Everyone
loves a “cheat meal” or an overindulgence of food from time to time, after
all—we are human. Some of the best-tasting food are actually some of the worst
in terms of fat and calories. But don’t worry! You don’t have to resort to
living like Tom Hanks in Castaway.
There are plenty of food that you can turn to
that taste amazing and won’t jeopardize your well-being. It’s about learning
why certain food are bad, so you can make better choices on a day-to-day basis.
That being said, here are some dietary landmines to watch out for, and step
around.
Trans Fat
A new study published in the journal Preventing
Chronic Disease revealed that 84 percent of packaged food that listed “0 gramstrans-fat” on their Nutrition Facts label still had partially hydrogenated oil
(the main dietary source of trans-fat) in the ingredient list. Current laws
allow companies to “round down” fewer than 0.5 grams of trans-fat per serving
to zero.
The good news? The amount of trans-fat we eat
has dropped in the past 30 years, according to a recent study published in the
Journal of the American Heart Association. Men are consuming 32 percent less
trans-fat, and women 35 percent less, than they were in 1980. Still, 1.9
percent of men’s daily calories and 1.7 percent of women’s daily calories come
from trans-fat today (the American Heart Association recommends limiting
trans-fats to no more than 1 percent of total calories consumed).
Even a few daily grams of these fats increase
bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, and clog arteries; and Harvard
researchers estimate that trans-fats cause up to 228,000 cases of heart disease
and 50,000 deaths annually. Since 2 grams is the most you should have in a day,
allowing food with 0.5 gram or less to call themselves trans-fat free is a real
problem. You’re best off avoiding trans-fat-containing food completely.
- Nondairy Coffee Creamer
Half a gram of trans-fat in creamer can quickly
turn into multiple, since consumers tend to use more than the serving size of a
teaspoon per cup (and the typical American coffee drinker guzzles an average of
three cups of joe per day). On many “0 trans-fat” labels, you can find
partially hydrogenated oils as the second or third ingredient listed.
- Peanut Butter
Some companies use partially hydrogenated oils
to achieve a long shelf life and creamy texture, so check the label. To be
safe, opt for the natural variety; although it’s chunkier, it’s also healthier
and normally made with just salt and peanuts—not oils loaded with trans-fat.
- Frozen Pizza
Trans-fat sneaks into the dough of many frozen
pizzas, with about 0.3 grams in just one slice. San Diego mother of two Katie
Simpson sued Nestle for $5 million last year over the use of trans-fat in its
frozen pizzas sold by DiGiorno, Stouffer’s, and California Pizza Kitchen. (The
case was dismissed since she knowingly purchased and consumed the pizza.) One
solution? Make your own pie at home. #Popcorn It’s your Friday night movie
staple, but microwaveable popcorn puts the spotlight on trans-fats.
The true culprits are toppings: Butter flavoring
can include 0.5 grams of trans-fat per serving, while caramel flavoring can
contain as many as 1.5 grams. Some extra-buttery varieties can have up to 15
grams of trans-fat per bag which is all too easy to inhale in one sitting. “Stay
away from the microwave popcorn,” says Napoli. “Just do the old-fashioned air
pop or use an actual oil to pop the kernels in.”
- Packaged Cookies
Even the beloved Girl Scout Cookies still sneak
some trans-fat in, despite a label that says “trans-fat free”. You may be able
to justify those because they only happen a few times per year, but check to
see if your favorite store bought cookies are made with partially hydrogenated
cooking oils, chances are they are including Chips Ahoy and Keebler, although
some brands like Oreos now use “high oleic” oils instead so they can provide
shelf-stable cookies at a reasonable cost.
- Margarine
Margarine consumption boomed during the butter
shortages of World War II, with even Eleanor Roosevelt promoting it as her
toast topping of choice. But it’s a recipe for trans-fat overload. To create
that creamy spread, liquid vegetable oils are blasted with hydrogen. The more
solid the margarine, the more it’s been hydrogenated. Many labels claim to have
“0 grams” of trans-fat, but if the label lists partially hydrogenated oils,
those small amounts of trans-fat can add up when you slather margarine on your food.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
This is an ingredient that didn’t exist before
1960, but has a strong appeal to food manufacturers because it’s so very sweet,
cheap to make, and easy to store. According to David Zinczenko in The Abs Diet,
the human body doesn’t have a shut-off switch for HFCS the way it does with
real sugar. This leads us to keep drinking a cola or eating sweet treats long
after we would have stopped if they were naturally sweetened.
