Unhealthy Foods One Should Avoid

It is pretty much accepted that when the word healthy is tacked onto the word food, it's a good thing to eat. However, what should we think of when we see a food item that is known for being "unhealthy"?

There are no "bad foods". every single food can fit into a meal plan, if its in proportion. You can eat fast food every once in awhile but if eaten for a long period of time it can cause health problems. It can cause health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.
Different options for foods:
- choose broiled foods over fried (grilled chicken over fried chicken)
- choose soups that aren't cream based (chicken noodle soup over creamy tomato soup)
- choose low fat salad dressings over original full fat (low fat ranch over original ranch)
- choose smaller entrees (small sub with salad or fruit over a large sub)

Why do we eat? Because we are hungry. What do we prefer to eat? Food that tastes good. And yet, food that we love might not necessarily be food that is good for us. When we decide to eat unhealthy foods, this causes our body to have a lack of nutrients. Without nutrients, our bodies wouldn't be able to function properly. Now, more than ever before, we must be aware of the kinds of food that are unhealthy for us; unhealthy food choices can lead to obesity, disease and other health problems.

So what are unhealthy foods anyway? They are foods that provide empty calories. This means that are high in calories, but don't really contain a lot of nutritional value. They are also foods that don't have a lot of fiber. Without fiber, it would be difficult for the food within our systems to process thoroughly after it has been digested. Foods that absorb nutrients, but make you more nutritionally deficient than you were before are foods that should be avoided as well. And lastly, foods that are damaging to your body are foods one should stay away from. Foods that promote damage towards one's health are ones with a high fat content, or ones that contain hydrogenated oils. This could lead to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and much more.

The List of Unhealthy Foods:

Canned Soup - Canned soups contain high levels of trans fat, sodium, and artificial preservatives like MSG. Typically found in your local grocery store, just one cup of this stuff usually contains 1,000 milligrams of salt; much more than the recommendation of sodium for just one meal.

Breakfast Cereals - Sugar? High fructose corn syrup? Refined grains? All those ingredients can be found in--wait for it--breakfast cereals. Breakfast cereals are full of empty calories; not very filling for a meal that's supposed to fuel you through the day. After all, breakfast is considered one of the most important meals, especially for teens.

Baked Goods - Packaged baked goods are probably some of the worst items one could eat. These foods almost always contain high amounts of trans fats, corn syrups, preservatives, and artificial flavors and colors. They usually contain more trans fat than any other food because they are both composed of and then fried by hydrogenated oils.

Processed Meats (refer to the cartoon) - You name it. Bacon, sausages, pepperoni, and even the hot dog are all a part of the category called processed meats. These meats usually contain a carcinogenic precursor known called sodium nitrite (very cancer-causing; something we should all avoid). A study at the University of Hawaii recorded that nearly 200,000 people for seven years, people who consumed the most processed meats showed a 67 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer, compared to those who avoided these kinds of foods.

Doughnuts - Composed of refined flour, white sugar, and hydrogenated oils; they provide almost no nutrients and lack the necessary fibers a daily diet needs.

Potato Chips and French Fries - These foods contain acrylamide, a carcinogen and neurotoxin that is formed when foods are fried at a very high temperature. This chemical is known to cause several thousand cancers per year to Americans. And thats not all, they also contain trans fat; increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

Soda, Soda, and did I say soda? - Soda usually contains a high amount of sugar, caffeine, artificial food colors and sulphites. The average can will contain about 150 calories alone, and when drunk on a regular basis, it can cause one to gain weight. Soda has the effect of sending your blood sugar levels soaring, then crashing, ultimately depleting your energy.