10 'Unhealthy' Foods In Your Kitchen

The sad thing about healthy eating awareness in Africa is that the bad decadent unhealthy foods which many European and American countries are avoiding, and dodging at all costs, are the foods that we find cool and politically correct.  It’s easy to think licking a double big scoop of gourmet ice cream, or delightfully chewing deep crispy Kentucky fried chicken drumsticks, emotionally places us in the league of the ‘rich and famous’.

The truth is that whether you feel ‘politically correct and cool’ or not, you’re on to nutritional disaster if you order some high calorie foods like baskets of crispy fried chicken, double portion of gourmet ice cream, double cheese burger or pizza  with salami and bacon when you are dining out.  Now, that is for dining outside. But we are equally as guilty if we go to supermarkets and pack our food trolley with these same high calorie/fat foods.

Let us give a thought to very highly unhealthy foods we buy from supermarkets and tuck away in our kitchen and fridge waiting for the right moment to indulge.  The usual thinking is that they are basic food items anyway, but do you know these so called basic foods are adding extra calories, salt, fat and sugar to your daily diet without you even being aware?

There are 10 unhealthy foods that may be lurking in your kitchen, fridge or freezer, and we suggest better alternatives you should be stocking.  For these bad foods to be listed means they are high in trans-fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt. So here we go:

Mayonnaise

It’s deliciously creamy and easy to pile on the calories and grams of fat when you spread on the mayonnaise.  Mayonnaise is not too bad if you are talking of just one or two teaspoons at the most.  But most mayonnaise lovers just pile spoonfuls, which can go up to about 360 calories and 40grams of fat in a ¼ cup serving.

If you can’t do without splashing mayonnaise on your food, there are better options like using lower-calorie version of mayonnaise which works out at 35 calories and 3.5 grams of fat per tablespoon. Another alternative is to go for calorie condiment like mustard, BBQ sauce, salsa, chili sauce, or taco sauce. 

Soda and other sweet drinks

Sugary drinks are all over the place, at your arm’s length. Not only are they the usual offer in take away restaurants, but also the drinks sold in several supermarkets and sweetened, such as bottled teas, fruit drinks, sports and energy drinks, etc.

Sweetened beverages are ‘empty calories’ because they generally don’t contribute to nutrients, only high in calories.    And research suggests that it’s not as if we compensate by eating less when we drink sweet drinks. So in the long run they are just ‘extra” calories.

Water is the best alternative for hydrating the body and should make up most of what we drink each day.  But there are other numerous beverages without calories like green or black teas, which not only hydrate but also contribute healthy antioxidants. It’s also much better if you decide to use skim milk because they are lower in calories without losing out on key nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, B12, potassium and magnesium.

Alcoholic beverages

It’s possible to over indulge in alcohol. From a nutritional point of view, however, there are better beverages you can store in your kitchen store and fridge.  Alcohol calories are absolutely empty because the body is unable to use them as energy.  Rather the liver is forced to break down alcohol into fatty acids, which is stored in the liver. Storage of fatty acids in the liver is actually visible after one day of excessive drinking.  Liver cells and brain cells indeed die with heavy alcohol consumption.

If you are going to indulge in alcohol, try to control the amount taken. For instance, you can substitute alcoholic drinks at social parties, or office parties, with sparkling water and a slice of lemon or lime, hot or iced coffee or tea, or diet soft drinks in moderation.

Processed luncheon meats

Luncheon  meats, including deli cold cuts, bologna, and ham make the unhealthy list because they contain lots of sodium, and sometimes fat, as well as some preservatives like nitrites. Processed meats is linked to an increased risk of colon cancer, and also believed that certain substances used as preservatives in processed meats may change into cancer-causing compounds in the body.  In addition, the sodium in one small serving of lunch meat equals 1 slice of bologna or 5 slices of salami, ranges from 310 to 480 milligrams.   A diet high in sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke.

A better option will be to get rid of the sodium, preservatives, by shunning processed meat, and replace with freshly roasted or grilled sliced turkey, chicken, beef or fish in your sandwiches.  That way you are sure of getting much needed protein, vitamins, and minerals without the killer additives.

Hot dogs and sausages

Hot dogs and sausages are stored in many fridges and freezers. They are versatile for quick mix dinner, or in the case of sausages used for breakfast or brunch.  Hot dogs and sausages contain lots of sodium and fat.  A better substitute is a lower fat and lower sodium meats such as roasted poultry, pork tenderloin, roast beef and shrimp in meals and recipes.  Grilled vegetables such as potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, or roasted peppers are also great alternatives to meat. 

Whole milk products

Though dairy products contain protein, calcium, B12, and riboflavin, whole milk products also have a good amount of fat and cholesterol.  If you drink a large glass of whole milk a day, for instance, it adds up to 1,900 calories, 105 grams of total fat, 60 grams of saturated fat, and 310 of cholesterol in a week. A better and healthier alternative is to go for lower fat versions of dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage, or cream cheese.

Gourmet ice cream

In many supermarket’ freezers, you will find a pint of gourmet ice cream or a box of indulgent ice cream bars.  If you are health conscious and don’t  take more than half cup serving size suggested on the box, it drives up your total fat calories to as high  as 300 calories per that small serving with 14 grams of fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 65 milligrams cholesterol and 23 grams sugar.

A better option is to go for the lower fat, lower sugar and lower calorie ice cream versions if available in any supermarket in your area. At least lower calorie variety will reduce the calories by half. Otherwise just make it a once in a while indulgence.

Creamy salad dressing

Most standard refrigerator will have at least a salad cream, like Thousand Island dressing or Heinz. Each 2 tablespoons serving of these traditional creamy dressings will add about 120 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, and 380 milligrams of sodium to your salad, although most people take more than the 2 tablespoons serving.  Trying lighter dressings that you enjoy may be another way of reducing calories and fat.

Butter or margarine

If your butter or margarine can hold its shape, it’s probably high in saturated fat. It’s the saturated fat that makes fats more solid at room temperature, making it easier to use more butter or margarine than you want. Its firm texture makes it difficult to spread lightly on food, unlike softer butter or margarine that spreads easily, enabling a little to go a long way. Each tablespoon will give you 100 calories and 11 grams of fat.  While butter has 7 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, margarine has 2 grams saturated fat and 1.5 grams trans-fat per tablespoon.

Switching to soya oil or olive oil in your cooking and baking when possible is the best option because these are ‘good fats’ rich in mono and polyunsaturated fat.  However if you need a spreadable fat on the table or in a recipe, try a reduced fat margarine with no trans-fat and low amounts of saturated fat. 

Frozen French fries

Frozen French fries of different brands are available in many supermarkets’ frozen section.  Just one small serving that is 10 single fries, or 3 ounces, contains 8-11 grams of total fat, around 3 grams of saturated fat, 390 to 540 milligrams sodium, and about 190 calories.  How many people can stop at 10 fries?  Most of us eat three times that portion or more at one sitting. A better alternative is to eat unprocessed potatoes like boiled, baked or grilled red potatoes because they give you all the nutrients of potatoes without added fat or sodium.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons.