Unhealthy foods consumed on a regular basis contribute to your risk for chronic diseases. Eating poorly also degrades your quality of life by causing dental problems, sleep disorders and restricted physical fitness. When you avoid eating foods filled with harmful sugar, salt, cholesterol and fat, you get more beneficial vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. You'll also automatically control your weight by following a good diet with foods that are naturally lower in calories.
Sweetened Cereal
Whole-grain cereals with too much sugar can spoil a good diet. According to the USDA Nutrient Database, cereals with sugary frosting, marshmallows or chocolate may deliver as much as 17 g of sugar per suggested serving, as opposed to a bowl of oatmeal, which has less than1 g.
Soft Drinks
Drinking one or more regular sodas each day, which contain 33 g of sugar and 137 calories per 12 oz., can push an otherwise good diet over the limit of calories that you burn. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans point out that this increases your weight while adding zero nutritional benefits.
Milk Shakes
High-calorie sugar and fat make milk shakes unhealthy foods, according to the USDA. Compare the 62 g of sugar, 22 g of fat and 493 calories in fast-food shakes to water's zero-content in those areas.
Fried Shrimp
Avoid eating fried shrimp to avoid heart health problems. The American Heart Association notes that foods such as fast-food fried shrimp, which contains over half of your total daily allowance of sodium and cholesterol, raises your risk for hypertension and atherosclerosis.
Potato Salad
Potato salad holds similar sodium and cholesterol threats for a good diet, with lots of added salt plus the fat and cholesterol from mayonnaise. The American Heart Association advises you to avoid eating foods with mayo and similar sauces.
Baby Back Ribs
Pork ribs, with high fat and cholesterol ratios, represent more unhealthy foods that make your heart work harder. The USDA suggests eating leaner meats trimmed of visible fat.
Tacos
Tacos get their unhealthy food status from multiple fatty ingredients that total 32 g of fat in 571 calories. The American Diabetes Association notes that non-fried burritos make better choices.
French Fries
French fries add 539 calories, mostly from their 28 g of fat. The American Heart Association compares this order to a baked potato, which has 188 calories before you add fatty toppings.
Double Hamburgers
While double-patty burgers add the same amount of fat calories to your diet as french fries, beef carries 122 mg of cholesterol as well. The American Heart Association says that a normal diet can tolerate a 3-oz. serving of meat without pushing calorie and heart-health boundaries.
Breakfast Sandwiches
Avoid eating breakfast sandwiches with fatty meats on biscuits. A biscuit, egg and sausage meal burdens your diet with high sodium, 290 mg of cholesterol, 37 g of fat and 562 calories. The American Diabetes Association suggests choosing sandwiches on English muffins with leaner Canadian bacon or without meat.
Member Comments