Foods That Are Bad for Your Health

 

You don’t need us to tell you how harmful a diet full of fatty foods can be for your health. However, do you know all the foods you should avoid? It can be difficult keeping track. Today, we will go over some of the foods you should avoid, healthy alternatives, and how you can maximize a healthy diet with spermidine supplements. 

Which Foods Are Bad for Your Health?

Let’s start by stating the obvious; your diet plays a huge role in your overall well-being as well as your longevity. Just as important as the foods you should eat are the foods you should avoid. Knowing the unhealthy foods for your health can help you avoid foods that place your immediate and long-term health at risk. Some of the trademarks of unhealthy foods include:

  • Processed foods
  • Foods high in sodium
  • Foods high in sugar
  • Fatty foods

You can learn a lot about the food you eat by simply reading food labels. If the sugar or sodium content seems too high, it’s probably because they are. 

What is the Most Unhealthy Food For You?

It’s difficult to pinpoint what the most unhealthy food is. That’s because several different factors go into the different levels of healthiness. For example, a meal can consist of nothing but superfoods, but if it’s greased up, deep-fried, and slathered in a rich, creamy sauce, it immediately loses any positive health benefits. With that being said, here are some foods that we recommend avoiding, as it’s next to impossible to find a healthy version of them:

  • Doughnuts - One doughnut can pack as much as 200 calories and 12 grams of fat
  • Fettuccine alfredo - Just one three-ounce serving of fettuccine alfredo has 543 calories and 33 grams of fat
  • Sausage - Sausage is often linked to bowel cancer
  • Fried chicken - A fried chicken breast packs almost 400 calories and 22 grams of fat
  • French fries - Even a small order of french fries can have 670 calories and 39 grams of fat

We know most of these foods are delicious. We’re not saying you should never enjoy these foods again. However, try to limit your intake of these foods as much as possible. 

10 Foods That You Should Never Eat

We can’t stress enough how important it is to know what foods are healthy or unhealthy. Even some foods that you may think are healthy are far from it. For example, have you ever heard someone say, “pizza is healthy because it has every food group”? Unfortunately for all of us, this is nonsense. To help you better understand the foods you should avoid, here are ten foods you should not eat and some healthy alternatives:

  • Most restaurant pizzas - Homemade pizzas made with wholesome ingredients
  • White bread - Ezekiel bread or whole-grain bread
  • Sweetened breakfast cereals - Cereals that are high in fiber and low in added sugar
  • Fried food - Healthier cooking methods such as boiling, stewing, balancing, and steaming
  • Pastries - If you have a sweet tooth, go for Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, or dark chocolate
  • Gluten-free junk foods - Naturally gluten-free Foods
  • Low-fat yogurt - Full-fat yogurt that contains live or active probiotics
  • Low-carb junk foods - Foods that are naturally low in carbs
  • Ice cream - Healthy ice cream that uses fresh fruit and is low in sugar
  • Candy bars - Fruit or dark chocolate

Foods To Avoid with Arthritis?

Arthritis can be debilitating. Certain foods can trigger a reaction that causes arthritis symptoms or, in some cases, worsens them. Recent research shows that eliminating certain foods and beverages can greatly reduce symptom severity or prevent symptoms altogether. Below are some of the foods you should avoid with arthritis:

  • Foods or drinks with added sugars
  • Processed and red meats
  • Gluten
  • Alcohol
  • Vegetable oils
  • Foods high in salt

Speak with your doctor to learn more about the foods you should avoid when battling arthritis. Certain types of arthritis may provide different results. 

Which Foods Cause High Cholesterol?

Cholesterol gets a bad rap. This is due primarily to the fact that we really had no idea what cholesterol was until recently. Because of this, people often avoided healthy foods such as eggs and shellfish simply because they contained high cholesterol. Some of these cholesterol-rich foods are loaded with essential nutrients, nutrients that many Americans miss out on. With that being said, there are foods high in cholesterol that you should avoid. Those foods include:

  • Fried foods
  • Fast food
  • Processed meats
  • Desserts

You can lower your cholesterol by eating more fiber, exercising, losing weight, cutting back on unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking, and eating more produce.

Which Foods Raise Your Blood Pressure?

Research shows that high blood pressure, or hypertension, affects nearly half of all Americans. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in America. To avoid high blood pressure, here are some of the foods you should skip out on:

  • Salt or sodium
  • Deli meat
  • Frozen pizza
  • Pickles
  • Canned soups
  • Canned tomato products
  • Sugar
  • Processed foods

Even if you don’t have high blood pressure these foods should be kept to a minimum. 

What 3 Foods Does the Cardiologist Say to Avoid

Cardiologists know far too well how harmful certain foods can be to your cardiovascular system. If you’re trying to keep your heart healthy, here are some unhealthy foods to avoid:

  • Bacon, sausage, and processed meats - These foods are often high in calories, saturated fat, salt, and added ingredients that wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system
  • Potato chips - Chips are often loaded with sodium, which can lead to blockages in your arteries
  • Dessert - We all love a good dessert, but too much dessert can be bad for your heart. Experts recommend limiting your dessert intake to once per week at most

What Foods Should You Avoid For a Healthy Gut?

Your gut health plays a huge role in your overall well-being. Leaky gut syndrome - which is often caused by a poor diet - can cause digestive issues that turn your life into a living nightmare. Here are some of the foods to avoid when it comes to your gut health:

  • Cakes, muffins, pies
  • Crackers, popcorn, pretzels
  • Potato chips
  • Bread, pasta, cereals
  • Barley, rye, bulgur
  • Alcohol and carbonated beverages

What Foods Cause Inflammatory Symptoms?

Inflammation can be a good thing. It’s your body’s way of protecting itself when you are injured or sick. However, if you are experiencing inflammation after a big meal, chances are, there’s nothing good about it. Some of the foods that cause inflammatory symptoms include:

  • Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup
  • Artificial trans fats
  • Vegetable and seed oils
  • Refined carbohydrates
  • Excessive alcohol
  • Processed meats

 

References:

  • Don Moxley - Director of Applied Science

    Don Moxley is the Director of Applied Science at Longevity Labs. Moxley draws upon his career as an athlete, a sports scientist, and an instructor to lead and educate on the science of autophagy and longevity.