Those who pay attention to what they eat may have
noticed high fructose corn syrup creeping into an alarming number of food in
the supermarket aisle. Corn subsidies and other trends have pushed this
relatively unhealthy substance into many of the general “food groups”
that we shop for on a regular basis.
Here are some of the popular food and drink
items that contain high fructose corn syrup, an element with a lot of sugar
that has been known to contribute to diabetes and other conditions when eaten
in excess.
- Soft Drinks
It’s no surprise to most of us that soda is
chock full of high fructose corn syrup. To those who aren’t used to the drink,
the stuff can be almost sickeningly sweet. Even diet varieties can have a large
amount of this sweetener. Add the fact that soda machines can be found on the street
corner, in the lobbies of buildings, and in almost any public area. Therefore,
this shows that obesity and sugar-related conditions are seen as a worldwide
issue.
- Sauces And Salad Dressing
Most ketchup ends up on French fries, and a few
stop to consider that it’s actually acting to make the fries unhealthier.
That’s because it uses High Fructose Corn Syrup as its #3 ingredient – at least
a bottle of America’s #1
Bestselling ketchup: Heinz. There are 4g of
sugar total, and the majority of that will come from HFCS.
- Yogurt
Although many dieters add yogurt to their daily
menu, they’d better watch out at the sweeteners it contains, with many of the
brands using High Fructose Corn Syrup to make them taste good. Going with a
light version of yogurt no doubt means you’re getting an artificial sweetener,
which can be just as bad.
- Processed Snacks
There are other items that the average consumer
wouldn’t think of as HFCS candidates. Look at the labels for things like
breaded meats or processed potato items, and make sure that the sweetener is
not lurking somewhere on the label.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG, is a
commonly used food enhancer whose taste is described as umami-like. Taste is
usually divided into four categories: sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Glutamate
is said to have a fifth, unique taste called umami, which is described as the
savoury flavour of meats.
MSG is used to enhance this so-called umami
flavour and is known to have negative side effects even when ingested in small
amounts. Since MSG is found so frequently in processed food, it is very hard to
avoid except in cases when the packaging specifically states that the product
contains no MSG. Even then, manufactured free glutamic acid can be found in
different forms, such as torula yeast.
MSG, torula yeast, yeast extracts and hydrolysed
proteins can raise levels of glutamate, which in turn overstimulates neurons.
Synthetically produced glutamates may have different names but are all
essentially MSG. Some common glutamates strongly related to MSG include
hydrolysed proteins, autolyzed yeasts, protein concentrates, yeast extract,
glutamic acid, and the list goes on.
These glutamates can be found in very common
grocery items such as low-fat yogurt, canned soups chips, and most ranch- and
cheese-flavoured food.In a 2014 study published in Life Science, researchers
found that young rats treated with MSG were more susceptible to developing
anxiety and depressive behaviors.
- Vegan Breakfast Sausage
Torula (Candida utilis) is a species of yeast
that has become popular as a food additive in vegetarian and vegan food. Torula
yeast can lend beef a more savoury, meaty flavour. Not surprisingly, it is also
commonly added to vegetarian burgers and meatless food products. The food
additive is made by growing the yeast in a controlled environment in which was
fed with sugar and minerals from molasses or wood.
After the initial harvesting, the yeast will be
laid out to be cleaned and dried. Field Roast’s Apple Maple Breakfast Sausages
contain yeast extract and “natural hickory smoke flavour with torula yeast.”
This brand’s Frankfurters also use “naturally flavoured yeast extract” which is
another term for MSG. Their Celebration Roast also uses “naturally flavoured
yeast extract.”
- Bacon Bits
Perhaps this does not come as a surprise, but
many brands which sell bacon-flavoured bits include MSG. McCormick’s Bac’n
Pieces bacon-flavoured bits contains yeast extract and disodium guanylate,
another flavour enhancer that’s often used in conjunction with MSG. Safeway’s
bacon bits contains autolyzed yeast, and Bac-O’s bacon-flavoured bits has
hydrolysed vegetable protein, all of which are other names for MSG.
