2. Soda
Okay, so maybe this is not something you actually eat. But you do drink them on occasion which is why they made it to this list.
A soda is a carbonated drink, typically a mix of carbonated water, flavoring, and sweeteners. Sugar, sugar substitutes, fruit juice, corn syrup, or a combination of any of these are used to sweeten this beverage. Caffeine and colorings may also be added into sodas. And then of course there are the dreaded preservatives, though it’s not the only thing you should be afraid of. The combined use of preservatives and sweeteners make soda extra deadly. It poses health concerns which predispose you to a number of deadly diseases.
Drinking beverages sweetened with sugars in whatever form is associated with weight changes. The daily consumption of soda leads to weight gain, increasing the risk for obesity. The link between soda consumption and weight gain was seen in both children and adults in two separate studies. In the study involving more than 500 schoolchildren for a course of over 19 months, they found that for every soda a child drank, there was an increase of 0.24 kg/m2 in body mass index (BMI). The 8-year study of about 50,000 female nurses showed that those who drank more sodas gained an average of 8 kg during the study compared to the 2.8 kg weight gain in women who reduced their soda consumption.
Obesity is a health concern that must be taken seriously, as it is related to diseases that claim the lives of millions of people every day. Namely, these are diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
3. Breakfast cereals
We are made to believe that fortified breakfast cereals are healthy. To a certain degree, they are. Several studies have proved that they help with both weight loss and weight management. What many don’t know is that many of the cereals currently available in the market are overloaded with nutrients. And too much of anything is always a bad thing.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a health research and advocacy organization based in Washington, reported that food manufacturers use obsolete nutritional labeling rules. The report states that children are ingesting “unhealthy amounts” of vitamin A, niacin, and zinc through fortified breakfast cereals. These nutrients are available in amounts that were intended for adults – and that’s not all. Even for adults, these amounts are beyond daily needs.EWG analyzed the nutrition facts of 1,556 breakfast cereals and found that 114 of them are fortified with vitamins A, niacin, and zinc with amounts more than 30 percent of an adult’s recommended daily intake. 23 more cereals were discovered to be fortified with one or more of these nutrients in amounts much greater than the levels considered safe for children aged 8 and below based on the standards of the Institute of Medicine. Too much nutrient intake can lead to short and long-term health concerns, and even death as a complication.
Excessive vitamin A intake has been linked to liver damage, skeletal abnormalities, and hair loss. Having too much zinc in your system impedes the absorption of copper. Copper is a mineral that is necessary for the production of red and white blood cells. Excess zinc levels can therefore impair the immune system, your body’s defense against deadly infectious diseases.
5. Packaged cookies
Oreos, Chip’s Ahoy, Keebler, Girl Scout Cookies, and butter cookies… the list goes on. These sweet store-bought treats are often too delectable to resist. One of their main ingredients is partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. You might think “Vegetable oils?! That’s awesome!” But no – they’re not cool. This is one of those few rare instances where by-products of vegetables are not healthy for human consumption.
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils like palm oil and palm kernel oil contain trans fats and saturated fats. Many studies associate trans fat to higher chances of heart disease. Other studies suggest that it also increases the risks for obesity and diabetes, two more deadly health problems. Palm oil is one of the most commonly used ingredients in making these sweet snacks. It is 50 percent unsaturated and 50 percent saturated fat. Palm kernel oil, which is derived from the seeds of palm fruits, is a cause for more worry. It contains 82 percent saturated fat.Fats are not the only unhealthy component of supermarket cookies. Sugar and calories are also a normal part of every cookie you pop into your mouth. And like any food with staggering amounts of sugar and calories, they will cause you to pack up on weight with just a few servings.
A single serving of Double Stuf Oreo has more than 5 teaspoons of sugar, which is beyond the recommended daily sugar intake by the American Heart Association for children (3 teaspoons), and provides more than half of the daily recommended intake for men (9 teaspoons) and women (6 teaspoons). Just one Oreo Golden Fudge Crème cookie gives you 180 calories and 18 grams of sugar, plus 9 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat.
6. Pancakes
Pancakes are a good way to fill your stomach early in the morning when there’s a long day ahead of you. And they do contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals. A singe serving is enough to provide you 18 percent of your daily recommended calcium intake, 20 percent of phosphorus, and 12 percent of riboflavin and iodine. You also get decent quantities of vitamins B6, B12, C, thiamin, and minerals including copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc from them.
Pancakes are also great sources for carbohydrates and proteins without being too heavy on these macronutrients. It’s a shame they have just the right amount of fat, sugars, and sodium to tip it off a weight watcher’s scale. Because of this, it can be classified as an unhealthy breakfast, especially if you eat more than a single serving.
One serving of pancakes is equivalent to one or two 4-inch pieces. And a single serving of these fluffy breakfast meal contains 8.8 grams of fat. 44 percent of its fat content, or 3.9 grams, is saturated fat. Having more than 15 grams of saturated fat each day is not advisable. Add butter to flavor, and you will blast the levels of saturated fats in pancakes off the charts. A serving of pancake also has 4.3 grams of sugar. Slathering it with maple syrup will greatly add up to its sugar content. It also has 308 mg of sodium and the daily limit for sodium intake averages at 1,500 to 2,300 mg.
The deadly combination of saturated fats, sugars, and salt in pancakes raises the risk for heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and many more.
0 comments:
Post a Comment