It's all about moderation—even healthy foods have their limit

 

At 89 calories and 8 grams of fat per tablespoon, Tahini (also known as sesame butter) is a pretty calorically dense food. While it's full of healthy ingredients like B vitamins and even rich in calcium, it's also super easy to go overboard. Stick to a ping pong ball-sized serving (about 2 tablespoons) to keep your calories in check.

 

While we love quinoa as a tasty and versatile protein source, many dieters mistakenly believe it's a much lower-calorie alternative to rice. In reality, one cup of cooked quinoa has 222 calories, putting it on par with brown rice (which has around 218 calories per cup). Enjoy it in your favorite healthy dish, just be sure to portion it out like you would rice or pasta (1/2 cup or about the size of your fist).
 

They certainly aren't nutrition villains, but raisins are considered a 'calorically dense' food, meaning that you can consume a lot of calories by ingesting only a small amount. For example, one small 1.5-ounce box contains 129 calories. You can eat two full cups of grapes for the same amount, making this one snack you're better off substituting (if you are really hungry) in order to maximize your calories.
 

Rice crackers just sound lighter, don't they? Well, don't let their name distract you from their calorie count—most brands have as many calories per serving as their regular cracker counterparts. While they can have a place in your healthy diet, you're much better off snacking on something that fills you with nutrients too, not just empty calories.

 

It's often advertised as a healthy way to start your day, but a bowlful of Grape-Nuts cereal can pack in 416 calories (per cup, without milk). What is even more surprising is its sodium content. With 580 mg of sodium per cup (and it's not exactly packed with fiber either), there are much better breakfast options out there.

We have a love-hate relationship with peanut butter. We love the taste and its proven ability to help build muscle, burn fat, and even fight heart disease, but we hate that those benefits only apply when you enjoy the creamy spread in moderation. In other words, spooning it straight out of the jar (multiple times a day) is not a good idea. Why not? Consider this: two large spoonfuls can pack almost as many calories and fat as a Snickers bar! At around 100 calories per tablespoon (about the same as regular butter), your best bet is to enjoy peanut butter sparingly in recipes like these (and then put away the jar!).


 

This superfood seems to be all the rage these days, and we admit they go great on cereal, in smoothies, etc. Just don't pour chia seeds on with abandon—a single tablespoon still contains 70 calories, meaning you can easily add an extra 200 calories to that smoothie without even realizing it.


 

Don't get us wrong, we're huge fans of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, it's just easy to get carried away with this delicious treat. Some bars can contain as much as 600 calories. The lesson? Just because it's dark doesn't mean you can eat more of it. Snap off a one-inch square to enjoy each night after dinner. "Too much [dark chocolate] may constipate you or leave you wired before bedtime," says Amie Valpone, Nutrition expert and author of The Healthy Apple blog.


 

With about twice the protein and only half of the carbohydrates as regular plain yogurt, Greek yogurt is an excellent food to include in your diet, especially if you're trying to lose weight. A ¾-cup serving has about 150 calories. Not bad at all. The problem is most of us can't handle the taste of plain Greek yogurt, and we may end up smothering it in honey or other toppings to help sweeten the flavor—and rack up the total calorie count.

We don't suggest denying yourself Greek yogurt, just stick to plain, lower fat brands and keep your portions and toppings in check.


 

Don't let the "whole wheat" label fool you—most commercially prepared whole-wheat bread contains the same amount of calories (sometimes even more) than white bread. Be sure to check the label of your favorite brand—some 'reduced calorie' whole-wheat breads add more sugar or high fructose corn syrup to make up for the flavor lost with the extra calories.


 

while nuts like
pecans are a great source of protein, heart-healthy fat, and tons of vitamins and minerals, they are also rich in calories. A 1-ounce serving of pecan halves contains 196 calories. Stick to a single handful of the healthy snack to reap the benefits without packing on pounds.