These Are the Things You Should Avoid, According to Nutritionists

When the time is nearing lunch or dinner, food is likely on your mind. However, certain foods are not recommended to eat in a standard diet.

Let’s take a look at these things that you should avoid, according to nutritionists.

1. Sugary drinks

Sugary drinks contain lots of empty calories. In essence, you are drinking sugars and other electrolytes without getting any real nutrition. Your stomach will feel like its full without actually eating lunch or dinner. These sugary drinks can come in the form of sodas, juices, and slushes.

You’re better off replacing them with water or a healthy drink such as water or tea. Sugary drinks also aren’t the best for hydration. The sheer amount of sugar in the drink throws off your body’s perception of hydration. As always, you can’t go wrong with plain old water.

2. White bread

Bread is a necessity for every kitchen. However, white bread is much less nutritious than wheat bread.

In essence, nutrients have been removed from the bread, leaving you with a plain loaf that doesn’t do much good. Look for whole-grain bread over white bread the next time you go shopping. Also, white bread typically becomes moldy much faster than wheat bread. The latter has a longer shelf life and is infinitely better for your body.

3. Ice cream

We all know that ice cream is not the healthiest choice. But many people don’t realize just how bad this dessert is for your body. Ice cream is packed with fats, calories, and sugars that should be avoided at all costs.

At the very least, if you want ice cream no matter what, look for a low-fat option. Sorbets and frozen yogurts are good alternatives that taste just as good if not better.

4. Processed cheese

Processed cheese might seem like a cheap, tasty alternative to regular cheese, but it’s really not the same. The product is made in a much different manner, and the end result really isn’t cheese at all.

There are so many filler ingredients to make it resemble real cheese, but processed cheese is unhealthy at its core. Toss out your processed cheese in favor of cheddar, feta, or other delicious cheeses.

5. Sweetened breakfast cereals

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and cereal is likely the most common breakfast food. While sweetened cereal gives you a sugar rush and tastes exciting, it’s not the best in terms of nutritional value.

Sweetened cereal contains a ridiculous amount of sugar, sometimes even up to 50% of your daily recommended intake. This figure can be even higher depending how much cereal you eat. Choose unsweetened cereals instead and reap their full nutritional value without feeling guilty.

6. Pastries

Pastries often look harmless as special forms of bread, right? Not quite. Pastries are loaded with saturated fats that give them such a rich flavor. There’s an enormous difference between wheat bread and a pastry from the supermarket.

Factor in all the frosting and syrups on top of the pastry and you’re looking at a very sugar dessert. If you’re insistent on a pastry, at least opt for a plain one such as a croissant.

7. French fries

You’ve probably been told that french fries are just potatoes, and that is technically correct. However, there are so many harmful ingredients that go into one batch of french fries.

These fries are cooked with so much oil that some of it inevitably stays in the product even when shaken out. With every bite of a french fry, you’re eating saturated mix of potatoes, oils, and salt. This isn’t to mention that where there are french fries, there is likely to be an entire fast food meal that is clearly not good for your diet.

Nutritionists have identified foods that you should avoid at all costs. While these foods might taste good, they are unhealthy for your body and simply not sustainable over a long time. The next time you go to the supermarket, forgo these foods in favor of better options.