Food & Drink

Burgers and ice cream are healthier than you think

Don’t judge a granola bar by its wrapper.

Recent research from New York healthcare network Northwell Health found that parents often choose snacks for their kids because the packaging and associated marketing make it appear to be healthy, when the nutrition label tells a far less wholesome story.

“Food marketing can heavily influence which products parents believe to be healthy,” write the study’s authors, Northwell Health pediatrician Ruth Milanaik and Cornell University senior Sharnendra Sidhu.

It’s not just parents who get duped, says Lisa Young, an adjunct professor of nutrition at NYU Steinhardt. Adults make similarly unwise choices for themselves, grabbing a high-calorie salad for lunch or snacking on sugary “sports” bars.

“Buzzwords trick people,” Young says. “Gluten-free organic cookies are still cookies.”

To illustrate this point, we paired five seemingly healthy foods with their obviously unhealthy counterparts and found that the supposedly virtuous option often had similar — or poorer — nutrition.

“You need to learn to label-read,” says New York nutritionist Keri Gans. “Don’t assume you know the healthier choice.”

The not-so-sweet truth

Greg Comollo

Coconut has been lauded as a superfood, but “it actually has a lot of calories,” Young says. Plus, its added sugars can turn yogurt into a dessert.

Noosa Coconut Yogurt, 8-ounce container: 300 calories, 13 grams fat, 1 g fiber, 30 g sugar, 12 g protein

¹/₂ cup of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia: 260 calories, 15 g fat, less than 1 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 4 g protein

Low bars

The Hershey Company

“[Nutrition] bars are just like candy bars!” says Young. Gans adds that the protein in some sports bars may help you feel fuller longer, “but if you just want something sweet, [you] may as well save the calories.”

Clif Cool Mint Chocolate bar: 250 calories, 5 grams fat, 5 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 9 g protein

1.4-ounce York Peppermint Pattie: 140 calories, 2 ¹/₂ g fat, less than 1 g fiber, 26 g sugar, less than 1 g protein

Veggie fail

Chopt; Robert Miller

“There’s a world of quote/unquote salads out there,” says Milanaik. “They’re not all created equal.” This one has more calories and nearly as much fat as a Shake Shack burger. For a healthier bowl of greens, Gans says to stick to one indulgence per salad, tops — so, croutons or cheese or creamy dressing are OK, but not all three.

Chopt Mexican Caesar salad: 595 calories, 35 grams fat, 6 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 43 g protein

Shake Shack Single ShackBurger: 550 calories, 37 g fat, 3 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 28 g protein

A not-so-super bowl

The Little Beet; Annie Wermiel

“Everyone thinks if it comes in a bowl, it’s healthier than a sandwich. Most times, I’d choose the friggin’ sandwich — there’s only so much you can put between two pieces of bread,” says Gans.

Little Beet Yuzu Poke bowl: 860 calories, 41 grams fat, 14 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 29 g protein

Potbelly meatball sandwich on multigrain wheat bread: 673 calories, 34 g fat, 7 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 39 g protein

Snack attack

Annie Wermiel

The Planters mix has more healthy fats, but it’s still caloric “and can lead to weight gain if you don’t watch your portions,” Young says.

Peanut M&Ms, ¹/₄ cup: 220 calories, 11 grams fat, 1 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 4 g protein

Planters Nut & Chocolate Trail Mix, ¹/₄ cup: 267 calories, 13 g fat, 3 g fiber, 15 g sugar, 7 g protein