6 New Plant-Based Foods That Aren't as Healthy as You Think

This little tub of yogurt boasts its 6 grams of “plant-based protein” proudly on its label, while it’s a bit more coy about the fact that it contains a whopping 22 grams of added sugar.

The packaging is so lovely that it might almost distract you from the fact that what is supposedly a healthy breakfast pick has 61 percent of the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit of added sugars (for men, that’s 36 grams per day).

If you want a dairy-free yogurt, you can find lower sugar options or opt for plain and sweeten it with fruit and/or a drizzle of agave.

Chobani’s plant-based chocolate oat "milk" has 16 grams of sugar per serving and just 2 grams of protein (six grams fewer than your standard low-fat dairy chocolate milk).

This isn’t a health drink, even if it is made from plants.

It’s a good thing that companies are making products for all types of diets, and Good Karma’s French Onion Dip seems like a nice option for vegans and others who want to take their chips for a cows’ milk-free dunk.

But don’t let the fact that it’s plant-based—in this case, from coconut oil, tapioca flour, corn starch and a whole heck of a lot of other ingredients—convince you to eat it by the tubful.

The simple truth here is that cookies are cookies and not vessels of nutrition.

Here, it seems, plant-based is being used as a synonym for vegan, which is good and dandy, if not a little sneaky. Each one of Simple Truth’s chocolate chip cookies has 130 calories and 5 grams of added sugar—not terrible for a cookie, but if it’s cookies you’re after, why not go for one that actually satisfies?

Might I recommend Tate’s?

Same issue, different dessert.

Whether you choose brownies, cookies, cakes, or donuts, the addition of a plant-based label doesn’t negate the fact that they are sweets.

This brownie’s packaging brags that it’s sweetened with “real dates,” but its nutrition label reveals that it still has 17 grams of added sugar, so dates aren’t the only ingredient making these sweet (surprise — it’s cane sugar!).

Eat these because you want a brownie that tastes distinctly different from the glorious ones of your childhood or because you’re off milk and eggs, not because they’re any better for you than the kind from Duncan Hines.

Hello? Are we still talking about this?

Plant-based ice cream—especially the ones that are made with fat—can be a tasty alternative to standard pints, which is terrific news for someone like me, who has to choose between eating dairy ice cream or being in public (I’m talking about farts).

But this green hued label should not convince you that you’re making a “better” choice nutrition-wise when you pick this over a regular scoop of Cherry Garcia.