Top 8 Unhealthiest Foods

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In the modern society, people have less and less time to cook their own food. This is why fast-food outlets and restaurants have become more popular. However, is this a healthy eating habit?

Nutritionists underline that some food products are a real nightmare for our health. These food products contain high quantities of saturated fat, nitrates, sugars and salt and, therefore, can lead to cholesterol level increase. Long-term consumption of such food products can cause weight increase and also various diseases. Moreover, these food products don’t ensure the necessary daily intake of vitamins and minerals.

In this respect, we thought that a list with the 8 most unhealthy food products would be of interest to you:

1. Burgers
2. Bacon
3. French Fries and Potato Chips
4. Hot Dogs
5. Doughnuts
6. Margarine and butter
7. Sodas
8. Cookies and cakes


1. Burgers



Burgers have a lot of fat and calories and can drastically increase the level of cholesterol. Difference may occur among restaurants in terms of fat and calories contained by burgers. Depending on cooking methods and ingredients, a regular hamburger with condiments, vegetables and without mayonnaise has about 280 calories (about 14% of the needed daily value) and more than 13 grams of fat (about 20% of the needed daily value).

A large double cheeseburger with condiments, vegetables and mayonnaise has about 900 calories (45% of the needed daily value) and more 50 grams of fat (80% of the needed daily value). Still, the most negative aspect is that most fat are saturated fat which are some of the unhealthiest type of fat.

The worst ingredient of the burger is mayonnaise, which consists of 70-80% fat. If you do like burgers and don’t consider giving up on them, ask something without mayonnaise and you will save about 200 calories and 12 grams of fat. Burgers have a lot of salt, so they are not good for those suffering from high blood pressure. Also, burgers are not recommended for pregnant women.


2. Bacon



One ounce (28 grams) of fried bacon has about 150 calories and more than 10 grams of fat. Regular consumption can cause a rapid weight-gain and cholesterol level increase. Also, the high level of saturated fat and sodium make it unhealthier.

In addition, processed meat products like bacon and hot dogs are added nitrates to preserve color and maintain microbial safety. Even though nitrates don’t have harmful effects on the human body, in the presence of amino acids present in our stomachs it can convert into carcinogenic chemical compounds called nitrosamines. Vitamin C inhibits this conversion and, therefore, if you do eat food products with nitrates, it would be better if you eat/drink also something rich in Vitamin C at the same time (like orange juice).


3. French Fries and Potato Chips



French fries generally have about 400 calories and 20 grams of fat. However, some fast-food outlets serve fries with even more calories and fat. French fries contain saturated fat and, due to the high oil temperature in which they are fried, they also contain high levels of trans fat. Trans fat are known to increase the risk of heart diseases and accelerate the aging process. Also, heated carbohydrates in French fries contain acrylamides, a potential carcinogen substance. In addition, French fries have a lot of salt which can cause strokes and stomach cancer.

Potato chips also contain acrylamides. One bag of 225 grams has 1,200 calories (more than half the number needed per day) and 85 grams of fat (130% of recommended fat per day). Still, the worst aspect is that such food products have 25 grams of saturated fat, 5 grams more than a person should have per day. Numerous experiments have demonstrated that saturated fat raises cholesterol level and increases the risk of heart diseases.

So, let’s say that you share the chips with someone else. That means you get 600 calories, about 42 grams of fat (65% of the daily needed value) and about 12 grams of saturated fat (62% of the daily needed value). In order to get 25% of the daily needed value of saturated fat (5 grams), 26% of fat and 240 calories, you have to share chips with other four persons. Unbelievable, but all this are included in just a quick snack.

Getting chips with no fat made with olestra (fat substitute) isn’t good either. Olestra can bind with vitamins A, D, E and K and eliminate them from the body.

If you are just addicted to potato chips, try the ones made of dried potatoes. They have the same amount of calories, but half the amount of fat. However, it’s best just to replace them with some fruits.


