There are many different dishes and foods out there that claim to be good for you. Some don’t claim that they’re good for you, but somehow they get the reputation that they are, like turkey burgers for instance. With the eat better and get into shape craze going on all over the place, I thought it would be a good idea to expose some common foods that you might order or buy that you thought were healthy alternatives.

Lets start with Turkey Burgers. A lot of people have switched to turkey burgers instead of a regular beef hamburger. They think this is a healthy alternative and much better for them then regular hamburgers. Well, not so fast, it turns out that a turkey burger can contain about as much fat and calories as a regular burger. It clocks in at 850 calories and 50 grams of fat! Now, that is assuming that you use the same toppings that you would for a regular burger. I don’t know about you but that doesn’t sound too healthy to me. It is a lot of calories, almost half of your daily recommendation and that isn’t even bringing into account that you are probably going to eat something else with that turkey burger. Don’t be fooled avoid the turkey burger.

Next is the Chicken Caesar Salad. This is something that we all have ordered before at a restaurant thinking that we are making a solid healthy choice. We figure just go with a chicken Caesar salad and skip that big, fating entree. Well if you do decide to order a full Chicken Caesar Salad and not just a small side, it contains 900 calories and 60 grams of fat! Who knew that salad could pack so much punch?

The problem with this salad is all the fat in the dressing and the fat in the Parmesan cheese and croûtons. Even if you just get it as a small appetizer before your main dish it can carry 500 calories. So stick with fat free dressings and try to avoid the cheese on your salads.

How ’bout a smoothie from your favorite restaurant or store? Unless it is 100% fruit, you aren’t doing yourself much of a favor. Those smoothies that you can buy at the local grocery store or restaurants contain roughly 600 calories and 120 grams of fat! The issue here is that many mass-produced smoothies contain high fructose corn syrup and added sugars, not to mention some are even made with sherbet and ice cream!

Make your own smoothie and go with 100% fruit and plain non-fat yogurt. This will give you all sorts of antioxidants and nutrients that you need without all that added sugar and fat.

Last, but not least is the fish sandwich. Fish is known for being very good for you. It has all sorts of nutrients and healthy fat, but when you batter it, fry it, or soak it in tartar sauce, it becomes an unhealthy dinner choice. Your typical battered fish sandwich contains 600 calories and 30 grams of fat! So, when you’re in the mood for fish, try to avoid the battered sandwich and go with a fresh grilled piece! Mmmm, lemon zesty butter!

Food is something we all enjoy and eating right and knowing what exactly we’re putting into our bodies is something we should take an interest in. So read up and don’t be fooled by assuming something is healthy when in all reality it simply isn’t! Do your homework, and always fact check my friends.