Being healthy doesn’t mean never indulging; it means focusing on a balanced, nutritious diet that includes vegetables, fruits, greens, whole grains, proteins and yes, treats in moderation. Though highly processed foods are not as healthy as fresh foods, you don't need to avoid them completely or feel bad when you eat them. Just be sure you consume them in moderation.
To improve your health and balance out your diet, we compiled a list of 10 foods that can negatively affect your health when overconsumed.
10 foods that can negatively affect your health
While the following foods are particularly lacking in nutritive value, the point of paying attention to this list is less about cutting each item out entirely and more about realizing how little they bring to your diet. We don't recommend you avoid these foods completely as food restriction can potentially trigger disordered eating. The main takeaway here is that it's OK to eat the foods on this list as long as you're also eating nutrient-rich foods that provide you with the vitamins and minerals you need.
Many of the following foods contain highly refined grains, high amounts of trans fats or other processed fats that are hard for the body to use effectively. The foods lack many of the key nutrients like dietary fiber, that promote gut health. Over time, depriving your body of the many vitamins, minerals and nutrients of whole foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains may create deficiencies that have medical symptoms.
White bread
White bread is made with a kind of bread flour that is processed from wheat. The processing removes bran and germ: parts of wheat grain. Whole wheat will generally be darker and denser, due to the fact that it contains more nutrients and more fiber. These two aspects are great for your digestion and give your body the nutrition it needs. White bread has a nice light flavor but it's made of just the endosperm layer of a wheat grain, and it contains less nutritional value. Instead, opt for whole grain bread, which is loaded with essential nutrients.
To learn more about how complex carbs help keep you healthy, check out why you should be eating more carbs, not less.
Potato chips
Many of the reasons why eating too many chips can be harmful is because they don't provide a balanced source of calories. The amount of oil and simple carbohydrates they contain makes them calorie-dense, but they aren't correspondingly full of useful nutrients like vitamins. Chips that don't contain any preservatives are a nice option for an occasional delicious indulgence, but eating nothing but chips in a meal will leave your body wishing for more vitamins, protein and fiber.
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