To improve health and well-being, Americans must recognize and reconsider some of their less-than-ideal dietary choices. Addressing these harmful and nutritionally deficient foods can lead to more intentional and healthful eating.
Traditional American diets include processed meats, but they should be eaten sparingly. These include deli meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausage. Popular for their taste and simplicity, these meals are unhealthy. Processed meat has high levels of preservatives such salt, nitrates, and nitrites.
Avoid diet sodas, which contain artificial sweeteners. Shonali Soans, a New York City nutritionist, thinks artificial sweeteners can be worse than sugar.
Junk food is a mainstay of the American diet due to its availability, price, and taste. But it's one of the leading causes of obesity and other health issues nationwide. Fast food is heavy in sugar, sodium, and fat, which can promote high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.
Trans fats, abundant in packaged and baked goods, are responsible for Americans' poor diets. These fats raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower “good” HDL cholesterol, increasing heart attack and stroke risk. Fried food, microwave popcorn, frozen food, and margarine contain them.
One of the worst unhealthy foods is instant noodles, a quick and easy food. Salty noodles can elevate blood pressure and create other cardiovascular issues if eaten in excess.
The term “juice” should not deceive. A “cocktail” is juice plus sugar. Pointless and raises daily calorie intake. Start your day with 100% fruit juice instead of a sugary juice cocktail if you want to take care of yourself.
While microwaveable rice is easy, it's often salty. Some rice has 800–900 mg of salt per serving, depending on the product. Because most people eat the whole bag, the average bag has two and a half portions, which quickly adds up to around 2,000 mg of salt per serving.
HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) is a favorite among firms and used in many processed items because it is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. However, its consumption has been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. The liver overloads with HFCS, causing fat to build and liver damage.