If you’ve been struggling to lose weight, then you can consider skipping some foods or perhaps going on a diet.
But before you start avoiding any and all food items, make sure that your diet is calculated and balanced according to each person’s individual nutritional needs.
Beyond this, let me list 10 foods that people should avoid in order to stay on track with their diet as well as throughout the day.
1. Alcohol
The first item on the list is alcohol. Alcohol is one of those foods that does not have a lot of nutritional value. It does not provide any nutrients nor energy and for this reason, it tends to be avoided by people who are dieting.
As you know, alcohol has calories and these are empty calories that will do nothing but weigh you down during the day (if, of course, you completely forget about your diet).
In addition to this, drinking too much alcohol may worsen your health performance as it can affect brain function, weaken your heart condition and even worse – death!1
2. Dairy Products
Next on the list is dairy products. Examples of dairy products are milk, yogurt, cheese, butter and many more.2
Dairy products are high in saturated fat and as a result, may cause a high cholesterol level in the human body. Dairy products are also one of those foods that can cause inflammation.3
Most people avoid milk (if that is what they are allergic to), however, butter is low-fat so it would be good to have an alternative.
3. Ice Cream
Another food item that should be avoided – ice cream! Ice cream has lots of calories which means you will gain weight if you have too much of it in your diet.
In addition to this, ice cream contains sugar and may trigger some negative side effects such as heartburn or diarrhea especially for those who are lactose intolerant.4
4. Fried Foods
Yet another food to avoid is fried food. Fried foods are those foods that are deep-fried – whether it be meat, fish or poultry.
The reason why fried foods need to be avoided is that they have too much fat and most of this fat is bad for the human body.
These foods can cause high cholesterol and may even lead to cancer in the long run. What’s worse is that fried foods contain trans-fats which are not healthy at all!5
So you are better off avoiding these kinds of products if you want to live a longer, healthier life!
5. Red Meat
The next item on the list is red meat and this includes beef, pork and lamb among others.
The reason why red meat is to be avoided is that red meats are high in saturated fat. These parts of the meat contain more cholesterol than the leaner cuts and this can lead to high cholesterol.
In addition to this, high consumption of red meats can lead to heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
All in all, it is best for people who are dieting not to have too much red meat.6
6. Full-fat Dairy Products
The following item is full-fat dairy products such as milk, cream, butter and cheese among others.
The reason why you should avoid these full-fat dairy products is that full-fat dairy products contain lots of saturated fats and cholesterol that can raise the bad cholesterol level in your body.
In addition to this, overconsumption of dairy products will lead to obesity as well as high levels of calcium buildup and this can cause bone problems.10
7. Chicken Wings
The next item on the list is chicken wings that are deep-fried.
This may be surprising but it is true! Chicken wings are high in fat and are just like fried foods – they should be avoided completely if you want to stay on track with your diet plan.
In addition to this, chicken wings contain trans fats which are bad for your health.
8. Pizza
Next on the list is pizza and this may be surprising but pizza has lots of calories and most of these calories come from the cheese that is used in making pizza.
In addition to this, pizzas are high in fat as well as sodium which can cause heartburn and other digestive problems.7
It is best for people who are dieting to avoid pizza altogether as it contains lots of empty calories, fat and sodium that will not do their diet any good at all!
9. Coconuts
The next item on the list is coconuts or coconut water and this includes any and all types – coconut milk, coconut water (drink it straight) and coconut cream.
The reason why you should avoid coconuts is that they contain a lot of saturated fat!8 If you are diabetic or have high cholesterol then avoid coconuts yourself so that your health remains in good condition throughout the day.
But other than that, coconuts are also full of fiber which could keep the digestive system in good condition.
So please watch your intake and make sure to not take it excessively.
10. Sugar
Lastly, we have sugar and this may be a surprise for many people as they tend to eat a lot of sugar without realizing the effect it can have on their bodies.
Sugar is not good for your health as it contains empty calories that will lead to weight gain if you consume it too much.
In addition to this, the sugar that you consume can also lead to heart disease and diabetes.9
Take-home advise!
In conclusion, avoiding these foods would be the best thing you could do for yourself if you want to stay healthy throughout the day.
You should also note that you should start slowly and work your way up to the lower-calorie diets. You may have to take a little break from these low-calorie diets after some time.
These diet plans would be ideal for people who want to lose weight.
Good luck on benefiting from these diet plans!
References
- Alcohol’s effects on the body. (2020, March 13). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body
- Singh, R. Paul and Bandler, David K.. “Dairy product”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/dairy-product. Accessed 6 June 2021.
- Aghasi M, Golzarand M, Shab-Bidar S, Aminianfar A, Omidian M, Taheri F. Dairy intake and acne development: A meta-analysis of observational studies. Clin Nutr. 2019 Jun;38(3):1067-1075. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.04.015. Epub 2018 May 8. PMID: 29778512.
- Does sugar cause acid reflux? Facts and other trigger foods to avoid. (2015, February 5). 1MD. https://1md.org/article/does-sugar-cause-acid-reflux
- Facts about trans fats: MedlinePlus medical encyclopedia. (2020, May 26). MedlinePlus – Health Information from the National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000786.htm
- Red and Processed Meats and Health Risks: How Strong Is the Evidence? Frank Qian, Matthew C. Riddle, Judith Wylie-Rosett, Frank B. Hu, Diabetes Care Feb 2020, 43 (2) 265-271; DOI: 10.2337/dci19-0063
- How can eating pizza affect a person’s health? (2015, January 21). Netdoctor. https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a25443/how-can-eating-pizza-affect-a-persons-health
- The facts on coconut oil – is it the best choice? » dietitians Australia. (2020). Dietitians Australia » The Leading Voice of Nutrition. https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/smart-eating-for-you/smart-eating-fast-facts/food-and-food-products/the-facts-on-coconut-oil-is-it-the-best-choice/
- Kubala, J. (2018, June 3). 11 reasons why too much sugar is bad for you. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3
- Hypercalcemia – Symptoms and causes. (2020, March 31). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypercalcemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355523
Wow , thanks for the info