A rigorous nutritional analysis of America’s most popular foods reveals the 100 most unhealthy foods.
A team of American nutritionists forensically examined the nutrition labels of hundreds of products purchased at grocery stores and pulled out the seams.
The culprit may come as no surprise to some, but there are many foods that are actually good for your health, such as high-fat ice cream, potato chips, and cookies.
According to the registered dietitians involved in the analysis, it’s not just calories, fat and sugar that determine whether a food is healthy or not.
For example, low-fat spreads contain potentially harmful oils, and some types of oatmeal are loaded with sugar.
Here are the top 10 most surprising foods on the list, ranked by top dietitian and author Lauren Manaker. Please eat this instead of that..
Increase salt concentration with bouillon cubes
Chemical additives in stock cubes pose potential hazards
Nutritionists point out that the main reason why stock cubes are bad for you has to do with the additives they contain.
Stock cubes contain palm oil, caramel color, and yellow 6.
Palm oil can cause high levels of inflammation. bad cholesterol, according to some studies. This can later lead to heart disease, says Dr. Celeste Robb Nicholson, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.
According to the nonprofit organization, caramel color sometimes breaks down into a chemical called methylimidazole, which is a carcinogen. Nutritional information table.Yellow 6 has been shown to cause adrenal and testicular cancer for rats.
Microwave popcorn is high in bad fats
Microwave popcorn is high in a type of fat linked to heart disease.
Microwave popcorn is often thought of as a healthy snack because it has very few calories and contains dietary fiber.
But popular brands have come under fire for adding “potentially harmful” ingredients such as palm oil and high amounts of sodium, said Lauren Manaker, a registered dietitian and author. Please eat this instead of that..
If you’re craving popcorn, Manaker recommends buying a pre-popped brand that uses vegetable oil and is low in sodium, like Lesser Evil’s Himalayan Pink Salt Organic Popcorn.
Bottled water can disrupt your hormones
Bottled water may contain chemicals that can be harmful to humans
Everyone needs water to survive, but you may want to avoid drinking water from plastic bottles, Manakar says.
This is because plastic bottles contain a chemical called bisphenol A, which can leak into the water when the bottle gets hot. “Overall, using BPA-free plastics is a good idea,” says Columbia University Health Care Provider I wrote it on my blog.
That’s because chronic exposure to BPA can cause a host of problems, from decreased fertility to behavioral problems in children. It has also been linked to increased blood pressure, risk of type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. According to Mayo Clinic internist Dr. Brent Bauer.
If you’re concerned about BPA risks, Manaker said you can avoid plastic water bottles altogether by using reusable bottles or buying from aluminum brands like Liquid Death. .
Diet soda linked to carcinogenic chemicals
Aspartame has been linked to many health problems
If you’re looking for something sweet with zero calories, diet soda may seem like an option, but it contains an ingredient called aspartame, which has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.
This chemical is also found in flame retardants and has also been shown to raise blood sugar levels, strain the liver, and potentially cause fat gain. accumulate in the body.
Some other low-calorie soda brands are avoiding these chemicals and opting for natural flavors, registered dietitian and health coach Jessica Cording previously told the Daily Mail.
“Beverages that don’t contain alcohol and have low or no added sugars may be better options, such as Spindrift Seltzer, Poppi Soda, and Olipop.”
‘Healthy’ smoothies are loaded with sugar
Premade smoothies are high in sugar
Bottled smoothies may seem like a good option because they’re made from fruit, but in reality, many of them are loaded with sugar and won’t do you any good.
“Many people don’t realize how sweet these supposedly ‘healthy’ smoothies actually are,” Dr Saul Konviser of the Dental Wellness Trust previously told the Daily Mail .
For example, one 15-ounce serving of Naked Mighty Mango Smoothie contains 57 grams of sugar. For comparison, 12 ounces of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of sugar, and a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donut contains approximately 12.6 grams of sugar.
of american heart association recommends that men consume no more than 36 grams of sugar per day, and women no more than 25 grams per day.
Dr. Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition at Harvard University, says that eating too much sugar can increase blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, liver disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Said.
Margarine contains a lot of bad fats
These products may also contain palm oil, which is generally disliked by nutritionists.
Fat is a necessary element in the daily diet and can make dishes more palatable, but many brands of margarine contain palm oil.
For example, the main ingredient in Land O Lakes margarine is a blend of vegetable oils consisting of palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm oil as an ingredient is associated with cardiovascular disease.
Also, consuming more than the daily recommended amount of fat can increase your risk of many heart diseases and cancers. According to WHO. Their recommendation is that daily fat be no more than 10 percent of his daily calorie intake.
If you want to use plant-based fats, Manaker recommends swapping out this creamy option for something less processed, like olive oil.
There are concerns that pickles contain preservatives.
Preservatives in pickles may be a problem
Many brands of unrefrigerated pickles contain emulsifiers and stabilizers, which nutritionists have cited as a possible cancer risk.
This includes polysorbate 80 and sodium benzoate.
Polysorbate 80 has been shown to: causes cancer in mice. Sodium benzoate has been shown to increase chronic inflammation in the body, which may lead to an increased risk of cancer, US researchers say. Hungarian Institute of Public Health.
Pickles also tend to be high in sodium, so experts recommend consuming only small amounts.
Canned soup is high in salt
Canned soups often contain a lot of salt.
Manaker’s main problem with canned soup is its sodium content.
Deakin University research A paper published in the Journal of Nutrition found that many soup brands add too much salt to their products, which can encourage consumers to overeat.
One serving of Campbell’s Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup contains 890 mg of sodium, nearly half of the AHA’s recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams. But each serving is only half the size of a can, and “many of us probably eat more than half a bowl of soup at a time,” Manaker points out.
If you want to avoid this unpleasant salt spike, Manaker recommends making soup at home or looking for a low-sodium brand.
Instant oatmeal has added sugar
Instant oatmeal is not as healthy as regular oatmeal
In its regular form, oatmeal is considered a type of superfood that’s rich in fiber and satiating, but when it’s processed into an instant form, it can be high in sugar and salt, Manakar says. .
For example, Quaker instant oats contain 14 grams of sugar, which can spike blood sugar levels in the morning, Manaker said.
If you’re willing to sacrifice convenience, Manaker recommends cooking your own oatmeal on the stovetop instead of using instant, and adding fruit if it’s not sweet enough.
Fruit yogurt may be packed with artificial flavors
Fruit yogurt often contains more sugar than unflavored yogurt
The main problem with fruit yogurt is that most of its flavors don’t actually come from fruit, Manaker says. Instead, it is made from added sugar and fruit juice concentrate.
“With added sugar and little protein, these yogurts just leave you feeling hungry,” says Manakar.
For example, one serving of Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt contains 13 grams of sugar, which is more than half of the recommended daily intake for women.
Still, sweet yogurt has long been a favorite of dieters and is endorsed by the FDA.
Food policy expert Marion Nestle previously told the Daily Mail that the idea that high-sugar yogurt brands are healthy is “ridiculous” and not evidence-based. Told.
If you still want to enjoy dairy, Manaker recommends choosing a high-protein yogurt without added fruit.
