Don’t worry, you can give these few foods a miss. – By Marygrace Taylor

If your old school friend on Facebook, your flatmate and your gym instructor are all buzzing about a miracle food, it’s got to be good, right? Sure, maybe. Or not. When it comes to health foods, the trendiness-as-truthfulness model doesn’t always apply.

Skeptical? Just look at these five popular picks. They might be flooding your Pinterest feed, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they deserve a daily spot in your diet.

1/ Gluten-free bread

If you don’t have coeliac disease and still want to give a gluten-free diet a try, fine. Though there’s no proof that it offers any benefits, plenty of people do say that it leaves them feeling better. But don’t be fooled into thinking that gluten-free bread is automatically healthier than your trusty loaf of whole wheat. Most gluten-free breads are made from refined flours and starches, and are loaded with extra fat and sugar to achieve a bread-like texture.

If you opt to eat gluten-free bread, make sure it’s made from whole grains (like brown rice or oats), is low in sugar and is high in fibre. Or, just get your carbs from unprocessed sources, like gluten-free whole grains or sweet potatoes.

2/ Kombucha

The tart, fizzy drink is credited as a cure for everything from digestive woes to joint pain to cancer. But you shouldn’t fall for the hype, because there’s virtually no evidence that kombucha can help with any of these things. And while nutritional stats differ by brand (or homemade batch), most kombuchas contain some amount of refined sugar – something none of us need more of in our diets.

What about the beneficial probiotics, you say? Yes, kombucha is a fermented food, and fermented foods promote better gut health. So sip it once in a while, if you really crave the stuff, and opt for a low-sugar variety with less than four grams per bottle. Just know that you’re better off getting the majority of your good bacteria from foods that offer other good for you stuff, like natural yoghurt, kefir, raw sauerkraut or tempeh.

3/ Green juice

Juices made with kale, spinach and other green vegetables are obviously loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. But they’re also completely devoid of fibre, and if your juice is made with lots of fruit to make it sweet, it’s also likely loaded with sugar. That’s the kind of combo that can cause your blood sugar to spike and crash, leaving you hangry within an hour or two after downing your drink.

If you want to drink your vegetables, you’re better off adding them to a smoothie. By sipping the whole vegetable – fibre and all – you’ll reap the digestion-slowing benefits. And if you don’t want to abandon your beloved green juice completely? That’s fine! Just enjoy it occasionally, and not at the expense of whole fruit and veg.

4/ Coconut oil

It’s touted as the clean, healthy lipid. But there isn’t actually much research showing that coconut oil is better for you than other types of saturated fat. (Sorry!) In fact, a recent Nutrition Reviews analysis of 21 studies concluded that swapping coconut oil for a source of unsaturated fat – like olive oil – would be more beneficial for cholesterol levels and heart health.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you need to avoid coconut oil. Just make an effort to mix things up, experts suggest. If you add coconut oil to your smoothie at breakfast, for instance, use olive oil when you roast vegetables for dinner. All things in moderation, right?

5/ Almond milk

The fact that it’s dairy-free and low in calories has pretty much made it the default milk among health-conscious eaters. And though unsweetened almond milk, like dairy milk, is a good source of calcium and vitamin D, it’s really low in protein with just 1 or 2g protein in a 250ml serving. So if you’re using it in a smoothie, with cereal or in porridge, make sure you have another source of protein – like whole nuts or seeds, nut butter or an egg.

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