Highly processed foods are bad for your overall health for a number of reasons. Although they can make our taste buds happier than ever, there’s a reason for that: they’re typically packed with unhealthy amounts of fat, sodium, and sugar. All of this can take a serious toll on your body. The sugar content, in particular, of some of your favorite processed foods will oftentimes result in blood sugar spikes, and over time can lead to weight gain, heart disease, and more.
To discover some of the worst processed foods you should avoid at all costs if you want to keep your blood sugar in check and your body in good shape, we spoke to health experts Nataly Komova, RD and Registered Nutritionist Jay Cowin of ASYSTEM. Read on for all of their insight!
White Bread
When you think of white bread, you probably don't think of something sweet and sugary. Likewise, when you think of sweet foods, bread probably isn't the first thing to pop into your head. However, as it turns out, white bread has a high sugar content that can lead to blood sugar spikes. In fact, it's one of the worst foods out there for those looking to lower their blood sugar. It should also be noticed that white bread contains refined carbs, which offer virtually no nutritional value and therefore won't keep you full. That means you're likely to run into increased sugar cravings later in the day, especially because you won't stay satiated for very long. "Added sugars increase your hunger; there is no fiber to balance things with satiety," Komova says. "This results in overeating, making you suspectable to weight gain and obesity." Yikes!
Sugary Pastries Like Donuts
Although a tasty pastry from the bakery is a sweet treat that few of us normally have the willpower to turn down, it's important to stay vigilant and resist your donut cravings if you're watching your blood sugar levels. Starting your day with a sweet pastry is one of the worst things you can do for your overall health. That's because (as it shouldn't be surprising to learn) these things are loaded with sugar and refined carbs, which will lead to a blood sugar spike and crash later. "With such a huge amount of sugar in a small package, your body pumps out loads of insulin to try to accommodate. A huge blood sugar spike leads to an even bigger sugar crash," Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD, of Cleveland Clinic says. "This extreme up-and-down leaves you hungry soon after your breakfast—and you’ll crave even more refined carbs. It’s a vicious cycle of unhealthy eating that starts with the first doughnut." It's the same thing that happens when you eat bread, and it's a tale as old as time, but it's important to heed this warning if you care about your health.
Breakfast Cereal
Who doesn't love the taste of a good old bowl of cereal and milk in the morning? It's sweet, crunchy, and, unfortunately, riddled with with unhealthy ingredients like refined sugar. "Although convenient and easy-to-make, processed cereal is loaded with sugar, calories, and other unhealthy additives that can slow down your metabolism and sabotage your weight loss goals if eaten regularly," Cowin tells us. Say it ain't so! And just like with white bread, donuts, and other highly processed foods, sugary breakfast cereal doesn't bring any nutritional value to the table. That means (you guessed it) you're going to find yourself with a hankering for even more sugar later in the day. And, eventually, all that sugar can really add to your waistline. "When you eat many processed foods, your body can't burn off the energy as quickly, so the food is stored as fat," Cowin warns.
While a little bit of sugar every now and then won't kill you (and, after all, it's good to treat yourself from time to time), remember that consuming too much can take a serious toll on your health over time. All in all, we're not going to tell you to never eat another donut again, but for the sake of your body, it's best to avoid these foods as much as possible and choose healthier alternatives instead.
