It seems to me that most of the articles I write are about what you MUST eat to stay healthy, feel better, lose weight... But when it comes to what you should avoid, I describe the ingredients (like added sugar or emulsifiers) rather than the end products that contain them.
Today, I have decided to correct this situation and have compiled a top list of the most unhealthy foods to avoid in principle or minimize in your diet if you want to significantly increase your chances for a healthy and long life.
Of course, modern technology in the food industry offers us many conveniences. But at what cost? Making products in a scientific laboratory reduces costs: thus facilitating mass production, minimizing the use of more expensive "natural" ingredients, and increasing the shelf life of packaged goods.
Yes, on the one hand, the benefit for the manufacturer, as they say, is obvious. But as a result of all these "production" manipulations, many of the products are overloaded with hazardous substances and have an extremely low nutritional value. And often, as numerous studies confirm, even cause unpleasant symptoms and health problems, including fatigue, overweight and general malaise.
List of the Most Unhealthy Foods
Not only are these foods unhealthy, but they can also be dangerous. Of course, this is not a complete list. But if you stop buying and eating at least these foods, you've already taken a major step toward good health and wellness.
. Canned goods
The inner coating of tin cans usually contains bisphenol A (BPA)-a synthetic estrogen that causes a number of health problems, from reproductive to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
Studies show that bisphenol exceeds the acceptable limit in most people's bodies, which has the potential to suppress sperm production and hormone production.
Among other things, this is scary because bisphenol-A affects the menstrual cycle, causing early puberty, which has many long-term health consequences (e.g., increases the risk of reproductive organ cancer).
One can contains up to 25 micrograms of BPA, and this amount can have a significant impact on a person's body, especially a young one.
Tip: Instead of canned foods, choose foods in glass containers or, if possible, can your own fresh foods, choosing BPA-free cans. If the label doesn't specifically say so, it's likely that the product contains bisphenol A.
2. Foods tinted with food colorings
We've all seen more than once windows with a sea of brightly colored processed foods that are especially appealing to children. But not everyone, answering the question "What products are harmful to human health," call a cute jelly sweets or gummy bears of thermonuclear colors.
The fact is that in most cases, bright artificial colors are very harmful to the body. There have been plenty of studies on the link between artificial colors and hyperactivity and anxiety in children.
For example, Brian Weiss, professor of environmental medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, who has studied this issue for many decades, supports a ban on artificial colors. Like most other scientists in the field, he believes that further research is needed, particularly examining the effects of dyes on the developing child's brain. It is important to note that some artificial colors are also classified as possible carcinogens.
Tip: Make baby sweets at home and use natural, natural colors, such as berries, beets, turmeric and other colorful foods!
3. Fast Food
Often additives designed to make a product cheaper, enhance flavor, and increase shelf life turn a simple ingredient list into a chemical report. Ice cream, hamburgers, buns, cookies, fries... I was amazed to find that one fast food restaurant chain has more than 10 ingredients in their fries: Potatoes, canola oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, beef flavoring (wheat and dairy derivatives), citric acid, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, salt, corn oil, TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) and dimethyl polysiloxane. And I thought it was just potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt!
Tip: If the kids want fries "like those from the famous cafe," make them yourself. Potatoes, vegetable oil (olive, sunflower, corn oil - to your taste), salt, and a little bit of skill are all you need to make them. The same goes for hamburgers and cheeseburgers that kids love. Prepare bread for the burgers yourself (choose whole-grain flour that meets international environmental standards: no fertilizers, growth enhancers, pesticides and herbicides were used in growing the grain), or buy ready-made (again, with the appropriate sign on the package). Use homemade minced meat instead of store-bought cutlets. Also replace ketchup and mayonnaise with homemade sauces.
4. processed meat products
In this paragraph, I once again repeat the "news" from the World Health Organization, which in 2015 classified processed meat products as carcinogenic.In other words, processed meat has ranked with such destructive "pastimes" as alcohol and cigarettes.
"Black mark" from the WHO has been marked with chemicals that industrialists use for various processing of meat (whether canning the product, curing or smoking it). Experts say that 50 grams of sausage or bacon significantly increases the risk of colon cancer by 18%.
But you should not confuse meat in principle (bought from a farmer and just an hour ago chopped in a blender) with processed meat products. Normal meat (without preservatives, coloring, flavor enhancers) does not belong to the category of products harmful to the body.
Tip: If you can not live without sausages, make them yourself and freeze them for the future. It's a fairly simple process, and you'll find a huge number of suitable recipes on youtube.
5. Sauces and dressings for salads and other dishes
Such an extremely healthy dish as a fresh vegetable salad can be ruined by dressing it with a store-bought dressing, such as:
Caesar salad dressing
Here is an example of the ingredients in this dressing from one manufacturer: soybean oil, distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, cheese, water, salt, dried garlic, high fructose corn syrup, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), spices, anchovies.Impressive, isn't it?
