The 6 Most Unhealthy Foods

umnn, yeah....it's been awhile since I have written anything. I used the excuse of Tessa and Barrett's wedding preparations for a time but since they have now been  happily married for over a month....I  have no excuses other than I am not sure what to write about.....so I decided that today in case you are not tired of hearing it already I would write about some of the most unhealthy foods on the planet and I will give you a few reasons as to why they are bad, bad, bad for you. :)

1. Soda...

This one is a no brainer because I have written about it before but in case I didn't mention some of the facts earlier I will bore you with them now. An average can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 useless calories, 30-55 mg of caffeine if you choose Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper, or some of the other caffeine containing sodas, artificial food colors (which have been linked to anxiety and hyperactivity to name just two). Drinking sodas has become a major problem in America today.  A study in the journal Pediatrics fount that 56 to 85% of children consume at least one soft drink a day....and that goes up when they reach adolescent age. So here again for your health and your children's health choose pure water.  The body needs it and soda is nothing more than liquid candy which causes significant health problems down the road...diabetes, tooth decay, weight gain and more.)As a sidenote the adult body requires at least 5 to 6 cups of water each day just to maintain nomal function....and we are are not talking pop, coffee, or fruit juice. I remember reading this in an article before and now I can't find it....but basically it broke down what the kidneys, lungs, brain and other organs need in order to properly function.

2. Potato chips and french fries.

These popular snacks contain a known carcinogen called acrylamide and a neurotoxin that is formed when foods are baked or fried at very high temperatures. Potatoes in and of themselves are not bad for you....it's what happens to them when they become a chip or a french fry.  According to professor, Dale Hattis from Clark University they are now linking chips and french fries to several thousand cancers per year in America. When the Center for Science in the Public Interest....CSPI for short conducted tests on popular brands of french fries and chips, they found that the acrylamide in a large order of fast food french fries was at least 300 times that amount allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency in a glass of water.  We all know that these foods have been linked to heart disease, bad cholesterol, stroke, diabetes and now proof that they cause cancer. 
 
3. Doughnuts.

Just writing about this is making me crave a jelly doughnut...ummn...but if you break down what is in a doughnut and so many other refined foods...what you find is refined flour, sugar, artificial flavorings, and partially hydrogenated oil that is loaded with trans fats....

4.  Coffee Cake and Other Baked Goods

I know what you are thinking, by the time I get done with this post there will be nothing left to eat....at least nothing that tastes good...but you will find that by giving up these foods or at least saving them for special occasions that there are lots of natural, healthy, and tasty foods out there.  I just think that we as Americans have become used to eating these foods and don't realize what 'real food' is anymore.....anyway as the subtitle states....try to avoid baked goods unless you are doing the baking from scratch..that way you know exactly what ingredients you are putting into your mouth. Prepackaged brownies, cake mixes, muffin mixes, bisquick, etc. usually contain high amounts of sodium, transfats, corn syrup, artificial preservatives and flavorings and food additives. If you are going to buy a prepackaged mix....look at the ingredients...a couple of tips...the fewer the ingredients the better it is for you and if you can't pronounce any of the ingredients it's probably not something you want to put into your body.

5.  Luncheon Meats/Hot Dogs.

Processed meats like these including sausages and bacon contain a carcinogenic precursor ingredient known as sodium nitrite/nitrate.  According to a University of Hawaii study that followed 200,000 people for seven years those who consumed the most processed meats (hot dogs and sausages) showed a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed very little.  The good news though is Sprouts and Vitamin Cottage carry sausages, hot dogs, lunch meats that do not contain nitrates/nitrites.  You will pay a little more but in the long run it will actually cost you less because of the long term health benefits. 

6  Canned Soups.

These are the traditional canned soups you find lining the grocery store shelves but with a little investigating and careful reading of labels...you can find canned soups that are actually healthy for you. Most canned soups contain high levels of trans fat, sodium, artificial preservatives such as MSG.  Just one cup of soup can have 1000mg of sodium.  The dietary guideline recommends consuming no more than 2400 milligrams of sodium for your entire day.  If you don't already scrutinze the labels of everything you buy, try to get in the habit and teach your children as well.