Dieting is so incredibly hard and these 16 foods may be secretly ruining all your hard work. These foods may not appear to be unhealthy, but they definitely are. Each of these sneaky foods may be why your diet is failing. Avoid them at all costs!
Note: The content of this article is not medical advice.
Coffee Creamer
Adding creamer to your coffee may be something you automatically do every morning. However, that creamer is actually full of sugar, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients that may be ruining your diet. The high fructose corn syrup found in most creamers will not only damage your liver, but it can also make you gain weight. Opt for regular milk and even a little raw sugar which is much better for your diet than the fake stuff found in creamers.
Canned Fruits
You may think that fruit is a good thing to eat when on a diet but fruit can be very high in sugar. Canned fruit has an even higher sugar content since it is often preserved in syrup. You may be able to find canned fruit that is made with just water, rather than corn syrup. While this is a better choice, eating too much fruit, in general, may cause your diet to be unsuccessful. Eating anything in excess is never a good idea!
Shortening
Many people out there love to bake with shortening but if you are on a diet, you should skip the shortening all together. Shortening is made with hydrogenated oil which can increase your cholesterol over time. Higher cholesterol may lead to heart disease and poor health in general. You are actually better off swapping the shorting for real butter. Your baked goods will taste better, too!
Deli Meats
Deli meats can be deceiving. They are so thin and light that they can appear to be healthy. However, cured meat is loaded with sodium and horrible nitrites. Many are also very high in saturated fats (aka salami). Eating too much deli meat can lead to problems like hypertension and heart disease. Cook your own, real meats from scratch if you are craving a sandwich.
Smoothies
Smoothies always look so healthy but they are not always a good idea. Many store-bought smoothies have added sugar that is definitely bad for your diet. Check the label on the smoothie before you buy it and see what is really lurking inside the bottle. You can also make your own smoothies at home and stick to low-sugar fruits and real veggies in your smoothie recipes.
Salad Dressing
Salad is often considered to be a diet food. Most salads are pretty healthy and contain lots of good-for-you veggies. It is the salad dressing you need to watch out for. Salad dressings can be a big source of fats and sugar. Make sure you choose salad dressings made with olive oil (a healthier fat) and have no sugar blended into the mix. Also, skip dressings that have lots of preservatives and artificial flavors. These can lead to longer-term health problems and ruin your years of dieting.
Frozen Dinners
Popping a frozen dinner into the microwave does sound easy! But those frozen “diet” meals can be pretty bad for you. Most of the meals are full of unnatural preservatives and chemicals that are supposed to extend the shelf life of the food. These additives can be pretty harmful to your health. The meals are also often very small and not big enough to fill you up. You may end up eating more than one just to get a full stomach. Eating in excess is definitely not a good diet plan!
Microwave Popcorn
Microwaveable popcorn typically has artificial butter. That fake butter causes inflammation and can not only make you feel bad, but it can also ruin your diet. The little bags of popcorn are also packed with chemicals which means you are not eating natural, whole-foods. Try making popcorn at home in a pot on the stovetop rather than buying bagged popcorn. This way, you can control the ingredients and make them diet-friendly.
Instant Noodles
Instant noodles may seem convenient, but they are pretty unhealthy. Instant noodles are very high in sodium and monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that has been linked to many health issues. Instant noodle packs also have almost no real nutritional value. There is nothing beneficial about these little bowls and they will not be a good part of your diet plan.
White Flour
Anything made with white, refined flour has very little nutritional value. The flour has been stripped of the whole grains, leaving it as a plain carb with no fiber, vitamins or minerals. While refined flour products may fill you up, you are giving your body empty carbs. You will feel hungry quite quickly afterwards which means you will then eat more. Sounds like a bad plan for anyone on a diet!
Diet Soda
Diet sodas are usually made with artificial sweeteners. Many artificial sweeteners have been linked to long term health problems. You may think a diet soda is a good fit for your diet, but your body will not appreciate this choice later on in life. Skip the diet sodas and just try to consume sugary beverages in moderation. A little bit of real sugar isn’t that bad.
Microwave Rice
Microwavable rice is often packed with sodium which can cause bloating and make you feel lethargic. Many people also think that one bag of microwave rice is a single serving but that little bag is usually enough to serve 2-3 people. You may end up eating about three times more than you should and the equivalent of three teaspoons of salt. This is a clear diet no-no!
Fruit Juice
Fruit juice may sound like a good idea but it is actually quite unhealthy. Fruit juice is typically made with tons of sugar or corn syrup and very little actual fruit. There is not much fiber, vitamins, or minerals in bottled juices so they have little to no nutritional value. You are much better off just eating a piece of real fruit.
Peanut Butter
If you blend plain peanuts to make peanut butter, then you will have a healthy, tasty spread. However, if you buy store-bought peanut butter, you are likely getting a jar of vegetable oil and corn syrup. Jarred peanut butter is often made with extra saturated fats and added sugars, making it awful for any diet. Make your own, diet-friendly peanut nutter or just skip it altogether.
White Bread
There is no nutritional benefit to a slice of white bread. It is pure, simple carbs that add nothing healthy to your diet. Your body will very quickly digest the white bread, turn it into sugars in your bloodstream and then leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. No matter what diet you are on, white bread is a bad idea.
Fried Foods
Eating a lot of fried food will always be bad for you. This is true whether you are dieting or not! Fried foods are packed with grease and saturated fats. The thick breading and all that oil negates any of the healthy stuff within. Don't go near fried foods if you ever want to have a successful diet.
Cereal
You may think that a big bowl of cereal is a fantastic breakfast. However, cereal can be an awful food to start your day. Cereal is often loaded with sugar. Even the cereals that claim to be healthy and nutritious are often packed with sugar and loads of artificial ingredients. Be sure to read that label before you pour yourself a big bowl of cereal. You may be surprised by what you find.
This article was originally published at Spatula Desserts.
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