Top 5 Foods To Avoid

The 5 unhealthy foods listed below are some of the worst you can eat. Awareness and education is the first step to cutting these unhealthy foods out of your diet. That’s why I’ve described in detail why these foods are so bad for you and what the impact of eating them is to your body. However, cutting out these 5 foods is just the first step to healthy nutrition. It’s important that you then replace those unhealthy foods with healthy alternatives. Therefore, we’ve included basic healthy food alternatives for you under each of the 5 unhealthy foods below.

1. Soda

• 30-55mg of caffeine per soda flush out good b-complex vitamins, vitamin C, potassium and other electrolytes

• 10 teaspoons of sugar in one regular soda may produce Type II diabetes over time and can cause sugar addiction

• Aspartame/sucralose in diet soda is just as bad for you as sugar due to its effect on the brain

• Phosphoric acid in soda decreases calcium absorption, decreases bone density and causes digestive disorders

Alternatives:

• Water (10 8-ounce glasses a day or more is ideal)

• Sparkling mineral water with a splash of juice

• Sparkling mineral water with fresh squeezed Lemon juice & stevia

2. Donuts

• Typically contain 40% trans fats which is the worst fat you can eat, comparable to eating plastic

• Contain high amounts of sugar which can cause addiction and may produce Type II diabetes

• Made with white enriched/processed flour which has no nutritional value; combination of sugar and flour increases blood sugar faster than each on its own

Alternatives:

• Whole, fresh fruit

• Organic protein bar

• Small high fiber muffin

3. French fries

• Increase insulin production or create a spike in blood sugar

• Contain starch that is deep fried which creates acrylamide, a cancer-producing substance

• 40% of french fries contain trans fats (again, the worst fat you can eat)

• Cause aging, inflammation, clotting, heart disease, etc.

• Over-used oils in restaurants produce a very damaged fat; since it is too expensive and time consuming for restaurants to change out their oil frequently, some restaurants won’t change theirs for months

Alternatives:

• Raw vegetable sticks

• Tossed salad or coleslaw

• Fresh fruit

4. Chips

• Most are high in trans fats (30-40%); all fats are not created equal, and baked is better than fried

• If you see “partially hydrogenated” on the package, it is more damaging than chips that don’t have any hydrogenation

• Trans fats make Type II diabetes more likely and decrease the immune system’s abilities by lowering the fighting cells in the body

Alternatives:

• Raw nuts such as almonds or cashews

• Apple slices with raw organic peanut butter or almond butter

5. Bacon/Fatty Processed Meats

• Contain harmful chemicals such as nitrites, sulfates, etc. that the body doesn’t know how to handle

• Processed meats may create liver toxicity

• Better to buy fresh from the deli than pre-packaged processed meats

Alternatives:

• Organic nitrite-free bacon

• Fresh sliced turkey or roast beef

• Nitrite-free chicken sausage

Once you have cut these 5 unhealthy foods out of your diet, it is important to fill the void that is left with healthy foods such as the ones I’ve suggested above. To do this, you will need to form new shopping and eating habits. A basic rule to follow when shopping for healthy foods and avoiding these 5 unhealthy foods is: the longer the ingredient list, the more you want to avoid the food.

As you can see from the details listed below each food above, there are plenty of reasons to steer clear of them and choose healthier options. By doing so, you stop taking risks with your health simply by paying closer attention to your basic nutrition.