Protein bars
The premise is solid – get a quick snack that’s packed with nutrients at the same time. But the truth of the matter is that most protein bars are packed with sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Still not convinced? Turn that sucker over and just see if sugar (or cane juice, honey, corn syrup, etc.) isn’t the first ingredient. There are some non offenders, like raw protein bars, but those are much fewer and farther between. Just grab some raw nuts and seeds instead – you’ll be much better off.

Sports drinks
Again, a convincing idea – you’ve just worked out and need to replace everything you lost: water and electrolytes (lost via sweat), along with sugar (because you need energy after that bun-buster). But sports drinks like Gatorade were really designed with pro athletes in mind, who have work-out routines that are a bit more intense than the average Joe’s. You don’t actually need to replenish electrolytes unless you’ve been working out with Rocky’s trainer, and you don’t need more electrolytes unless you’re recreating Michael Jordan’s flu game. Just drink water.

Dried fruit
Real dehydrated fruit is OK, but it still doesn’t give you the hydrating effect that fresh fruit does. But this isn’t the worst part when it comes to discussing dried fruit. Most of what claims to be dried fruit slices is actually loaded with sugar to enhance the taste, and doesn’t fill you up nearly as fast as regular fruit (in part due to the lack of water), so you end up eating way more than the allotted portions. They pack tons of calories and are usually glazed with oil to make them look more appealing.

Granola
Granola, along with many breakfast cereals, tries to market itself as a healthy option to start your day. Unfortunately, most granola brands are guilty of serious mismarketing. Just look at the back – the calorie count is usually for some ridiculous amount, like a quarter cup (who has ever eaten just a quarter cup of granola?), and is packed with sugar, salt, and fat. If you’re able, try making your own (more natural version) instead!

Fruit juice
What was said for dried fruit slices stays pretty true here as well. Fruit juice is often packed with preservatives and excessive amounts of sugar, as well as artificial flavor instead of actual fruits. Plus, juicing the fruit minimizes the effects of the vitamins they provide and destroys the fiber content. Not to mention the fact that it’s much easier to down an entire jug of orange juice (which has more vitamins than you could ever hope to absorb and enough sugar to send you into diabetic shock) than to eat a dozen oranges.

Margarine
If you can’t believe it’s not butter, it’s because it’s made with harmful ingredients that can increase your risk of heart attacks, load you up with unhealthy fats, and take the notion of processed foods to a whole new level. Margarine is marketed as the “healthy” alternative to butter, but grass-fed butter is actually a much better choice – it’s a prime source of healthy fatty acids that have been proven beneficial. Margarine only does the opposite.

Whole wheat
Just to be clear off the bat – this in no way means you should go back to buying Wonder bread. That is hardly bread, and will take five to six years off your life. But beware of brands that market themselves as healthy because they are made with whole wheat. Even though whole wheat is better than refined wheat, it still adds to our already gluten-heavy diets, and can cause digestive problems. Also, a lot of people are allergic or extremely sensitive to gluten, even if they haven’t quite realized it yet.

Yogurt
Again, it seems necessary to lead with a warning. There are good types of yogurt packed with calcium, potassium, vitamin, D, healthy cultures, and probiotics. But many brands, especially the flavored ones, have just as much (if not more) sugar or high fructose corn syrup – meaning you might as well trade in that cup of yogurt for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s for all the good it’s doing you. Stick with plain, especially plain Greek – which is less processed.

Agave Nectar
Sugar is bad for you, and you’ve known that since your parents put the cookie jar out of your reach at age 6. But even brands that have tried to create sugar-free options have fallen short of the mark, and those that use agave nectar are some of the worst offenders. It’s a sweetener with a low glycemic index, but is still packed with more fructose than regular sugar – the fructose content of Agave can be up to 90 percent, while most other sugars are 50 percent or so.

100-Calorie snacks
It’s got the calorie count listed right on the side, so how bad could it be? While they do enforce portion control, the problem with 100-Calorie snacks is that they contain an empty 100 calories, meaning you’re just going to be more hungry when you finish. All you’ve done is put unnecessary sugar, salt, and carbs into your body, and most likely spent another $10 on more food because everyone knows those tiny packages aren’t going to do anything towards filling you up.