Top 5 Foods to Stay Away From

With a wealth of information at our fingertips combined with increased access to a variety of different foods, some may argue that eating healthy has never been easier. So then why are obesity rates at an all-time high? Part of the reason is attributed to a wide deviation from whole foods towards carefully marketed packaged foods that are wrongly perceived as being healthy. To stay on track towards a healthier lifestyle, here is a list of just five foods you should never place in your shopping cart.

Flavored Water

Making the switch from soft drinks to water isn’t always an easy feat, particularly if you’re used to sodas on a regular basis. In such cases, flavored water might seem like a transitional beverage that is healthier than soda. While such waters don’t have the same sugar content as soft drinks, they still pose a host of other dangers. Some products contain vitamins, which may pose the potential for overdoses if you already take supplements, while others still contain sugar and sodium. Your best bet is to skip flavored water and go for the real stuff.

“Healthy” Caffeine Fixes

Increasingly packed schedules often call for a pick-me-up here and there. While coffee itself is not unhealthy, many consumers are aware of the fact that added sugar and creamers make such drinks a dieter’s worst nightmare. As an alternative, some caffeine lovers choose energy drinks that don’t contain the ingredients used in coffee. Not only do these supposed “healthy” caffeine fixes contain large amounts of sugar, but the caffeine levels might also be dangerously high when used regularly overtime.

Reduced-Fat Products

Fat contains more calories per weight than any other nutrient. In order to lose weight, it only makes sense to cut down on fatty, calorie-laden foods. The problem is that so-called fat-free and reduced-fat packaged foods often contain larger amounts of sodium and sugar than their regular counterparts. Subsequently, these meals aren’t as satiating, which may lead to hunger spikes later in the day.

Energy Snacks

When you’re losing weight, it is smart to focus on foods that will provide you with all the energy you need to carry you through the day while cutting portions. Energy snacks in the form of beverages and bars are often perceived as weight loss must-haves. However, such snacks often do more damage than good, due to the high amounts of sugar. Unfortunately, consumers look at the high fiber content of these foods and fail to catch the sugar content.

Corn-Fed Animal Products

In the last decade, consumers have shown more concern over the way animals are treated in farming. A grass-fed meat product label often indicates that the animal was free-range, but the food source often means so much more. Grass-fed animals produce meat higher in nutrients, as opposed to corn-fed sources. It is important to check out all related labels, including red meat, poultry and eggs.