Being healthy doesn’t mean not overindulging; this means focusing on a balanced, nutritious diet that includes vegetables, fruits, herbs, whole grains, protein and yes, treats in moderation. However highly processed foods not as healthy as fresh foods, you don’t have to avoid them completely or doesn’t feel good when you eat it. Just make sure you consume them in moderation.

To improve your health and balance your diet, we have compiled a list of 10 foods that can negatively affect your health if consumed in excess.

10 foods that are bad for your health

While the following foods are especially lacking in nutritional value, the point of paying attention to this list is less about cutting each item out completely and more about realizing how little they bring to your diet. We don’t recommend that you avoid these foods completely because restricting the food can be a trigger bad food. The main takeaway here is that it’s OK to eat the foods on this list as long as you’re also eating nutrient-dense foods that give you the vitamins and minerals you need.

Many of the following foods contain a lot of refined grains, a lot of trans fats or other processed fats that are difficult for the body to use effectively. These foods lack many key nutrients such as dietary fiber, that is improve gut health. Over time, your body is deprived of a lot vitamins, minerals and nutrients to whole foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains can create disabilities with medical symptoms.

White bread

White bread is made with a type of bread flour processed from wheat. Processing removes the bran and germ: parts of the wheat grain. Whole wheat is generally darker and denser, due to the fact that it contains more nutrients and more fiber. These two aspects are good for your digestion and giving your body the nutrition it needs. White bread has a nice sweet taste but it is made from the endosperm layer of a wheat grain, and it has little nutritional value. Instead, choose whole grain bread, which is full of important nutrients.

To learn more about how complex carbs can help you stay healthy, check out why you should eat more carbs, not less.

Potato chips

Many of the reasons why eating too many chips is harmful is that they have nothing to offer balance source of calories. The amount of oil and simple carbohydrates they contain makes them dense in calories, but they are not equally full of beneficial nutrients such as vitamins. Chips without any preservatives are a great option for an occasional tasty indulgence, but eating anything but chips at a meal can make your body crave more vitamins, protein and fiber.

French fries

French fries contain many of the same nutrients as chips, although there are more actual potatoes in a french fry. The crispiness of a french fry, however, is not necessarily due to deep fat frying, which contains a lot of oil if you eat it often. In a air fryera thin layer of oil (or even zero oil) can still give you a homemade, low-salt batch of french fries made from just potatoes. If your food has enough oil in it, this can be a great way to get a crispy treat without going over your daily amount.

Fried chicken

Chicken is a delicious lean protein, but fried chicken expansions tend to include white flour, oil and salt. These three ingredients are good in moderation, but opt ​​for grilled chicken or chicken in the air can help you cut down on bad ingredients if you’re already getting more than the recommended amount.

Processed meats

Generally, processed meats have certain nutrients in them that, when consumed in excess, are linked to negative medical consequences. The processing of meats sometimes includes the addition of nitrates and nitrites, which are linked to a higher risk of cancer if eaten in moderation. Also, sodium is built into processed meat at a considerable level. If possible, cook and eat fresh meat.

Sugary cereals

Like eating candy, sweet cereal often has a lot of simple carbohydrates and sugars compared to low protein, fiber and vitamin content. As a breakfast option, sweet cereals can also result in a blood sugar crash that makes you feel hungry immediately after eating the cereal. Choosing a low sugar cereal with lots of protein and fiber included, as well as a plant-based or dairy milk will help you feel fuller for longer.

Margarine

Margarine was created when the saturated fats in butter were seen as negative for our health. However, margarine is different: In some countries, it contains harmful trans fats that cannot be easily processed by the body and in many cases contains the same amount of processed saturated fat. Read the label or choose a less processed oil, such as olive oil, as a bread topper if you want to cut butter from your diet.

Frozen foods

all frozen foods are not created equal — flash-frozen vegetables and cooked chicken, for example, are sometimes low in preservatives and are a great way to eat when you need convenience​​​​ food. However, for premade foods, check what types of foods and other items are in your food, especially if you are concerned about preservatives or food coloring in your food.

Boxed mac and cheese

While some of the prominent brands of mac and cheese have been found to be high in harmful chemicals, a big reason they are considered unhealthy is because of the high amount of simple carbohydrates and fat and low nutritional value. If you like cheesy pasta, however, don’t despair: There are different versions today that contain whole grains, vegetables like cauliflower and lower levels of preservatives and fat.

Baked goods

Cakes, donuts and other baked goods can be delicious. But it can also be full of simple carbohydrates and saturated fats. In addition, they contain very little fiber, protein or vitamins. If you make your own baked goods, however, it is easy to make a meal that will provide more nutrition, it can have a whole wheat flour substitute, an unsaturated fat substitute for butter or add fruits or grated zucchini to increase the vitamin content.