Thousand Island Dressing
Ingredients: Soybean oil, chili sauce (tomatoes, corn syrup, vinegar, salt, spices, natural sweeteners, garlic, onion, citric acid), distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, marinade (cucumbers, high fructose corn syrup, vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard grains, dried red pepper, xanthan gum), egg yolk, water, salt, spices, dried onions, propylene glycol alginate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), xanthan gum, dried garlic, paprika, red bell pepper. Isn't that a lot of ingredients for an uncomplicated basic sauce?
I have a question for those who make it, I mean eat these sauces: why? Because making homemade mayonnaise, for example, is VERY easy. Not to mention sauces based on vegetable oils.
Tip: If you're intimidated by the time factor in making homemade sauces, check out my mobile app. There are several recipes there for sauces and dressings that take no more than 1 minute to make.
6. Margarine
This product is often seen in cooking recipes, and many people just prefer to use it along with butter. Some say that margarine and butter are absolutely synonymous. Others assure that margarine gives products a rich and vibrant flavor. Others put their faith in the tangible economic benefits, because margarine is much cheaper than good butter.
The difference between margarine and butter is only in the degree of rich flavor and price. Keep in mind that in many European countries it is legally forbidden on the packaging to put a conventional sign of equality between the two products.
The entire negative nuance is centered in the hydrogenation of fats in the process of making margarine. In order to saturate the molecules of fatty acids in these products with hydrogen atoms (this is needed to convert vegetable fats from liquid form to solid), they have to be heated to a temperature of 180-200 °C. During this process, some of the unsaturated fatty acids are transformed into saturated fatty acids (they become trans-formed).
Scientists have long established a link between trans-fat consumption and metabolic disorders, obesity, the development of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
The Danes, for example, have long included food with trans fats on their list of unhealthy foods. They were so impressed by the "track record" of trans fats that 14 years ago Denmark enacted a law that limited trans fats to 2% of all fat in the product (for comparison, 100 grams of margarine contains 15 grams of trans fat).
Tip: Reduce your intake of fats in the form of margarine if possible. Get the right amount of healthy fats from other foods. For example about 100 g of avocado has 20 g of fats, and scrambled eggs in olive oil (if you look for fried eggs, they can be fried very well) are not less delicious than scrambled eggs in butter or margarine. If you can not give up margarine, buy products that are marked with the words "soft margarine" on their packaging. In this case, the probability of finding hydrogenated fats in the product is much higher than when buying regular "bars" of margarine.
White bread and pastries
What to hide, a loaf of "sliced" - perhaps the most private guest on the dinner table. With it, dinner is more filling, the food becomes "clearer" and tastier, and if you put jam or chocolate paste on piles of fragrant and warm bread - you get the world's most delicious dessert ... So think most people, whose daily diet includes a simple loaf of "sliced".
The experts on healthy eating have a different opinion on this matter. They assure that doctors more often diagnose lovers of white bread and products made of extra flour with diabetes or obesity.
Premium wheat flour consists mainly of starch and gluten - refined, purified flour does not contain useful for the body bran and fiber.
In addition, for people with gluten intolerance the consumption of cereals (wheat, barley, rye, oats and millet) can cause such unpleasant symptoms as flatulence, abdominal pain, joint pain, etc.
White bread has a high glycemic index. With its ingestion, blood glucose levels rise rapidly, and, as a consequence, the production of a huge portion of insulin. It is because of insulin carbohydrates are not sent to feed the liver and muscles, and deposited in the fat depot.
Tip: Replace wholemeal bread with baked goods made from wholemeal flour. Also pay attention to gray and black bread. Either way, keep track of the amount you eat (if you consume about 2,000 kcal per day, there should be about 50 grams of carbs on your plate, and 100 grams of white bread contains 49 grams of carbs).
8. Chocolate bars.
First, you should understand that bitter chocolate made from high-quality raw materials and chocolate bars are not the same thing. A couple of "squares" of bitter treats (from 70% cocoa in the composition) a day for a healthy person will not do any harm (in addition, cocoa beans, which are part of a quality treat - a great antioxidant). But chocolate bars (here the "right" ingredients are unlikely to be found), supplemented with nougat, nuts, popcorn and other topping, no nice bonus will not give (usually they are hidden daily rate of sugar).
Don't forget that the maximum amount of sugar per day is 50 grams (10 teaspoons). And then in 2015, the WHO recommended that the proportion of free sugars in your diet should not exceed 10% of your daily total energy intake, and then try to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet to 25 g (5 teaspoons).
