What foods should you avoid if you want to stay healthy? Ultra-processed meats You should stay away from ultra-processed meats like sausages, slices, balls and other things. Charcuterie meats are highly processed and very, very bad for you. They contain many additives like preservatives, flavour enhancers, and colourants. Many of these substances bear 'chemical' names which don't even sound like food. Read the ingredients list carefully, and check for any weird symbols instead of natural ingredients. You shouldn't eat it if you don't know what it is. People who consume a lot of processed meats may have a higher risk of developing serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Fast foods and takeaways Avoid fast foods, ultra-processed ready meals and cheap takeaways. They are packed with calories and nasty stuff like sugar, salt, saturated fat, trans fats, and ultra-processed ingredients. All of this combined may make you sick in the long run. Eating fast food every day puts you at high risk of developing many diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. Fatty and salty snacks Don't stock your pantry with unhealthy snacks like crisps or potato chips. They are packed with trans fats, sugar, salt and many additives like preservatives and flavour enhancers. Many of them are actually deep-fried. They are also high in refined carbs and trans fats. which can increase your “bad” cholesterol and lower your “good cholesterol.” Eating snacks every day will lead to gaining weight. Instead, opt for nuts and seeds, that are packed with protein, fibre, minerals and vitamins. Sugary breakfast cereal Kids love sweet breakfast cereals. Also, many adults think it's a delicious breakfast option. However, sweet cereals are often made with white flour and lots of sugar. They provide low nutritional value and are high in refined carbohydrates. The result is they won’t fill you up. They can cause a spike in blood sugar, and you will feel satisfied for a very short while. Soon after eating them, you will feel hungry again. If you have it for breakfast, you may feel low energy by lunchtime. It may also lead to mood swings and cravings. Instead, go for bran flakes or oats that are high in fibre. Ultra-processed cakes and pastries Supermarket cakes and pastries are made with the cheapest white flour, white sugar, fats and other very poor-quality ingredients. They contain many refined carbs, which don’t provide much nutritional value. Sweets Candies, chocolate-covered sweets, biscuits, marshmallows - who doesn't love them? Sadly, sweets are packed with sugar and empty calories. Eating too much sugary foods leads to weight gain, diabetes, problems with teeth and heart disease.
