The modern food supply offers a wide range of convenient and delicious options. However, some of these foods come with a very high and a very well-documented health risk. Major global health organizations, like the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) and the American Heart Association (AHA), have issued strong warnings about these specific food categories. Based on overwhelming scientific evidence, here are five top foods that everyone should consider limiting or avoiding altogether.
1. Processed Meats
This category includes foods like hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and deli meats. The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has classified processed meat as a “Group 1 carcinogen.” This is the same category as tobacco and asbestos. This means that there is strong, consistent evidence that a regular consumption of processed meat can cause colorectal cancer. The high levels of sodium and nitrates in these products are also linked to heart disease.
2. Sugary Drinks
Sugary drinks, such as soda, sports drinks, and sweetened fruit juices, are the single largest source of added sugar in the American diet. The American Heart Association (AHA) has linked the high consumption of these drinks to a huge number of health problems. This includes weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of heart disease. They are a source of “empty calories” that provide no real nutritional value.
3. Foods with Artificial Trans Fats
Artificial trans fats are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil to solidify it. This ingredient, which often appears on a label as “partially hydrogenated oil,” is a disaster for heart health. It raises your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. It also lowers your “good” (HDL) cholesterol. The evidence against it is so strong that the FDA has banned its use, but it can still be found in some older, processed foods.
4. Foods with the “Red 40” Food Dye
Red 40 is one of the most common and most controversial artificial food dyes. A huge number of products, from cereals and candies to sports drinks and snacks, use the dye. While it is approved by the FDA, several studies have linked this dye to an increased risk of hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children. The dye contains low levels of known carcinogens.
5. Ultra-Processed Foods
This broad category includes packaged snack cakes, instant noodles, and frozen dinners. These “ultra-processed” foods are industrial formulations. They have very few whole-food ingredients. A large body of scientific research now links a diet that is high in these foods to an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and a shorter lifespan.
The Case for Real Food
The common theme among all of these dangerous foods is that they are highly processed, industrial products. They are items a factory creates, not a kitchen. The scientific evidence is very clear. A diet based on these convenient, processed foods is a major risk to our long-term health. The single best thing that anyone can do for their health is to avoid these items. You should choose to eat a diet that is based on simple, whole, and unprocessed foods instead.
How often do you eat the foods on this list? Does this information make you want to change your eating habits? Let us know your thoughts!
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