With a soft, chewy start and an incredibly sweet taste, gummy snacks are a favorite sugary treat that we all loved as kids. Unfortunately, these sickly treats are just high-fructose-laced gummies mixed with a bunch of artificial flavors and colorants. Sure, they look pretty, but it’s not all about looks when it comes to food.
And as it turns out, copious amounts of processed sugary sweets can rot your teeth, make you portly, and will probably make you diabetic by the time your turn 25. Not to mention that these gummies aren’t the easiest to digest, so it’s not going to do your stomach any favors, that’s for sure.
Deep Fried Onions
Though comforting and delicious, the term “Bloomin' Onions” shouldn’t conjure up any lukewarm feelings. This is one of the most universally loved menu items at Outback Steakhouse. Hot? Yes. Fried? Yes. The most delicious fried batter on the face of the earth? Possibly. Chock-full of empty calories and unhealthy fats? Sadly, also yes.
To spell out just how unhealthy bloomin' onions are, just one order of this appetizer can contain a whole day's worth of calories. Yes it is a vegetable and veggies are usually good for you, but not when they're fried to oblivion. Any food can be transformed into something unhealthy, including onions.
McDonald's Big Breakfast
Eating at McDonald's is medically inadvisable, especially when it comes to their Big Breakfast meal. it contains a healthy-sounding sausage patty and scrambled eggs, but this breakfast platter includes buttery hotcakes, syrup, and crispy hashbrowns that spoil any hope of this being a good start to your day.
This giant order has more than the daily recommended amounts of fats, carbs, and sodium, so it should be avoided at all costs. What we would say though, is that maybe it can be enjoyed once every few months (if that). But there are some people out there who eat this on a daily basis. Definitely not recommended.
Starbucks Frappuccino
It’s hard to imagine a Starbucks menu without Frappuccinos, but they are a great example of a contemporary dessert fail. This dessert in the shape of a drink is just a collection of cheap ingredients, from supermarket-level whipped cream to excessive amounts of sugar. It might be pink and pretty, but that's the only good thing to take away from the frap.
Every bite is high-caloric torture, down to the extra caramel that makes it taste like diabetes in a cup. Generally speaking, we advise only buying coffee from Starbucks - either black, as a cappuccino, or a latte. But a drink that looks like it was brewed in the Barbie universe? Forget about it.
French Fries
Ah, the classic french fry. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, the ultimate side dish. It can pretty much go with anything, and the salty oiliness just keeps people coming back for more. They are so addictive! Eating an entire order of french fries is obviously not the healthiest meal option, we didn't need to tell you that. But just how unhealthy are these bad boys?
All french fries are deep-fried, which means they are extremely high in calories while also being fast-digested carbs, and eating them on a regular basis could negatively affect your artery function. As if that wasn't bad enough, they also have minimal nutritional benefits, which basically means they're empty calories.
Pop-Tarts
Pop-tarts make a good argument for conveniently packaged toast when you're short on time, but they might just be one of the worst ways you can start your day. You might thing that getting a toasted pocket filled with strawberry jam or Nutella is a good idea. Sure, it's frickin' delicious, but at what cost?
These toasted pastries have been around since the 60s (and even showed up in "Pulp Fiction"). And, they feature a sweet filling and frosted glaze in a variety of flavors. They are also loaded with a dangerous combination of sugars: refined white sugar, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup.
The In-N-Out Cheeseburger
From time to time, there is a void in life that only a cheeseburger can fill, right? Well, it turns out that cheeseburgers can fill much more than your stomach — they also fill up your arteries with trans-fats and sodium. Yes, they really are one of the most invasive foods of all time. And In-N-Out's cheeseburger is a classic example.
Just one of these bad boys contains over 1000 calories, with 70 grams of fat and a whole day's worth of sodium. So you either have one of these and nothing else throughout the day or have none (like, at all) and go for multiple well-balanced options.
Popeyes Chicken Tenders
As far as we know, Popeyes chicken tenders are more than just carefully battered fried chicken pieces — they are deliciously crisp harbingers of doom. Let's face it though, if this photo doesn't tempt you to drop what you're doing and take a ride to good ol' Popeyes, then nothing will!
For a measly three-piece serving of these, you will get 340 calories, most of which are hydrogenated oils, which might not seem like a lot compared to other fast-food meals, but considering you are only getting three pieces, it is a huge amount. You're better of acting like Popeye and downing a can of spinach.
Burger King's Oreo Shake
From a nostalgic perspective, we love milkshakes, they remind us of our childhood when we'd have a milkshake every Friday after school. This is why we need to say this — we're not complaining only on our own behalf but on behalf of milkshakes everywhere. Not to mention the fact that this is specifically from Burger King.
BK's Oreo shake features some seriously shocking amounts of sugar, 92 grams per serving! That's more than four times the recommended daily intake and it's just in one milkshake. if you're in the mood for a delicious shake, then you're better off making your own.
Subway's Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt
At the risk of ruining Subway meals forever, we must tell you that Subway sandwiches are just not healthy. Gasp! While Subway has often been thought of as one of the healthier fast-food options out there, that certainly isn't the case when it comes to its worst menu items.
This is where the Chicken and Bacon Ranch Melt comes in. At 1,150 calories this sandwich has 57 grams of fat and 87 grams of carbs. It might be delicious, we'll give Subway that. But you might want to consider cutting this thing in half and sharing it with a friend. Heck, maybe even cut it into 10 pieces and share it with the entire family.
