Misinformation about food? No....

There is a lot of hype and misinformation surrounding nutrition.

The goal of todays post is to uncover just some of the hype that surrounds certain foods. Here is a list of the 7 most overrated foods (and drinks). Hype, marketing, and slick advertising work wonders to line the pockets of these companies. But we're not letting them get away with it anymore! RIGHT?!

Breakfast cereal: Surprised? Of course breakfast is important - please don't mistake me for saying it's not. But most breakfast cereals are nothing more than well marketed, fortified junk carbohydrates (Fruity Pebbles,anyone?). Oatmeal, oat bran, Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, and a few others are all great - and notice on their labels, there are less than 3 ingredients in each. They also don't have cartoons on their packaging (a tell tale sign that it's junk). Or try an egg omelette with loads of mixed veggies and some fresh fruit for another option.

Xango Juice (from the Mangosteen fruit): Mangosteen is a tropical fruit. Mangosteen juice is becoming a popular healthful and "medicinal" drink. Here are just a few claims from the website -- sustains a healthy cardiovascular system, supports cartilage and joint function, supports the immune system, promotes a healthy seasonal respiratory system, maintains intestinal health, and neutralizes free radicals--to name a few.

Wow, surprising they didn't throw cancer, AIDS, and polio in there too. None of these claims have any supportive research behind them (research is not the same as a testimonial from a person).

Like all fruits, this fruit surely has some healthy properties. But at $37.50/bottle, which would last around 5-26 days depending on the dosing structure recommended for your ailment, spending that much money on whole fruits and vegetables would surely do a lot more to boost your health! Leave this multi level marketing product with the salesman!

Mona Vie (from the Acai fruit): I know I'm picking on fruit juices, let's throw this one in the mix. You can pretty much cut and copy from above; expensive, overhyped fruit juice. Eat whole fruits and vegetables -- lots of them, and you'll improve your health. Don't hope for a magic bullet by drinking juice.

Sugar in the Raw: Has any sugar or sweetener ever been healthy? Well, some believe when it says "organic, raw, natural, etc" than it is. Case in point-Sugar In The Raw.

Listen to this fantastic description from the website: "natural cane turbinado sugar is grown and cut exclusively on a 37,000 acre plantation in central Maui, Hawaii. There, nature's own sweetener is gently converted into the natural crystals that make Sugar In The Raw. The secret lies in the fact that Sugar In The Raw is never bleached or over processed..." Fortunately there aren't nutrition claims on their site, but I have heard and talked to many who believe this is a much more nutritious product than any other form of sugar. Nope, sorry -- and either are the 10 other names for sugar (there's likely more, but I'm aware of at least 10).

Rice cakes: I like food with nutrients, not taste free, air puffs that people mistake for a quality "diet food," but really do nothing to fill you up! :-)

Here's a better snack -- an apple with 1 oz of cheddar cheese, natural peanut butter on a banana, raw mixed nuts, veggies and humus, etc.

Vitamin Water: Eat your vitamins, don't drink them. And when I say eat your vitamins, that means through whole foods sources (high quality grains, fruits, veggies, healthy fat, and lean proteins).

Vitamin water is very well marketed. Try regular water and squeeze some citrus into it if you're looking for a little added flavor.

Naked Juice: (get your head out of the gutter!) Can you tell that I am not a fan of juices in general. The packaging is great here, but with some of their products packing a whopping 500+ calories per bottle (there are at least 2 servings per bottle, I don't know anyone who actually breaks them up into 2 or more servings), you're getting a heck of a lot of sugar, some sprinkling of fruit juices, and nothing in the way of fiber.

Although they list about 8 fruits on the sides of these bottles, that's a lot different than actually eating 8 whole fruits! Again, ideally eat your nutrients instead of drinking them!

There you have it. The moral of the story is stick to the basics. In the comming weeks I'll provide some actual tips and strategies to make the absolute best decisions when deciding what to eat.

Til next time...