If you're wondering where the unhealthy food lurks in your diet, look to your nutrient intake. While vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber are good for you, some food items that contain them also have high levels of cholesterol, fat, sodium and sugar. These latter nutrients can cause health problems if consumed too heavily. Search out the worst offenders in your diet and note where you can make better food choices toward more healthful meals.
High Fat
Consider the many dishes on your menus that contain butter, animal fat, oils and partially hydrogenated oil, or trans fat. Pastries, fatty meat, whole milk products, fried food and commercial candy and baked goods are likely suspects. While consuming too many solid fats can cause cardiovascular problems, liquid fats add high calories to your daily totals, raising your risk for diabetes. The USDA advises limiting total fat intake to 35 percent or less of your daily calories. Double hamburgers, tacos, milk shakes, french fries, chocolate, candy and fried chicken have some of the highest unhealthy fat ratios of all food.
High Cholesterol
Some of the same food that contains animal fat also delivers large amounts of cholesterol, a fat-like matter that can damage your arteries. Additional high-cholesterol items include ham, milk shakes and French toast. Avoid similar content by eating less chicken, pork and beef liver. The American Heart Association, or AHA, suggests eating whole eggs, shrimp, lobster and other shellfish less frequently as well.
High Sodium
Your body needs sodium in limited amounts, but you may consume it in excess via salt, as a seasoning. The result may be high blood pressure. The USDA recommends a limit of 2,300 mg of sodium per day, while the AHA recommends a more prudent 1,500 mg. Many processed and fast food products have high sodium contents of 300 mg or more. Avoid canned soups and beans and cured meats, as well as fast-food submarine sandwiches and biscuit breakfast sandwiches. The AHA recommends cutting back on these foods and choosing reduced-sodium varieties of canned foods when possible. Instead of shaking salt on your food at the table, sprinkle herbs and spices.
High Sugar
Sweetened carbonated sodas can cause weight and blood-sugar problems even if the sugar carbohydrate content is not that high. The AHA considers more than 5 tbsp. of sugar per week, unhealthy; if you drink more than three 12-oz. colas weekly, without any other sweets, you'll quickly surpass that.
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