Cinnabon Caramel Pecanbon
In and of itself, Cinnabon may be the Mack Daddy of baked treats but with that said, we strongly suggest you avoid Cinnabon's Caramel Pecanbon. Anyone who brings a box of these to a brunch or party only serves gooey sugar that's been neatly contained in baked dough.
In fact, if you see a tray of these, leave immediately. Rather go next door, where they’re serving quiches and carrot sticks. It might not be as fun, but at 880 calories per bun, you're better off eating something else. Sure, "Better Call Saul" brought Cinnabon to a whole other audience, but not even that show promoted this monster of a treat.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks may just be the fuel through which all things are possible. A burst of sugar and electrolytes can help athletes kick-start their workout. It is normal to see your favorite athletes getting that much-needed boost at half time of the game or during the water break. But is it really that beneficial? Sadly, no.
Sports drinks are full of sugar and artificial colors (which explains all of those fluorescent ones out there), you are better off drinking coconut water or eating a KIND bar. Or you can try the sugar-free Sports drinks, are they healthier? Or at least, healthy-ish? Undecided. But they can't be worse, right?
Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurts seem to be a wholesome, innocuous treat. You know, one that's reserved for the weekend or an outing on a warm summer's day. After all, yogurt is usually good for the digestive system, right? However, when you think about what's in this frozen dessert, you might realize just how astonishingly indulgent it really is.
Typically, frozen yogurt is lower in fat than ice cream, but somehow it's much higher in sugar. In fact, they have six times more sugar than protein. Not to mention all of the rich toppings you can put on top of that white goodness. All of the candy, the chocolate, the sprinkles. It's not healthy.
Margarine
There are good points on either side of the butter vs. margarine debate, most of them nutritional. And you would think that butter is the least healthy of the due as it is a dairy product. They might the look the same, but the two are very different in terms of their nutritional value (or lack of).
However, when it comes to the ingredients and processes involved in the production, margarine by far has the most sordid list. Filled with vegetable oils that convert to trans fats, you're better off sticking with butter, which is more natural and less processed. Better yet, swap either of them with olive oil whenever possible.
Corn Dogs
Known as the unofficial favorite of State Fairs across the US, corn dogs effectively are delicious and satiating, but at what cost?! Now, don't get us wrong — we're all for unique approaches to hot dogs — but battering one in cornflour and then deep-frying is just a step too far. And that's about as corny as Corn Dogs go.
It’s difficult to write critically about corn dogs, but at some point, you realize these villains are just that. Again, they are another cheap treat to indulge in at a circus or a sports game, but you probably aren't going to feel that good when everything is said and done.
Oscar Mayer Smoked Ham
There's a lot of stuff cardiologists hate about processed meats, like smoked ham. They're packed with preservatives, and saturated fat, and more often than not, they're high in trans fat, but worst of all, swimming in sodium. And Oscar Mayer Smoked Ham is a perfect example of everything that's wrong with processed meats.
Let's face it, experts are "probably" never going to approve of a category of meat that's been overly processed. "Probably" is doing a lot of work here so we'd recommend opting for meats that don't have a long list of harmful ingredients. One sandwich with a slice of this stuff every once in a while is fine.
Chips
An ideal party snack, chips, be they Lays or Doritos, have enjoyed a terrible reputation among health experts pretty much since the dawn of time. Still, the oil and the frying make them kind of irresistible. Well, we're going to need to become better at resisting. These things are deceivingly dangerous!
And that's not for nothing — this category of snack foods is packed with carbs, and sodium which has been proven to increase your risk of overconsumption, as it's nearly impossible to stick to just one serving. It's OK to snack away on some potato chips while watching a game, but every day - no way, Jose!
KFC Famous Bowl
KFC is everywhere nowadays and sadly, there's nothing you can do about it. What can we say? People just love deep-fried food. Especially deep fried Chicken. Colonel Sanders had an idea back in the day and his face has been gracing KFC's restaurants ever since.
With so many unhealthy options, the famous bowl takes first prize, containing deep-fried chicken, (one of the most unhealthy ways we can prepare food) mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, and cheese. This all comes to a whopping total of 710 calories, 82 grams of carbs, and 31 grams of fat. We feel like all of these components shouldn't go together.
Baked Ziti and Sausage Pasta
From the land of deep-dish pizza comes a delicacy that has remained a localized Midwestern gem out of the reach of the rest of the country. Baked ziti and sausage pasta is the real deal, and we recommend you trying it out (once in your life, only once).
With that said, despite what people might think, this creation called Baked Ziti and Sausage pasta is not pasta. It is disrespectful to the Italian culture, and it completely ruins what pasta is meant to be. While pasta can be deceptively unhealthy, this dish is by far the guiltier option. Because deep dish pizza wasn't decadent enough.
All Sodas
You probably picked up on the fact that sugar = bad in our discussion. But while most people know that candy and Cinnabon are full of sugar, they overlook another huge source: soda. It doesn't matter if it's Coca-Cola, Fanta, 7Up, Sprite, Schweppes - the list goes on and on and on - they are all not good for you.
Just one can of soda contains 50 or 60 grams of sugar! We're usually tricked by these sugar sneak attacks because only 10% of our sugar intake comes from the sugar bowl. The other 90% is hidden in the sodas we consume. Sure, treat yourself to a can on your birthday, but leave it at that!
