Most of us know a dietary disaster when we see it on the menu: a double bacon cheeseburger or a slice of cheesecake. But we often don’t realize there are a host of unhealthy foods we eat everyday, right in our refrigerators. These foods can add extra calories, fat, sugar, and salt to your diet without you realizing.
We will review the 10 worst foods you may have in your refrigerator or freezer. Foods on this list are commonplace, high in trans fats, saturated fat, sugar, and/or salt. We will also take look at healthy alternatives suggested by WebMD nutrition expert/writer Elaine Magee.
1. Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise in itself might not be the worst food, if you only use a teaspoon or two. But most of us slather on this creamy, savory condiment that can set you back a whopping 360 calories, and 40 grams of fat in a ¼ cup serving.
Fortunately there are several healthier options that offer a lot of flavor without all the fat. Use light mayonnaise – at just 35 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per tablespoon this will cut calories and fat while keeping the mayo taste you enjoy. Consider alternative condiments such as mustard, BBQ sauce, salsa, chili sauce, or taco sauce. If you must use the “real thing,” then cut your portion back to just 2 teaspoons, which are 60 calories and 6.7 grams of fat.
2. Soda and Other Sweet Drinks
One of the main contributors of “empty calories” are sugary drinks: soda, sweetened tea, fruit drinks, and sports and energy drinks. These beverages are all calories from sugar, usually with little to no nutrition otherwise. Research has also shown that we don’t eat less when we drink these sweetened drinks – we eat just as much, adding the extra calories in our drinks.
The best beverage is good old-fashioned water. This should be the main source of hydration in your day. Some calorie-free drinks such as unsweetened green and black teas are also good sources of healthy antioxidants. Skim milk and plant-based milks such as almond or coconut milks have some calories, but they also are good sources of several nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, B-12, potassium, and magnesium.
3. Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol is often abused and the effects of excessive consumption are well known, but it can also be a diet buster. Your liver has to work hard to break down the alcohol into fatty acids, which then accumulate in the liver. Even one night of heavy drinking can cause fat to accumulate in the liver.
Alcohol, like soda and other sugary drinks, is empty calories. One glass of wine (8 ounces) has 170 calories, a bottle of beer (12 ounces) contains 150 calories, and a 1-½ ounce shot of liquor (vodka, rum, gin, whiskey) is about 105 calories, which may be in addition to soda or mixers you add to the shot.
With alcohol, moderation is key. The best bet is to drink alternatives to alcohol such as mineral or soda water with a lemon or lime wedge, coffee or tea, or diet sodas.
4. Processed Lunch Meat
Lunch meats including deli cold cuts, bologna, and ham may seem like wholesome and healthy foods but they contain loads of sodium, can be high in fat, and some have preservatives such as nitrates. The sodium in just on small serving of lunch meat (one slice of bologna or five slices of salami) ranges from 310 to 480 milligrams. Diets high in sodium may increase the risk of high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.
Processed meat (any meat preserved by smoking, curing, or salting with the addition of chemical preservatives) can lead to an increased risk for colon cancer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Some researchers believe the preservatives used in processed meats may change into cancer-causing agents in the body.
Alternatives to processed lunch meats include freshly roasted and sliced turkey, chicken, or roast beef. They contain all the protein, vitamins, and minerals, but none of the added sodium or preservatives. You can roast your own meat, or find deli brands with low nitrates and sodium.
5. Hot Dogs and Sausage
Hot dogs and sausage are other processed meats, full of sodium and fat. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Americans eat more than double the recommended amount of sodium, and frankfurters and sausages contain 520-680 milligrams per 2-ounce serving, along with up to 23 grams of total fat – 7 grams of saturated fat – per serving.
Instead of hot dogs and sausage, healthier choices include lower-fat and lower sodium meats such as poultry, pork tenderloin, roast beef, and shrimp. Try grilled vegetables such as portabella mushrooms, eggplant, or roasted red peppers for a tasty and fat-free savory alternative to hot dogs or sausages in recipes.
