Sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of all the things that are and aren’t good for us. Every other week, there’s a new study that shows us why some of our favourite foods may not be as healthy for us as we thought. While that mostly holds true only if we consume large quantities of that food in one go. It is still necessary to be aware of what food types that could harm us.
So, to make things easy, we’ve compiled a list of food items that are commonly consumed but can be harmful. To be clear, though, you do not need to stop eating these immediately, rather just keep an eye on them and make sure you don’t eat too much. After all too much of everything is bad right?
Below are a few harmful foods we can avoid
Sugar
This is often listed as public enemy number one. According to the American Heart Association, It is a major cause of obesity and diabetes. Sugar also puts stress on the pancreas, liver and the digestive system. The nervous system is said to be compromised by up to 50 per cent every time you eat sugar.
This is bad news for your health because it makes you more susceptible to colds, flu, depression, hormonal imbalance, stress and weight gain.
It’s important to remember, however, that not all sugar is equal. Natural sugars in fruits and honey are good for the body when eaten in moderation.
Soda
Soda and diet soda’s is also a big nutrition no-no. These drinks contain absolutely no nutrients beneficial to the body. Worse they fill your system with chemicals and sugar that deplete the body of nutrients. Widespread evidence indicates that sugar-sweetened and diet soda can contribute to weight gain, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Soda also creates acid in the body, which ultimately weakens bones and depletes vital mineral stores. It has been suggested that diet sodas trick the brain into thinking the body is getting sugar, affecting metabolism and prompting cravings for more sugar. Alternatives to soda and diet soda include water, coffee, tea, and even fruit juice in moderation.
Fast Foods
The fastest thing about fast food is the deterioration of your health. It is also always highly processed and has added sugar, too much sodium and a lot of saturated fat. All these can affect your health negatively.
Due to the combination of detrimental ingredients in fast food, it is safe to assume that this toxic food is risky to consume even in the smallest quantities. Fast food can cause the following problems: reduced brain function, type 2 diabetes, higher risk of heart diseases, depression especially in Teenagers, possible liver damage, the list goes on.
Canned foods
Canned foods are a stockpile of salt. Often considered a “healthy” food choice, some cans of soup can contain as much as 890 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly your full day’s quota.
In excess, sodium causes the body to retain water, which puts tremendous stress on the body, especially your heart, causing high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack.
That is not including the Bisphenol A (BPA) in most cans’ plastic linings. An industrial chemical, BPA can leach from the linings into the food inside. Studies have shown BPA to act as an endocrine disrupter that can mimic oestrogen and cause a variety of health problems. In 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA a toxic substance.
These foods are said to be the root of all evil when it comes to health, and this is just a tip of the iceberg. While these foods are most dangerous when eaten regularly – and for many people, that is the case. They also play a large part in many heavily processed foods, meaning that if you avoid these (and start checking ingredient lists), you will quite naturally find yourself avoiding most dangerous foods. Your body system will thank you.