Is yogurt really good for you?
Originating from the Middle East and countries in Western Asia, yogurt has been around for over 100 years. Containing essential nutrients, it’s the perfect snack for maintaining your bones, heart, and weight.
The only problem is that not all yogurts are equal. Syrup-soaked fruits and artificial sweeteners quickly transform a tasty snack into a sugar bomb. Sticking to plain, nonflavored yogurts is the body-smart way to go.
Meal planning can be tricky nowadays. That’s why we’ve created this straightforward food guide to help you tell the good from the most unhealthy foods.
Read on to discover the foods that are bad for you, even if they seem nutritious.
Contents
Enriched White Flour and Wheat Bread
Enriched white flour isn’t what you think it is. It’s actually one of the worst foods to eat.
The word enriched makes you believe that ingredients are present in the flour to make it healthier. However, the opposite is actually true.
Enriched flour strips the grains of phytonutrients. You’ll also lose all of the body’s healthy fiber. To make matters worse, manufacturers add in iron, riboflavin, folic acid, niacin, and thiamine. These synthetic vitamins and minerals go into the flour to create the “enriched” product.
However, the result is a lab-created flour rather than a natural food item. Since you’re eating refined flour, your digestive system is going to break it down and absorb it as if it’s pure sugar.
Your blood sugar levels will spike, your insulin will activate, and your whole body will become unbalanced. The drop in blood sugar can lead to intense mood changes too. Over time, eating enriched white flour can cause weight gain and even insulin resistance.
What About Wheat?
Is wheat healthy? If the bread simply contains wheat, it’s not going to be healthy enough. Manufacturers hope that sprinkling in a little bit of wheat will appeal to health enthusiasts.
Be smart and look for 100% whole wheat bread. Then pair it with nutritious meats like mcleanmeats.com. To make things even healthier cut down on the number of condiments you use or don’t use condiments at all.
Most Unhealthy Foods With Fruit
Fruit is always healthy, right? Not necessarily. It can be one of the most unhealthy foods if it’s not served the right way.
For instance, dried fruit isn’t as nutritious as it appears to be. Since the fruit is dried, you’ll be consuming more calories than you usually would. A bag of banana chips will have way more calories than a natural banana. You’ll also be consuming a lot more fat.
Not only is dry fruit dangerous you also have to watch out for canned fruit and fruit cocktails. The way manufacturers preserve the fruit plays a significant role in its nutrition.
If the fruit is floating in a syrupy mixture, it’s no longer going to be nutritious. Instead of getting dried or canned fruit, we suggest going all-natural.
Raw natural fruit is always the best option. Instead of sticking with your traditional bananas and apples, don’t be afraid to break outside of the box too. Try fun fruits that you’ve never experienced before.
Pomegranates, pineberries, and jackfruit are a few fun varieties you can start off with. We suggest challenging yourself to try one new fruit every single month.
If you feel extra ambitious, try a new fruit every week! One week you can try dragon fruit in the next week, tasty loquats; the options are endless.
Foods Containing Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are just as bad as eating junk food. Synthetic sweeteners can be tempting because they’re calorie-free. You’ll still be able to enjoy an intense burst of sweetness without having to worry about weight gain.
However, non-nutritious sweeteners can also be dangerous. They retrain your taste buds to require more sweetness instead of seeking out other flavors. That’s why many people wind up becoming addicted to sweet treats and gaining weight.
Some artificial sweeteners we suggest steering clear of include sucralose, saccharin, and aspartame. Instead of going for artificial foods, look for natural sweeteners.
Find foods that can enhance your meals, such as raw honey, vanilla, and even cinnamon. Start getting creative with your breakfast, lunches, and dinners. Discover the ability to use natural flavors to retrain your taste buds.
Steer Clear of Hydrogenated Oil
Hydrogenated oil combines liquid fats and hydrogen to create a product similar to a consistency like vegetable oil. It gives manufacturers the ability to turn the oil into solid fat when it reaches room temperature. As you may have guessed, hydrogenated oil is bad for your health because it contains a lot of trans fats.
If you eat a lot of foods with hydrogenated oil you’ll have a higher risk of developing all sorts of health problems, such as cardiovascular issues. How can you avoid hydrogenated oil altogether? Steer clear of the common culprits.
For instance, package snacks, coffee creamers, fried foods, and vegetable shortening have large amounts of saturated fat. You can bet these foods are also full of hydrogenated oils to make them last longer.
Another way to play it safe is by carefully reading food labels. Take your time and look through everything the label lists.
If a food item claims to have zero trans fats but uses hydrogenated oils, it’s not going to be the healthiest option. Instead, try making your own snacks instead of relying on packaged options.
Stay Healthy and Feel Great
By steering clear of the world’s most unhealthy foods, you’ll be setting your body and mind up for success. Instead of being weighed down with fats and sugars, you’ll be feeding yourself nutritious meals. The type of meals that can fuel you all day long!
Pick one of the food items from this list that you can start cutting out of your weekly grocery list. Every little thing you do to invest in your health is an investment in your future.
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