If you’re having trouble reaching or maintaining your ideal weight, these ten food categories could be the cause. The field of nutrition is constantly changing and developing. What was considered healthy a few months ago may no longer hold today.
However, the first step towards healthy eating, weight loss, or maintaining a healthy weight is knowing which foods will help you reach your goal and which ones will have you going in circles.
Eliminate these ten food categories from your diet as much as possible.
1) Baked Goods – Cookies, bagels, buns, and the like are made of refined grains and unhealthy fats and are high in calories. A regular muffin may be sweet and delicious but has 400 to 500 calories.
2) Coffee Drinks/Lattes – While a flavored latte may appeal to your taste buds, it contains added sugars, artificial flavorings, and high-fat creamers. It’s best to stick to regular organic plain coffee.
3) Fat-Free Foods – Foods with this label are low in fat but higher in sugar to compensate for the low-fat content.
4) Fatty Meats – Ribs, pork meat, lamb chops, etc., are tasty and juicy but contain saturated fats that should be kept to a minimum for weight management and health reasons.
5) Fried Foods – Fried cheese sticks, French fries, and other fried snacks are great comfort foods, but they’re high in saturated and trans fats, leading to clogged arteries and causing heart disease.
6) Nitrates – These chemicals in packaged meats like hot dogs, ham, and deli meat have been linked to various cancers.
7) Soda – Sugar-sweet drinks have a high sugar content and don’t allow you to feel a sense of fullness because of their liquid form.
8) Artificial Sweeteners – These chemicals are sweeter than regular sugar. They don’t have calories, but your body will crave them a few hours later.
9) Sugar – It’s not just found in candy, cookies, and cakes; it’s also in ketchup and salad dressings. Too much sugar is linked to more than forty adverse health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
10) Trans Fats – Foods high in trans fats like margarine, vegetable shorting, and fried foods are linked to inflation in the body, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
After reading this list, you may feel limited in your food options. However, the trick is to avoid foods that contain high amounts of sugar and sodium, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients and replace them with healthier alternatives.
Here are a few examples:
Low in sugar or sugar-free snacks
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- Greek yogurt with natural fruit
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- Air-popped popcorn
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- Dark chocolate
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- Hummus
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- Two or three string slices
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- Nuts and seeds
Healthy fats
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- Fatty fish
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- Eggs
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- Avocado
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- Chia seeds
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- Flaxseeds
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- Nuts
Low sodium foods
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- Lean cuts of pork or grass-fed beef
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- Skinless grass-fed chicken or turkey breast meat
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- Unsalted nuts and seeds
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- Black beans, garbanzo beans and lentils
Natural foods without artificial ingredients
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- Fresh fruits and vegetables
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- Fish
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- Lean meats
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- Fish
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- Nuts and seeds
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- Beans and legumes
The four food groups overlap, but many healthy recipes are available to prepare and enjoy in a way that fits your taste buds.
Once you start choosing healthier alternatives, you’ll notice the physical and mental benefits.
Eventually, it will become a daily habit, helping you achieve your weight goals and bringing a sense of accomplishment and happiness.