White Bread
Bread bears the distinct honor of being one of the few items on our list to genuinely surprise us. We all grew up eating wonderful bread, and indeed it was not one of the worst foods in America. It's such a simple staple of American life, and so many people use it to make PB&J sandwiches.
But the harsh truth is that all bread, both the healthy and non-healthy kinds, should not be a vital component of one's diet. But white bread definitely takes the cake. They may have shown some semblance of nutrition back in the day but when we look at the ingredients today, this loaf is nothing but added sugars and empty carbs.
Cheesecake Factory's Apple Crisp
Sometimes you feel like having an apple. Sometimes you feel like having a piece of pie. But hopefully, you never feel like having Cheesecake Factory's Apple Crisp Pie. This thing is the aforementioned food items' love child - and it's a lovechild with a ton of problems.
At 1,740 calories, Cheesecake Factory's version of Apple Crisp really packs a punch when it comes to dessert items. Just one slice is equivalent to two pieces of their Original Cheesecake. So unless you want to max out a week's-worth of your dessert quota in a single meal, we'd suggest you opt for something else.
Kellogg's Honey Smacks
Only in the land of tater tots and apple pie, has cereal gained such a bad rap due to its absurdly high content of sugar and refined grains. Cereal really isn't what it used to be and these "Honey Smacks" are here to prove that. Just look at those things. They look like they have been sitting in a pool of honey for a few millenia.
This variety of Kellogg's contains one of the most sugar-loaded boxes in the cereal aisle. What's more, it barely has any fiber to stabilize your blood sugar. We think the box might have more nutritional value than the actual cereal.
Panera's Mac & Cheese
When you eat at chain restaurants, like Panera Bread, selecting a healthy meal might not be as obvious as avoiding the deep-fried options. It all looks great, but you would probably be doing yourself a favor if you reconstructed the following dish at home. But what exactly are we looking at in this photo?
Mac n' cheese, a sandwich, some potato chips, and an iced tea. Even though this might seem better than most menu items, it still contains 1,050 calories, 31 grams of fat, 2,290 milligrams of sodium, and over half a day’s amount of carbs at 155 grams. This equates to about an entire day’s worth of sodium in just one meal.
Dairy Queen Blizzards
Dairy Queen's frozen desserts are said to be legen-DAIRY! See what we did there? After all, if a place is called Dairy Queen, we would only hope that their dairy products are absolutely to die for. However, all of their menu items are high in calories, and their Blizzards are particularly bad for you.
One large order of DQ's Brownie Blizzard comes with chewy brownie pieces blanketed in cocoa fudge, (who could resist?) but this all creeps up to a scary amount of 1,510 calories, with 45 grams of sugar, and over 70 grams of fat! Yeah, you should probably stay well clear of this place.
Chipotle's Grilled Chicken Salad
So, you've been thinking of having Chipotle for lunch, but you are trying to be healthy, so you decide to order a chicken salad. Well, it looks like you are going to have to think again. It's crazy, we can feel the weight leaving us as we lay eyes on this photo! And yet, it's not particularly healthy at all.
This salad sneaks up to 870 calories and 43g of fat. That's a lot for cut-up veggies. Tiptoeing suspiciously close to the same amount as that Chipotle burrito, it will make you wish you had ordered the actual burrito instead of that measly salad.
Frozen Pizza
When it comes to frozen pizza, the ingredients list is the downfall of far too many sold in America, and the blame rests entirely on its egregious load of fat and preservatives. Apparently, we're all just suckers for fat and preservatives. Shall we say fat and preservatives again? Sure thing - fat and preservatives.
They also contain an abundance of other ingredients, like BHT, that are banned in Europe! As if that wasn't enough, there are also over 7o0 milligrams of sodium per serving! It might be best to start fresh and make your own dough. And you'll probably lose weight while you're kneading the dough, so there's that.
Burger King Triple Whopper
For all the Burger King fans out there, don't be disheartened; there is still something that Burger King reigns supreme in — and that's saturated fats! Also, their burgers are very good - most notably the triple whopper. But it sure isn't healthy. So if you're looking for a nutritional meal at this fast-food joint, you might want to keep driving.
The triple whopper with cheese comes with three beef patties sandwiched between cheese and bacon that all add up to 1,216 calories, with more than half of those calories coming from fat! We won't recommend anyone indulge in too many of these. not if they want to keep their arteries in check, at least.
Energy Drinks
When you need an extra bit of pep in your step, you might be tempted to reach for an energy drink as it can be great for staving off sleep to study for a test or pushing through a tough day at work, but (perhaps quite predictably) they aren't great for your health. They sure aren't good for your heart rate, that's for sure.
They have a ton of caffeine in them, to start with. A study recently proved that energy drinks can raise your blood pressure, potentially causing cardiovascular problems down the line. Remember that drink that Ted and Marshall used to drink in "How I Met Your Mother?" Tantrum. That's a good, fictional example.
Coffee Creamer
A cup of coffee may be a beloved way to start the day, but that spoonful of coffee creamer isn't doing you any favors. In place of dairy, flavored coffee creamers are full of corn syrup, sugar, soybean oil, and artificial flavors. Basically, a lot of bad stuff that's going to end up in your bloodstream.
Just one tablespoon amounts to 35 calories per drink, which can really add up since we all like to add a bit more than we should. Do yourself a favor and swap it for almond milk. Or any kind of milk, for that matter.
