It’s always difficult to follow a healthy diet. After all, it’s the unhealthy foods that seem to have the best taste, right? However, controlling your cravings and keeping the consumption of these food items to a minimum is in your best interest. Not only do most of these foods have little to no nutritional value, but they can also create a toxic build-up that adversely affects your overall health.
How many times have you been advised to cut down on sugar? Have you ever thought of it as just an overreaction? Well, it’s not. Sugar is one of the biggest causes of diabetes and obesity worldwide. It also puts a lot of stress on your liver, pancreas, and digestive system. It puts you at greater risk of getting the flu, a cold, a hormonal imbalance, or even depression. It’s important to remember that not all sugar is bad, but you should always consume it in moderation.
Carbonated soft drinks are one of the biggest sources of added sugar and caffeine in the diet. Regular consumption of this ultra-processed food item can lead to several health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and inflammatory diseases. It is highly advisable to replace these drinks with healthier alternatives like herbal tea and lemon water.
While carbohydrates are a vital part of any well-balanced diet, one should try consuming whole foods and avoid refined grains. Refined carbs, which are commonly found in processed foods like pasta, white bread, and muffins, are quickly broken down by your body, resulting in rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. This can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Try adding healthy carbs to your diet like barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, and oatmeal. This will automatically cut down your craving for unhealthy foods.
Everyone knows alcohol is bad for health. Too much alcohol can cause several long-term health issues, including liver cirrhosis and liver failure. Moreover, it can irritate tissues and make them susceptible to damage caused by carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). Other problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption include dehydration, headache, and irritability.
Foods fried at a high temperature can form acrylamide, a known carcinogen. Moreover, potato crisps are not only high in fat but also coated with too much salt, which makes them high in sodium. This can lead to blood pressure and cholesterol issues, increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Margarine is a popular spread used for baking, cooking, and flavouring worldwide. While it is widely loved, it has unhealthy trans-fats. These fats cannot be processed by your body and are extremely harmful. They increase inflammation, raise the level of bad cholesterol, and damage the walls of your blood vessels.
Many consider canned soup a healthy go-to snack to curb a hunger pang. However, contrary to popular belief, these soups are packed with salt. While essential in small quantities, salt is a major source of sodium, and excess consumption can increase the risk of hypertension and heart attacks.
Made from refined carbs and white sugar, doughnuts are extremely bad for both your waistline and overall health. They are not just deep-fried but also loaded with trans-fats, which spike cholesterol levels and damage the heart vessels.
Processed meats are high in sodium and nitrates, both of which are quite harmful to your health. Research indicates that consuming these meats is linked to an increased susceptibility to colon cancer. Moreover, nitrates convert into nitrites when digested, which can further form nitrosamine, an immensely harmful cancer-causing chemical.
One of the best wellness tips you can follow is to avoid any food that starts with “instant.” Just like canned soups, the amount of sodium in instant noodles is immensely high. Moreover, it contains high amounts of monosodium glutamate (MSG), which acts as a toxin for the nerves and the reproductive system.
So, to lead a healthy life and achieve complete well-being, don’t give in to your cravings for these unhealthy foods mentioned above.
Dr Manoj Kishor Chhotray, General Physician, Apollo 24/7
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