Read The Label: Healthy food is difficult to find and can be misleading at stores like Tropical Smoothie and Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s, Tropical Smoothie and Nekter Juice Bar are common stores thrown around by my friends and family when I ask where to find healthy food. I took a closer look at the nutritional facts and prices of a few of their staple items and found that they may not be the best choices — especially if you don’t have piles of money to toss around for “healthier” grab-and-go snacks.

When I’m walking down the aisles at Trader Joe’s, I can’t help but notice the prices in correlation to the nutrition facts of their items marketed as healthy. A particularly large turn away for me is the store’s spin on popular and less healthy big-brand items like Takis. Takis are a pretty popular snack among my friends — 140 calories per serving and $2.50 for a 10-ounce bag, yet they do have a high amount of sodium with 75 grams per bag. So I was intrigued when I saw a similar product on Trader Joes’ shelves claiming to be a “healthier option.”

In reality, the Trader Joe’s version is $7 for a nine-ounce bag and 150 calories per serving. While they aren’t significantly worse for your health, it isn’t fair to market the product as a healthier option when in reality, the product contains 10 more calories than the Taki brand — and costs three times as much.

Just because a brand is marketed as or seems healthy, it’s important to actual look at nutrition labels. Some of the so-called “healthy” products might actually be worse for you — and checking will probably save you a few bucks.

Although there are more calories in a Trader Joe’s Taki, there are reduced fats and no added preservatives. However, spending $5 more dollars on a simple snack for a small higher nutritional level isn’t worth it — and the same applies for other overpriced “healthy” snacks.

Trader Joe’s is full of other examples. Walking into the produce aisle, my eyes zoom from carrots, avocados and everything in between. Knowing the pesticides that may be in a normal grocery store’s vegetables are gone when I read the label “organic” is relieving, but when it comes to the sky-rocketed price, I once again feel uneasy. Why is it okay that the “safer” and healthier avocado costs $1.50 more than one I’d find that lacks the “organic” label? It almost gives vegetables a pretentious look. 

It’s not just grocery stores. Smoothie, juice and other restaurants have the same problem. There’s a lack of genuine health benefits and false advertising.

When I need a refreshing fruit smoothie, my mind normally goes straight to Tropical Smoothie Cafe. They always have a full menu of fresh, healthy fruit and vegetable smoothies— or so you would think.

It turns out Tropical Smoothie’s options are filled with copious amounts of sugar. The Orange Ka-Bam, is one of the most popular menu items, has 469 calories and 108 grams of sugar in their smallest size. With those levels of sugar, you might as well just skip the smoothie and grab the nearest Coca-Cola and start chugging. It’s less sugar anyway.

It’s definitely easy to be fooled by chains like Tropical Smoothie who brand their products as healthy drinks that are an easy, light snack. However, as I’ve dove deeper into the labels, I’ve realized the importance of looking into this before purchasing these “healthy” products.

The prices are a different story. While most of them vary, the average price for a 24-ounce drink is around $4. It’s a better price than making it at home, but I would have a 100% less chance of getting diabetes from a drink that I’d make myself. 

Tropical Smoothie is definitely cheaper than other stores like Nekter Juice Bar. Nekter has become a popular snack and meal spot for my friends and a location recently opened in Corinth Quarter known for having healthier options. But I find myself constantly suppressing the urge to go inside in fear that I’m about to drop $12 on an 18-ounce smoothie bowl. 

Nekter at least makes the smoothies and bowls in front of you, ensuring there’s nothing worrisome being added to your meal. According to Baylee Wilson, the manager of the Corinth location, they use all whole ingredients in their bowls and have no added sugars. 

But while the health benefits are at least somewhat there, the prices aren’t. A simple smoothie bowl easily costs $10 plus tax. On top of that, it’s barely filling, and I’m always left wanting another treat.

It obviously wouldn’t be the same price to buy all of the same ingredients and make it at home, but with them at my availability, I could make at least up to 10 over the span of a month, instead of going back to Nekter 10 times, accumulating a purchase price of $100. 

Compared to Tropical Smoothie, Nekter definitely has more bang for your buck in the actual health department, but Tropical Smoothie has them beat on cost efficiency. Nekter also provides pricy wellness shots: varying from a ginger shot for $2.95, to an immunity shot for $3.95. One immunity shot comes out to be the same price as an entire 24-ounce Sunrise Sunset smoothie at Tropical Smoothie. 

All together, I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m still in need of a healthy and affordable meal. I’ll be dining at home instead of wasting calories in added sugar to a smoothie or buying overpriced organic food.