4. Hot Dogs



A plain hot dog has about 250 calories and 14 grams of fat (which includes saturated fat). The hot dog meat generally contains pork or beef and sometimes pork mixed with chicken. The high content of sodium, fat and nitrates make it a very unhealthy choice.

5. Doughnuts



One normal-size doughnut has about 250-300 calories and 10-20 grams of fat, depending on its type. Doughnuts are tasty but they have no nutritional value whatsoever.

Because they are fried in oil, doughnuts have a lot of trans fat. Also, they contain high quantities of sugar and refined flour and are made with partially hydrogenated oil. The saturated fat and trans fat that doughnuts contain increase heart diseases risk.

What is interesting about doughnuts is that they have high levels of carbohydrate which releases serotonin and dopamine, two brain chemicals associated with mood and pleasure.


6. Margarine and butter



These are two different food products which are unhealthy for two different reasons. But since they substitute each other, they deserve the same place.

Margarine is basically hydrogenated fat. One tablespoon of margarine has about 30 calories, 3.5 grams of fat and 0.5 grams of saturated fat. Hydrogenated fat are high in trans fat.

Butter has less calories and fat and doesn’t have dangerous trans fat levels. However, it does have high amounts of saturated fat (about 1.5 grams per tablespoon).

Both trans fat and saturated fat increase cholesterol level along with the risk of heart diseases.


7. Sodas



Sodas are nothing but water, sugar, artificial food colours and artificial flavours. The high amount of sugar from a can of soda gives you about 150 calories. Most sodas contain 30 milligrams or more of caffeine. Sodas have become a major problem due to their high popularity. People of all ages drink one up to five or more soft drinks per day. The dangers of sodas are weight gain, diabetes, tooth decay and others.

If you don’t want to give up on them, consider the sugar free soda or switch to fruit juices.


8. Cookies and cakes



Many cookies and cakes are made with hydrogenated fat and contain a lot of calories. Just one chocolate chip of one ounce (28 grams) has about 130 calories and 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of which is saturated fat (more than 20% of the daily needed value). One cupcake has about 200 calories and 8 grams of fat.

Of course, whenever you’re craving for something sweet, you can choose a cake with fruits, which is healthier.


Conclusions

An average person needs about 2000 calories (about 1,600 calories for women and about 2,200 calories for men), 65 grams of fat and can handle about 20 grams of saturated fat per day.

Let’s say that you have bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast. How many calories do you get?

Worst case scenario:

4 oz of Bacon (600 calories, 40 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturate fat) + 2 Eggs (200 calories, 15 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat) + two slices of toast (150 calories) + 1 Biscuit (100 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat) = 1050 calories, 60 grams of fat, 20 grams of saturated fat.

If at lunch you go to a fast food outlet and order a burger with french fries and a soda, what do you get?

Worst case scenario:

Double hamburger, with condiments, vegetables and mayonnaise (950 calories, 58 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat) + large french fries (530 calories, 28 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat) + one medium soda (180 calories) = 1660 calories, 86 grams of fat, 27 grams of saturated fat.

Let’s say you eat a dessert. If we add chocolate chips (230 calories, 12 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat) it becomes a total of 1890 calories, 91 grams of fat, 32 grams of saturated fat.

Best case scenario:

Hamburger with condiments and vegetables (280 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat) + one small size french fries order (270 calories, 14 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat) + one medium soda (180 calories) = 730 calories, 27 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat.

You do the math….!!!

Of course, the best case scenario would be to order something totally different, like a chicken salad or grilled fish with a diet soft drink and fruits as dessert.

10 Health Related Benefits of Water

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The human body is made up of 60-65% water (lean people have more water in their bodies mainly due to the fact that muscles hold more water than fat).

More researchers recommend 8 glasses of water a day in order to maintain our health, but sometimes this quantity might vary depending on life-style, nutrition, environment temperature, humidity, etc. The human body needs so much water because almost every cell in our body need water to function properly.

