7 Foods to Avoid

We all strive for a healthier lifestyle, but with so much conflicting nutrition advice, it’s challenging to make healthy eating choices.

A critical first step involves understanding which unhealthy foods to avoid. This empowers you to regain control over your health. It also allows you to experience more energy and vitality.

Many deceptively unhealthy foods sneak into our diets. Let’s examine seven foods you should reduce or eliminate for your overall wellness.

If you’re seeking healthy weight loss, vibrant energy, and lasting health, understanding which unhealthy foods to avoid is crucial.

Unhealthy Foods to Avoid: Seven Culprits

1. Liquid Sugar: A Sneaky Saboteur

Sodas, energy drinks, and juices often appear harmless. However, they’re loaded with sugar.

High-fructose corn syrup, a common ingredient in many soft drinks, delivers a rapid sugar rush, and fruit juice concentrates deliver high levels of sugar, with none of the fiber found in whole fruits.

These sugary drinks quickly stress your body and deplete nutrient reserves. A good alternative? If plain water seems boring, consider Zevia or other naturally sweetened beverages with minimal ingredients.

Try adding natural Stevia, but make sure it doesn’t contain artificial chemicals or dextrose.

2. Processed Cheese Products: Not Really Cheese

Those "cheese products" designed for melting may contain less than 51% actual cheese. Skim milk, canola oil, and fillers disguised as "pasteurized cheese product" take the place of real cheese.

Ingredients like modified food starch (another type of sugar) and excessive salt are common. High sodium levels contribute to high blood pressure and other health issues.

For a healthy snack alternative, check out our previous discussion on the many benefits of cruciferous vegetables.

3. Most Protein Bars: Hidden Sugary Treats

Many protein bars contain excessive sugar and poor quality plant proteins. They're designed to be shelf-stable, but added sugars and preservatives are what help them achieve this.

Avoid those filled with high fructose corn syrup, cheap refined and seed-based vegetable oils, modified food starch, and other processed sugars.

These often hide under names like rice syrup. Choose real, whole-food protein sources instead.

Hard-boiled eggs, grass-fed cheeses, cottage cheese, and full-fat Greek yogurt are more beneficial. These healthy snacks keep blood sugar levels stable, which promotes long-term health.

4. Soy-Based Mayonnaise: Widespread and Inflammatory

Most commercial mayonnaise uses soybean oil, an inflammatory seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids. The high heat and chemical processing damage the oil further.

Soybean oil is not only inflammatory but can affect overall liver health. Most mayonnaise advertised as olive-oil-based often contains soybean oil as its main ingredient.

Be sure to check the ingredients list for unhealthy ingredients.

5. Sweetened Yogurt: Like Ice Cream, But Pretending

Many sweetened yogurts have surprisingly high sugar content. The sugar levels per ounce are potentially higher than even ice cream.

Manufacturers also remove the fat, leaving primarily refined carbohydrates. This also eliminates many of the micronutrients.

Added artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, and fillers make it even less healthy. Choose plain, full-fat, preferably grass-fed yogurts instead.

Incorporate plain full-fat kefir, and add your own berries or low-sugar fruits for flavor and nutrients. Watch out for added starches which create a thicker consistency.

6. Soy Protein Isolate: Proceed With Caution

Soy is a cheap, processed protein source. It is often derived from hexane-processed soy, a byproduct of petroleum refinement.

Nearly all commercially available soy is GMO and may contain pesticides like glyphosate, which has been linked to an increased risk of some cancers.

Healthy soy versions like edamame exist, but isolated versions are heavily processed. Whole-food proteins provide healthier options with more complete protein nutrition.

These include grass-fed meats, wild-caught Alaskan salmon and cod (avoid farm-raised due to mercury), and cage-free, pastured eggs.

Pastured eggs are superior to cage-free because they indicate free-range along with access to healthy grazing. The result is eggs with higher nutrients.

7. Modified Starches: The Hidden Bulkers

Modified starches are added to processed foods as bulkers and thickening agents. You'll find them in everything from tortilla chips and gluten-free bread to cauliflower crust pizzas, hiding under a multitude of names.

These starches can cause stomach upset from the chemical processing. They also raise blood sugar levels, similar to processed sugar.

Modified starches increase a product’s volume, lowering the overall cost of goods and maximizing profits.

Potato chips and many snack foods often contain significant amounts of starch. Choose complex carbs from nutrient-rich veggies that support digestion, such as squash, dark leafy greens, and carrots.

Avoid highly-refined white rice and other refined grains.

Conclusion

Avoiding unhealthy foods empowers you to take control of your health. Remember, creating sustainable, healthy habits involves eliminating unhealthy foods and incorporating nutrient-dense alternatives.

Focus on whole foods like fruits and vegetables with no added sugar, free-range poultry (chicken, turkey, and bison), and lean proteins like wild-caught sea bass.

By making mindful choices and focusing on nutritious alternatives, you'll improve your physical well-being and cultivate a healthier relationship with food.

FAQs about unhealthy foods to avoid

What is the #1 unhealthiest food?

Pinpointing the single "unhealthiest" food is difficult, as many factors determine a food's overall impact on health.

Regularly consuming foods high in added sugars, saturated fat, trans fat, and processed ingredients offers little nutritional value and can harm your health.

What are 10 unhealthy foods?

Ten commonly considered unhealthy foods include:

• Sugary drinks.

• Processed meats (like hot dogs and certain deli meats).

• Deep-fried foods (like French fries and fried chicken).

• Sugary breakfast cereals.

• Packaged snacks.

• Many commercially baked goods (often made with refined flour and high levels of sugar).

• Processed cheese.

• Highly sweetened yogurts and condiments.

• Foods with partially hydrogenated oils (a source of artificial trans fats, which raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease).

• Foods high in refined grains and added sugars (white bread, pastries, etc.).

In general, mass-manufactured packaged foods at your typical grocery store tend to include these unhealthy qualities.

Preservatives contribute to shelf stability but reduce nutritional value, and various other additives compromise health while maximizing corporate profits.

What is the one food we should all stop eating?

If one food should be minimized, it would be foods high in added sugar. High sugar intake contributes to weight gain, tooth decay, and fluctuating blood sugar levels, potentially increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Replace sugary treats and snacks with healthy snack options, such as fruit, nuts (like almonds and walnuts, which are good sources of healthy fats), or dark chocolate (which has lower sugar content than milk chocolate or white chocolate).

What's the worst junk food for you?

Highly processed junk foods low in nutrients and high in sodium are generally considered the worst. Many chips made with refined oils are a prime example.

These foods offer minimal nutritional value and can contribute to a variety of health problems, including an increased risk of heart attack and other forms of heart disease.

Large amounts of unhealthy fats and artificial additives can lead to numerous health complications. Reduce your fast-food consumption, as these meals are typically high in sodium, unhealthy fats, and processed ingredients.