In the age of convenience where supermarkets are only a phone call away, nobody shies away from experimenting with a dish or two be it banana bread, maggie with ketchup or the combination that has become the talk of every town, pineapple on pizza.
While curiosity is a part of the kit, humans should not forget about the foods that can kill them. Especially the ones that are lying in their kitchen.
Some staples can turn into the most dangerous foods and pose a threat to your health if you’re not careful.
10 Foods You Should Avoid Eating
1. Microwave Popcorn
The problem isn’t the kernels but the bag they come in. The chemical used in the bag’s nonstick coating decomposes and creates a compound called perfluorooctanoic acid.
This acid has been linked to both prostate and liver cancer.
2. Processed Meat
Processed meats in general are just one of the worst things you can put into your body. They’re high in sodium and saturated fats (not the good kind, like those found in coconut) and filled with sodium nitrite (a commonly used preservative that adds color and flavor to meats) and often other chemicals and dyes.
Consumption of processed meats is associated with higher incidence of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. High intake of red and processed meat is associated with significant increased risk of colorectal, colon and rectal cancers. If you want to reduce your risk of cancer, ditch the dogs.
3. Doughnuts
Although you might love doughnuts, in the long term, your heart won’t. Doughnuts are fried, so you consume high amounts of saturated and trans fats when you eat the treat. Doughnuts also class as empty calories, as the snack itself is high in calories and sugar (a chocolate iced doughnut contains 350 calories) but low in nutritional value. So it won’t be long before your reaching for another doughnut… or two.
4. Processed pastries
Long shelf life and a long list of ingredients is a sure bet that you should place that package back on the shelf. Processed pastries are made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour, hydrogenated oils (unhealthy trans fats) and a whole bunch of other chemicals and artificial ingredients. Trans fat has been associated with coronary heart disease, sudden death from cardiac causes and diabetes.
5. Fried Desserts
Anything deep fried is a poor health choice, and coating a dessert that is already high in sugar and fat in batter is something you should avoid. Fried foods can clog up your arteries which can, over time lead to heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. Don’t think this doesn’t apply to pineapple and banana fritters too. Just because they are fruit, they have still been cooked in batter and will also be swimming in a sugary syrup.
6. Fizzy Drinks
Although they are technically not a food, fizzy drinks still rightly deserve a place on the unhealthy food list. The health implications of regular consumption of fizzy drinks include heart disease, tooth decay and osteoporosis. Fizzy drinks also contain enormous amounts of hidden sugar, with the average can of coke containing 10 teaspoons. Even diet drinks that seem more healthy should generally be avoided as although they might be lower in calories than full-fat versions, they still contain artificial sweeteners which can rot tooth enamel over time.
7. Peanuts
A lot of people are allergic to peanuts. The most severe response is anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause shock, loss of consciousness, even death.
So know your allergies before stepping anywhere near these addictive babies (peanut butter included). If you’re not allergic to tree nuts, try almond butter.
8. Cereals.
Many of us start our day with a bowl of cereal, but in some cases, this breakfast choice can actually contain many harmful ingredients.
Some breakfast cereals (specifically those aimed at children) contain preservatives to make them last longer, artificial dyes, flavourings and high amounts of sugar. An article published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association found that cereals marketed at children contained more: sodium, carbohydrates, sugar and calories per gram than those not marketed to children. Where possible, try to stick to cereals that are high in fibre and low in sugar.
9. Cheesy Fries
It’s no secret that fries are high in salt, fat and calories, and adding large amounts of cheese to this already unhealthy food makes this a terrible recipe for your health. A regular portion of fries contains around 420 calories. Throw in 100g of cheddar cheese on top of this, and you will be adding a further 400 calories and 35g of fat to the fries.
10. Bean Sprouts
Sprouts are considered the healthiest form of crunchy salads and are usually consumed raw or cooked lightly. But they can also cause food poisoning as the bacteria thrive in a warm, humid environment and sprouts grow in such conditions.
When cooked properly, the harmful bacteria can be killed as light cooking can’t prevent foodborne illnesses like salmonella, listeria, diarrhoea and e.coli.
