Foods that You Should Never Eat

They say everything in moderation, but some foods are just best left out of the equation altogether to avoid the temptation. Here are some common food items that should never be eaten, for a variety of different reasons.

Canned Tomatoes

Tomatoes on their own are perfectly healthy, but canned tomatoes have a tendency to leach elements of the tin can they’re packaged in. The problem with this is that tin cans contain a synthetic estrogen called BPA that may disrupt your own hormones which could potentially lead to issues like cancer, obesity, reproductive issues, etc. Always go for a glass container if you’re purchasing packaged tomatoes, otherwise stick if it’s a concern.

Industrially Produced Hamburgers

Eating hamburgers are fine, if they are grass fed organic. Hamburgers that are produced with industrial means are full of hormones and genetically modified corn that the cows are fed before they are slaughtered for meat. That’s a part of the process that most people don’t want to think about when they sit down to enjoy a burger, but it’s the reality. Grass fed beef is actually higher in nutrients than the alternative. Plus, many people find that they prefer the taste to the grass fed burgers anyway, which tend to be juicier and more fresh tasting.

White Chocolate

The thing that makes chocolate good for you in moderation is the cacao it contains, but white chocolate does not have any of that. It’s basically just a sugary fat treat with zero nutritional benefits. When you do eat chocolate go for the darkest and highest amount of cacao possible, which means less processing and added fat and dairy which you don’t need to enjoy a candy bar.

Artificial Sugar

Just because artificial sugar doesn’t have any calories that does not mean that it acts that way in the body. There is some evidence that eating artificial sugars can have the opposite of its intended effect, since it still tastes like sugar the body thinks it’s eating sugar and then will continue to crave more the way it would if you were eating straight sugar. This is particularly a problem with sugar free drinks since you are basically pumping your body full of a sugary tastes with zero nutritional benefits. Not to mention, many artificial sugars have been linked to questions around cancer and other diseases. Instead of putting artificial sweetener in your coffee, opt for a bit of honey as a natural sweetener instead.

Microwave Popcorn

Air popped popcorn is perfectly healthy for you, but there’s a problem with the buttered microwave popcorn. The butter contains a flavor chemical called diacetyl, which can be carcinogenic when it gets microwaved. This is not listed on the label because the popcorn companies don’t expose their exact flavors to keep their recipes underwraps. Some popcorn companies have replaced diacetyl with a seemingly healthier option, except that it can turn into diacetyl so that didn’t help much. Get an air popper and pop your own popcorn for a much healthier treat. And go for a GMO free popcorn kernel if you can.