Everydayhealth.com – Here are 10 commonly consumed foods and drinks that Taylor and other experts recommend limiting:
- Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and cold cuts
- Sodas
- White bread
- French fries
- Fast food burgers
- Donuts
- Processed cheese
- Potato chips
- Processed snack foods
- Alcohol
One of the easiest ways to improve your diet is to learn how to identify the most unhealthy foods to eat — and how to replace them with better options.
However, viewing foods through a lens of “good” or “bad” can make decisions even harder, says Brogan Taylor, RD, registered dietitian at Banner Health in Phoenix, Arizona.
“It’s about understanding how different foods can impact our health and making informed choices,” she says.
Keep reading to find out more about the worst foods to eat, along with suggestions for healthier alternatives.
1. Processed Meats Like Bacon, Hot Dogs, and Cold Cuts
Processed meats like bologna, ham, and bacon are high in calories and salt and are linked to increased risk of heart disease due to their impact on cholesterol and blood pressure, says Julia Zumpano, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Research suggests that processed meat has a more significant impact on the risk of heart disease and death than unprocessed red meat or chicken.
There’s also evidence that cancer-causing chemicals are formed in processed meats, says Zumpano.
As a result, processed meats are now classified as carcinogens by the World Health Organization.
Nutrients per 100 gram (g) serving, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture FoodData Central:
Taylor sees many clients who drink a lot of soda.
“They know it isn’t something that they should consume a lot of, but it can be a really hard habit to quit,” she says.
Soda and other sugary drinks are linked to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay and cavities.
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Rather than trying to get people to switch from regular soda to diet soda, she works with people to decrease their intake overall.
Healthier Substitutes
Water and herbal teas are great options to try instead of soda, says Taylor.
“My goal is to help people increase water intake as much as possible, but if they can use alternatives such as sparkling water, flavoring packets, fruit-infused water, or herbal teas it will still decrease total added sugar,” she says.
Although many people express concern about how much bread they are eating, trying to completely cut it out can actually make people eat more, says Taylor.
White bread is made from refined flour, which has been stripped of its fiber and nutrients during processing. This can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels and may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, and other metabolic issues.
French fries are typically deep-fried in unhealthy oils and loaded with salt, making them high in calories, saturated fats, and sodium. Consuming fried foods regularly can increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
Cheese products — think nacho cheese, processed cheese slices, and canned cheese dips — aren’t great health choices for a few reasons, says Zumpano.
