Granola Bars First of all, half of what we consider "granola bars" dont even contain granolabut pack in more calories than a full meal. Many granola bars are no better than candy bars, English says. "They can be very high in sugar and often leave you wanting more. If youre going to eat them, thats finebut acknowledge them for what they are: a tasty treat, not a health food. lleerogers - Getty Images
Pre-Made Energy Bites Dont get me wrong, I love a good energy bitebut, frankly, thats because I have a massive sweet tooth, and most bites give you energy because theyre loaded with ~sugar~. Before you pop your next energy bite, make sure its made mostly of nuts and seedsand sweetened with dates, says Alex Caspero , M.S., R.D., dietitian and author of The Predominantly Plant-Based Pregnancy Guide . Look out for added protein powders, flours, sugar, and artificial colors or sweeteners. (Lots of brands are loaded with sweeteners!) Alamy
Vegan or Paleo Cookies I so badly want these to be good for me, but just because something has a healthy label on it doesnt mean its actually healthy, English says. Vegan cookies are often high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, while paleo cookies may pack excessive amounts of saturated fat from eggs or butter. Getty Images
Pita Chips Okay, whole-wheat pita chips aren't all that badespecially if you pair them with a high-fiber, protein-rich food like hummus, English says. The white ones, though? Zero fiber means they do absolutely nothing to fill you up. BWFolsom - Getty Images
Store-Bought Trail Mix That tub of trail mix thats approximately 50-percent peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered almonds? Yeah, you already knew that one wasnt so hot. Thing is, even your standard mix of peanuts, raisins, almonds, and M&Ms still racks up an alarming amount of sugarand, according to English, is closer to candy than a nutritious snack. brianbalster - Getty Images
Salted or Flavored Nuts While were on the topic of nutsbeware the salted or flavored stuff. Sweet-seasoned nuts (oh hey, honey-roasted peanuts) can contain surprising amounts of sugar, while savory flavors are often heavy on the sodium, according to English. AlasdairJames - Getty Images
Chocolate- or Yogurt-Covered Nuts Candy-coated nuts seem like theyre practically health food (ya know, nuts have protein!)but even if your almonds are coated in Greek yogurt or dark chocolate, they still likely pack added sugar. Yep, just another case of candy in disguise. Sezeryadigar - Getty Images
Protein Bars Like many granola bars, lots of protein bars also go heavy on the sugar, hiding behind claims that they help you build muscle. If they dont have a high sugar count, look out for artificial sweeteners. Sohadiszno - Getty Images
Gluten-Free Pretzels The fact that a pretzel doesnt contain gluten doesnt say much about what it does containwhich, typically, isnt anything impressive. According to English, most gluten-free pretzels are made from nutrient-poor, low-fiber starches like cassava flour, rice flour, or tapioca flour. Getty Images
Fat-Free Cheese Sticks One of Englishs must-haves for a healthy snack: fiberand cheese sticks just dont make the cut. Plus, she recommends sticking to plant-based snacks, anyway. threeart - Getty Images
Granola Noticing the trend that literally everything in the snack aisle is loaded with added sugar? Granola is no exception, with some brands sneaking in 11-plus grams of the sweetness. Claudia Totir - Getty Images
Multi-Grain Chips Dont let their earthy appearance fool you: Multi-grain chips are often still mainly made of refined carbohydrates and lack fiber, English says. They dont fill you up as much, so you may end up overeating. Juanmonino - Getty Images
Microwavable Popcorn Popcorn can be a totally healthy snack, but many microwavable bags still contain harmful trans fats, says Bonnie Taub-Dix , RDN, dietitian and author of Read It Before You Eat It . If you see the words "hydrogenated" or "partially-hydrogenated" in the ingredients list, beware. Creative Crop - Getty Images
Dried Fruit Another potentially A-okay pick, but the trouble with dried fruit is moderation. Because its not as satiating as fresh fruit, dried fruit is easy to overeat, English says. Getty Images
Store-Bought Juices The key difference between fruit and veggie juices and actual whole fruits and veggies? A little thing called fiber that you dont want to miss out on, English says. herreid - Getty Images
Sugar-Free Candy Just because sugar-free candy is lower in sugar than traditional candy doesn't mean it's a healthier option, Caspero says. Emerging evidence suggests certain artificial sweeteners can adversely affect gut health. Resist the "guilt-free" appeal of candies made with alternative sweeteners and just enjoy the real thing when you feel like treating yoself. Juanmonino - Getty Images
Snack Mixes Even if youre not going for cheddary, Chex-loaded mix, most packaged snack mixes are too low in fiber for one serving to be satisfying, Caspero says. Plus, lots pack excess sodium. KeeTron - Getty Images
Bottled Teas Added sugar strikes again! While unsweetened or lightly sweetened teas can healthily take the edge off, many sweetened teas might as well be soda, says Caspero. Xinzheng - Getty Images
