Eating right isn’t as easy as we’d like it to bad. Knowing the difference between healthy food and food that’s bad for you can be difficult. Marketing and clever labels don’t make it any easier. There are actually a lot of foods that many people think are healthy yet are really packed with sugar, fat and calories.

Reddit user Julianus2503 asked, “What do people think is healthy but really isn’t?” Many Reddit users jumped at the opportunity to vent about foods that are very unhealthy yet are commonly thought of as health foods. Sometimes you wouldn’t even realize the food was unhealthy unless you worked at the restaurant where it’s made or you very carefully study the nutrition information. 

Scroll down for 15 examples of foods that aren’t as healthy as you might think. In some cases, you really might as well order the hamburger or eat the candy bar instead of eating these foods. Hopefully this list will help you make wise decisions when you’re trying to pick healthy foods to eat.

1. Smoothies

   Reddit user 10sunshine wrote:

   Smoothies from smoothie shopsThey use sorbets, ice creams, and juices with an insane amount of sugar in them. My sister worked at a smoothie shop and people would always come in after going to the gym. It’s not what most people think it is.

2. Granola Bars

   EnterPlayerTwo shared:

   Granola Bars. The one I was eating daily had the nutritional value of a Snickers.

3. Juicing Detoxes

   NewYorkGiantsFan1 explained:

   Those stupid juicing detox programs … your body’s liver and kidney’s naturally detox your body so long as you drink plenty of water. This whole notion that you are detoxing your body with juice is asinine.

4. Salads

   Hrekires answered:

   the vast majority of salads at restaurants.a handful of lettuce buried beneath fried chicken, cheese, and ranch dressing.

5. Vitamin Water

   Jazzspasm wrote:

   Vitamin WaterIt’s stacked with ridiculous levels of sugar and no vitamins

6. Subway Sandwiches

   smilesam explained:

   Once read something like, “Subway, the only place where eating a whole loaf of bread is considered healthy.” Changed my whole outlook.

7. Dark Chocolate

   peanut_power answered:

   Dark chocolate. Candy companies like Mars have poured thousands of dollars into studies on flavonoids, which are antioxidants found in cocoa that could possibly reduce your risk of heart disease. In reality, the high sugar content found in most brands of dark chocolate far outweighs any of its benefits.

8. Anything That’s Gluten-Free

   PaintPastelPrincess shared:

   Gluten-Free snack food. A sugar-loaded cupcake is still a sugar-loaded cupcake, even if it is gluten-free. As someone with Celiac, it’s so strange that people still think everything gluten-free is healthy.

9. Cow Milk

   NotJustAmy wrote:

   Cow milk. Unless you’re a baby, you’re just getting a bunch of fat and sugar you don’t need not to mention all the hormones, and you can get calcium from lots of other foods. Drink water or one of the myriad plant-based mills instead.

10. Powerade and Gatorade

    EpicBlinkstrike187 shared:

    Powerade or Gatorade.It’s meant for athletes. Real athletes, the I just played basketball for two hours, ran 10 miles, or played a whole soccer match type of athletes. It’s horrible for you if you’re actually trying to diet. Full of sugar.

11. Chinese Food

    jormono explained:

    My mom once argued that chinese food was healthy for you because quote “have you ever seen a fat chinese person?”. We are from a rural area, I seriously question if she has seen any Asian people who weren’t working in a chinese restaurant.

12. Bagels

    Sk8rhtr answered:

    Bagels. Thought they were so healthy for the longest

13. Coconut Oil

    linzerlue wrote:

    Coconut oil. It’s almost entirely saturated fat. Its fin in moderation. Just about very other liquid plant based oil is better for you

14. Some Fruit Salads

    Another Reddit user chimed in:

    SOME fruit salads. Had one at Christmas, got the recipe and a serving had more PROCESSED sugar than a bottle of coke.

15. Organic Food

    saltyhumor explained:

    If you mixed organic butter, organic flour, organic sugar and organic eggs together, you get organic cake. But it’s still cake. Just because it’s organic doesn’t automatically make it healthy.