Food that is low in nutrients, high in saturated fat, sugars and sodium or is associated with poor health is considered unhealthy. The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute published an index of nutritional quality of foods to help consumers understand which foods we should avoid. There are certain foods that stand out as being particularly unhealthy.
Soft Drinks
Soft drinks consumption is linked with the increasing rate of obesity in the United States. Not only are soft drinks devoid of healthy nutrients, but they are often high in fructose corn syrup, and contain artificial coloring, acid and caffeine. High fructose corn syrup is a particularly unhealthy type of sweetener because of the way your body metabolises it. It does not stimulate the same insulin response and satiety signals that sucrose does, but instead promotes hunger and fat production. Drinking soft drinks regularly also increases your risk of having high blood pressure and developing diabetes.
Deli Meats
Deli meats, also called luncheon meats and cold cuts, are processed forms of meat that contain added ingredients and preservatives. They are an unhealthy food choice because they contain high amounts of sodium, nitrates and saturated fats. Eating too much sodium can increase your blood pressure and harden your arteries. Nitrates and their metabolic by-products increase your risk of atherosclerosis, lower your body's insulin production and glucose tolerance and damage the cells in your arteries. A study published in the 2010 "Journal of the American Heart Association" found that eating processed meats increases your risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus.
Fried Potatoes
French fries are not only high in calories, sodium and saturated fat, but they contain a potentially carcinogenic chemical called acrylamide. This is because the ingredients in starchy foods, such as potatoes, react chemically to produce acrylamide when they are cooked at high temperatures. Acrylamide and its metabolic by-products can bind to your DNA and other proteins in your body. Eating high levels may cause nerve damage and cancer.
Doughnuts and Pastries
Doughnuts, pastries, cakes and muffins are often lacking nutritional value and are high in fat and sugar. These products are commonly made with white flour, partially hydrogenated oil and corn syrup, and contain artificial coloring and flavour. Eating too many of these foods can lead to obesity and related health problems. The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have indexed these as foods as ones you should only eat once in a while.
Fast Food
Fast food is a broad category of convenience foods, such as hamburgers, pizza and fries, that are high in calories, fat, sodium and glycemic load. They are also commonly low in nutrients and served in large portion sizes, which has lead to a strong correlation between eating fast food and obesity. Being overweight increases your risk of many physical and psychological health problems, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, depression and infertility.
References
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Comparing the Nutrient Rich Foods Index with "Go," "Slow," and "Whoa" Foods; Adam Drewnowski et al.; February 2011
- "American Journal of Public Health"; Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Lenny Vartanian et al.; April 2007
- "Journal of the American Heart Association"; Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Mellitus. A systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Renata Micha et al.; May 2010
- "Plant Biotechnology Journal"; Low-Acrylamide French Fries and Potato Chips; Caius Rommens et al.; October 2008
- Natural Health Restored: Unhealthy Foods: What Not to Eat
- "Obesity Reviews"; Fast Food Consumption and Increased Caloric Intake: A Systematic Review of a Trajectory Towards Weight Gain and Obesity Risk; R. Rosenheck; November 2008