Still, if you think that the human body accumulates daily 2 liters of water, think again! Our lungs expel daily about 3 cups of water through normal breathing, if we perspire we eliminate two cups of water a day (not including exercises), etc.

Some of us prefer soft drinks to water. In this case we should bear in mind that sugar slows down the absorption of fluids into the body. Additionally, such drinks contain calories that might sometimes make the difference between weight loss and weight gain.

Besides drinking water, another important method of increasing water intake in our bodies is eating food with a high content of water. Such sources of water are fruits and vegetables.

The top 5 fruits with one of the highest content of water are:

1. Watermelon (92% water)
2. Strawberries (92% water)
3. Grapefruits (91% water)
4. Cantaloupe (90% water)
5. Peaches (88% water)


Additionally, the top 5 vegetables with one of the highest content of water are:

1. Lettuce (96% water)
2. Cucumber (96% water)
3. Celery (95% water)
4. Radish (95% water)
5. Zucchini (95% water)

If drinking water is not that easy for you, here are some tips that will make it easier for you to drink water:

1. Drink less but more often (every two hours drink a cup of water, take water with you in the car, when you watch TV, etc.)
2. Include some natural flavors in your glasses of water
3. Use ice, lemons, straws, etc.
4. Use colorful containers
5. Drink cold water (it might taste better)
6. Replace soda with water at lunch
7. Drink a glass of water before you eat (recommended especially when you are trying to loss weight, as water decreases your appetite)

Additionally, for those who think that drinking less water means less kg on the scale, we should bear in mind that the more water we consume, the less we retain, because a clean inner body works more effectively.

Water consumption has a lot of health benefits. There is not a single diet in the world that restricts water consumption.


The most important 10 health related benefits of water consumption are:

1. External benefits: additional moisture for our skin, prevents the aging process, a more fit body, etc.

2. Headaches: 75% of our brain is made of water. So, when the body has a water deficit, the brain will be the one of the first who will signal the problem, causing headaches. When drinking alcohol, although some might not recommend, water might be the solution to get back in shape because it eliminates toxins and re-hydrates the brain.

3. Back pains: are often caused by fluid deficits in our bodies. The disks within our backs are filled with fluids, mainly water, and act like shock absorbers. Regular movement and a proper fluid level will keep these disks hydrated and will allow them to support the weight of the upper body.

Usually, the fluid inside the disks support 75% of the weight, while the shell supports 25% of it. When the fluid level drops, the shell is forced to support a higher weight level, causing pains and other problems.

4. Reduces infections: The lymphatic systems in our body is responsible for waste disposal. This system breaks down toxins before passing them into the blood stream.

A low intake of water will disturb the flow of lymph in our systems, making our bodies less resistant to dangerous infections.

5. Hypertension often occurs when the human body is trying to adjust to blood volume loss. Our blood is almost 85% water, so its volume depends a lot of the water intake.

When the body detects a drop in the blood volume, it closes less active capillary beds in order to maintain active areas proper fueled with blood. When vessels close, they cause an tension increase in the muscles. So, water helps by increasing the blood volume and thus, reducing tension.

6. Concentration: water is used to flush out toxins contained by certain food products (preservatives, additives, etc.). By drinking water, these toxins are flushed quickly from the liver, making you more active and increasing your concentration capacity.

7. Arthritis: water is used to lubricate joints between our bones. When water intake is low, the friction between cartilage surfaces increases, causing swellings, pains, etc.

8. Breath: bad breath is a clear sign that your body needs more water. Our saliva helps the cleaning process of our teeth of bacteria and keeps our tongue hydrated.

9. Cramps: oxygen is transported to our muscles by blood. If the blood is not properly oxygenated, muscles create lactic acid causing cramps. By drinking water we make sure that our blood is fueled with oxygen.

10. Other important benefits: asthma, digestion, fluid retention, morning sickness, etc.

There are many other benefits of drinking water. A proper hydrated body is a more healthy and resistant body!!!