In today’s world, it’s easy to get confused about which products are of good quality and healthy and which are not. In this article, we will talk about foods and beverages that are most often unhealthy. Eating them in small quantities and, in rare cases, will not bring much harm to health. But it’s definitely not worth making them the basis of the diet!
Table of Contents
Unhealthy Foods & Beverages
Here is the list of unhealthy foods and beverages you must avoid.
1. Pizza
This appetizing and filling dish is one of the most popular junk food options in the world. This is explained by the fact that most pizzas are prepared from the refined dough and processed meat using fatty unhealthy sauces. Thus, they may taste delicious but are actually extremely harmful to your health. If you really crave this fast food, you can eat it once in a while.
2. Alcoholic Beverages
We all know about the harmful impact of alcohol on the health of an individual. Chronic alcohol consumption can damage your heart, liver, and your skin. If you do not quit alcohol, it will lead to even more serious diseases, such as cancer.
Thus, in such cases of severe addiction, it is better to get treatment from an inpatient rehab center. Such long term inpatient substance abuse treatment promotes lasting recovery than short term treatments. Once you get sober, the quality of your health will also improve.
3. Industrial Sweet Drinks
Their main disadvantage is the added sugar. When a person drinks liquid calories, their brain does not perceive them as food. So imperceptibly for yourself, you can significantly increase the total calorie content of the diet.
This is because industrial drinks, as a rule, are high in calories. Eating too much sugar can lead to insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. And that’s not to mention the risks of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
4. Bakery Products
Not all products are included in the black list, but only those bakery products baked from premium white flour. Such products are low in fiber and other nutrients and, after consumption, provoke a sharp jump in blood glucose. Also, avoid eating white bread for breakfast if you really want to avoid serious health problems.
5. Fried Food
Cooking food over high heat produces several types of dangerous chemicals. Depending on the product, these can be acrylamides, acrolein, heterocyclic amines, oxysterols, and advanced glycation end products. These substances are associated with an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Thus, it is better to avoid fried foods to ensure good health.
6. Sweetened Breakfast Cereal
Processed cereals – wheat, rice, corn, oats – are a very popular breakfast option among kids. Most often, they are consumed with milk – a source of healthy protein and calcium. But this does not make the dish healthier; the problem is still in the same added sugar present in cereals in large quantities. If you eat this once in a while, it’s alright, but if you eat it daily, quit it.
7. Confectionery
Cookies, pastries, cakes and other sweets are usually made with refined wheat flour, sugar, and unhealthy fats (including trans fats). These treats may be tasty, but they are almost devoid of nutrients. They are high in calories and contain unnecessary food additives and preservatives. Getting rid of the habit of eating these confectionery daily is very harmful.
8. Gluten-Free Products
A real boom in the refusal of gluten-containing products is observed in the United States. About a third of the country’s population tries to avoid gluten. At the same time, people replace healthy foods with gluten in the composition of unhealthy ones that were artificially deprived of it.
Often such foods are supplemented with sugar, cornstarch, and tapioca (a starchy product made from cassava roots). They are low in nutrients and have the nasty ability to cause spikes in blood glucose.
9. Low Fat Yogurt
Natural yogurt without additives and sweeteners is a tasty and healthy product. Manufacturers compensate for the lack of fat with unhealthy ingredients – most often sugar and thickeners. In addition, studies show that many yogurts do not contain the probiotic bacteria that they should. As a result, such yogurt will only harm your health instead of doing any good.
10. Ice Cream
The popular cold dessert is most often loaded with sugar. But that’s not all the danger! In many cases, manufacturers introduce vegetable fats, harmful food additives E, preservatives and dyes into the composition of ice cream. Such desserts do not provide health benefits, but the daily calorie intake can easily be exceeded if consumed frequently.
11. Chocolate Bars
Unlike real dark chocolate bars, these bars are unhealthy. They tend to be high in sugar, processed wheat flour, and trans fats. They can be compared with sugar bombs. After their use, the level of glucose in the blood rises sharply, after which it falls just as rapidly. Thus, it causes a breakdown and a deterioration in mood.
12. Fast Food
Frankly, fast food chains offer the consumer mostly junk food. The purpose of such chains is to quickly and cheaply feed a person. The proposed dishes are very low in nutrients, but the level of dangerous ingredients is off the scale. Studies show that fast food can be detrimental to health, increasing the risk of serious diseases ranging from obesity to cancer.
13. Coffee Drinks
Real coffee is loaded with antioxidants. It has beneficial properties and, when consumed in moderation, heals the body. According to various studies, coffee reduces the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. However, they often contain vegetable creams, syrups, sweeteners, and other potentially unhealthy additives. Thus, do not drink this beverage in excess for ensuring good health.
Take Away
We mentioned a list of foods and beverages that can really harm your health. It is better to limit them or give them up for your well-being. We are hopeful that knowing about the harm of these products will help you in making the right decisions.