- Veggie Burger And Nuggets
If you have ever eaten a Gardenburger Portabella
Veggie Burger or a MorningStar Farms Grillers California Turk’y Burger, then you
have eaten torula yeast! Gardenburger Portabella Veggie Burger and MorningStar
Farms Grillers California Turk’y Burger both contain torula yeast. MorningStar
Farms Chik’n Nuggets contains both autolyzed yeast extract and yeast extract.
- Fried Food
Set aside the high amounts of trans-fat,
saturated fat, calories, and cholesterol that come with frying food, since
that’s been covered many times before and most of us already know about those
dangers. Another reason to avoid eating fried food is that most of them will
contain MSG.
One of the easiest ways to get fried food with
MSG in it is to stop into KFC and order anything fried from their menu. They’re
not the only culprit, not by a long shot. MSG is prevalent in so many packaged
food. If it comes from a major food supplier, is fried and comes in a package,
it will contain some amount of MSG.
Artificial Sweetener
Walk into any big box grocery store and you’ll
find that artificial sweeteners are everywhere. They’re tucked into soft
drinks, baked goods, and fruit juices to make them taste sweet without the
extra calories. Most products that contain artificial sweeteners are usually
labelled as “diet” or “reduced sugar,” but not all are (you
can even find some in food that claim to have “natural” ingredients).
Because they’re not always clearly labelled on
food packaging, consumers may not realize that they’re eating them. Artificial
sweeteners have been under the spotlight for decades now as health food
advocates point out that they can come with a list of side effects, much like a
drug.
The side effects that are claimed by those
against sweeteners like aspartame include some really severe conditions, such
as depression, insomnia, blindness, tinnitus, hives, and a contributing factor
to things like Alzheimer’s and MS.
- Light Food And Beverages
If you’re calorie conscious you might be
attracted to food that are advertised as Lite or Light, since they’ll have
fewer calories than their regular counterparts. But what you’re trading the
calories for is typically artificial sweeteners that might be calorie-free but
have their own side effects and health hazards.
- Diet Coke
Diet sodas don’t contain High Fructose Corn
Syrup, but in its place are sweeteners like aspartame. Aspartame got a bad rap
back in the day when some poorly done studies linked it to cancer. Scientists
have recently found, however, that the link doesn’t hold up. Still, those with
a rare disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) may be sensitive to the chemical.
The debate rages on whether aspartame is as bad
as the claims being made, but why get involved with it? It’s definitely not
good for you, and if you’re drinking diet drinks you’re concerned about your
health and well-being. It’s best to replace them with all-natural beverages that
are low in calories, but still have some flavour, like green tea.
- Packaged Snacks
Many of these snack packs come in 100 calorie
sizes, which appeals to many dieters. But in order to get them to taste good
and not add too much to the bottom line they include different unnamed
artificial sweeteners in them. Whether or not these are bad for you is under
question, but they’re certainly not good for you, and it’s a little unnerving
when they won’t tell you exactly what’s in the food.
Sodium
High levels of sodium, or salt, can really wreak
havoc on your body. Not only does it cause you to retain water, but it also
increases blood pressure and can lead to complications with the heart. Almost
all heart patients are put on a low-sodium diet, whether they suffered a heart
attack, stroke, or are at risk for them. It makes sense to watch your sodium
levels long before it reaches the point of a doctor telling you to do so, or
forcing you onto a diet to help save your life.
- Cheese
Cheese also has copious amounts of saturated fat
and cholesterol, which is why you want to go easy on it as far as your daily
diet goes. But there is another factor of cheese to consider, and that is the
amount of sodium it contains. Be sure to stay away from Cheez Whiz, as that has
almost a quarter of the RDA of sodium in one serving. And even cheeses that are
often considered healthy pack of sodium punch. For example feta cheese has
about half the daily limit of sodium in a 100-gram serving.
