15 most harmful foods in the supermarket

1. Juice drinks

Juices seem to be healthier than soda, but it's not that simple. Especially when it comes to juice drinks. "Their labels are more like a description of a scientific experiment than a food product," says nutritionist Lindsey Pine. "These drinks contain a maximum of 10% juice, but there are many sweeteners and artificial additives." And some even contain vegetable oils.

It is better to drink plain water, and if you really want a fruity taste, dilute pure juice with water.

2. Popcorn with additional flavors

Ready-made popcorn with a cheese or bacon flavor sounds like a great idea at first glance, but nutritionists disagree. In such popcorn usually a lot of fat and salt, not to mention artificial flavors and colors. “This is a mockery of a simple, high-fiber meal that can be incorporated into a healthy diet in and of itself,” says nutritionist Janine Whiteson.

3. Instant noodles

“Noodle sets are one of the cheapest culinary options, and that's why students buy them so often. But this is one of the worst whole food parodies in the entire supermarket, ”says Whitson.

There is no nutritional value in such noodles, but there is a preservative called tert-butylhydroquinone (E319), a by-product of the oil industry. "It's also very high in sodium and saturated fat," Janine continues. - This little brick that magically turns into soupwill clog your arteries properly! "

4. Bouillon cubes

Yes, they quickly improve the flavor of homemade soup, but it's best to do without them. These cubes are nothing more than a mixture of sugar, salt, trans fat, and monosodium glutamate. Replace them with dried herbs and spices - the broth will be both aromatic and healthy.

5. Rice with additives

“The various rice mixes are so delicious because the manufacturers add a lot of salt and flavor enhancers like monosodium glutamate and caramel cooler to them,” explains Lindsay Pine. If you want to cook pilaf or rice with vegetables, take regular rice and add garlic, onion and spices yourself to taste. Choose brown, red, or black rice for more fiber and nutrients.

6. Salad dressings and sauces

Store-bought sauces are high in sodium, sugar and saturated fat, but the main issue is serving size. According to Janine Whitson, most manufacturers consider 1-2 tablespoons for serving size, although we actually put a lot more in the salad, which means we get more harm.

“These sauces will easily give up to 300 extra calories a day, if not more, ”says the nutritionist. It is better to season vegetable salad with vegetable oil. Or skip dressing altogether and add an avocado or boiled egg to get the healthy fats.

7. Canned fruits

They are soaked in syrup with a huge amount of sugar. Even if the packaging says that it is little or not at all, some sweeteners that are not needed in the diet will definitely be included. What's more, artificial sugar substitutes harmEffects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials. gut microbiome. If you can't eat fresh or frozen fruits, look for productscanned in their own juice.

8. Cereal bars

They are absolutely useless. “This is a carbohydrate snack with a lot of simple sugars, which means you’ll quickly get hungry again afterward,” notes Lindsay Pine. The fact that cereals are added to such a bar does not make it useful or even harmless.

9. Sweet yoghurts

Don't buy into the perceived benefits of probiotics. All fruit yoghurts contain sugar, and quite a lot. Especially if it contains berries in syrup, caramelized nuts, pieces of chocolate or granola. Fillers like these make yogurt just as good as a donut in terms of sugar.

10. Instant oatmeal

“It's a shame that a food as healthy and delicious as oatmeal has been turned into something harmful with the help of various sweeteners,” says Pine. - Even the leading brands have several plus artificial flavors in their composition, or even partially hydrogenated oil, that is trans fats».

If you want a healthy breakfast or snack, opt for plain oatmeal. Top with fresh berries, nuts and a little honey.

11. Meat cuts

“These foods are full of additives, including sodium, artificial colors and nitrates,” says nutritionist Adrienne Youdim. - In the long term, the use of such substances can lead to high blood pressureHigh dietary phosphate intake induces hypertension and augments exercise pressor reflex function in rats, digestive problemsDietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome and even cancerDietary emulsifier-induced low-grade inflammation promotes colon carcinogenesis intestines ".

12. Bottled iced tea

You might think this tea is a good substitute for soda, but flavors, sugar and other sweeteners are often added to it. Basically, you will drink almost the same lemonade. Better to spend a little time and brew delicious tea at home. Drink it with ice, lemon, mint, or fruit.

13. Margarine

It contains a lot of trans fats, and they lowerTrans fat is double trouble for your heart health the level of "good" cholesterol and increase the level of "bad". Choose butter or olive oil instead of margarine.

14. Dry cream

This powder also contains a lot of trans fats, as well as sweeteners, colors and various artificial additives. If you don't drink cow's milk, try adding coconut or oatmeal to your drinks. They can do it yourself.

15. Dried fruits

Fruits are rich in nutrients, but dried fruits often contain a lot of excess sugar. If you still need a dried version for a recipe, look for one with no additional sweetener.