Advertisement

4 surprisingly risky everyday foods to limit or avoid

These are probably in your kitchen right now. But that doesn't mean you should eat them.

Updated on June 27, 2024

young man grocery shopping
1 / 6

Browsing the supermarket pantry aisle, you’ve probably scratched your head over the long, strange ingredients listed on package labels. Even the most health-conscious shoppers can have a tough time knowing which boxed, bagged, canned, and jarred foods to skip.

That’s why it’s so important to build your diet around whole, fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, says SanjayShow More

bacon on a plate
2 / 6
Bacon

Diets high in red and processed meats are linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and colon cancer. In fact, eating just 1.8 ounces of a processed meat like bacon each day is associated with an 18 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a 2017 review in the Journal ofShow More

close up on soda
3 / 6
Regular and diet soda

Regular soda contains various types of sugar—and some cans may be up to 65 percent fructose. All that sugar can:

  • Add to your waistline
  • Put you at risk for diabetes
  • Promote tooth decay

It also raises your daily calorie intake without providing any real nutrients. Those excess calories canShow More

canned energy drink
4 / 6
Energy drinks

Having too many of certain energy drinks can send you to the emergency room. These beverages may be marketed as “supplements” to avoid being regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), says Dr. Bindra. Supplements don’t have to list their ingredients or nutrition facts and get toShow More

alphabet soup
5 / 6
Canned and instant soups

The daily recommended limit for sodium is 2,300 mg for healthy adults. Some people—like those with heart disease—should stick to less than 1,500 mg a day. But with instant soup, it’s possible to slurp up most or all of your day’s allowance for salt in one sitting.

“Canned soups may have 400 mg ofShow More

woman with coffee on a cellphone
6 / 6
Healthy eating tips

For personalized nutrition tips, take Sharecare’s RealAge Test. After asking about your eating, sleeping, exercise habits, and more, the test will determine your RealAge, or an estimate of how your overall health compares to your biological age. Based on that, it will offer advice on how to liveShow More

Slideshow sources open slideshow sources

American Heart Association. How much sodium should I eat per day? 2018. Accessed July 30, 2020.
A Wolk. Potential health hazards of eating red meat. Journal of Internal Medicine. February 2017. Volume 281, Issue 2, Pages 106-122.
Dan Sperling, MD. Lycopene and Prostate Cancer. Sperling Prostate Center. March 20, 2014.
P Chen, W Zhang, et al. Lycopene and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2015;94(33):e1260.
EE Ventura, JN Davis, MI Goran. Sugar content of popular sweetened beverages based on objective laboratory analysis: focus on fructose content.”Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011;19(4):868-874.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Obesity, Sugar and Heart Health. 2020. Accessed July 30, 2020.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Simple Steps to Preventing Diabetes. 2020. Accessed July 30, 2020.
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. Thinking About Another Sweet Gulp? Think Again. March 24, 2017.
Alice Park. There’s Even More Sugar In Soda Than You Think. Time. June 5, 2014.
Markham Heid. Diet soda and cancer: What you should know. University of Texas MD Anderson Center. October 2014. Accessed July 30, 2020.
M Pearlman, J Obert, L Casey. The Association Between Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity. Current Gastroenterology Reports. 2017;19(12):64. Published November 21, 2017.
Anna Medaris Miller. Are Energy Drinks Really That Bad? U.S. News & World Report. January 16, 2015.
MedlinePlus. Caffeine Overdose. 2019. Accessed July 30, 2020.
Mayo Clinic. Caffeine: How much is too much? 2020. Accessed July 30, 2020.
Harvard Health Publishing. Sodium, salt, and you. November 2009. Accessed July 30, 2020.

More On

Get moving to live longer

video

Get moving to live longer
Want to increase your life expectancy? Get moving! Vonda Wright, MD, gives tips on how to get active.
The secret to a long, independent life

article

The secret to a long, independent life
This activity could reduce falls, improve mobility, and help lower your risk of chronic disease.
6 exercise moves to borrow from popular workouts

slideshow

6 exercise moves to borrow from popular workouts
These expert-approved workout moves will help you tone up and burn calories.
Start your journey to 100

video

Start your journey to 100
Blue Zones are home to the world's longest-living people. Get inspired to live a longer, healthier life and learn lifestyle traits that contribute to ...
Ageless: staying active as you age

video

Ageless: staying active as you age
Our bodies were designed to move, not to sit in one place. Learn tips to stay active as you age and instill mobility in every part of your life.