Why your ‘healthy’ snack may not be healthy

Introduction: The Snack That Lies to You

You grab a protein bar after the gym. You hand your child a “digestive biscuit” because it sounds safer than regular cookies. You sip a “no added sugar” juice, convinced you’ve made the smart choice.

But here’s the truth: most “healthy” snacks in India are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They wear labels like “digestive,” “immunity-boosting,” “no added sugar,” or “low fat,” but inside the packet is the same old cocktail: refined flour, sugar, palm oil, and additives.

👉 What you think is a better choice is often just clever marketing.

 

The Big Problem: The “Health Halo” Effect

Psychologists call it the health halo. When a product has one positive-sounding label, consumers assume everything about it is healthy.

• “Digestive” → must be good for digestion.
  

• “High fiber” → must be good for weight loss.
  

• “Protein bar” → must be good for fitness.
  

• “No added sugar” → must be good for diabetics.
  
  

But the halo hides the truth: these snacks are often just as unhealthy as their “junk” cousins.

 

Example 1: Digestive Biscuits

The Ad Says: “Good for digestion. Healthier than regular biscuits.”

The Reality:

• Main ingredients: maida, palm oil, sugar, glucose syrup.
  

• Fiber content: barely 2–3%.
  

• Sugar: ~20–25 g per 100 g - as high as regular cookies.
  
  

👉 A “digestive biscuit” is just a cookie with a guilt-free name.

 

Example 2: Flavored Yogurts

The Ad Says: “Low fat, real fruit, probiotic goodness.”

The Reality:

• Fat may be low, but sugar is sky-high (18–20 g per small cup).
  

• “Fruit” is often puree or concentrate with flavoring.
  

• Many contain stabilizers, thickeners, and colors.
  
  

👉 You’re eating a dessert, not health food.

 

Example 3: Protein & Energy Bars

The Ad Says: “High protein, guilt-free snacking.”

The Reality:

• Yes, they contain whey or soy protein.
  

• But they also contain sugar, glucose syrup, chocolate coatings.
  

• Many bars have more sugar than protein.
  
  

👉 It’s a candy bar with a fitness wrapper.

 

Example 4: Breakfast Cereals

The Ad Says: “Fortified with iron and vitamins. Made with whole grain.”

The Reality:

• Sugar levels: 25-30 g per 100 g.
  

• Vitamins are sprayed on after processing.
  

• “Whole grain” may be less than 20% of the cereal.
  
  

👉 It’s closer to dessert than breakfast.

 

Example 5: “No Added Sugar” Juices

The Ad Says: “No added sugar. Made from real fruit.”

The Reality:

• Made from fruit concentrate, not whole fruit.
  

• A single glass: ~25 g sugar (like cola).
  

• Fiber? Zero.
  
  

👉 It’s just sugar water wearing a fruit badge.

 

The Hidden Ingredients You Don’t See

“Healthy” snacks often hide behind alternative names:

• Sugar = jaggery, honey, glucose syrup, fruit concentrate.
  

• Bad fats = palm oil, hydrogenated oils.
  

• Salt = sodium, monosodium glutamate, “flavor enhancers.”
  
  

If sugar or oil is in the top 3 ingredients, the snack is not healthy - no matter what the ad says.

 

Why This Should Scare You

Because these snacks don’t just fool you - they change your health in dangerous ways:

• Diabetes risk: Hidden sugars spike insulin.
  

• Obesity: “Healthy” snacks are calorie bombs in disguise.
  

• Heart disease: Palm oil and trans fats damage arteries.
  

• Gut issues: Additives disrupt digestion and immunity.
  
  

👉 You think you’re eating better. In reality, you’re eating more of the same junk.

 

The Psychological Trap

• For kids: Ads with superheroes make biscuits look like brain food.
  

• For parents: Words like “immunity” and “growth” exploit parental guilt.
  

• For adults: Fitness ads trick gym-goers into eating sugar bars.
  

• For seniors: “Digestive” labels target trust and nostalgia.
  
  

This is not just marketing. It’s manipulation of your psychology.

 

What Real Healthy Snacks Look Like

A truly healthy snack should:

• Have short, clean ingredient lists.
  

• Be high in fiber and protein.
  

• Be low in added sugar (<5 g per 100 g).
  

• Contain fats from nuts or seeds, not palm oil.
  
  

Examples:

• A banana + handful of nuts.
  

• Roasted chana.
  

• Homemade curd with fresh fruit.
  

• EPRA’s monk fruit sweetened recipes.
  
  

 

How Monk Fruit Changes the Game

Most “sugar-free” snacks in India use artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose - which come with trust issues. Others use jaggery or honey - which are still sugar bombs.

At EPRA Farms, monk fruit blends are:

• Made from real fruit extract.
  

• Zero glycemic index → safe for diabetics.
  

• No hidden syrups or concentrates.
  

• Just monk fruit + erythritol.
  

👉 Clean sweetness, no fake “health halo.”

 

FAQs

Q: Are all packaged snacks bad?

No. Some brands are transparent and clean-label. The key is flipping the pack and reading ingredients.

Q: Is jaggery better than sugar in biscuits?

Not for diabetics. It spikes blood sugar even faster.

Q: Can kids eat flavored yogurt daily?

No. The sugar load is too high. Plain curd with fruit is better.

Q: How do I know if a snack is ultra-processed?

If the ingredient list has more than 8–10 items, or lots of E-numbers, it’s ultra-processed.

 

Conclusion: Don’t Fall for the Halo

“Healthy” snacks are the most dangerous ones because they don’t look dangerous. They make you feel safe while quietly harming your health.

👉 The digestive biscuit is still a cookie.

👉 The no added sugar juice is still sugar water.

👉 The protein bar is still a candy bar.

The only way to stay safe is awareness:

• Flip the pack.
  

• Learn the aliases of sugar.
  

• Don’t trust the front label.
  
  

Because the truth is simple: if it tastes like a treat, and comes in a glossy packet, it’s probably not as healthy as you think.