Six foods to watch out for: a healthier diet begins with awareness

If you want to preserve your health, there are some foods that you should avoid as much as possible: let's see together what they are

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Our daily diet often goes through processed foods and ultra-processed foods, which have terrible effects on our overall health condition. Therefore, knowledge about specific foods to be avoided as much as possible is very important. Among the six foods to watch out for is high-fructose corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup

It is used in everything from soda to baked goods. Due to the difference in the way this sweetener is metabolized, it has been associated with spiking blood sugar, inflammation, and an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Instant noodles

Also, beware of instant noodles. Handy as they are, the ready-to-cook noodles can have high contents of acrylamide, the probably carcinogenic chemical. They’re also replete with sodium that can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and further enhance the stroke risks.

Artificial sweeteners

Don’t underestimate artificial sweeteners. Products like aspartame are in many, if not most, diet sodas and “sugar-free” foods. There is a whole myriad of health problems it has been accused of causing including but not limited to headaches and possible disturbances in metabolism. It is best taken in moderation.

Processed meats

Another class of foods to limit is processed meats. Though all meats are best in moderation, deli cuts and other processed animal products tend to be high in both saturated fat and nitrates. Processed meats, such as hot dogs and sausages, have preservatives added to them. In the body, these preservatives can combine with the amino acid tryptophan and produce carcinogenic compounds that are believed to increase cancer risk. Many studies have linked intake of processed meats with heart disease and certain cancers including prostate and pancreatic cancers.

Margarine

Margarine is said to be healthier than butter, but some types of margarines contain trans fatty acids that have an adverse effect on blood cholesterol. Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol-the bad-and lower HDL cholesterol-the good. There is a great deal of evidence suggesting consuming trans fats increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Added sugars

Perhaps finally, added sugars are the most insidious of all. Over-consumption leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammation at the roots of many chronic conditions. Moreover, food manufacturers mask sugars with lots of different names; therefore, sometimes it is hard to identify it when consuming certain foods.

Conclusion

Being aware of such foods is the initial and most important step toward better eating and a more improved life. It paves the way for improved health by limiting one’s intake of them, combined with incorporating fresh, unprocessed foods.