Despite being overpriced, lacking in nutritional value, or having an acquired taste, some foods still remain popular—and this shouldn’t be the case. To free you from their shackles, here are a few of these foods whose hype you shouldn’t fall for.
Acai Bowls
Acai bowls, or Açaí na tigela, are often marketed as superfoods but can be high in sugar and calories. They are also usually more expensive than their nutritional value, so making them at home is cheaper because you can track their macronutrients.
Over-the-Top Freakshakes
This Australian invention is infamous for its excessive sugar content, as much as 39 teaspoons in some cases, and for being high in calories. Freakshakes’ visual appeal overshadows the actual quality of their ingredients, which are usually unhealthy.
Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is a simple, healthy dish that can easily be made at home. It became a symbol of millennial dining trends but is usually overpriced at cafés. MarketWatch recently reported that avocado prices are rising, partly due to weather conditions that “affected production levels in key avocado growing regions in California, Mexico, and Peru.”
Rainbow Bagels
Despite their vibrant appearance, rainbow bagels taste similar to their regular counterparts, and the coloring adds no nutritional value. While they look appealing, they emphasize aesthetics over quality and taste.
Craft Doughnuts
Craft doughnuts are usually priced significantly higher than traditional doughnuts, but they aren’t higher quality. While they come in a wide range of flavors with different toppings, traditional bakeries often offer superior products at lower prices.
Quinoa-Based Products
Quinoa is a healthy carbohydrate alternative, a whole protein, gluten-free, and packed with nutrients. However, this superfood’s reputation has led it to be overused in dishes where it doesn’t add a taste benefit and is often overpriced.
Plant-Based Meats
Plant-based meats can be a great alternative for vegans and vegetarians, but they are often more expensive than real meat. They are often ultra-processed, which has been found in studies to have negative health impacts.
Truffle Oil-Infused Anything
Truffle oil is often synthetic and lacks the complexity of real mushrooms. Reader’s Digest explains that “most truffle oils actually contain no truffles at all,” and synthetic oils get their flavor from a chemical called 2,4-dithiapentane, which is “only one of the molecules that contribute to the multiple layers of flavor” in the real thing. Synthetic oils are also massively overpriced because of their association with real truffles, despite being cheap to produce.
Kombucha
This fermented tea has been enjoyed by humans for thousands of years in East Asia and has many purported health benefits, but there is little evidence to support these claims. Kombucha is also known for its acquired taste which many find unpalatable.
Bubble Tea
This tea originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and has exploded in popularity in America since 2000. However, the quality of the tea is often secondary to the novelty of its tapioca pearls, and it tends to be overly sweet and high in calories.
Sushi Burritos
Sushi burritos combine Japanese and Mexican cuisine without enhancing either. They are much bulkier than traditional sushi and are difficult to eat gracefully. Since being created in 2008 by Sushirrito, they have also been criticized as inauthentic.
Gold Leaf Garnished Dishes
Thin sheets of this expensive metal have been put on dishes and desserts for centuries. Tasting Table explains that “edible gold is entirely tasteless and has no texture” and will set diners back “several hundred dollars.” Gold leaf is a luxury dining gimmick that doesn’t enhance culinary experiences.
Galaxy-Themed Foods
Galaxy-themed foods rely heavily on artificial colors to achieve their interstellar appearance, focusing on aesthetics over flavor. They tend to be unhealthy sweet snacks that appeal to children and are trend-driven rather than quality-driven.
Cold Brew Coffee
Coffee has been cold-brewed for centuries in Japan and has become a popular beverage in America in recent years. However, it is significantly more expensive than regular brewed coffee in many coffee shops and can be made at home with minimal effort and cost.
Activated Charcoal Foods
Claims of detoxification benefits in activated charcoal foods are largely unsubstantiated. Eater explains that “pretty much the only reason to add activated charcoal” to foods is “to produce that rich, Instagram-worthy black color.” It doesn’t add flavor to food but will absorb it and deprive consumers of healthy nutrients.
Poke Bowls
This Hawaiian dish has been a staple of the island for centuries, but its trendiness in recent years has led to a proliferation of mediocre poke spots where authenticity is sacrificed for mainstream appeal. It’s also usually overpriced for the amount and quality of the fish provided in the bowl.
Gluten-Free Snacks (When Not Required)
Gluten-free snacks are great options for those who are gluten-sensitive or have celiac disease. However, they are more expensive than their gluten-containing counterparts and can be less nutritious and more processed, making their benefits for most people questionable.
Artisan Ice Cream
Artisan ice cream lacks the preservatives and artificial flavors of industrial ice cream. It is more pricey, and artisans often focus on unusual flavors that don’t always work, which give shock value over actual taste.
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