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Prevention magazine wants you to put down that bag of baked potato chips. They’re high in calories, low in nutrients and lacking in fiber. Instead, reach for popcorn. As long as you air-pop it, pop it yourself in healthful oil or reach for a box of oil-free microwave popcorn, you’ll get about 65 percent fewer calories per cup and a nice amount of fiber.

In the January issue, the magazine puts baked potato chips first one the list of “health food impostors” whose labeling implies they are nutritious.

Here’s the rest of the list:

• Gummy fruit snacks. “Usually nothing more than candy infused with vitamins.” Reach for fresh or dried fruit instead.
• Light ice cream. Some brands contain as many as 220 calories per 1/2-cup serving; others are so lacking in rich flavor that you’ll be unsatisfied with just one serving. Instead, try Turtle Mountain Purely Decadent, made with coconut milk. A serving of vanilla contains 150 calories and 6g fiber.
• Diet soda. Drinking just one can or bottle a day increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, which packs on heart-unhealthy belly fat. Sip flavored seltzer water instead. Steer clear of those sparkling waters that contain artificial sweeteners: they’re just diet soda in disguise.
• “Calorie-free” spray margarine. Sure, one spritz has fewer than 5 calories (which allows the label to round down and claim the serving is calorie-free), but margarine is margarine, and the bottle could contain as many as 900 calories. Buying an oil spritzer and spraying with extra-virgin oil is a much better idea.
• Nonfat salad dressing. Sugar often takes the place of fat, adding calories. And in order to absorb all the nutrients in leafy greens, we need to eat salads with a little fat. A better bet is salad dressing made with olive oil or other healthy fats.
• Low-fat cookies. Lots of added sugar usually makes up for the lack of fat. Check the calories; you may be surprised to find that they’re as high as in the regular version of the cookies. Instead, eat oatmeal cookies made with honey or cane juice (not high-fructose corn syrup), whole-wheat flour (not white flour) and oil (not butter).
• 100-calorie snack packs. You’re apt to eat more than one pack at a time. Instead, try a small serving of almonds. They make a filling snack because they’re a good source of monounsaturated fat, fiber and protein.