Americans have a love affair with junk foods. Vending machines full of products with little to no nutritional value can be found in government offices, private businesses and schools across the country. Full of fat, sodium or sugar (and sometimes all three), foods lacking in nutrition have been associated with obesity and a litany of obesity-related diseases like diabetes, cancer and hypertension. Reduce or eliminate all pseudo-foods which provide little nutritional value.
High in Sugar
Sugar adds calories to your diet but has no nutritional value. Sugar is found in the obvious food items like candy, candy bars, chocolate, cookies, cakes, pies, donuts, chewing gum, breath mints, frozen waffles, bagels, Pop Tarts, granola bars, caramel corn and bran muffins. Marshmallows, a favorite of campers, are nothing but whipped and shaped balls of sugar. Sugar is also found in foods we might think are "healthy" like meal replacement or breakfast bars, jelly made from fruit, packaged fruit snacks, hot chocolate mixes and most breakfast cereals. CinnaBons, made with white flour and fat, provide 55 gs of sugar and around 800 calories per bun with absolutely no vitamins or minerals. Products made with processed grains, such as white rice, macaroni and pasta, are quickly converted to glucose in the body and have the same effect as eating sugar.
Beverages
Liquid sugar is one term often used to describe the effect on the body of alcoholic beverages, soda pop and sugary drinks like Kool-Aid. Every morning, millions stop at a national coffee shop before work and order a Frappuccino®, which can provide as much as 60 g of sugar. High fructose corn syrup (an inexpensive sugar substance used in manufacturing of commercial goods) is high in calories as well as having no nutritional value. Chai tea lattes, fruit "drinks," special vitamin waters, hot chocolate, energy drinks like Red Bull and that Southern favorite sweet tea are all on the list of beverages of dubious value that contain high fructose corn syrup.
High in Fat
Anything served fried is inevitably high in fat (chicken, fish, potatoes or vegetables), which impacts the overall nutritional value of the dish. However, some foods are almost 100 percent fat with little to no protein, calcium or other vitamins and minerals. On this list are fried pork rinds, bacon, potato chips, corn chips, Doritos, Cheetos, Sun Chips, crackers and hot dogs, which are also high in salt. Cheesecake, carrot cake and banana bread may sound as if they are made from nutritious foods, but the reality is that they are primarily fat, sugar and white flour.
High in Sodium
Pretzels contain no vitamins or minerals and are made from processed flour. The heavy coating of salt makes them high in sodium. Packaged meals and side dishes like Rice-a-Roni, macaroni and cheese and Hamburger Helper may have some chemically added nutrients and protein from milk and meat, but overall the nutritional quality is poor and the sodium count astronomical. Chicken Rice-a-Roni, for example, contains 1,130 mg. of sodium per 1 cup serving, which is just under a full day's serving sodium (1,500 mg) as recommended for hypertensives. Again, foods which may give the impression of being nutritious but are not are canned fruits and vegetables. Once processed and canned, the produce is heavily laden with salt, and it loses almost all its nutritional value.
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