There is nothing complicated about healthy eating. All you need to do is eat lots of fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of water and keep your hands out of the cookie jar. Easy, isn’t it? But at times it can be tough to know what’s healthy and what’s not.

Brown sugar healthier than white sugar

Sugar is a common cause of misconceptions. One theory that many buy into is the idea that brown sugar (in the way of brown bread and rice) is healthier than the white variety, however this is not true. At the end of the day, brown sugar is still sugar.

Chocolate has no nutritional value

Chocolate is a great source of iron, magnesium, copper and zinc. It also contains antioxidants which are known to prevent coronary disease. In fact, a daily serving of dark chocolate can help to lower blood pressure.

Fats are bad

Trans fats and saturated fats in butter and packaged foods can indeed wreak havoc on your health and dress size, but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are very healthy in moderation. Foods like olives, avocadoes, nuts and fatty fish are great for your heart and cholesterol levels and make a wonderful addition to any diet.

Natural means healthy

When a label mentions “Natural”, it doesn’t mean it is. Being natural doesn’t mean that it does not contain sugar, salt or saturated fats. It is good to eat natural and organic stuff but it is also important to check the labels to make sure the products are healthy as they seem.

If dieting, avoid nuts

You can have nuts, but just not in large quantities. Nuts are filled with protein and fat. Just stick to a handful a day.