-picking internet arguing aside :), my only real complaint about juice is that it has the sweetness and calorie load of a desert without actually filling you up. Other than that, hey, if you’ve got a handle on your weight and you like it, rock on. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2006, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/58 "2006-02-08T22:03:22Z")
Sports drinks and bars are good for you if you’re training for **performance** reasons. They are quickly absorbed by your body and help replace the calories you lost and help you rebound quicker after your workout. So if you’re training to go a certain distance or reduce your time, they’re good for that. But if you’re exercising to lose weight, they’re counterproductive. The calories they provide just replace the calories you burned off. Spend 20 minutes on the lifecycle and then down a Gatorade? Congratulations! You just replaced all the calories you burned off. Sports drinks and bars are healthy in certain situations. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/59 "2006-02-09T00:37:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “Bambi chili”? 😕 Yeah, **BiblioCat** called it. Venison chili. While I’m perfectly willing to eat beef rare, I’m less pleased by the idea of wild venison being other than well-done. So it gets stewed, in one way or another. It may be nothing more than squeemishness, or unreasoning prejudice - but it’s mine. 😉 Besides, it’s so lean that there’s not enough fat in the meat to make it tasty - to me, at least - cooked alone. (Marbling is your tastebuds friend.) ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435/60 "2006-02-09T03:04:33Z")
Eggplant. Not that it’s _un_healthy, per se, but I saw an episode of _Good Eats_ on eggplant a few weeks ago, and was shocked to find out that it’s really pretty much nutritionally devoid. Somehow I always thought they were packed with minerals. Hrmph! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-foods-did-you-once-think-were-healthy-when-they-actually-arent/343435.md?page=4)