If you want to lead a healthy life, eating highly processed foods is never a great way to go. Prioritizing balanced, nutritious meals is the best way to ensure your body functions properly. Unfortunately, processed foods can be some of the tastiest and most convenient options out there-but if you're aware of the risks at hand, you can make healthy, informed decisions about the food you eat and avoid those that will take a toll on your body.
To learn about some of the worst culprits out there when it comes to processed foods that impact your wellbeing, we spoke to Dietitian Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet, and Jesse Feder, RDN, CPT at Strength Warehouse. These experts told us that white bread, ramen noodles, frozen dinners, and sugary breakfast cereals should be avoided as much as possible.
Despite the fact that white bread is the go-to option for many people in the United States, health experts say it's also the least healthy. Richards explains this is because white bread is highly processed and stripped of its nutritional value. "White bread is made with refined carbohydrates and lacking in fiber and other beneficial nutrients," she says, adding that refined carbs "turn to sugar quickly, causing a quick rise in glucose." Additionally, white bread can take a serious toll on your body due to its inflammatory ingredients. "Refined carbs create a state of low-level inflammation in the body which causes a host of health issues, including declined cognitive function," she warns. Yikes! We'll go with whole wheat next time.
Let's be real: Ramen noodles are equally delicious and easy to make. However, it likely won't come as a surprise to learn that health experts say they're terrible for your overall health. "It is fully understood that these meals are full of sodium, which can cause inflammation, bloating, high blood pressure, abdominal fat, and other health concerns," Richards tells us. Say it ain't so! You should especially be wary of this food if you want to keep your gut health in check, as she says dehydrated ramen noodles are "highly processed and inflammatory which can lead to gut dysbiosis and bloating." Guess we can't survive on our diet from college forever!
Frozen dinners are another super-simple option that you may find yourself reaching for in a pinch, when you don't have the time or energy to cook yourself a nutritious dinner. Unfortunately, though, Feder says they're a no-go for anyone who wants to follow a healthy diet. "Frozen dinners typically have large amounts of fat and salt in them to make them taste good as well as keep them preserved," he says. "High amounts of fat and salt can lead to weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease." Uh-oh! It should also be noted that, just like white bread, these meals are typically loaded with refined carbs, as well, meaning you'll be packing in calories that won't keep you satisfied and could lead to overeating later on. The healthiest options will include a lot of veggies and protein, but overall, it's best to steer clear of the frozen meal aisle in the grocery store.
Although you may like to indulge in a sweet bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch from time to time, it's important to note that sugary cereals are one of the worst ways to start your day if you care about your overall health. "Sugary cereals are one of the most unhealthy processed foods you can have. They are loaded with sugar, sodium, and refined carbohydrates," Feder confirms. "These things, when eaten in high amounts and consistently, can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. The highly processed and refined ingredients typically give you a jolt of energy since they are able to be digested very quickly. This then causes a crash in our blood sugar, and can slow your metabolism." For a healthier alternative, try making your own granola or cooking up some hearty oatmeal.
At the end of the day, no one is perfect, and it's only natural to eat some less-than-healthy foods every now and then. However, for the most part, avoiding these processed foods as much as possible is the best way to ensure your body stays happy and healthy.