Whether you are starting college or just a new semester, you’re now in charge of your own diet. While many want to be healthy, it’s very easy to be lazy and eat without thinking about it. Taking the time to practice a mindful approach to eating will keep you feeling refreshed and energized. However, this can be extremely difficult. From additives to misleading packaging, there are many foods that aren’t that great for you, being marked under the guise of a “health food.” To help you separate the good from the bad, we’ve gathered some information to help you navigate wellness in the dining halls.

Yogurt

Yogurt can be a great addition to a meal, or it can stand alone as a snack. Since it’s an excellent source of dairy, it also contains a good amount of protein that will help you stay full. Around campus, you’ll see yogurt parfaits made by Sodexo. Although they seem like the perfect and healthy on-the-go snack, don’t allow yourself to be fooled. They contain high-fructose corn syrup. This sweetener is composed of fructose and glucose. Glucose is the No. 1 fuel source for the body. If your body has glucose, it won’t need the fructose for energy, so it gets stored as fat. Opt for a healthier yogurt, like Chobani. They are also travel-friendly, and can be found all around campus in a wide array of flavors.

Egg Yolks

Eggs are a breakfast staple. You can eat them so many different ways, making them hard to get sick of. They’re low in fat and sodium, and like yogurt, they contain protein. However, they’re also full of cholesterol. Most people eat about three eggs at a time, but just one hard-boiled egg contains 62 percent of your daily value of cholesterol. But don’t let this deter you from eggs. All of the cholesterol is in the yolk, so instead of eating full eggs, get egg whites. All of the dining stations that allow you to place an order for what you want offer egg whites as an option. If you aren’t ready to give up the yolk, start small and order your omelet with a mix of full eggs and egg whites.

White Bread

Steer clear of white bread. It’s full of simple carbs that will spike your blood sugar and it’s less filling than whole-wheat bread, making it easier to overeat. Just because whole grains are healthier, doesn’t mean you should eat too much of them. When you compare a whole-wheat ciabatta roll to two slices of whole-wheat bread, you’re consuming way more carbohydrates while eating the former. Say you wanted to eat a sandwich, if you prefer a thicker bread, consider eating your sandwiches open-faced, meaning you only use bread on the bottom.

Lunch meat

Another sandwich component you’ll want to be careful while eating is lunch meat. Sodium nitrate is used as a preservative for meats like lunch meat and jerky, and can lead to issues like heart disease. You can avoid it altogether by heading to a simple servings station in Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center or Appalachian Collegiate Center and using the meat they’re serving on your sandwich instead. If you’d prefer to stick with lunch meat, be sure to eat it with a serving of vitamin C, as that can help reduce the toxicity of the nitrates. This can be done by eating an orange with your sandwich, or by putting it with a dark, leafy green like spinach.

Fruit juice

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, college-aged women and men should eat 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruit a day. In addition to eating whole fruit, some like to get their daily servings through fruit juice. Although these juices do have a nutritive value, they contain a lot of sugar. All dining locations around campus sell bottled fruit juice, and although it may seem like a healthier alternative, it’s not. For example, the 15.2 fluid ounce bottles of apple juice contain 49 grams of sugar, while the 16 fluid ounce bottles of Coke have 52 grams of sugar. An actual apple only has 19 grams of sugar. In addition to the whole apple being healthier, the body responds well to the action of chewing. So when you chew your fruit as opposed to drinking it, the body will extract more nutrients.