Given they are absolutely everywhere you look, it’s almost impossible to avoid ultra processed foods. Nutritionists are now sounding the alarm about 6 foods you should remove from your diet: chocolate cereal, processed meat, potato chips, processed cheese slices, soda, and pre-packaged cakes and muffins. From seriously sugary breakfast cereals to savory snacks you just can’t put down, here are the top 6 offenders and how you can swap them out for healthier versions.
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| Chocolate Cereal: Cereal that’s laden with sugary chocolate is more like pudding than something you should start your day with. For example, a ¾ bowl of Kellogg’s Coco Puffs is packed full of 9g of sugar, while General Mills Original Cheerios contains 2g of sugar. Making this swap will help you to feel full between meals and will have less impact on your blood sugar levels. |
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| Processed Meat: Bacon, hot dogs, canned corned beef and salami are all processed meats that are high in fat and salt. Eating too much of it can increase your risk of bowel or colorectal cancer. For a healthier swap, replace processed meats with lean poultry such as chicken or turkey, or plant proteins. |
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| Potato Chips: Some savory snacks are designed to make it almost impossible to put down, and potato chips is one of them. It’s no accident that Lay’s slogan has been “Bet you can't eat just one!” Instead of giving in to the taunt, the next time you’re craving a salty snack, swap out the standard potato chips for unsalted ones, or even try something like vegetable chips, plaintain chips, or grain-free tortilla chips. |
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| Processed Cheese Slices: The next time you want to make a cheese sandwich, use real cheese, not processed squares. Cheddar, feta and brie are “real” cheeses that are loaded with calcium and protein, while the processed cheese slices are primarily emulsifiers used to give them the desired texture, but nothing more. |
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| Soda: While fine as an occasional treat, if you’re reaching for a soda every day, you might want to consider a healthier swap. Research suggests that too many sodas can impact your gut bacteria and even lead to glucose tolerance. Instead, stick to sparkling water with added fruit. |
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| Pre-packaged Cakes and Muffins: We’re all aware that cake and muffins are full of sugar and fat, but pre-packaged varieties are even worse. They are high in saturated fat and sugar and their long shelf life means they also have a very long ingredients list that includes emulsifiers, stabilizers and gelling agents. Instead, swap out the high-fat cakes and muffins with healthier sweet treats like RXBAR Chocolate Sea Salt, which contains 3 egg whites, 6 almonds, 4 cashews, and 2 dates. It’s fudgy, salty, sweet, and is nutritionally sound. |