Corn Chips Everyone may be hating on gluten these days, but low-fiber, low-protein corn chips still dont make for a satisfying snack. In fact, theyre a recipe for overeating, Caspero says. Getty Images
Sweetened Beef Jerky Protein with a side of sugar, anyone? Check out the ingredient list of most bags of beef jerky and youll find lots of added sugar from fructose to maple syrup to molasses. Some seemingly savory bites rack up close to 10 grams of sugar. Getty Images
Flavored or Chocolate Nut Butters On their own, nut butters are a great snack optionespecially when paired with a piece of fruit like an apple, pear, or banana, Caspero says. Flavored nut butters just add unnecessary sugar. Sorry, "healthy" Nutella Romulo Yanes - Getty Images
Anything In a 100-Calorie Pack Lets be real: Snacks that come in 100-calorie packs are pretty much always itty-bitty portions of super-processed eats, like mini chocolate chip cookies. They typically lack filling fiber, so youll reach for a second, says Caspero. Tetra Images - Jamie Grill - Getty Images
Plantain Chips One perk of plantain chips: Plantains contain resistant starch, which helps feed good bacteria in your gut, Caspero says. However, theyre still friedso be mindful of your serving size! Getty Images
Flavored Yogurt Though yogurt itself contains sugar naturally, most have some added sugar. "I prefer to stick to brands that contain 5g or less per serving," Caspero says. ToscaWhi - Getty Images
Wasabi Peas Anyone else obsessed with this crunchy, eye-watering snack? Just me? Though superspicy wasabi peas are hard to overeat, some brands contain added coloring, so check that ingredient list carefully, advises Caspero. Getty Images
Any Pre-Packaged Keto Snack First there was gluten-free, then there was paleo, and now theres keto. Keto doesn't usually mean healthy, and these snacks aren't ideal if you aren't in ketosis, says Caspero. ( Read up on what that means here. ) Not to mention, theyre usually super-processed and high in saturated fats. kjekol - Getty Images
Dairy-Free Yogurt Plant-based yogurt comes in clutch if you cant stomach dairybut many dont provide the protein true yogurt does, says Taub-Dix. Not to mention, lots of the flavored varieties are just as sugar-laden as their dairy-containing counterparts. vikif - Getty Images
Gluten-Free Crackers With wheat getting a lot of hate these days, even people without gluten sensitivities are opting for "better-for-you" crackers and breads. Just take a look at the nutrition facts before loading up your cart; lots of gluten-free crackers lack fiber. Goldfinch4ever - Getty Images
Flavored Popcorn Whether youre craving sweet-and-salty kettle corn or savory, cheesy kernels, look out for loads of fat, salt, and sugar in flavored popcorn, says Taub-Dix. Often, even bags labeled as "light" still qualify as a treat. OKRAD - Getty Images
Bottled Protein Shakes While smoothies you make at home can get their protein from whole foods like Greek yogurt, nut butters, and hemp hearts, bottled shakes you pick up at the store may use lower-quality protein powdersand sugary syrups, Taub-Dix says. Beware of long ingredient lists. anneleven - Getty Images
'Plant-Based Ice Cream Dairy-free pints are creamier and more crushable than everbut just because they use almond or coconut milk bases doesnt make them health foods, says Taub-Dix. They're still typically super-sugary dessertsjust super-sugary desserts that happen to be dairy-free. Wachara Kireewong / EyeEm - Getty Images
Acai Bowls Sad but true: Most of those granola- and fruit-topped acai bowls you see all over Insta? They cost ya more than 500 calories and 100-plus grams of carbs, many of which come from straight sugar. Sooo, not that far off from ice cream Mizina - Getty Images
Flavored Roasted Beans Crunchy roasted beans or chickpeas pack filling protein and fiberbut, often, theyre roasted in oil and flavored with lots of salt and sugar, says Taub-Dix. Look for a bag thats dry-roasted and low-sodium, or make your own concoctions to control the ingredients. Westend61 - Getty Images
Veggie Chips or Straws If you actually want to reap the benefits of veggies, you better stick to the produce department and not the snack aisle, says Taub-Dix. Lots of veggie chips on the market today attempt to take a healthier spin on basic fried chips, but youll need to read the labels carefully, she says. Most dont list actual vegetables until pretty far down! Getty Images
Sugar- or Fat-Free Cookies We often take the word free as free of calories to justify eating unlimited quantities of foods that have little or no nutritional value, says Taub-Dix. A cookie is a cookie, period. Getty Images
Naturally-Sweetened Fruit Snacks Those fruity gummies might say "made with real fruit and vegetable juice" on the boxbut they pretty much always still contain added sugar, too. Often, those fruits and veggies come much later in the ingredients list. deepblue4you - Getty Images
Sweet Potato Chips Like plantain chips and pure corn chips, sweet potato chips might seem better-for-you than your standard Ridgesbut theyre still fried and very easy to overeat. Getty Images
