5 bad foods you should stay away from

It is a good opportunity to remind ourselves not only of what’s healthy and good but also what foods to avoid.
A 2011 “Food & Health Survey” from America’s International Food Information Council Foundation studied insights on the importance of food safety, nutrition and health-related topics.

It found that people, “are evaluating their food choices with a more critical eye, taking into consideration where their food comes from; how it was produced; its safety and reliability; food’s overall healthfulness; and its cost.”
The survey also listed five foods to stay away from;

1. Soda and Sweet Sips: Plenty of sugar here—and soda is only part of the problem. Sweetened teas and some energy drinks can pack up to 50 grams of sugar in each 16-ounce bottle. You get plenty of refined carbs without any nutrients.

2. Cakes, Pies, Cupcakes and Cookies: They may taste good, but underneath that taste lies the reason for it: refined flour, added sugars, transferred fats and saturated fat. (An interesting note on transferred fat: While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have ordered manufacturers to remove all transferred fat from their products, they have three years to comply. In the meantime, you’ll want to avoid foods loaded with transferred fats.

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3. Breakfast Sandwiches: If you make your own at home, you can use healthy ingredients, but don’t assume the frozen varieties are similar. Typically they contain at least one gram of transferred fat, plus they are packed with sodium, low in fibre and high in fat. Read what Consumer Reports has to say here.

4. Movie Theatre Popcorn: There’s nothing wrong with popcorn; in fact, it’s a healthy whole grain that offers fibre and antioxidants, to boot. But, there’s popcorn—and there’s popcorn. If you’re heading out to the movies, beware: A bucket of popcorn can contain as many calories as a hamburger plus a Quarter Pounder AND a Big Mac at McDonald’s, reports the Centre for Science in the Public Interest.

5. Canned Soup: It might come in handy if you’re pressed for time, but unless you find a tasty variety that’s low in salt (and there are some out there), you’re out of luck on the health front. An average cup of a popular-brand soup, for instance, packs over 800 milligrams of sodium.

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