Did you know that there are foods you are eating every day that are killing you slowly? Most of us have a number of these foods on our menu, but if you combine all of these, you’ll get a deadly combo and you need to start making changes to your diet. So analyze what you eat and start making the right choices today. Here’s the list of 20 foods that are killing you slowly. Try to avoid or limit the intake of these foods as
much as you can.
Some of these foods lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. Not to forget
obesity and all the anxiety and depression that can come with it.
1. Barbecued Meats
The smell of barbecue might be hard to resist, but please try. The
chemicals that enter the meat during the process are associated with
risk of pancreatic cancer and breast cancer. If you can’t resist, try to
limit the intake of barbecued meat and consider adding some rosemary to
your hamburger to reduce the amount and number of carcinogens.
2. Energy Bars
Energy bars might be necessary for athletes who need a quick burst of
energy, but if that’s not you, try to resist these tasty calorie bombs.
Energy bars contain a lot of sugar (we talked about sugar before), high
fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and can contain trans-fats. So this
is basically candy that’s full of calories, sugar, and artificial
ingredients. In other words, it’s a ticking time bomb.
3. Fast Food
Sure, fast food tastes good, it’s fairly inexpensive, and it’s
everywhere. But what makes it taste so good? It’s the same things that
are slowly killing you: trans-fats, sugar, salt, preservatives,
additives, dyes, and other chemicals that enhance the looks and the
taste of this food. Fast food can affect your risk of diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, cancer, mood disorders, weight gain, metabolic
disorders, etc. So at least try to cut down on fast food.
4. Canned Tomato Sauce
Canned tomato sauce is a killer in disguise. It’s a hidden source of
sugar and it would never even cross your mind that it could lead to
increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even tooth
decay. To avoid these issues, use fresh tomatoes to make the sauce
yourself, or switch to pureed tomatoes without the extra sugar or salt
and add your own spices. Or at least go for brands with less sugar and
sodium.
5. Soda
Carbonated drinks or sodas are one of your worst enemies. They can mess
up everything, from your skin, blood sugar levels, to your hormones and
mood. Forget the marketing and the labels that say it’s good for you or
it contains nutrients or vitamins. All it has is a bunch of sugar, food
dyes and preservatives. And sugar-free versions are no better as they’re
packed with harmful artificial sweeteners. Buy a blender or a juice
maker and make your own juice, please. And if you miss the bubbles, you
can always add your homemade fruit juice to some sparkly water, and
voila!
6. Sugar
If you have a sweet tooth, there are much healthier ways to satisfy your
cravings. Sugar is highly addictive, and other than spiking your
glucose levels and creating fat, it can lead to heart disease. Avoid
sugar as much as you can to decrease the risk of diabetes, cancer,
obesity, heart disease, and much more. Enjoy a bowl of fruit or add
honey to your recipes instead of sugar.
7. Deli Meats
Deli meats such as salami, ham, bologna, etc. are full of nitrates,
sodium, preservatives, and additives. All these substances can increase
the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even behavioral
problems and learning difficulties in children. To decrease the negative
effects, opt for deli meats from your local butcher instead of those
from supermarkets. Or even better, learn to avoid them.
8. Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is a part of our cuisine and we don’t even think twice
about it. But some of these oils are GMO and we have no idea yet what
long-term effects these products can have. Furthermore, vegetable oils
contain dangerous trans-fats that can trigger cardiovascular disease,
obesity, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Check the label and if the oil
is refined, steer clear of it as it contains free radicals that can
help cancer growth, speed up aging, and cause all kinds of trouble. Opt
for healthy alternatives such as olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil.
9. Margarine
Again, marketing is to blame for the BIG misconceptions about margarine.
It’s not healthy, people! It’s one of the unhealthiest foods in your
diet. So cut it out! Margarine is like a very lousy version of butter
that’s made with hydrogenated vegetable oils and it’s more unnatural
than you think. It’s pure chemistry. So what’s so bad about it? It’s the
trans fats that can damage your heart, blood vessels, and mess up your
cholesterol levels. Switch to butter for a healthier alternative. Other
healthy alternatives are olive oil and avocado oil that you can spread
on your bread. Just please avoid margarine!
10. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs and similar smoked and salted meat contain lots of
preservatives that are bad for your health. But the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine compared the effects of eating hot dogs to the
effects of smoking cigarettes. If you’re not convinced yet, you should
know that hot dogs are high in sodium and toxins that increase your risk
of cancer. If you can’t resist, at least make sure you get your dogs
chemical-free from organic butchers or directly from farmers.
11. Potato Chips
All deep fried food contains a dangerous substance called acrylamide.
Potato chips are no exception. Acrylamide increases the risk of colon
cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and rectum cancer. So avoid the
potato chips or make a healthier version at home. Put a little olive oil
on sliced potatoes, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and bake it in your
oven. We promise it tastes delicious.
12. Bottled Salad Dressings
Bottled salad dressings are full of sugar, artificial colors, and high
fructose corn syrup. Once you drown your salad in this nutritional
disaster, you might as well eat a bag of potato chips or a hot dog
instead. Drop the bottled salad dressings, and use lemon juice, apple
cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar along with some olive oil for a
healthy salad dressing.
13. Artificial Sweeteners
No, these are no better than sugar. In fact, they’re often worse.
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, neotame, acesulfame potassium,
etc. might contain fewer calories, but they can still increase the risk
of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome.
You may not have noticed but many sugar-free gums contain aspartame,
which is considered the most dangerous substance in the world. Sugar has
healthy alternatives such as honey, maple syrup, and agave syrup, to
name a few.
14. Alcohol
We’re sorry to break this to you, and again, many will disagree, but
alcohol has no health benefits. It’s extremely high in calories, can
cause dehydration, liver damage, weight gain, depression, and skin
problems. Not to mention the bad decisions you make when under the
influence. So, if you want to damage all your systems, from the brain to
liver to skin, believe the marketing and drink alcohol daily.
Otherwise, avoid it.
15. White Bread, Refined Flours
Grains are good, right? So bread must be good too? Well, not if it’s
white bread made from refined flours. White flour is stripped of all the
nutritional fiber, minerals, and vitamins, and all you get is grain
waste mixed with chemicals to achieve the nice white color. But behind
it lies the risk of weight gain, thyroid damage, and organ damage. Go
whole grain instead!
16. Dairy
Yes, milk is the first food we eat when we’re brought into this world.
But a mother’s milk is much different than a cow’s mother’s milk. In
addition, as we age, we develop lactose intolerance. Dairy products are
linked with low nutrient absorption, migraines, arthritis, cancer,
allergies, and asthma. So again, forget about those clever marketing
tricks. Switch to coconut milk or almond milk, it tastes great and it
won’t slowly kill you like cow milk.
17. Wheat
Wheat contains a carbohydrate that suddenly and greatly increases your
blood sugar levels. This triggers high insulin production and weight
gain. Over time, your pancreas will become overworked and you’ll become
insulin resistant, and then you can get diabetes. And high blood sugar
levels trigger the production of compounds that speed up the aging
process and give you wrinkled skin. So you’ll age faster and be prone to
diabetes, which in itself is a big issue.
18. Breakfast Cereals
Again, we blame it on the marketing. Breakfast cereals aren’t harmless
as their happy cheerful colors and toys inside the box might suggest.
They actually contain sugar, artificial coloring, preservatives, GMO
products, and they’re often stripped of the nutrients they had before
processing. Try oatmeal with some fresh or dried fruit instead. It
tastes great, and it’s actually good for you.
19. Commercial Fruit Juices
Don’t believe the big flashy labels that say 100% fruit. Most of the
time, the secret is in the fine print. Commercial fruit juice often
contains added sugar, coloring, preservatives, and it can lose its
nutrients during pasteurization. Your best bet is finding a trusted
local juice bar or making your own fruit juice at home. We’d go for the
latter. Have some fun and explore new tastes.
20. Salt
Salt plays a big role in regulating our blood pressure. If you eat too
much salt, you’ll have high blood pressure and increased risk of
cardiovascular disease, which is among the leading causes of death in
the world. So, don’t cut out all salt as your body still needs it, just
limit the amount and watch out for sodium levels in processed foods.
Just 3.75 grams of sodium per day is a sufficient and safe amount.
Anything above 6 grams poses a serious health risk.
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