Before deciding which foods you should cut out of your diet, you should determine your daily calorie requirements. Having a general idea of the calories you require can help you decide if a certain food is really worth it. Apart from counting calories, also consider the nutritional value of the food items you want to eat.
You should try to eat nutritious foods that are high in vitamins and minerals, and also provide you with some good fats and protein. Some foods just can’t be justified in terms of nutrition and calories. Eating foods that are void of nutrition is pointless and may also make it difficult for you to reach your health and fitness goals. Here are some unhealthy foods with zero nutritional value that are just not worth it!
Table of Contents
1- Soda
Soda is high in calories and offers no nutritional benefit. Soda also doesn’t contain any vitamin or mineral. It has an insignificant amount of sodium and potassium. It is also full of sugar and can liquid sugar also increases blood glucose and the ultimate crash makes you feel tired and hungry. Regular consumption of soda may also put you at a higher risk for obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
2- Low Fat Peanut Butter
In a bid to lower the calorie count, do not trade-in full fat peanut butter for the low-fat version. Peanut butter contains good fats that are filling and good for heart health. However, when the fat is reduced or removed, filler ingredients such as sugar are often added. Make sure you read the ingredients label before buying peanut butter.
3- Tortilla Chips
Tortilla chips aren’t necessarily bad but they offer little in terms of nutrition. Most cracker and chips provide empty calories because the nutritional value of the grain is removed during the processing. You can try whole-wheat crackers or air-popped popcorn instead.
4- Margarine
Even though margarine is said to be a healthy alternative to butter, a lot of varieties contain hydrogenated oil, which is full of the potentially harmful trans fats. They can increase your LDL cholesterol. Use olive oil instead of using margarine. However, do not cook with it at high temperatures.
5- Candy Bars
Candy bars, even those that contain nuts, are just not worth it. First of all, most candy bars contain a very small amount of nuts. Second of all, candy bars contain more sugar and fat than cacao. Moreover, they are also high in calories. If you are craving chocolate, opt for a bar that is 75 percent cocoa
6- Ice Pops
Ice pops contain sugar, preservatives, artificial flavor, and colors. Artificial flavors may cause behavioral issues in children. If you are in the mood for some ice pops, only pick the ones that are made from fresh fruit juice.
7- Cotton candy
According to the USDA Food Database, cotton candy is 100 percent sugar. A one-ounce serving averages 110 calories and 28 grams sugar. This melt-in-your-mouth treat may seem “light” but it isn’t, and the effect on your teeth isn’t pretty either.
The most recent available World Health Organization guidelines recommend added sugar make up no more than 10 percent of calories to reduce incidence of cavities and gum disease. That’s equivalent to about 38 grams of sugar for someone eating 1,500 calories a day. Given this, a single ounce of cotton candy contributes 73 percent of the recommended daily limit.
8- Frosting
That creamy delicious chocolate topping on your cake clocks in at around 140 calories with 18 to 19 grams of added sugar and about 2 grams of saturated fat in just 2 tablespoons, according to the US Food Database.
You’ll find a host of other questionable ingredients including hydrogenated fats, a source of trans fat that are bad for your heart, according to the American Heart Association.
At less than 0.5 grams per serving, trans fat doesn’t have to be declared on a label according to the FDA, so you won’t know it’s there—and let’s face it, you’re likely to eat more than two spoonfuls. Go for light whipped cream instead. It’s literally half the calories.
9- White chocolate
All the health benefits related to chocolate don’t apply here. Primarily made up of cocoa butter, milk, or cream, flavors and emulsifying agents, as indicated in the FDA Code of Federal Regulations, white chocolate has around 150 calories, 5 grams saturated fat, and 16.5 grams of sugar per ounce according to the USDA Food Database.
Unlike dark and milk chocolate, which contain varying amounts of the more antioxidant-rich cocoa, white chocolate contains zero cocoa.
You can consult a nutritionist to find out which foods you should cut out of your diet. You can find and book an appointment with top nutritionist in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad through oladoc.com. You can also call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT Doctor for your health concerns.