KFC Donut Sandwich
If you enjoy eating something sweet, soft, and savory at the same time, KFC might just have the treat for you. This KFC sandwich is pretty self-explanatory: extra crispy fried chicken sandwiched between two glazed donuts with pickles and mayo. So you don't have to wait between main and dessert, you can have both at the same time!
To be honest, we're a little shocked that a brain came up with this idea and put it on the actual menu, and that people out there are eating this willingly! Is it really finger-licking good or just a terrible trend that needs to stop?
Chick-Fil-A Cobb Salad
Chick-Fil-A is very divisive. But you're on the fence about them. So you decide to take advice from your doctor and instead of ordering a chicken sandwich with fries at Chick-Fil-A, you opt for a salad rather. The expectation is that you picked the healthier option, which might be true. But how much healthier is it exactly?
Good for you for going down the healthier route, but before you pat yourself on the back you should know that this salad rakes in twice as many calories as one chicken sandwich. After all, tossing things in a bowl doesn't automatically mean the dish is healthier.
Sonic Oreo Peanut Butter Shake
Sonic may be a summer oasis for many of their die-hard fans. Between their burgers, onion rings, milkshakes, and frozen slushies, there are so many delicious orders at this fast-food chain. But the last thing this one is going to do is provide you with any kind of health benefit.
But as with any fast food joint, there are so many unhealthy options, it can be hard to narrow it down to just one. Fortunately, in terms of sweet treats the Oreo Peanut Butter shake really stacks up the calories. As one of the unhealthiest fast food items in America, a large serving contains a triple-digit serving of fat at 104 grams!
Popeye's Cajun Fries
Clearly, if there's one thing that Popeyes does well, it's fried foods! From their battered chicken to their fries, what makes Popeyes special is the spicy kick they add. The top part of the photo shows the fast food joints' trademark biscuits - which are to die for, by the way. Also, they might kill you if you have too many.
The bottom half shows the Popeyes Cajun Fries. A large portion reaches a startling 804 calories, 42 grams of fat, and over 1,7oo milligrams of sodium. A typical meal shouldn't exceed 700 calories, so you're better off ordering a more nutritious side dish such as green beans.
White Castle Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Across the United States, there's certainly no shortage of fast food chains today. From burgers to pizza and of course, tacos, we have so many choices that it's sometimes hard to keep up with them all. With so many competitors, White Castle wanted to do something a little different which is probably why they began offering Mozzarella Cheese Sticks.
But one single pack of 10, yes that is right, just 10 Mozzarella sticks total 1,490 calories with 109 grams of fat. Just in this one serving you can almost eat your entire day's worth of calories! Not a good idea, at all.
Taco Bell's Grilled Cheese Burrito
We won't lie, Taco Bell has quite an impressive list of menu items. And while most of us would probably agree that their burritos are delicious, it's quite a stretch to call them healthy. And we're not going to lie, this grilled cheese burrito looks absolutely delicious. But usually, the most delicious something looks, the more lethal it actually is.
And sure enough, we were right about this one. This massive burrito is packed with beef, cheese sauce, seasoned rice, sour cream, a three-cheese blend, tortilla chips, and chipotle sauce. While cheese fiends might be tempted to try this meal, it certainly isn't advisable.
Little Caesars' Italian Sausage Pizza
For too long, the humble margarita pizza has been overlooked when it comes to the myriad of options in America’s pizza joints. What really makes this pizza pie unhealthy is the heaping helping of Italian sausage. Usually, people go for a classic pepperoni pizza, which is technically also a sausage pizza. But this takes things to a whole new level.
One large order of Little Caesars' Italian sausage pizza has 5,620 milligrams of sodium. Not only does it have an excessive amount of sodium, but it also contains more than the daily recommended intake of calories at 2,660 calories per pizza!
KFC Cheesy Bacon Bowl
There's more to KFC than just its fried chicken and coleslaw, aside from its limited items, its menu also includes a whole range of sandwiches, sides, sodas, and sweet treats. It also includes a variety of dishes that are going to strip away some years from your life. But we imagine it will be worth every bite. Exhibit A - the Cheesy Bacon Bowl.
This is where its dubious Russian roulette of food comes into play, which was inspired by bringing together a variety of ingredients into one convenient and hopefully healthy-ish meal. But here is the kicker — it's one of KFC's least healthy menu items, and it'll have a big impact on your ticker.
BBQ Sauce
Condiments and dressings can be sneaky and many people don't realize they can ruin what would otherwise be a healthy meal. Enjoying your favorite meal with some BBQ might be an actual sport in some parts of America. And we imagine that there are plenty of people around the country who would consider themselves to be full-on BBQ athletes.
However, making BBQ sauce as unhealthy as it can be is surprisingly easy. Just one serving can rake in 15 grams of sugar per serving. Why not just pour sugar and high fructose corn syrup straight onto your meal? Basically the same thing, right?
Del Taco's Queso Loaded Nachos
Just reading the name of this dish, we know it will be piled high with cheese and Queso sauce! This order of Queso-loaded Nachos is not for the faint of heart. The one thing we need to ask ourselves though is - how do you attack this thing? Where do you start?
With a generous helping of beef, refried beans, sour cream, tortilla chips, and of course creamy Queso Blanco sauce which will all definitely fill you up. If you want to make this dish even remotely healthy, we suggest you share it with a few friends and only enjoy a few nachos.
Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Pub Triple Cheeseburger
Why should Wendy’s cheeseburgers be relegated to standards of health when they can be layered with a beefy patty, gooey cheese, bacon, and crispy fried onions, which are all piled into a soft pretzel bun, just as nature intended? This is the same place that brought the Baconator into the world, so we expect nothing less from good ole' Wendy.
By any means necessary, stay away from this hefty cheeseburger which happens to contain the most amount of calories of any of the menu items at Wendy’s. Literally, anything else on the menu is better. Trust us, you're better off with the Baconator.
Cold Stone Creamery Mud Pie Mojo
The definition of ice cream is slowly being redefined in America and Cold Stone Creamery is largely to thank for that. Whether you prefer your ice cream chocolatey, nutty, or packed with a cookie dough punch, there is a good chance that Cold Stone Creamery has you covered, one way or another.
With so many desserts to choose from, it was difficult to find the unhealthiest of the bunch, but the Mud Pie Mojo was bold and chaotic enough to beat them all. This ice cream has Oreos, peanut butter, almonds, and fudge, bringing this dessert together in a sugar-loaded nightmare.
Dunkin’ Donuts Glazed Jelly Stick
While donuts are not exactly known for being healthy as they are deep-fried and covered in a glaze of sugar, some are definitely more harmful to your health than others. And at Dunkin' Donuts, they are all pretty dangerous for your health.
And thanks to Dunkin' Donuts, our treasured fried pastries sometimes take on less savory forms as well One of the worst offenders is the Glazed Jelly Stick at Dunkin' Donuts, which contains 480 calories, 59 grams of carbs, and 25 grams of fat. That's a whole lot of calories and a whole lot of grams. At least look like a donut, please.
Hillshire Farm Kielbasa
Every culture seems to have its own unique sausage and the Polish are no different. Their national sausage is the Kielbasa. It is a spicy sausage that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Just throw them on the grill and enjoy them as the everyday Polish delicacy that they are. You don't even have to be Polish!
But not so fast, Hillshire's Farm Kielbasa is packed with unnecessary fat, fillers, and a heavy dose of heart-harming sodium. With this in mind, it would be better if explore healthier alternatives, like Al Fresco's sausages. Just make sure to heat up some pierogis as well.
Spam
As with any food, Spam started with good intentions. With only six ingredients, you'd think Spam is pretty wholesome as canned meat, right? Well, it might not be brimming with a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients, but it isn't exactly healthy, either. Also, it's contained in a very uniquely shaped can, which doesn't bode well in the slightest.
Just one portion of this bad boy contains 16 grams of fat and over 700 grams of sodium! But let's face it, you are not just going to have one portion and would probably be tempted to have the whole can. Bad idea, friend, bad idea.
Cocoa Pebbles Cereal
We'll be the first to admit that cereal is delicious and nostalgic, but it is not always the best pick for your health. The problem with most types of cereal is that they are loaded with sugar, devoid of fiber, and soaked with hydrogenated oils.
Bottom line? Cocoa Pebbles are delicious and chocolatey but having them every day is probably not the best idea. The Flinstones must not have used this modern-day recipe anyway. And while we're on the topic, should we really be taking health advice from Fred Flinstone and Barney Rubble? Just look at them, they're not exactly in the best of shape.
Golden Grahams Cereal
Touted as a healthy cereal option, we'd suggest otherwise. Apparently, just a single bowl of these has been loaded with sugar and canola oil. Sure, they might be whole grains, which would sound healthy enough, but that is about the only thing about this cereal that might suggest any kind of nutritional value.
As with any overly processed and sugary-laden cereal, General Mills Golden Grahams are better left in the cereal aisle during your next grocery run. There are loads of other options to choose from instead. Just make sure to read the labels. Or, just eat some fruit in the morning instead.
Fruity Pebbles
Oh no, the Flinstones are at it again. The OG of the fruity cereal game, but don't let the word 'fruity' fool you! There's nothing fruity about a bowl of Fruity Pebbles, this brand of cereal has zero fruit in it and gets any semblance of flavor from natural and artificial additives.
If you take a look at the ingredients list, you'll see it contains Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1, and Blue 2. And if that wasn't enough, there's a considerable amount of sugar with 12 grams in one serving. We think you'll probably be better off eating some Lucky Charms for breakfast, if we're going to be completely honest.
Johnsonville Smoked Sausages
It's been said there's no such thing as a badly made sausage, but that hasn't stopped the processed-food industry from waging a decades-long project to disprove that old saying. And with every year, they keep getting better at it. Sneaky villains. That's where Johnsonville Smoked Sausages come into play.
They need to vacuum-package these bad boys just so that they do not hurt anyone before they have been thrown on the BBQ. With a potent dose of kidney-harming phosphates and most of the calories coming from fat, we'd suggest you give this one a skip on your next shopping trip.
Cookie Crisp Cereal
That's right, eating a bowl of cookies for breakfast is not healthy! All this sugar puts you at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and causes cavities. Of course, the argument is that it's just a bowl of tiny cookies. It's not as if you are having a bunch of full-sized cookies for breakfast. Yeah, it doesn't really work that way.
Besides all that, Cookie Crisp Cereal contains a lot of processed grains, which can be difficult to digest and can lead to bloating and gas. Remember, it's always a good idea to read the labels carefully and choose cereal varieties with less sugar.
