Seemingly Healthy Foods That Can Make You Fat

Marinara Sauce

Though a jar of crushed tomatoes doesn’t sound unhealthy on paper, it’s what’s often mixed in that can damage your waistline. Many brand name pasta sauces are high in calories and loaded with sugar (USDA), which adds empty calories to your spaghetti dinner. The good news: There are healthy options available – just check the labels.

Macadamias
While most nuts have similar calorie counts, the same cannot be said of their fat content. Macadamias pack a whopping 962 calories per cup (USDA ). Which is okay if you have a few, but not so great if you eat an entire box of those chocolate covered ones from Hawaii.

(Farmed) Smoked Salmon

An analysis by Britain’s Sunday Times
found farmed smoked salmon from Scotland had up to four times more fat than the wild alternative. But it’s the calories – roughly 100 for just a few slices (USDA ) – that can hurt your waistline. And that’s before you cover it all in cream cheese.

Yogurt
You ever stare in wonder at the yogurt selection at your supermarket? There are myriad options available, and while some (plain, non-fat) make for a healthy snack, others (granola or fruit-filled) are often packed with over four teaspoons of sugar (USDA), which can add significant calories..

Fruit Juice

Many juices can be terrible for your waistline, despite the misconceived notion that fruit is always good for you. From OJ to blueberry smoothies to lemonade, many store bought juices contain nearly as much sugar as soda (USDA; Nutrition ). Especially bad: juice “cocktails” that substitute real juice with high-fructose corn syrup – which may contribute to obesity (NCBI ) – and artificial sweeteners.