It’s a well known fact that we need food and water to survive or we would starve to death, but there are certain unhealthy foods that push us closer to death if we swear by them and insist on making them a regular part of our daily diets.
We should be avoiding them like the plague rather than flocking to them like locusts because, not only do they have the bare minimum food value, they also contribute to the onset of lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, strokes, and cardiac ailments.
Here’s a list of unhealthy foods that you must avoid if you wish to stay healthy as long as you live:
- Foods high in saturated and hydrogenated fat: This includes the ubiquitous French Fries, sugared doughnuts, margarine, and shortening, among others. These kinds of fats tend to clog your arteries and lead to high cholesterol.
- Foods high in sugar: Colas and sodas, ice creams, chocolates, sweets, sugar, sweetened juices, sugared cereal, cakes, desserts, candy and doughnuts make up a major part of this list.
These foods have a high glycemic index, which means that they increase your blood sugar rapidly, thus forcing the pancreas to secrete more insulin to reduce the surge. This rise and fall cycle is stressful on your body and takes its toll with the passage of time in the form of diabetes.
- Alcoholic drinks: While a moderate level of red wine is good for your heart, alcohol in general is bad for the functioning of your liver, brain and nervous system. Most drinks have high glycemic indices, which means they raise your blood sugar levels and also encourage the growth of pathological organisms that tend to sap your energy and leave you feeling drained.
- Caffeine: Yes, it’s a stimulant used to provide energy when we need a pick-me-up, but caffeine in large amounts or on a regular basis tends to deprive our body of the nutrients it needs.
It sucks out the healthy effects of the food we consume, especially if sipped with meals or close to them. While coffee is the main source of caffeine, colas, tea, chocolate and cocoa are also loaded with this chemical.
And this means that the glass of hot chocolate your youngster drinks every night may not be as healthy as you think. Caffeine raises your blood pressure, plays havoc with your blood sugar levels, increases your heart rate, and boosts your craving for food.
- Foods high in salt: Sodium, either in the form of common table salt or in the form of mono sodium glutamate or MSG, as we know the popular flavoring agent, is not good for the body.
It causes food cravings, addictions, and leads to heart ailments and hypertension. It’s found mainly in most seasonings, processed meats, baked goods, condiments, and processed, frozen, canned and cured foods.
- Foods with additives: Baked and processed foods come loaded with additives like MSG and yeast which cause an entire array of health problems.
- Fast foods: Sure, pizzas and burgers satisfy your taste buds, but they do much more than that. They are laden with carbohydrates, calories, fat and processed starch which tend to fluctuate your blood sugar levels, make you pack on the pounds, and feel lethargic and drained after your meal.
This article is contributed by Sarah Scrafford, who regularly writes on the topic of x ray technician salary. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.
What are some of your guilty-pleasure unhealthy foods?
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My family and I are literally starving right now because we make "too much money" to qualify for any help, and too little money to eat. I hope that somebody starts helping people like us, who are not on welfare or receiving disability checks, to have at least a decent meal. We have absolutely nothing in our pantry at all right now, and nobody will help us, not even the DHS!
You say you don't have enough food to eat and you make little money but you own a computer and have internet connection that probably cost $50 a month if you get rid of that you might be able to eat more.