1. Red Meats
Red meats are high in saturated fat content and can elicit inflammatory responses in the body when consumed excessively, potentially leading to conditions like insulin resistance and cardiovascular issues. Moreover, red meats are often calorie-dense, and their frequent consumption without balancing a healthy diet or physical activity can contribute to weight gain.
Joy states that "fatty cuts of red meat (like ribeye or T-bone steaks) and ground beef with high fat content can promote inflammation and weight gain when consumed in excess. They are high in saturated fats, which can raise bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and contribute to the development of heart disease. Some research also suggests that a compound called neu5gc, found in red meat, may cause inflammation."
2. Sugar
This one may be no surprise, but sugar consumption is closely linked to weight gain due to its high calorie content and lack of essential nutrients. Sugary foods and beverages are often calorie-dense but nutrient-poor, leading to excess calorie intake without providing satiety or essential vitamins and minerals.
Functional nutritionist Amy Lippert says, "When you consume [sugary foods and drinks] they have a negative impact on blood glucose levels and will cause a spike, resulting in an immediate burst of energy followed closely with a crash as the body works to bring the blood glucose levels back to a safe level."
And that's not all, she further notes that "high levels of glucose are damaging to the body, so in response to this spike, the body releases insulin, a hormone that is the key to opening up the door to our adipose tissue (fat) to store the glucose (as glucagon) in order to reduce the levels in our blood, leading to weight gain."
3. Vegetable oils
Vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil, are often high in omega-6 fatty acids, which, when consumed in excess, can contribute to inflammation in the body. While omega-6 fatty acids are essential for health, the Western diet typically contains an imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, favoring omega-6, which can promote inflammation when not balanced properly.
"Vegetable oils can be inflammatory due to an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids," nutritionist Lisa Richards explains. "While both types are essential for health, the typical Western diet contains an excessive amount of omega-6 fatty acids, primarily found in vegetable oils."