We talk a lot about healthy and unhealthy foods on a regular basis. There are many factors on which foods are categorized as healthy and unhealthy. During the ancient times, people were dependant on organic food and there was no concept of preservatives. This lead to  good health and prosperity. People weren’t falling sick often and were able to strengthen their immune system through these nutritious foods. Today, there is a drastic change in the food habits of people. The unhealthy foods have replaced the healthier ones. We consume more saturated, Trans fat oriented and highly caloric food. They are full of preservatives and attract our taste buds. We try to avoid the unhealthy foods; however we fail to continue for longer times. There are also times when we aren’t sure of the pros and cons of certain food items. Today we will talk about the Most unhealthy foods :

Most Unhealthy Foods :

The following are some of the unhealthiest foods that one must avoid. Please read to know more about the most unhealthy foods and avoid consuming them as much as possible.

List of Unhealthy Foods :

Artificial Sweeteners:

There is a notion that they are safe and do not hamper the health. However, artificial sweeteners are as harmful as a drug. The side effect includes blindness, insomnia, tinnitus, Alzheimer and so on. Thus, think twice before adding these sweeteners. They are also caloric in nature, but to a lesser extent. Always check the ingredients before purchasing the food item. Try to substitute it with lesser artificial sweeteners.

Light Foods and Beverages:

We get carried away by the advertisement that claims about the food that are light in nature.  However, remember everything comes for a cost. These light foods might look healthy, but have artificial sweeteners added to it. They might be calorie free but have their own side-effects. They affect your body in a long run. Never get carried away by their name and claim, as it is just a marketing tactic. Always read the ingredients and be calculative before making the final purchase.

Diet Colas and Sodas:

Thinking about quenching your thirst with these diet colas and sodas assuming that they are calorie free? You might be wrong. Diet Colas and Sodas do not go as per their name. They contain artificial sweeteners named aspartame which harms the body. It is always better to opt for fresh juices and beverages. The fresh juices are nutritional and have low calories. They also help in neutralizing the body acid.

Packaged Diet Snacks:

The Packaged Diet Snacks comes in sizes of 100 calories. These lure the dieters and they opt for it. Do not forget that they contain artificial sweeteners to add taste to the snacks. There cannot be debate about it being good or bad, however it is best to avoid it. Do check the manufacturing date and the expiry date. The packaged products are also subjected to preservatives which are again harmful.

Top Unhealthy Foods :

Sodium:

Excess of salt and sodium is never recommendable for the body. Sodium is said to cause an increase in blood pressure which might harm the body in long run. Doctors recommend keeping a low salt level as it can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Thus, have a check on your sodium level and opt for food. Never add extra salt once the food is served as the salt will be uncooked.

Cheese:

Cheese has tons of cholesterol and saturated fat. It also contains sodium which increases your blood pressure. We love cheese sandwich, cheese burger, pizza with chizza and other food items that involves cheese. It tastes yummy and is mostly added to the fast foods. But you must Say no cheese if you want to stay fit , active and healthy.

Salty Snacks:

We all love snacking, especially the salty and cheesy ones. They are delicious and too tempting to refrain. These snacks contain sodium and the trans fat as they are cooked in hydrogenated oils. Peanuts and cashew nuts are common salty snack items. Avoid them.

Lunch Meats:

The Lunch Meats require huge process and thus sodium is added to it apart from nitrates. Sodium nitrate can cause cancers. The artificial sweeteners will definitely affect your body. I am not asking you to go veg, but do stay away from the meats.

Unhealthy Foods to Avoid :

Cholesterol:

It is always better to control your cholesterol level as bad cholesterol can head to many diseases. There are 2 kinds of cholesterol – the good cholesterol and the bad cholesterol. Thus, be choosy with your food intake.

Ice cream:

Nothing can beat the taste of ice-creams. It has a found a place in every refrigerator of the houses. It is also a great mood uplifter. Ice-cream has high levels of cholesterol and one must control it. Overeating this food item can add to your weight as well. You can make ice-creams at your house rather than opting from outside. The calorie content can be customized as per your choice.

Pork Products:

If you are a regular eater of pork and bacon, think about it again. A good strip of bacon can have 13mg of cholesterol and tons of calories and saturated fat. Have a control on your taste buds and the rest will follow.

Doughnuts:

If you want to add trans fat, sugar, and cholesterol to your diet, have a doughnut. It is rich in all these. They are also high in cholesterol levels. I know it is difficult to stay from doughnuts; however you can reduce the quantity.

Saturated Fat:

Saturated fat directly attacks your arteries and has been a cause of rising deaths in America. One can consume 20 g of saturated fat every day.

Whipped cream:

Remember the white cream on the top of the pastries and coffee, yes it is the whipped cream. It is full of High Fructose Corn Syrup and trans fat. It gives a presentable look to cakes and pastries, but it is better not to consume it regularly.

Milkshakes:

Milkshakes are the favourites of everyone as they quench the thirst and are good to taste. You don’t have to take efforts; all you have to do it gulp it down.  It contains saturated fat and must be avoided as much as possible. If you like milkshakes make them at home and use natural sweeteners and fruit juice to make fruit milkshakes or smoothies.

Burgers:

Do not even think about it. A small burger can add to your weight as it contains saturated fat. Avoid going to restaurants which is mainly known for burgers. This will not give you a chance to opt for other food items in the menu.

Calories:

Dressings:

Ya they look good in food and also add taste to the food. The dressing contains fat, calories, carb and what not. These all are harmful to the health and adds weight to the body. Avoid it. Opt for plain salad or food items without dressing.

Chocolate:

They are definitely good for health, but only if taken in a right quantity. There are dark chocolates and milk chocolates in the market. The dark chocolate lifts up your mood and increases your metabolic rate. The white chocolates definitely aren’t healthy. Both the chocolates are caloric in nature. Thus keep a check on it.

Carbohydrates:

They are the source of fat formation in the body. When you consume food rich in carbohydrate, it increases the blood sugar level. This in turn will release insulin, which will promote glycogen. This glycogen will be stored in the body as fat. You also tend to feel hungry frequently and thus binge more. Thus, have a check on your daily carbohydrate consumption.

Hope this article had been useful to you. We all are aware of the junk and unhealthy food items, however, staying away from them is quite challenging. We socialize a lot and tend to attend corporate parties, ceremonies, and celebrations where these unhealthy food items are displayed. One can always go for natural and fresh food items. If you want to lead a healthy life and want to age gracefully, this is the right time to give a thought about it. Do check the ingredients before adding food products to the basket. Always check the expiry date as it is the most important factor.