When trying to lose weight, its imperative that you dont take in too much carbs.

But while attempting to lose the extra kgs, some sites may recommend alternatives to sugar and wheat that may not be as beneficial as earlier thought.

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Here are 5 health food fads you should avoid when trying to lose weight.

1. Energy bars

They contain 45g of carbohydrates. They can be a good snack just before a workout but not what should be substituted for a meal. They also contain sugar additives and syrups. If you have to eat them ensure you get bars with low sugar, low fat and high protein such as pumpkin seed bars.

2. Rice cakes

These are just empty calories that won't fill you up anyway.

3. Cereals

Even healthy cereals may have a high amount of sugar. A three quarter cup of cereal can have 22g of carbs. Take oats instead.

4. Fruity muffins

Even though they have a high number of fruits one may contain up to 350 calories.

5. Flavoured yogurt

This contains additives and high amounts ofcarbs. When taking carbs, opt for natural unflavoured yogurt then add fresh fruits yourself.