Tip: If life without chocolate seems impossible, choose dark chocolate without any additives. Due to its specific taste, it is unlikely to eat a lot of it, but the necessary signal to the brain to receive the coveted dessert will be sent.
9. Sweet drinks
Many of us don't give proper attention to beverages when forming our diets. And in vain! Just 1 liter of the well-known brown soda has about 110 grams of sugar, the same container of reconstituted grape juice has about 42 grams of sugar. Quite significant figures, given that a day is not recommended to exceed the norm of 50 grams.
In addition, it is important to remember that sweet drinks have a certain effect on appetite, because they blunt the feeling of fullness and awaken a desire for another piece of "something tasty.
Tip: Eliminate sugary sodas from your diet. A wonderful substitute can be compotes and morses, cooked at home. Keep in mind that freshly squeezed juices are very calorie-dense. Dilute the "freshes" with pure water, and this will help reduce the sugar content.
10. Alcoholic Drinks
A lot has been said about the harm of alcoholic beverages, both weak and strong. The risk of accidents, domestic injuries, the development of cardiovascular disease, liver damage, cancer - the list of why alcohol belongs to the category of unhealthy foods can go on for a very long time.
There is an opinion that dry red wine is not harmful to health, and can even help to cope with some cardiovascular diseases. But drug addicts assure that there is no such thing as a safe dose. If it will be established, it will hardly exceed 15-20 ml. Agree, very few people can be limited to two tablespoons of wine...
Advice: eliminate or reduce to a minimum the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Narcologists strongly recommend not to exceed the norm of 8 liters of pure alcohol per year for men (30% less figure for women). Keep in mind that alcohol is very caloric (100 ml of red dry wine contains about 65 kcal), and tends to stimulate the appetite.
Why junk food is so appealing
You have to admit that few people would want to eat broccoli or crunch a leaf of green salad at 2 a.m. For some reason, a completely different picture is drawn in our heads, with an apple or a banana at best.
Tasty means harmful, tasteless means healthy. You often hear these kinds of conclusions about food. Why are French fries from fast food restaurants so fragrant, chips in a jar so crunchy, and a sandwich of white bread with condensed milk to unintentionally close your eyes with pleasure?
The answers are at least two. First, humans are evolutionarily programmed to consume foods that guarantee higher levels of the hormone dopamine (responsible for joy, satisfaction, good moods) in the body, as well as help us survive in difficult conditions. And this, more often than not, is a caloric food. Secondly, in the composition of unhealthy but tasty foods, manufacturers include components that make the taste of the product as multifaceted as possible, and the consistency as pleasant as possible. And most often these are not just vanilla pods or cocoa beans, but flavorings (such as only a person with the richest imagination can imagine), flavor enhancers, dyes, sugar, salt, and preservatives.
The most dangerous food additives for the body
Studying the composition of harmful foods, you can feel like a real chemist. And it's not about looking for a "supplier" of vitamins, micro- and macro-elements and useful substances on the label. The point is that the product, which should seem to consist of a couple or three ingredients, has a list written on it for several lines.
If you find even one of these ingredients in a product, think about giving it up. In addition, keep in mind that the ingredients often act in tandem with each other, and their negative effects on the body can manifest only after some time.
Е-102. A fairly cheap synthetic dye tartrazine (has a yellow-goldish hue). It is used in drinks, yogurts, instant soups, cakes.
Е-121. This is a trivial red dye. By the way, this food additive is banned in Russia.
Е-173. This is aluminum in the form of powder. Most often it is used for decorating confectionery products. In Russia this preservative is banned for use.
E-200 AND E-210. Sorbic and benzoic acids are added to products which should have a maximum shelf-life.
E-230, E-231, E-232. Usually behind these names is phenol, which has the power to make fruits shiny and extend their shelf life as long as possible.
Е - 250. Sodium nitrite is not only a preservative but also a coloring agent. It can be found in almost the entire range of meat department, which sells processed products: sausages, sausages, hams, meat. Without this ingredient the product would look "gray" in the literal and figurative sense of the word, would be stored for a couple of days at most and would have a high degree of attractiveness for bacteria.
E - 620-625, E 627, E 631, E 635. Sodium glutamate is the chemical analogue of glutomic acid (which makes a fruit or vegetable freshly picked from a branch smell fragrant). This ingredient improves the taste and smell of the product. And almost any product - from a tomato to a cinnamon bun.
Е-951. This is an artificial sugar substitute - aspartame. Usually used in the baking industry, in the production of diet fizzy drinks, chewing gum, and yogurt.
Е-924. Potassium bromate makes bread soft, airy, and almost melts in the mouth.
Hydrogenated vegetable oils. This ingredient is used to increase the shelf life of a product and keep its texture and shape intact. Look for it in solid margarine, muesli, pizza, and baked goods.
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