You may think that the food you eat is harmless, but think again. There are many food choices available and the myriad of advertisements make it difficult to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy foods. To help you avoid gobbling some of the more dangerous foods, The Oracle has compiled a list of both healthy and unhealthy foods.

Although muffins and bagels seem harmless, they often pack more calories in one serving than other types of carbohydrates. In addition, muffins are twice as big today as they were fifty years ago. So share your bagel or muffins to avoid eating too much.

Contrary to popular belief, fruit juice is not healthy simply because it has the word “fruit” in it. Many manufacturers pack tons of sugar into each serving. Keep an eye on the list of ingredients for high fructose corn syrup, a type of sugar that is linked to obesity. Your best bet is to either eat fresh fruit or to make your own juice.

Although salads contain vegetables, there’s no guarantee that they are low calorie. Vegetables and fruits are healthy but the salad dressing and toppings can quickly add extraneous calories to your meal. Many cream-based salad dressings, such as Ranch and Thousand Island, contain about 150 calories per serving (2 tablespoons). In addition, cheese, croutons and bacon bits can add more fat to your salad depending on the amount you put on. In order to cut down on calories, either opt for low calorie or fat-free dressing or limit the number of salad toppings you add.

Smoothie lovers watch out! You may think that all smoothies are healthy simply because they contain fruit, but they too are made with plenty of sugar. In addition, some contain up to 600 to 700 calories, like Jamba Juice’s Chocolate Moo’d Original Smoothie. Try to avoid ordering smoothies that contain chocolate or cream products. Don’t fret, not all are bad, but remember to keep your proportions in mind.

Although many of us have grown up hearing that chocolate is bad for us, there is some scientific research that shows that dark chocolate may be considered healthy. Chocolate contains antioxidants that slow down aging, so indulge a little and let your taste buds get what they crave.

Nuts may have a lot of calories, but they also have many benefits. They contain a lot of nutrients, vitamins and dietary fiber, making them a great choice for a snack on the go. Try to avoid nuts that are covered in chocolate or are heavily salted. Some good choices are almonds, walnuts and cashews.

When we hear the word “oil,” we immediately think of fat. Olive oil, however, is considered healthy due to the monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce cholesterol levels. This does not permit you to pour gallons of olive oil into your dishes, but you may drizzle it on top of your favorite meals to give them a nice aroma and flavor.

Healthy eating is not a skill acquired innately, but now with the knowledge of which foods are bad and which foods are good, you can maintain a balanced diet.