Spring Clean Your Diet

Weed out these five potential fat traps to keep your healthy diet goals on track.

- Rea Frey

IT’S SPRING, WHICH MEANS time for cleaning, tossing, and storing. Another area to tackle on your to-do list: your kitchen. Even if you’re into eating clean, there may be some unexpected diet saboteurs getting in the way of your fitness and health. Here, a few foods in most typical pantries that may be tripping up your better-body goals.

1 THE TRAP

NATURAL SWEETENERS

You already know to steer clear of the white granulated stuff. But even other so-called healthy or natural sweeteners such as honey, agave, Sucanat, or maple syrup have their dietary dangers. “High levels of excess sugar in your blood can result in elevated triglycerides, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease”, says Mary Jane Detroyer, RDN, a New York–based nutritionist. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 6 teaspoons, or 100 calories, of total added sugar daily. And beware of the sugars you may not see. Flavoured yoghurts and fermented dairy drinks, for example, can have more than 25 grams of extra sugar per serving. Spaghetti sauce, salad dressings, cereals, and even protein bars are all also often laden with sugar, so check labels and stick to whole foods when possible.

2 THE TRAP

DAIRY