Most adults and even school-age children are aware of the importance of good food choices. Empty-calorie foods are considered poor selections, as they may be calorie-dense but have little nutritional value. These foods offer no significant value to the body, but can contain a host of calories, sugar and fat. Typically, these foods are easy to spot and can be purchased on the go in drive-through windows, vending machines and in the freezer section at the grocery store. To find a diet that suits your tastes while offering the benefits of health, the Mayo Clinic recommends incorporating a variety of foods from all food groups, consuming an adequate amount of calories and nutrients and including easy-to-find foods at your local grocery store.
Bakery Items
Bakery items, while tasty treats, are typically calorie, sugar and fat laden. These foods are fine in moderation and can be a great birthday or other celebration food. However, cakes, cookies and sweet treats should be limited. Eating a daily breakfast of donuts is unwise, as they are often loaded with transfat, which may be linked to heath conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, low birth weight, immune dysfunction and obesity, according to Vanderbilt University.
Candy
Candy is a Halloween essential but has little value in terms of nutrition, and is considered an empty-calorie food. Lollipops and licorice are satisfying for the sweet tooth, but should be limited to an occasional treat, not a staple in the diet. In addition, high-fructose corn syrup is typically a major ingredient in candy and sweet drinks like soda and fruit flavored drinks, making them highly caloric.
Processed Foods
Highly processed foods can appear healthy. They may have appealing packaging that advertises a seemingly home-cooked entrée, soup or frozen fare, but these meals are processed and may have a high content of fat, sugar and preservatives. Additives that make the meal appear robust and rich are added to enhance color. In addition, the processing that readies these foods for the shelves can drain them of essential nutrients, adding ingredients that can dull your taste buds are turn you on to unhealthy, artificial flavors instead. In addition, packaged foods like crackers and chips are highly salted to draw out moisture and retain freshness, making them especially poor choices for those with health conditions like hypertension.
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