If you absolutely must have hot dogs or sausages look for “light” versions of your favorite frank, or turkey kielbasa, and even vegetarian soy-based meat substitutes. In some cases the sodium may be similar but the fat content may be cut in half.
6. Whole-Milk Products
Whole milk dairy products contain lots of fat and cholesterol. Though they are not technically empty calories because they contain protein, calcium, B-12, and riboflavin, the calorie count really adds up. Just 16 ounces (2 cups) of whole milk a day would add up to 1,904 calories, 105 grams total fat, 59.5 grams saturated fat, and 315 milligrams of cholesterol in just one week.
Fortunately, low-fat and fat-free options are available for most dairy products including milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, or cream cheese. In addition, many plant-based milks such as almond milk are low in fat and calories, and cholesterol-free.
7. Gourmet Ice Cream
Let’s face it – Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs make some tasty ice cream! Unfortunately, it comes with a hefty price to your diet. Even if you stick with the ½-cup suggested serving size on the pint, you can exceed recommended daily totals for saturated fat, total fat, and calories. One ½-cup serving of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream contains 260 calories, 14 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 65 milligrams cholesterol, and 23 grams sugar. Just ½-cup of Häagen-Dazs White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle is 290 calories, 16 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 90 milligrams cholesterol, and 27 grams sugar. Most of us typically eat twice the listed serving size, doubling the fat, calories, cholesterol, and sugar we consume.
The good news is you don’t have to give up ice cream completely. Look for great-tasting, low fat, low sugar – and thus lower calorie – ice cream. The light version of Safeway brand Mint Chocolate Chip, for example, is only 120 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, and 14 grams sugar for a ½-cup serving. An even healthier alternative is fresh fruit with plain yogurt.
8. Creamy Salad Dressing
We try to eat well and salads are a great place to start. But if your refrigerator contains bottles of creamy ranch, Thousand Island, or blue cheese dressing, you may be adding a lot of additional calories, fat, and sodium.
A 2-tablespoon serving a creamy dressing adds about 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, and 380 milligrams of sodium to your salad. Most of us don’t stop at that 2-tablespoon serving size and heap on double the amount – up to ¼-cup of dressing.
Measure your salad dressing and stick to the 2-tablespoon serving size. Also look for light versions of some of these creamy favorites that have fewer calories and fat. You may also enjoy other lighter dressings that don’t have the heavy cream, such as Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger or Ken’s Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette.
9. Stick Butter or Margarine
Margarine or butter in stick form is probably high in saturated fat – that’s what makes it hold its form. You may also use more of the stick of butter or margarine because its firm texture makes it more difficult to spread on foods. Each tablespoon of either spread will give you 100 calories and 11 grams of fat. A tablespoon of butter also contains 7 grams of saturated fat, while a tablespoon of margarine has 2 grams of saturated fat and 1.5 grams of trans fats.
Instead of cooking with stick butter or margarine, use canola oil or olive oil, which are “smart” fats – those rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fat. If you want to spread your margarine on foods, look for reduced-fat margarines that have no trans fat and low saturated fat. If you must have butter, use whipped butter. All that air makes it easier to spread, and cuts calories, fat, and saturated fat by a third.
10. Frozen French Fries
Potatoes by themselves are fat free and healthy. When you fry them up and make hash browns, French fries, and tater tots, these potato products become unhealthy. There are many frozen version that are ready-to-bake but just one small serving (3 ounces) can contain 8 to 11 grams total fat, about 3 grams saturated fat, 390 to 540 milligrams sodium, and 190 calories. Because these foods are tasty, many of us eat double this serving.
The best alternative is to eat unprocessed potatoes. Bake or roast them, so you get all the nutrition without added fat, saturated fat, or sodium. You may also find some brands of frozen hash browns that have no added fat – read the labels. If you love fries, read the labels as well. Steak fries are usually the lowest-fat option.
