Shoppers might have to make some adjustments to their grocery list the next time they take a trip to the supermarket.
MoneyWise has released a list of the top unhealthiest groceries that you can buy at almost any grocery store in the United States. Some of the food youve been eating may not be as healthy as you thought and these top unhealthiest groceries just might surprise you.
Lets dive into the rankings:
Its reasonable to think that trail-mix would be a perfect healthy snack to eat in between meals. With food like granola, dried fruit, and even nuts, how could this not be healthy for you? Well, youd be partially right in asking that. Buyers must be conscious as to what kind of trail-mix they are spending their money on. Some varieties include sugary foods like chocolate, candy, and yogurt chips. Eating trail-mix like this is a quick way to up your sugar intake without even realizing it.
Shocking to see such a popular drink that athletes consume at the top of this list but if you dont work out like an athlete, you should probably just stick to drinking water. While gatorade works well for replenishing electrolytes to your body, it is also loaded with sugar. According to MoneyWise, A single 12-ounce bottle of the Cool Blue Thirst Quencher has 160 milligrams of sodium and 21 grams of sugar in it already making up a massive chunk of your recommended daily sugar intake.
This plant made sweetener is usually marketed as being healthy since it wont affect your blood sugar levels like normal processed sugar will. However, agave is very high in fructose. Consuming too much fructose can contribute to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to Healthline. Excess agave will make your liver start converting all that excess fructose into fat.
Now this once will definitely come at a complete and total shock. How can anything derived from fruit be bad for you? Experts say dried fruit can actually contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals than fresh fruit, but they also tend to be high in sugar. For example, one box of Sun-Maid California Sun-Dried raisins has 18 grams of sugar, said MoneyWise. Next time you go shopping for dried fruit, be sure to double check the label to make sure there are no added sugars.
The classic elementary school snack item isnt all its cracked up to be in terms of health. Many of the fruit cup brands use added sugars in their products. For example, one cup of the Dole brand peaches in 100% fruit juice has 18 grams of sugar. To add to the dramatics, one regular peach already has about 13 grams of sugar.
Now how can anything with the word diet in it be bad for you? Well for one thing, it is still soda. Diet soda doesnt contain any sugar or calories but what it does contain, that regular sodas dont, is aspartame. Aspartame is a natural sweetener that mimics the taste of sugar but like sugar, its not good for you. According to Medical News Today, Diet sodas increases the risk of diabetes by negatively affecting gut bacteria, insulin secretion, and sensitivity. They also cause blood sugar levels to spike when a person eats carbohydrates, increasing waist circumference and body fat. This can make insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management worse.
Sorry vegetarians and vegans. Youre not winning this round. Just because brands like Beyond Meat and the Impossible burger offer meat substitutes, doesnt mean its actually better for you than real meat itself. MyFoodDiary states that one Beyond Meat burger patty has 230 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 390 milligrams of sodium. To compare, you can get a 93% lean ground beef patty that has 155 calories, 6.8 grams of fat, and 61 milligrams of sodium instead.
These light and fluffy snack are low in calories but they are very high in carbohydrates and low in fiber meaning they have almost no nutritional value. Some come in a variety of flavors like ranch that contains over 300 milligrams of sodium per 17 crisps. Other flavors like caramel contain 10 grams of sugar for every 13 pieces making these snacks ultimately not good for your body.
What?! Popeyes favorite can of fuel, isnt good for you? Spinach is actually very good for you as it contains many important vitamins and minerals. However, and this might shock you, spinach wraps/pasta contain almost no spinach whatsoever. MoneyWise states, The Mission garden spinach herb wraps, for example, are loaded with 220 calories and 540 milligrams of sodium, with just 3 grams of fiber. If you want to implement more spinach in your diet, skip the spinach flavored products and go for the leafy green itself.
Baked beans are usually high in protein and fiber but canned baked beans add unnecessary amounts of sugar, salt, and other additives. MoneyWise also mentions that many bean cans contain the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in their interior lining, which can potentially leach into your food. Some research suggests BPA can elevate your obesity risk and even reduce fertility.
To check out the rest of the additional 15 other unhealthiest foods not mentioned above, click here.
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These are the unhealthiest grocery items you can buy in the United States, according to MoneyWise - MassLive.com
