With so much conflicting information circulating about which foods are healthiest, it can be easier to just focus on the foods you should avoid. Whether you are trying to lose weight or just want to reap a greater benefit from the food you eat, some foods should be completely off-limits.
Fried Foods
Fried foods don't do your body any favors. Any benefit you may get from the base food is more than canceled out by the fat and calories that come with the breading. Even unbreaded fried items like chicken wings have been boiled in fat, and can retain 20 percent of that fat after cooking. Choose foods that are baked, broiled, steamed or sauteed instead.
Sugary Drinks
Most people know sugary soda is unhealthy, but the same applies to flavored teas, punches, juices and some sports drinks. Most are loaded with sugar and high in calories. Calories that you drink don't register with your brain as well as calories that you eat, so drink water or sugar-free tea and save your calories for meals.
White Grains
White bread and white rice are staples of American cuisine, but don't feel bad about kicking them out of your kitchen. They don't contribute much more than calories to your diet. Replace them with whole-grain bread and brown rice, which provide fiber and protein instead.
Full-Fat Dairy
Dairy foods are an important part of your diet, but the full-fat versions are just that -- fatty. Replace them with skim milk and low-fat cheese. If you don't like the taste of skim milk, try light versions of soy or almond milk -- these milk alternatives generally have a richer taste than skim milk.
Canned Soup
Canned soups may be convenient and perfect for a chilly day, but even the ones marked "low sodium" are full of salt. Make your own soup in large batches and freeze it in serving-size containers for healthy convenience.
Stick Margarine/Butter
Any fat that stays solid at room temperature is a saturated fat, which can contribute to your risk of heart disease. Use spreads that come in tubs instead, but read the label to make sure they are trans fat free -- if you see any kind of "partially hydrogenated" oil in the ingredients, that's a sign of trans fats.
Premium Ice Cream
We all scream for ice cream, and the high-quality pint-sized brands taste even better. That extra rich, creamy mouthfeel comes from the addition of extra fats, and the ice cream is mixed without incorporating air, so it feels denser. This means you get even more fat and cholesterol with every bite. Skip the ice cream completely, or stick to small portions of light varieties.
Flavored Yogurt/Smoothies
Many people think their daily smoothie or yogurt fix is a step in a healthy direction, but they couldn't be more wrong. Unless you make it yourself, your smoothie probably has more sugar than a cola, and as many calories as a milkshake. Flavored yogurt is made with fruit syrups, which are glorified sugar syrups. Nix the smoothie, and eat plain Greek yogurt instead of your usual flavored brand to get the calcium and probiotics without all the sugar.
Full-Fat Salad Dressing
A regular salad dressing can turn an otherwise healthy salad into an indulgence -- even the paltry recommended serving size can have over 200 calories and up to 25 grams of fat. Sprinkle your salad with balsamic or red wine vinegar or lemon juice instead. At the very least, buy low-fat, low-calorie dressings.
Pastries/Cakes/Pies
Baked goods are not a part of any healthy diet, but pre-packaged versions are even worse. Mass producers generally skimp on ingredient quality and disguise the lack of flavor with the heavy addition of fat, sugar and salt. Most packaged baked goods also contain high levels of trans fats. If you can't skip the sweets entirely, bake your own.
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