Reviewed by Joseph Palermo, D.O, on 6/21/2016
This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information:
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Diet-Wrecking Foods: Smoothies, Lattes, Popcorn, and More in Pictures
Salty Toppings
Processed artichoke hearts, chickpeas, and olives are just a few of the salt shockers lurking on the salad bar. To avoid getting too much sodium, limit anything that comes out of a can. Also pass up cured meats. Choose beans or tuna, but not both.
Food Fix: Radishes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and other fresh vegetables are low in sodium. Rinse canned beans to remove a lot of the salt.
Coleslaw
Cabbage is fine, but coleslaw can be a diet disaster. At one popular restaurant, a small cup (4.5 ounces) has 260 calories and 21 grams of fat — a third of most people’s daily limit — thanks to the mayonnaise.
Food Fix: Some places make a healthier slaw, so ask for nutrition information. At home, try low-fat mayonnaise or mix with nonfat yogurt.
Banana Chips
Deep-fried bananas don’t look greasy, but just one ounce has 145 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 8 grams of saturated fat: about the same as a fast-food hamburger.
Food Fix: Try a fresh banana: four times more food, 0 grams of fat, all for about 100 calories.
Caesar Salad
Some foods that we think are healthy can be sneaky little diet wreckers. Take Caesar salad, for example. You might think that because it’s a salad, it’s fine. But just a small bowl has 300-400 calories and 30 grams of fat, thanks to loads of dressing.
Food Fix: Use only 1 tablespoon of dressing and 2 tablespoons of tangy Parmesan cheese.
Fresh Smoothies
That berry blend at a smoothie shop can have a whopping 80 grams of sugar, 350 calories or more, little protein, and often no fresh fruit. Fruit concentrates are often used instead of fresh fruit. And sorbet, ice cream, and sweeteners can make these no better than a milkshake.
Food Fix: Get the small cup. Ask for fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, milk, or protein powder to blend in protein and good nutrition.
Energy Bars
Many of these are simply enhanced candy bars with more calories (up to 500) and a higher price tag. Their compact size also leaves many people unsatisfied. A few bites, and it’s gone.
Food Fix: Choose bars that have 200 calories or less, some fiber, and at least 5 grams of protein, which helps provide energy when the sugar rush fades.
Chicken Burrito
With beans and no red meat, what’s the problem? About 1,000 calories and plenty of saturated fat — cheese, sour cream, and the fat in the jumbo flour tortilla all contribute. And when the burrito is as big as your forearm, the serving is just too big.
Food Fix: Share one. Or try a soft taco with fajita-style grilled meats and veggies on a corn tortilla with tasty, low-calorie salsa.
Sugar-Free Foods
Sugar-free food sounds like a no-brainer for weight loss. But it can be a problem if you think you can then have a large order of fries or a big dessert. Upsizing the fries adds nearly 300 calories to your meal. If you eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight.
Food Fix: Watch your total calories.
Enhanced Water
Vitamins are commonly added to bottled water and advertised on the front label. But some brands also add sugar, taking water from zero calories to as many as 125.
Food Fix: Refrigerating tap water may make it more appealing. Or try packets of crystallized lemon to add flavor without calories.
2% Milk
Two-percent milk sounds healthier than “whole” milk. But you may not realize that it still has more than half the saturated fat of whole milk. Here’s what’s in a cup of milk:
Whole milk (3.25%) = 150 cal., 8g fat, 5g sat. fat
Reduced-fat (2%) = 130 cal., 5g fat, 3g sat. fat
Skim (nonfat) = 80 cal., 0g fat, 0g sat. fat
Food Fix: If you like whole milk, blend it with 2% for a while, then 1%, then skim, until you get used to the taste of nonfat milk.
2% Milk Latte
It’s tempting to choose reduced-fat milk in a latte and reward yourself with whipped cream on top. But this trade-off still adds up to 580 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat in a 20-ounce white chocolate mocha. That’s more than a quarter-pound burger with cheese.
