Your Guide to Spotting Fake “Healthy” Foods
Think that protein bar, Greek yogurt, or almond milk is healthy? Think again. Here's how to read a food label.
There’s a lot of noise in the wellness space (more on this here) — and even more products claiming to be “better for you.”
Snacks, bars, powders, condiments, and pantry staples are often marketed as low-fat, high-protein, low-sugar, all-natural, keto, paleo, or plant-based — making you think they’re healthy… when in reality, many are anything but.
Welcome to our multi-part series breaking down some of the most popular so-called “health foods”—why they’re not actually healthy, and what to buy instead.
Each week, we’ll spotlight a different category that often hides behind health claims and clean branding, but doesn’t always support your body the way you think it does.
Here’s what’s coming up:
📍 This week: How to read a food label and spot fake “healthy” foods
🥛 Next up: Dairy & dairy-free products
🥗 Then: Salad dressings & condiments
🍿 After that: Snack foods like granola, nut butter & popcorn
💪 And finally: Protein powders & bars
Each Wellness Guide will uncover hidden ingredients, explain why certain products may be doing more harm than good, and give you simple, feel-good swaps that actually support your health goals.
Let’s cut through the wellness noise together.
“I feel like I’m doing everything right… but I still don’t feel good.”
I hear this all the time.
You might think you're eating:
🥩 “So much protein”
🥗 “Mostly whole foods”
🚫 “Low sugar”
🌱 “Plant-based”
🥛 “Dairy-free”
🍞 “Gluten-free”
Eating tons of protein from processed bars or low-quality protein powders? That might be making you feel worse than eating less protein from real, whole-food sources.
Going “low sugar” by swapping in artificial sweeteners? Those “healthy” snacks and desserts can still spike cravings, irritate your gut, and lead to inflammation.
Cutting out dairy to reduce inflammation — but drinking almond milk filled with seed oils, gums, and additives? That swap might be increasing inflammation instead of lowering it.
So what’s the fix? Eat real food.
🛒 Skip the flashy packaging. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.
You’ll find single-ingredient, nutrient-dense foods like: chicken, sweet potatoes, eggs, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and berries.
📦 If you’re buying something in a package, flip it over.
Ask yourself: Can I shop for every ingredient on this list?
If not — or if you wouldn’t want to eat those ingredients on their own — don’t buy the product.
Real food doesn’t need a marketing label.
If a package is loudly advertising its benefits — “low carb,” “high protein,” “immune boosting,” “all natural,” “keto-friendly” — it’s often a red flag, not a green light.
The healthiest foods don’t scream for your attention. They are the attention.
Think: wild salmon, blueberries, avocados, eggs, sweet potatoes, leafy greens.
You won’t see a label on a head of broccoli bragging about fiber content. Or a bag of raw almonds telling you they’re gluten-free.
Real, whole foods don’t need flashy claims because their benefits are built-in.
✨ Rule of thumb: The more a product tries to convince you it’s healthy… the more likely it’s not.
Eat food that’s grown, not engineered. Choose ingredients, not inventions.
If it comes from the earth, you’re good to go.
If it’s made in a lab, leave it on the shelf.
Here’s an example….
We might look at Almond Breeze almond milk and think it’s a great dairy-free alternative—plus, it’s unsweetened. But we can’t stop at the marketing on the front of the package.
When you turn it over and read the ingredients you’ll find…
🚫 Many of the ingredients aren’t real whole foods and may be harmful or contain unnecessary additives:
🔍 Almond Breeze Ingredient Breakdown & LFG Gut Check
Calcium Carbonate – A synthetic form of calcium commonly added to fortify non-dairy milks. While it technically boosts calcium content, it’s not easily absorbed by the body and may cause digestive discomfort, bloating, or gas.
Natural Flavors – This is a catch-all term that can mask dozens of highly processed additives, including solvents, preservatives, and chemical compounds. Even though they’re “derived from natural sources,” there’s no transparency about what you’re actually consuming—and they offer zero nutritional benefit.
Potassium Citrate – A synthetic preservative and acidity regulator used to extend shelf life and balance pH.
Sunflower Lecithin – An emulsifier used to keep ingredients from separating. It’s derived from sunflower seeds but goes through heavy processing.
Gellan Gum – A lab-made texturizer created through bacterial fermentation. Used to give plant-based milks their creamy texture, but it has no nutritional value and may disrupt gut health.
Vitamin A Palmitate – A synthetic version of vitamin A.
Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) – A synthetic form of vitamin D, often used in plant-based products.
D-Alpha-Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E) – While labeled “natural,” this is an isolated form of vitamin E, usually extracted and processed from vegetable oils.
That’s eight ingredients we couldn’t go shop for at the grocery store.
That’s eight things that aren’t real whole foods.
💡 Bottom Line:
These ingredients might seem harmless but they’re lab-engineered, nutritionally incomplete, and often added to improve shelf life or texture, not your health.
For truly nourishing options, choose products with short, simple ingredient lists made from real, whole foods your body recognizes.
So we’re trying to be healthy… but we’re still not feeling better.
You swap your milk for almond milk, thinking it’s a healthier choice—but the bloat doesn’t go away, your skin’s still breaking out, and your energy’s nowhere to be found.
That’s because that “healthy” almond milk often comes with a side of synthetic ingredients that can quietly disrupt your gut, hormones, and overall state of health.
If we know how to shop for whole food–based products, we can still enjoy our nut milk and other packaged goods without putting processed, lab-made ingredients in our bodies—and we can actually feel good.
That’s what we’re going to dive into over the next four Wellness Guides.
So what is a cleaner swap for nut milk?
Malk🥛✨keeps it simple—with just four clean ingredients:
Water💧
Almonds 🌰
Organic vanilla extract 🌿
Pink sea salt 🧂
No additives. No gums. No preservatives. No mystery ingredients. Nothing made in the lab.
Now let’s do the LFG Gut Check → You could go grab all four ingredients in the Malk almond milk at the grocery store ✅
This is what a true whole food–based product looks like—one that actually supports how you want to feel.
Not inflamed and fatigued, but energized, glowing, and vibrant.
For the next four Wednesdays, we’re breaking down foods that look healthy—but really aren’t.
We’re uncovering the products hiding behind health claims and clean packaging… and showing you what to choose instead for real, feel-good nourishment.
Start making these simple swaps and feel the difference: more energy, less bloat, reduced inflammation, and way more clarity⚡️
If you’ve ever felt like you're running in quicksand—trying to get healthy, choosing the “better” products, but still feeling the same (or even worse)—you’re not alone. '
We’re here to help you get unstuck and finally on the path to feeling incredible.
It all starts with what you put on your fork. 🍴
We’re kicking it off with dairy & dairy-free alternatives—decoding the fancy marketing labels and showing you exactly what to buy instead.
Quick reminder- This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. I’m simply sharing my personal experience—please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or wellness routine ❤️
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