The supermarket aisles are full of food pretending to be healthier than it is.
Bright green packaging, words like “natural” and “high protein” splashed across the front, and reassuring images of fresh fruit and veggies, and suddenly even a 400-calorie snack feels like a smart choice. It’s a marketing trick known as the “health halo,” and it catches almost all of us out at some point. Here are seven of the worst offenders, what’s actually going on with them, and what to reach for instead if you genuinely want to make a healthier choice.
1. Supermarket smoothies
A grab-and-go smoothie feels like a quick way to tick off your five-a-day, but the truth is that bottled smoothies are often a concentrated hit of sugar. When fruit is blended and bottled, its natural fibre structure gets broken down, turning the natural sugars into what nutritionists call “free sugars,” the kind you’re meant to limit.
Some shop-bought smoothies pack in 30g of sugar per 250ml bottle, which is nearly as much as a can of fizzy pop and your entire recommended daily sugar limit in one go. If you can’t give up smoothies, look for ones with added vegetables, oats, or seeds to balance out the sugar, and stick to smaller portions. Eating whole fruit is far better whenever you can, since you get the fibre, the chewing time and the proper feeling of fullness.
2. Fruit yoghurts
A fruit yoghurt sounds like a wholesome snack, and plain yoghurt with real fruit genuinely is. The problem is that most supermarket fruit yoghurts contain compote, jam, or purée rather than actual whole fruit, and they’re often loaded with added sugar to make them taste more indulgent. Low-fat versions are often the worst offenders, since manufacturers add extra sugar and starches to make up for the missing creamy texture.
Swap them for plain or Greek natural yoghurt and add your own fresh fruit on top. You’ll get all the calcium and protein, plus the fibre from the real fruit, and far less added sugar. A handful of berries, a slice of banana or some chopped peach transforms a plain pot into something that feels genuinely indulgent without the marketing trickery.
3. Protein bars
Protein bars are marketed as gym fuel and convenient snacks, but nutritionally many of them sit closer to chocolate bars than health food. Some popular brands contain as many calories as a regular chocolate bar, and the protein inside often comes from highly processed soy or whey isolates rather than whole food sources. The wackier flavours, like cookie dough or caramel waffle, are heavily flavoured to taste like dessert.
Many protein bars also use sugar alcohols like maltitol to keep the calorie count lower, which can cause bloating, wind and digestive discomfort in plenty of people. If you really need a protein boost, get it from natural sources where you can, like eggs, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, beans, or a simple high-quality protein powder with minimal added ingredients. Whole food protein keeps you fuller for longer and doesn’t come with a long list of additives.
4. Vegetable crisps
Crisps made from beetroot, parsnip, sweet potato or kale look like they should be healthier than regular crisps. After all, they’re made from vegetables, not boring old potatoes. The reality is that they’re still deep-fried or baked in oil to get that crunchy texture, and some vegetables actually absorb more oil than potatoes, which can mean even higher fat and salt levels than standard crisps.
The “veg” branding is doing a lot of heavy lifting on the packaging. They’re not a substitute for actually eating vegetables, and they’re best treated as the occasional treat rather than a daily snack. For a genuinely crunchy alternative with proper nutritional benefits, try roasted chickpeas, roasted broad beans or air-popped popcorn. All three give you the satisfying crunch with far more fibre and significantly less fat.
5. Fruit juice
Like smoothies, fruit juice is often viewed as a wholesome morning drink, but it has many of the same problems. Even “100% pure” juice has had most of its fibre stripped away, which leaves you with a concentrated hit of natural sugar that hits your bloodstream quickly. That can spike your blood sugar levels, and over time, regular overconsumption has been linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The other catch is that no matter how much fruit juice or smoothie you drink, it only ever counts towards one of your five-a-day. The recommended limit is just 150ml a day, which is a small glass. If you can’t give up your morning juice, drink it with a meal to slow down the sugar absorption, stick to small glasses, and switch to whole fruit whenever you can. Flavoured water with a slice of lemon, cucumber or some fresh mint is a brilliant lower-sugar alternative.
6. Granola
Granola has built itself a virtuous reputation thanks to all those oats, nuts, and seeds. While there are some genuinely healthy granolas out there, plenty of supermarket versions are surprisingly high in sugar, calories and unhealthy fats. To get those satisfying crunchy clusters, oats are usually coated in oil and syrups like honey, maple or agave, then baked, which racks up the calorie count fast.
The other issue is portion size. The recommended serving size on most granola packets is usually around 30 to 40 grams, but most people happily pour out a bowl that’s three or four times that. Use granola as a small sprinkle on top of plain yoghurt and fruit rather than the main event. Simpler mixes with just oats, nuts, and seeds are generally a far better bet than the heavily flavoured varieties packed with chocolate chips or sugary clusters.
7. Cereal bars
Cereal bars are often marketed as “breakfast on the go,” but most of them are ultra-processed and surprisingly high in sugar. Even ones that claim to have no added sugar often sneak it in under different names like apple juice concentrate, agave syrup, maple syrup or honey. Add in puffed rice or corn, which spike your blood sugar quickly, and a chocolate or caramel coating, and you’ve essentially got a sweetie pretending to be a meal.
The other problem is that cereal bars don’t keep you full for long. Within an hour or so, you’ll be hungry again, so they’re not really a sensible breakfast replacement. If you do need the convenience of a bar, look for cold-pressed nut and oat-based versions with whole ingredients you can recognise. They tend to release energy more slowly thanks to the fibre and healthy fats, which keeps you going for longer.
How to spot the health halo trick
The most useful thing you can do at the supermarket is flip the packet over and read the ingredients list and nutrition label. If sugar appears in the top three ingredients, even disguised as syrup, concentrate, or anything ending in “-ose,” it’s a sign the snack isn’t quite as wholesome as the front of the box would have you believe. Long ingredient lists with words you don’t recognise are another giveaway.
Decent rules of thumb include looking for at least 3g of fibre per 100g of product, less than 5g of sugar per 100g where possible, and as short an ingredients list as you can manage. None of this means you can never enjoy a chocolate bar, a smoothie, or a packet of crisps. It just means knowing what you’re actually eating, rather than letting clever packaging make the decision for you. A bit of label-reading goes a long way, and your future self will thank you for the effort.