Food Fix: A sweetened, frothy beverage is a diet splurge. Limit the damage with nonfat (skim) milk and no whipped cream. You’ll avoid 130 calories and two-thirds of the saturated fat.
Turkey Hot Dogs
The nutritional content of turkey hot dogs varies from brand to brand. It may say “less fat” on the front label, but when you check the fine print on the back, you find there’s still plenty of fat left in each sausage.
Food Fix: Compare nutrition labels for the lowest fat content. There are some really good choices now available. Or eat them only a few times a year.
Breakfast Muffins
Muffins beat doughnuts, but they’re still mainly sugary little cakes of refined flour. One store-bought muffin can hit 500 calories with 11 teaspoons of sugar.
Food Fix: Go no larger than 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Or look for 100-calorie muffins at the store. Some brands are a surprisingly good source of whole grains and fiber.
Low-Fat Granola
The low-fat version of this crunchy cereal has only 10% fewer calories and is still full of sugar. Plus, the low-fat label can easily lead you to overeat. A study at Cornell University found that people ate 49% more granola when they thought it was low-fat, easily blowing past the measly 10% calorie savings.
Food Fix: Look for low-sugar, whole-grain cereal, and sweeten it with fresh fruit.
Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt is a nutrition superstar, rich in protein and calcium. But many yogurts have lots of added sugar. Some brands add 30 or more grams of fructose, sucrose, or other sweeteners. Compare plain to fruited yogurts to see the difference between the sugars that are naturally in milk and added sugar listed on the nutrition facts panel.
Food Fix: Six ounces should be 90-130 calories and under 20 grams of sugar. Avoid sugary “fruit on the bottom” yogurts. Or blend sweetened yogurt with plain, nonfat yogurt.
Multigrain Products
When you see “multigrain” or “seven grain” on bread, pasta, or waffles, flip the package over and check the nutrition label. Even with more than one type of grain, the product could be made largely from refined grains, such as white flour, which have been stripped of fiber and many nutrients.
Food Fix: Look for “100% whole grain” (oats, wheat) as the first ingredient. Or choose the brand with more fiber.
Light Olive Oil
Anything labeled “light” is enticing when you’re watching your weight. But often the food is not what you expect. Light olive oil, for instance, has the same calorie and fat content as other types. It’s just lighter in color and taste.
Food Fix: Some light foods do help you save calories. Compare the labels in the store.
Added Omega-3
Some yogurt, milk, eggs, cereal, and other foods boast of added omega-3. But they may not have the kinds of omega-3 best known to help your heart: EPA and DHA. Or there’s only a smidgen — about as much as in one bite of salmon. Instead, they may have ALA from vegetable sources. ALA is not as potent or beneficial as DHA/EPA.
Food Fix: Try 6 ounces of salmon. It has 100 times more omega-3 than is in a serving of fortified yogurt. Vegetarians could consider algae-derived omega-3 supplements.
Iced Tea
The antioxidants in iced tea don’t make it a health food. Too much added sugar can turn a tall glass into a health hazard. A 20-ounce bottle can have more than 200 calories and 59 grams of sugar.
Food Fix: Skip “sweet tea” in favor of unsweetened iced tea. Lemon or artificial sweeteners add zing without calories. Herbal and berry teas taste mildly sweet without sugar.
Microwave Popcorn
The word “snack” can be a little misleading on microwave popcorn. One popular brand packs 9 grams of fat into each “snack size” bag.
Food Fix: Compare nutrition labels, and get a lower-fat popcorn that has no trans fat at all. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or low-salt spice blends for added flavor without a lot of fat.
Iceberg Lettuce
This popular lettuce is big on crunch but a big “zero” when it comes to vitamins and flavor. And its boring taste leads many people to overdo it on the dressing and toppings.
Food Fix: Add spinach or arugula to the mix. Crumble 2 tablespoons (100 calories) of blue cheese or feta on top. Then splash the salad with a little oil and vinegar to spread flavor without a lot of calories.
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