8 Unhealthy Vegan Foods to Avoid

A meat-eater can be healthier than a vegan, depending on what their overall diets look like. That’s right! A vegan diet that contains highly processed foods can ruin your health just as much as meat does.

A vegan diet can be incredibly beneficial, if most of the foods are unprocessed and you’re getting all the essential nutrients. If you eat mostly processed vegan foods, though, chances are you’ll gain weight and ruin your health. These are some unhealthy vegan foods you should avoid.

1. VEGAN DESSERTS

Processed vegan desserts are very unhealthy, because manufacturers add a lot of starches and gum to give the desserts the same texture as the non-vegan desserts. They can also be just as high in refined sugar as non-vegan desserts. Make sure your dessert doesn’t contain many unhealthy ingredients or skip it altogether.

2. FRIED VEGETABLE CHIPS

Have you been assuming that your kale, carrot or beet chips are healthy? Well, if they’re fried, they’re just as bad for you as regular potato chips. To be safe, make your own veggie chips using an oven or an air fryer. You can always add small amounts of olive oil, salt and spices to improve the flavor.

3. VEGAN HOTDOGS

If you haven’t tried vegan hotdogs, keep things that way. They contain artificial ingredients such as sugar, processed soy and artificial flavors that are terrible for your health

4. WHITE PASTA

It’s okay to eat white pasta every now and then, but it’s not advisable to make it a staple. It’s highly processed, lacks fiber and can spike your blood sugar levels. Stick to whole grain pasta and healthy pasta alternatives such as zucchini, whole grains, quinoa and cabbage.

5. HIGH-CALORIE SMOOTHIES

Not all smoothies are healthy. Some are loaded calories that may lead to weight gain. If you usually use powdered supplements for your smoothies, make sure the powder doesn’t contain added sugar. You may also want to limit the use of high-calorie ingredients such as avocado, peanut butter and maple syrup.

6. COCONUT MILK

Do you want to lower your intake of saturated fats? Then stay away from coconut milk. A 1/3 cup serving contains 184 calories and 85 percent of your daily recommended saturated fat intake.

Even though some argue that saturated fat isn’t harmful, some conflicting studies show that it may ruin your health. To be on the safe side, regulate your intake of saturated fats from vegan foods such as avocado and coconut oil.

7. FROZEN VEGAN MEALS

Some frozen meals may have low-calorie content, but they’re packed with unhealthy additives and lots of sodium. 

8. GRANOLA BARS

Have you ever wondered what’s holding your granola bar together? Well, it’s sugar, refined oils, fat and preservatives. Note that most of the ingredients ending with –ose are just fancy names for sugar. If you can’t do without granola bars, choose the ones with at least three grams of fiber and three grams of protein per serving.