Bagels
France has croissants, Switzerland has muesli, and America has... bagels. Well, bagels aren't necessarily a breakfast food but they are some of the worst carbs you can eat in the morning, and frankly, we didn't expect much else. There's nothing quite like ordering a lox and cream cheese bagel during your commute to work in New York City.
But we wouldn't make a habit out of it if we were you. Don't get us wrong, we love a good bagel as much as the next person, but it's definitely not the best choice if you want to keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day.
Buddig Deli Meat
Cold cuts are the protein champion of sandwiches and snacks. But because they're highly processed, they may actually not be the best for your health. Delicatessen meats like Buddig's Original Beef routinely fail in two ways: too much sodium and too much fat.
If you're looking for a healthier cold cut of meat, we might suggest limiting the amount you eat and getting deli meat with reduced sodium and nitrate-free. Just getting your cold cuts at an actual deli where they slice it for you might be the best option. Just look at that packaging, they are really persuading you to pack that sandwich with so much meat! It's too much!
Turkey Bacon
Another one bites the dust, and this time it's Turkey bacon. You might think you're bacon is better cause it's made of turkey meat, but that's certainly not the case when we look at its contents. Just one slice has over 2 grams of fat in it and 140 mg of sodium.
Take Oscar Mayer's Turkey Bacon for example, it has more sodium than regular pork bacon and its ingredient list is way longer. We can't believe we are saying this - but you might as well just use normal pork bacon instead. It's just as unhealthy but definitely more delicious than turkey bacon.
Quaker Natural Granola Oats
Quaker Oats must have a pretty good PR firm. After all, they managed to convince an entire nation of eaters that clumps of oats and nuts glued together with honey, raisins & almonds are somehow healthy. Props to their marketing team. And they had us fooled. It looks like the real deal and we can see ourselves getting much healthier if we get some granola down our throats.
But apparently, the reality of eating Quaker Oats is very different from the fantasy we conjured up in our minds. If you are watching your sugar intake, then this granola is not the breakfast cereal for you, as one serving has 17 grams of sugar. That's more than Cocoa Pebbles!
Boxed Macaroni
Not even the cheese is placed higher than partially hydrogenated palm oil on the ingredients list of this box of Rice-A-Roni Cheddar Broccoli. You'll only get a barrage of empty calories and about a third of your day's fat intake from a serving of this.
If you are going to make a cheesy macaroni dish, the least you can do is start with a more nourishing box than this one. It's temptingly easy but you must resist. And they really trick you by telling you that Broccoli is in the pack. Sure it's a superfood, but not when it's in macaroni.
Chow Mein
American Chinese cuisine has gotten quite a bad rap for being devoid of nutritious content and Chow Mein is no exception. This version of Chow Mein compounds half your day's saturated fat and sodium, plus a pool of inflammatory vegetable oils. Basically, it's not good for you in the slightest.
Each bowl of this dish has 540 calories, which is more than a meal's worth. Save yourself by preparing your own noodles and tossing them with stir-fried vegetables and soy sauce. There are plenty of college students out there getting more nutrition from their ramen packs. We are not lying!
Bisquick Pancake Mixes
Who doesn't like pancakes? Whether your preference is blueberry or chocolate chip, pancakes represent an indulgent treat at best, or at worst, a part of your regular diet. We really hope that it's the latter. Because if it's the former, you are going to be in trouble really quickly.
When it comes to pancake mixes in America, there is a veritable platter of options to pick from, with Bisquick Pancake mix being the classic choice. But how well does it stack up to other mixes? Not very well. It's basically a box full of carbs with nothing but empty calories.
Peter Pan Peanut Butter
With an ingredients list that contains no less than four different types of oil, we're surprised they found space for peanuts. What's even more unbelievable, one serving contains more sodium and fat than a McDonald's small order of fries! This is peanut butter! Heck, peanuts are pretty good for you as they are packed with protein.
But for some reason, everything goes to waste when it's turned into that creamy stuff. As peanut butter evangelists, we know how important it is to get the good stuff and we should all look forward to a genuine peanut butter experience, not this oiled-down version!
Kraft Cheez Whiz
There are too many great dips out there to count on Kraft Cheez Whiz. Kraft has somehow extracted the worst ingredients and tried to sell it as a cheesy dip when it's actually just a mixture of artificial flavors and syrups — a crafty move that could potentially have serious repercussions for casual dippers.
Stick to hummus or guacamole to sink your chips into, Store-bought ones usually have fewer ingredients and they can easily be made at home for much cheaper. Don't fool us with the marketing. Just because you're dipping a piece of broccoli in that cheese dip doesn't mean it's going to be any healthier. You might as well be dipping a piece of candy in there.
Beef Jerky
Beef jerky might be marketing their food as a healthy snack, but it’s far, far from it. Each serving contains 700 milligrams of blood-pressure-raising sodium, which is the same you would find in four servings of chips! Sure, it's preserved, cured meat, which should mean that it's void of germs. Therefore, it must be healthy right? Right? Wrong!
Bursting with sodium, sugar, and MSG is not a good look, this kind of shameless excess is not what you should be seeing on the ingredients list of any food, especially not jerky. It might OK to have with some beers at a party, but don't make this a part of your daily ritual anytime soon.