- Salty Snacks
The problem with salty snacks is that the salt
makes you keep eating them. Once you have the salty flavour on your taste buds
you automatically reach for another chip. And the sodium is only one concern,
as these snacks are usually cooked in partially hydrogenated oils giving them
trans-fats, and use artificial seasonings and flavourings.
- Frozen Meal
The frozen food section of your grocery store
can be another hiding place for salt. Frozen meals like pizza or meatloaf
dinners might contain up to 1,800 mg of sodium — enough to put you over the
AHA’s daily limit in just one meal. Excess salt causes your body to retain
fluid, which will not only leave you feeling bloated, but can also lead to high
blood pressure. Look for low-sodium options or, better yet, cook your own meals
from scratch.
- Bread And Tortillas
When it comes to breads, rolls, and tortillas,
once again, you need to read the labels carefully. Don’t assume that all grains
are the same. One 6-inch flour tortilla can contain more than 200 mg of sodium,
and that number jumps to over 500 mg for a 10-inch tortilla. Instead, choose
plain corn tortillas, which contain just 11 mg of sodium for each 6-inch round.
And if you’re grilling this summer, a hamburger
bun can add an additional 250 mg of sodium to your meal. Instead, try swapping
in a lettuce wrap or Portobello mushroom bun for added nutrients and flavor,
without any extra sodium.
Calories
Food high in calories can really add to your
waistline in a hurry if you’re not careful. The reason they’re so sneaky is
because you can consume hundreds of calories quickly and not even be aware of
it. A popular dieting theory is that the fewer calories taken in the more
weight you’ll lose, all else being equal. That’s why you see people going on
low-calorie diets and trying to burn calories in the gym. You don’t have to go
to extremes, but minding the calories you consume will lead to a healthier you.
- Pasta Dishes
A plain bowl of pasta won’t ruin your day,
calorically speaking, but pasta often serves as the foundation for more
calorie-laden dishes. A nice slab of Lasagna Classico from Olive Garden for
example can tip the charts at 850 calories, more than half of the calories
allotted to some dieters. That doesn’t leave much for the rest of the day. Also
consider a small serving of Spaghetti with Meatballs from Buca di Beppo that
tips the tables at 916 calories.
- Chocolate
Dark chocolate is making a surge as a health
food, but milk chocolate still rules the market and is the easiest to come by.
The only problem is that it’s not as healthy for you as it’s easy to ramp up
the calories if you have a chocolate binging episode. There are 3.4 calories in
each M&M, 73 in each piece of Godiva chocolate, and 23 in each Hug version
of Hershey’s Kisses.
Carbohydrates
It’s not as if you have to go low-carb or
no-carb but you should still keep an eye on your carbohydrate intake. In fact
there’s even a recommended daily allowance set at 130g. Why are too many carbs
unhealthy? Food high in carbohydrates will be digested quickly and tend to
increase your blood sugar levels.
This causes a release of insulin, which produces
glycogen which gets stored in the body as fat. They’re also responsible for
making you feel hungry again quickly, and can lead to more eating and
overeating than would otherwise happen.
- Bagels
For a long time bagels were thought of as a
healthy way to start the day, until the no-carb fad came along. Now they are
gaining popularity again, but is it justified? A plain bagel from Einstein
Bros. Bagels contains 59g of carbohydrates, and uses up 45% of your daily
allowance. Chances are when you’re having a bagel, you’re not leaving it plain
and are topping it off with cream cheese, butter, jelly, or making a breakfast
sandwich with it, which only makes it less healthy for you.
- Coffee Drinks
A cup of regular Joe won’t damage your carb
levels for the day, but when you get all fancy you’re ultimately creating a
carb-infused cocktail. A medium cappuccino from McCafe at McDonald’s will cost
you 12g of carbs, and a medium sized latte, even with sugar-free syrup, still
puts you at 44g of carbohydrates, almost insuring you’re going to go over your
daily budget.
- Movie Popcorn
No list of unhealthy food would be complete
without movie popcorn on it. This can fit under many categories, including too
many calories, too much saturated fat, too much MSG, trans-fat from
hydrogenated oil, and that doesn’t even count the “butter” topping. But aside
from all of that it has plenty of carbs. A large sized bucket has about 90g of
carbs in it, with that number varying by location.
