At Health Fitness Revolution, we preach about eating a balanced diet and exploring new foods, but there are certain foods that are always bad for you. Here is our list of foods that you should NEVER eat because they are bad for you:
- White bread and refined flours: By definition, white bread and refined flours in general are toxic for your body because they have been stripped of virtually all vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients. Because of this, the body does not know how to properly digest and assimilate these so-called foods, which can lead to health problems. Refined white flour has also been bleached with chlorine and brominated with bromide, two poisonous chemicals that have been linked to causing thyroid and organ damage.
- White rice: Much like white bread, white rice has been stripped of most of its nutrients, and separated from the bran and germ, two natural components that make up rice in its brown form. Even so-called “fortified” white rice is nutritionally lacking, as the body still processes this refined food much differently than brown rice, which is absorbed more slowly and does not cause the same spike in blood sugar that white rice does.
- Many protein/ energy bars: Because of clever marketing, it might seem as though protein and energy bars are a strong addition to a healthy diet. But more often than not, these meal replacements contain processed soy protein, refined sugar, hydrogenated fat, and other harmful additives that contribute to chronic illness. Not all protein bars are created equally, so alway check for sugar content and simple ingredients that you understand and know.
- Microwaveable popcorn: This processed food is a favorite in America, but it is one of the unhealthiest foods you can eat. Almost every component of microwaveable popcorn, from the genetically-modified corn kernels to the processed salt and preservative chemicals used to enhance its flavor, is unhealthy and disease-promoting. Microwaveable popcorn also contains a chemical known as diacetyl that can actually destroy your lungs. If you love popcorn, stick with organic kernels that you can pop yourself in a kettle and douse with healthy ingredients like coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and Himalayan pink salt.
- Cured meat products with nitrates, nitrites: Sodium Nitrite and other chemical preservatives are loaded into bacon, deli meats, summer sausage, hot dogs, and many other meats sold at the grocery store. These preservatives have been linked to causing heart disease and cancer. If you eat meat, stick with uncured, nitrite and nitrate-free varieties, and preferably those that come from organic, grass-fed animals.
- Margarine: Hidden in all sorts of processed foods, margarine, a hydrogenated trans-fat oil, is something you will want to avoid at all costs for your health. If animal-based fats are not for you, stick with extra-virgin coconut oil or olive oil rather than margarine.
- “Diet” anything: Many “diet” products on the market today contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame (Equal) and sucralose (Splenda), both of which are linked to causing neurological damage, gastrointestinal problems, and endocrine disruption. Many diet products also contain added chemical flavoring agents to take the place of fat and other natural components that have been removed to artificially reduce calorie content. Instead, stick with whole foods that are as close to nature as possible, including high-fat foods grown the way nature intended, and your body will respond surprisingly well.
