There are a plethora of foods we all know are classic ‘don’t eats,’ such as deep-fried foods and sugary drinks, but have you ever wondered what specific foods the nutritionists and dieticians avoid feeding their families? If you have become more concerned with the foods your family is putting in their mouths, this is a great place to start. Here’s a list of foods to avoid as much as possible.
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Processed Meats/ Cheeses
- Deli meats
- Bacon
- Canned meats (tuna
- Sausage
- Pepperoni
- Hot dogs24
- Canned cheese
- Processed cheese
- Convenience packed processed meats (bags)
While these foods are fine every now and then, a diet full of processed meats can raise your risk of getting a cardiovascular disease or cancer, which can be fatal. It’s important to not be fooled by packaged ‘healthy options’ because some low calorie snack packs or baked ‘junk food’ can be just as bad for you. If you must have the taste of smoky bacon on a regular basis, then start adding chipotle, paprika, and other smoky seasonings and spices to your cooking.
Sugary-Filled Cereals
Cereals filled with loads of sugar provide much else. They have minimal fiber, are high in calories, full of sugar, and laden with preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. If you must have cereal, opt for an all-natural cereal blend that has only ingredients you recognize. Throw some fruit or honey on top to sweeten it up.
Fancy Coffee Drinks
Fancy coffee drinks hit the market and will not be going away anytime soon. But, partaking in these drinks on a frequent basis can be very bad for your health and your weight alike. You don’t want to consume 400 calories in one drink. You don’t want 10 to 20 teaspoons of sugar in one drink. The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than six teaspoons or sugar (100 calories/day) and no more than nine teaspoons for men (equal to about 150 calories/day). This can more than double the risk of dying from heart disease.
Canned Frosting
Okay, so this one surprised me, but canned frosting is a major trans-fat and artificial trans-fat offender, meaning it’s a food that can boost bad cholesterol levels, plummet good cholesterol levels, and raise your risk for heart disease. The occasional birthday party isn’t a big deal to your health, but canned frosting is certainly not something you should use at home for your desserts. Instead, make homemade icing.
Margarine Sticks
Another trans-fat offending food is margarine sticks. Daily consumption of this major no-no food can be detrimental to your heart health and cholesterol levels. While there is a substantial amount of fat in butter, it is by far a better choice than margarine.
Other Avoided Items
- Packaged snack cakes and treats (cupcakes, toaster pastries, pastries, breakfast biscuits)
- Coconut water (filled with sugar)
- Healthy popcorn/ microwave popcorn
- Preservative filled protein bars
- Frozen yogurts
- Items promoted as ‘gluten-free’ (expensive & filled with tons of other junk instead)
Disease is on the rise, heart-disease kills more women than any other thing, and consumers are asking more questions about the true cost we pay for processed and packaged foods. With this being said, people are on the lookout for all the ways they can eat healthier and feed their families better foods at home that don’t compromise their health.
Buying fresh, whole foods like vegetables, fruits, healthy oils, healthy fats, fish, and lean meats is absolutely the way to go. When your kitchen is stocked with the right foods and you don’t buy the bad stuff, then you can be sure you will cook and prepare your meals with a significant amount of better foods. Prepare snacks in advance for the kids and yourself so you don’t need to resort to ‘bad’ foods when on the go. When the kids ask for a snack, point them in the direction of the fruit bowl. If nothing else, throw an orange or apple in a bag. Don’t take on the extra ‘unknown’ risks of shelf-life foods any more.
Processed foods are cheaper it seems many times, which is what a big part of their appeal is. If you would like to learn how to buy health foods instead of processed foods, read here for ways to do it on a budget.