Deep Dish Pizza
Deep dish pizza is no stranger to a heated debate, whether it is who does it better or how doughy it should be. But this time, we're talking about how incredibly overindulgent it is! If you're in Chicago anytime soon, we would recommend trying out this local delicacy. It's definitely worth experiencing once in your life.
Apart from the extra thick dough to support the buckets of cheese and salty toppings, the deep dish serves more than just your entire day's worth of calories, but a high dose of sodium and saturated fat. Not recommended if you care about your heart.
Snyder's Pretzel Pieces
Packaged pretzels offer a crunchy snack that doesn't seem as bad for you, but the high palm oil and sodium content in these crisply-baked biscuits can prove quite the opposite! Snyder's Honey mustard and onion pretzel pieces are a classic snack to have while watching the SuperBowl or one of your favorite movies.
But having them every day would be a pretty bad idea. It gets worse than that, though, as we often mindlessly devour these by the handful, without registering how much we're actually guzzled down. If you're one of those who really like crispy pretzels, then be sure to enjoy them only on rare occasions.
Gummy Sweets
With a soft, chewy start and an incredibly sweet taste, gummy snacks are a favorite sugary treat that we all loved as kids. Unfortunately, these sickly treats are just high-fructose-laced gummies mixed with a bunch of artificial flavors and colorants. Sure, they look pretty, but it's not all about looks when it comes to food.
And as it turns out, copious amounts of processed sugary sweets can rot your teeth, make you portly, and will probably make you diabetic by the time your turn 25. Not to mention that these gummies aren't the easiest to digest, so it's not going to do your stomach any favors, that's for sure.
Candy Bars
They might be a favorite sweet snack for many of us, but as luck would have it, they are very high in sugar, as most processed snacks are. So if you're watching your weight, candy bars might just be your worst enemy. Whether it's Mars bars, Snickers, Hershey's, Tooty Rolls, or basically any chocolate bar in a plastic wrapper, it's a no-go as far as your health is concerned.
Sure, it's OK to have a bar here and there. But candy bars typically contain a ludicrous amount of highly-processed sugar syrups and are laced with hidden oils and fats which together, really pack in a lot of calories.
Quesadillas
The main components of a basic quesadilla are cheese, oil, tortilla, and sometimes beef. Seems simple enough that it might actually be good to eat, right? Wrong. All the fat from the oil and cheese can really hamper your health when it comes to these cheese-filled foods.
Just one portion of quesadilla can contain more than 40 grams of fat and over 600 calories! If you have to eat these, try making them at home where you can fill them with healthier ingredients while limiting the cheese. We think it is safe to say that the name quesadilla sounds a lot safer than the actual content you would be consuming from one.
Rock Sugar Candy
Rock candy is essentially just crystallized sugar served on a stick, with some containing additives and colorings. Why would anyone eat these, we're not sure, but if you thought snacking on these wasn't as bad as a candy bar maybe limit your intake to one rock candy per week.
Perhaps serve up fruit, which can aptly be described as nature's candy. Sure, these rock candy sticks look like some enchanted lightsaber from a fantasy movie. But if you start sticking one of these in your mouth, you're going to feel the negative effects pretty soon. Whatever you do, don't eat these like you would if you thought they were actually good for you.
Twinkies
Scoffing down a Twinkie or two was really fun as a kid and seeing as it is full of sugar, it delivered a fast source of energy during recess. Ah, those were the days. But it seems that the older one gets, the more dangerous eating one of these things actually can be.
It's safe to say that at the end of the day, these vanilla cream-filled sponge cakes are full of preservatives, fat, and sugar and about 32 ingredients that we don't even recognize. Whether kids or grownups, it's quite amazing that anyone let us eat these at all!
Buffalo Wings
We have to give kudos to whoever decided chicken wings weren't satiating enough and came up with something that will really trouble your ticker. How did these chickens get so big and why do buffalo wings have to be fried and covered in a buttery sauce?
We obviously have a lot of questions, but at least we know that sitting down to a serving of four standard buffalo wings will eat up 350 calories of your day. To think that there was a time when we actually thought buffalos could fly and that these were actually their wings. How would any of that even make sense?!
Jell-O
Jell-O has been in many places, from being a staple in hospital trays to being served up in prison cafeterias, and now it is part of this very unsettling list ranking the worst foods in America. Sure, it is super easy to consume and has a pleasant feeling in one's mouth. But that doesn't make it any more healthier to eat.
You could probably have guessed by now, that what makes Jell-O so bad is the artificial additives on the ingredients label. But if you enjoy a serving of jiggly sugar that's saturated with artificial dye, this is great. Otherwise, we'd suggest you ditch this dessert for something else.
Fondant
Fancy cakes have been decorated with fondant for forever and a day, but there's nothing fancy about this food if we could even call it that. This glorious kind of icing is so rich and decadent, which is probably why people love to adorn their wedding cakes with them. It's just so fitting for the occasion.
But once that wedding's over, it's probably best to throw the leftovers in the trash. Basically, fondant is just pure sugar that's been added to hydrogenated fats and stabilizers to help it keep its shape and smooth texture. So with that out the way, we think it's safe to say that your cake is just fine without this non-food item.
Candy Corn
In a world where can you find aisles upon aisles of candied snacks and sweet confectionary, there is absolutely no reason to be eating candy corn, the worst of all candy. First and foremost, it makes perfect sense why it is called candy corn, to begin with. Obviously, it looks just like corn. But you know what's sweet and also looks like candy corn? That's right folks, corn.
