There are bad foods. I will tell you that eating anything every once in a while will not completely disrupt your health says Kerry Glassman, R.D.. But that doesn’t mean fried Oreos aren’t bad. That also doesn’t mean you’re a bad person for eating them. Aside from those random times when we all succumb to “bad” foods, are there foods that nutritionists, like myself, steer clear of all the time? You bet. Here are my top five:
- Hot dogs – Processed meats in general are just one of the worst things you can put into your body. They’re high in sodium and saturated fats (not the good kind, like those found in coconut) and filled with sodium nitrite.
- Pretzels -Pretzels were the ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing type of food. I mean, who didn’t pound them years ago while watching “Friends,” thinking they were “fat free”? Talk about a food 180. Pretzels are all refined carbs. In other words, you might as well be throwing back jelly beans. They have no fiber, no protein and no healthy fat to keep you satisfied or add health benefits to the calories you’re consuming.
- Diet soda – Just because something is calorie-free doesn’t mean it’s chemical-free. You wouldn’t drink Drano would you? Artificial sweeteners found in diet soda are known to trigger insulin, which sends your body into fat storage mode and may lead to weight gain, even though the soda contains no calories itself.
- Processed pastries – Long shelf life and a long list of ingredients is a sure bet that you should place that package back on the shelf. Processed pastries are made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour, hydrogenated oils (unhealthy trans fats) and a whole bunch of other chemicals and artificial ingredients. Trans fat has been associated with coronary heart disease, sudden death from cardiac causes and diabetes.
- Fluorescent orange snacks – These crunchy old school lunch box go-tos are full of salt, chemicals and artificial coloring. They may taste good going down, but they are the ultimate junk with a capital J food.