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Writer's pictureAmy Neilson

"HEALTH FOOD" VS "REAL FOOD"

🥗Health Hack🥗 with @amyfitnessandnutrition


Generally, my clients aren’t lazy people who are lying on the couch all day. They are often health-conscious and pretty mindful about trying to improve their lifestyle. Unfortunately, so many of the health messages plastered across labels and fired at us through advertising these days are incredibly misleading.


Photo credit - Julie Gray Photography

Trying Hard & Going Backwards

Sometimes when we’re trying really hard to improve our health we are even more susceptible to misleading health messages because we just want that quick fix. Focusing on counting calories and packaged health foods can lead us down a dangerous rabbit hole. We think it’s Ok to eat the ‘healthy’ ice cream (with 18 ingredients) because it’s Dairy-Free – and that means it's good right?


Photo credit - Julie Gray Photography

To show you just how easily we can get it wrong, even when we’re trying our best, here is a comparison of a day of eating. List one is made up of food-like items branded as ‘health’ food and the second list is made up of more natural food (that has been grown or grazed).



Branded ‘Healthy’ Eating

Breakfast - Low Fat Berry Yoghurt, With Tinned Peaches & Honey

Snack – Low GI Museli Bar & An Apple

Lunch – Chicken & Falafel Wrap

Snack – Chick Pea Snack Pack

Dinner – Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Dessert – Dairy-Free Ice Cream


  • Sugar Total – Around 45tsp

  • Ingredient Total – 108


Photo credit - Julie Gray Photography

Real Food – Grown & Grazed

Breakfast – Spinach & Mushroom Omelette

Snack – Biltong

Lunch – Greek Salad with Chicken, Olives, Cucumber, Tomato, Feta, Olive Oil & Vinegar

Snack – Apple, Nut Butter & Cinnamon

Dinner – Hoki Fillet With Baked Capsicum, Courgette & Beetroot

Dessert – 95% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

  • Sugar Total – Around the equivalent of 5tsp (from natural sources)

  • Ingredient Total – 25


Do you read the labels on the back of the ‘health’ food you buy? Or do you buy whichever packets seem like the most helpful?


Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Sugar & Oil in a wrapper anyone?


Hopefully, some helpful food for thought and I’d love to know if this resonates with anyone.

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