Candy corn isn't even tasty, it somehow manages to be too sweet, while having the texture of grainy wax and you simply can't escape that it tastes like a mouthful of chewy high-fructose corn syrup. Candy corn basically has no redeeming nutritional value and is certainly not worth the calories.
Granola Bars
If you were to scan through the ingredients label on a regular Granola bar, you'd realize these so-called "healthy" snacks aren't nearly as innocent as advertising campaigns have led you to believe. When it comes to granola bars, “healthy” usually translates to “high content of sugar and fats.”
Will they be worth the calories? Probably not, but they will give you a quick rush of energy before leaving you with a sugar crash. If you're hungry for a granola bar, better inspect the packaging before you make a purchase. It's best to treat granola bars like sporadic treat as opposed to a routine healthy snack.
Sugar-Roasted Nuts
Everyone deserves to eat a handful of nuts in all their delicious glory. There really is nothing better than digging into a packet of nuts knowing they're good for your health. But the unfortunate truth is, many packaged nuts nowadays come with all sorts of additives.
From honey-roasted or caramel sugar, there are so many options to choose from that are processed with all kinds of unnecessary ingredients that culminate in a terrible trio of sugar, fats, and sodium. We get the allure of coating nuts in sugar - bringing a balance between the sweet and salty of it all. But it's just not healthy.
Garlic Bread
These slices of garlicky buttered bread do taste delicious, but these high-carb butter bombs are better left in the bread basket. All that butter is doing you no favors when it comes to your daily caloric intake — just one slice can add up to 150 calories!
A large portion of those calories come from the butter, so making your own and limiting the amount might make these somewhat decent. If not, try spreading your bread with a garlicky pesto instead. It's probably best to leave the garlic breads in the Olive Garden, or wherever you'd typically eat them. Also, consider what your breathe would be like if you ate them on the regular.
Fried Oreos
Only in America would deep-frying a perfectly good cookie seem like a reasonable idea. Just on their own, Oreos can be quite tricky, but dipping them in batter, and deep-frying it means they' are now way worse! By worse, we obviously mean less healthy. If health isn't an issue, then they're obviously better. Should you eat these, even as a rare snack?
Definitely not. They are inflated with trans fats and sugar and just three of these can add up to 600 of your daily calories. That's more than a whole meal! With numbers like these, you definitely don't want to indulge.
Frosted Donuts
Frosted donuts really offer the worst of both worlds (assuming the two worlds are carbs and oil) — deep-fried dough that is teamed with sugary frosting — all in one bite. But just in one bite, you could be getting 17 grams of sugar. And we haven't even gotten to the fat content! You ain't seen nothing yet.
With most people buying boxed donuts, like the ones from Entemman's, they are eating more artificial ingredients and processed fats that really aren't fit for consumption. Truth be told, that chocolate icing looks absolutely to die for. And you probably will die if you eat too much of it.
Little Debbie's Honey Buns
These days, plenty of food manufacturers openly brag about their products and how they've been made with straight lard and sugar. Of course, they're shamelessly vying for your hard-earned cash, but don't give in!
Take these honey buns for instance, they might look appetizing but there are over 35 ingredients in these — and none of them are worthy as a snack. Little Debbie is going to have to look for someone else to sell these to. Listen, we like honey as much as the next person. We like buns as much as the next person, and we love cream too. But this is too much.
Packaged Cookies
If you like cookies, you’re probably hurt and maybe even personally offended by our inclusion of cookies in this list! To be fair, we're all guilty of grabbing a box of cookies from the store every now and then.
But just reading the nutritional label, we now realize that most boxes of cookies are jam-packed with preservatives and sugar, making them less than stellar when it comes to nutritional value. We're going to be honest though - there is something a little unsettling about relying on cookies that have been packaged in a box. We'd prefer freshly baked cookies from the bakery.
Iced Tea
To be abundantly clear, we don't mean the iced tea you make at home, where you know exactly what goes in and how much you put in. We're talking about the stuff you buy from the store that's brewed with coloring, preservatives, and loads of sugar. It's hardly iced tea. It's just branded as iced tea but is really just a can full of liquified sugar.
Yes, it might be refreshing on a hot summer's day, but it's certainly not better than what you can make at home. Put it in a thermal bottle to keep it chilly throughout the day and save yourself the additives.
Fruit Roll-Ups
Back in the day, these were made with actual fruit but nowadays, most processed and packaged fruit roll-ups remarkably have absolutely no fruit in them, so why are they still called "fruit" roll-ups? Guess "gelatinous sugar roll-ups" doesn't have the same ring to it.
These have been made with corn syrup, sugar, and palm oil. Artificial colors like red dye 40 and blue dye 1 are used to get those bright, almost fruit-like colors. Let's be serious though - you can seriously feel the artificialness (yes, that's definitely a word) when you put one of these strips of candy on your tongue.
Cheese Crackers
When we took a look at the ingredients label for these crackers, our alarm bells went off, not snack bells. We're especially concerned about the amount of fat and the sodium content. Listen, who doesn't love some Ritz cheese crackers every once in a while?
Each portion of crackers has 5 grams of fat that comes from processed oils, like soybean, or hydrogenated oils, plus an added dose of high fructose corn syrup. Add that to the fact you always have more of these than you originally planned and you might just want to toss the box out of your shopping cart ASAP.